Do You Believe These Myths About Going Green Friendly?

Julie Starr • Apr 20, 2022



Are you thinking about making your business more
green-friendly ? You might think that this is going to be an uphill battle and that’s probably because you believe a few of the myths surrounding this type of change. To put your mind at ease, let’s break down some of the common misconceptions and reveal the truth behind going green in the business world today.

You Have To Do It All Yourself

One of the biggest myths surrounding green friendly companies is that you have to make the change all by yourself without any help. This isn’t true at all. One of the ways that you can make going green easier is by relying on a variety of different services. For instance, you might want to think about using scrap metal recycling solutions. If you create a lot of scrap metal as a side impact of your production processes, then it makes sense to recycle it. This is just one example of how the right service can help you be a little more green. 

It’s Going To Cost A Fortune 

Another myth or false assumption is the mindset that it’s going to cost an absolute fortune to go green. It won’t and the best example that we can give here is solar power. Solar panels used to be expensive, but time has moved on a lot since then. We’re at a different point in terms of the technology and the price it costs to produce this type of equipment. That means that solar panels are available to every size of business. More importantly,  these solar panels will pay for themselves after a couple of years. So, for all intents and purposes, they’re basically free. 

It’ll Turn Off Some Clients And Customers

Another big concern is that going green will turn off at least a few clients and customers. It’s no secret that the world is still very much divided on where priorities should be in terms of how we use power and what we do to help the planet. The good news is polls suggest that the vast majority of people want to buy from greener businesses . They want to know that they are doing everything that they can to live greener lives. So any dip in demand is likely to be minimal and you probably won’t even notice the change. 

It’s Not Worth It In The Long Term

You’ll get numerous benefits from going green in the long term. As a starting point, by going green, you will cut your energy bills down over time. Ultimately, this could result in you having to worry less about the rising fuel costs that are going to hit businesses as much as they will people. As well as this, it is likely that you will see a boost in demand for your business once you achieve the right green standards. It’s also highly likely that businesses will be punished in the future if they aren’t run to the right standards in terms of green energy. So, it’s best to get ahead of the curve now. 

You Can’t Make A Difference Anyway 

Are you under the impression that you can’t make a difference in terms of environmental changes to the planet? Well, we’re here to tell you this isn’t the case. You can make a difference and you should. It’s easy to say that individuals can’t change the path we’re on right now but companies certainly can. That includes small startups and SMEs that don’t seem to be making a huge impact. A little difference in your business model could go a long way to helping the world heal. 

Little Changes Don’t Help 

Maybe you can only afford to make small changes to your business model right now. You might think that this is pointless. However, that’s just not the case and even simple changes like switching to more energy-efficient lights could have a considerable impact on your business as a whole and the world. So, if there’s an idea you can explore to make your business a little more green, you absolutely need to explore it. 

We hope this helps you understand some of the common myths that surround the process of making your business more green-friendly. By taking the right steps, you can guarantee that your business does see the right improvements and all the benefits that come with going green. Remember, there will always be changes you can make to your business model. These are worth exploring, regardless of how small they might seem. 

 

By Julie Starr 07 Oct, 2024
Becoming more eco-friendly and running a greener business is a responsibility that business owners really need to think more about. The good news is that if you spend a lot of time in your office, there are plenty of ways to make it more eco-friendly without having to overhaul everything and start again (which isn’t just disruptive, but expensive too). So, if you’re ready to get started, here are some simple steps to make your office space more eco-friendly; read on to find out more. Use Energy-Efficient Lighting This idea is a simple one that you can do no matter what else might be on your list of tasks - it’s quick, easy, and really makes a difference; change your light bulbs to something more energy efficient. If you’re still using traditional fluorescent bulbs, it’s time to upgrade to LED which doesn’t just last longer, but also uses a lot less energy. They’re easy to install and they’ll help you cut down on your office’s energy usage almost instantly. If possible, you should make the most of natural light too, so think about rearranging your workspace to let in more sunlight, which saves energy and can boost your mood - it’s a win-win that you can do right away. Prioritize Air Quality The air you breathe matters, and keeping it clean can do wonders for your health and the planet. One way to improve air quality is by adding plants to your workspace because plants are natural air purifiers, and as a bonus, they’ll make your office feel more inviting. Another great idea is to make sure your office’s HVAC system is working efficiently, and having air duct cleaning done by professionals is an easy step you can take to improve air quality and ensure your heating and cooling systems aren’t wasting energy. Clean air ducts mean cleaner air, less strain on your system, and even lower energy bills, so it’s a simple but really effective thing to do. Switch To Reusable Products If your office is still stocking up on single-use plastic items, it’s time for a change - swap your disposable cups, utensils, and plates for reusable ones and you’ll be surprised at how much waste to eliminate. And what about encouraging people to bring their own mugs and water bottles to work? Give them tea, coffee, and water to refill everything with, and you’ll be doing your bit to help the planet and have less waste to deal with as well. And don’t stop with these things either - there are loads of reusable products that could be useful in your office. You could have refillable pens and ink cartridges for your printer, for example. Go Paperless Speaking of your printer, is that an office machine you actually need? If you were to go digital and aim for a paperless office , you might be able to do away with the printer, which means less money spent on ink and paper, and less energy used altogether. You should be able to set up a system where documents can be shared online and stored electronically, and there are plenty of tools around to help you do exactly that (and much more). If you don’t need to print something and you don’t need a physical copy of a document, don’t make one - just use the digital version instead and you’ll be a lot more eco-friendly.
By Julie Starr 04 Oct, 2024
Sustainability often gets pushed on the common person. Joe Public is told to be more sustainable with their daily habits as the government pushes for more eco-friendly measures. This is all well and good - but does it really matter when 71% of greenhouse gas emissions come from just 100 companies around the world? Small business owners are desperate to prove their sustainability, but what are bigger companies in some of the most polluting industries doing to help? We’ve taken three of the least sustainable sectors on the planet and explored the unique ways they’re trying to cut down on emissions and be more eco-friendly. Mining Any industry revolving around drilling underground will not be very environmentally friendly! Mining causes a lot of pollution, but its unsustainability often comes from the way it damages local environments and ecosystems. So, what is this industry doing to change things? It’s largely focusing on more responsible mining practices to reduce waste and mitigate the impact on local environments. This is done through mining dust suppression systems to prevent airborne pollution, reforesting mining sites when they’re no longer in use, and recycling as many materials as possible. Is it perfect? No, but it’s a step in the right direction. Fossil Fuels Shock horror; the fossil fuels industry is the most damaging to our environment. Finding ways to change the scope of this sector is the key to ensuring a better future for all. Some companies in this industry are trying to do this through carbon capture and storage. This is a technique where CO2 emissions are captured before they’re released into the atmosphere and stored underground. Realistically, the main thing fossil fuel companies should be doing is pushing for more renewable energy sources. Many are doing this - though reports suggest they’re not investing as much as they should. If fossil fuel companies dumped more money into developing biofuels and other renewable sources, pollution from this industry would drop dramatically. Fashion The most unbelievable stat to take from this post is that the fashion industry is responsible for 10% of our global carbon footprint . That’s remarkable (and worrying), considering how most of us don’t view it as a “dangerous” industry. Fast fashion is the main problem; poorly-made goods are pumped out at a rapid rate, and consumers constantly buy new things. Fashion companies are trying their best to resolve this. Most big brands will now have sustainable lines using recyclable materials. Consumers also hold the key to solving this problem: stop buying new clothes all the time and wear yours for longer. Or buy pre-owned clothes to slow down the fashion production line. Companies can still do more as well: they are trying to adopt more eco-friendly production processes that use less water and energy. The moral of this post is that everyone can do their bit to fight for a more sustainable future. Keep this in mind for your small business . It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in; there will always be ways to promote eco-friendly practices.
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