How To Go Green And Save Money: Tips For Sustainable Business Practices

Julie Starr • May 06, 2022

The world is changing, and businesses need to change with it. One of the most important ways to stay ahead of the curve is by moving towards sustainable business practices. This doesn’t mean that you have to make massive changes overnight – there are many small things that you can do to start making your business more environmentally friendly. Here are some tips for going green and saving money simultaneously!

Invest In Energy-Efficient Technology And Appliances

By investing in energy-efficient technology and appliances, you will save money on your energy bills, and it’s also good for the environment. Small businesses can make a big difference by investing in energy-efficient technology and appliances. This helps to save money on monthly energy bills and reduces the business’s carbon footprint.

Some energy-efficient appliances businesses can invest in include ENERGY STAR certified commercial freezers and refrigerators, LED lighting, programmable thermostats, and energy-efficient office equipment such as computers, printers, and fax machines.

Educate Your Employees About Sustainability

One of the best ways to make your business more sustainable is educating your employees about sustainability . This can be done through training sessions, lunch-and-learns, or even hanging up posters around the office. By teaching your staff about the importance of sustainability, you’ll create a more environmentally-friendly workplace.

Some topics that you could cover in your employee education include the benefits of sustainability, reducing energy consumption, tips for recycling and composting and saving water at work.

By educating your employees about sustainability, you can create a more environmentally-friendly workplace. This will help save the planet, but it can also lead to cost savings for your business.

Location

Another way to make your business more sustainable is to choose a green location. This could mean anything from an office in a LEED-certified building to a storefront close to public transportation. By choosing a sustainable site, you can reduce your carbon footprint and save money on things like energy bills. If you are not in an area conducive to a sustainable location, consider moving to a site that is. You can use office removalists to assist in your business relocation to a more sustainable location. When choosing a sustainable location, some factors include · Access to public transportation, proximity to recycling facilities, the energy efficiency of the building, and use of renewable energy sources.

Choosing a sustainable location for your business is a great way to reduce your carbon footprint and save money on energy bills. If you cannot find a sustainable location, consider moving to an area that is.

Sustainable Suppliers

Another way to make your business more sustainable is by choosing sustainable suppliers. This means selecting suppliers who have environmentally-friendly practices, such as using recycled materials or renewable energy. By working with sustainable suppliers, you can reduce your carbon footprint and help support other businesses doing their part to save the

planet.

When choosing sustainable suppliers, things to look for include the use of recycled materials, renewable energy, environmentally-friendly packaging and shipping practices.

There are many benefits to having a sustainable business, both for the environment and your bottom line. By investing in energy-efficient technology, educating your employees about sustainability, and choosing a green location, you can make your business more sustainable – and save money at the same time. Implementing even just a few of these tips can make a big difference for your business and the planet.

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Simple Steps To Make Your Office Space More Eco-Friendly

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.

3 Most Unsustainable Industries & What They're Doing To Be More Eco-Conscious

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.