How To Prove You Run An Eco-Friendly Business

Julie Starr • May 03, 2021



Eco-friendliness and sustainability are often at the forefront of consumers’ minds when making a purchasing decision. They’ll want to know that your business is doing all it can to be as environmentally friendly as possible, and they will spend time researching whether or not this is a fact. This is why it pays to actually be eco-friendly. Of course, it’s great for the planet, and that is something crucial to bear in mind, but from a business point of view, it’s great for profits too. 

So that you can run a sustainable business that people are happy to buy from, the key is to make things easy for the customer. Show them what you do that is eco-friendly, and rather than having to do any background checks and research themselves, you will have done it for them – the less effort it takes, the more likely a sale will be made. Read on to find out what you can do.

Mention It Everywhere 

If you are running an eco-friendly business, tell people about it. Make sure that if you write a well-versed sales playbook , if you have a social media page, if you make any contribution to the community, that your eco-friendly status is part of what you’re saying. You can even make sure that every element of your marketing includes this element as a major factor. 

  It might seem dull to say the same thing over and over, but don’t worry. This is such an important message that those who care about it – more and more people all the time – won’t mind hearing it again and again. If you are concerned, then there are many different marketing ideas that you can implement that will get the same message across in a variety of ways. 

Apply For Awards 

There are many awards that relate to eco-friendly businesses. If you were to win one, this would be definitive proof that you are working in an environmentally friendly way. The first step is to research the different awards that are available and see which ones match up with what you are doing. If there are none, take a look at what the awards are looking for, and make the necessary changes within your business. Either way, you’ll then be ready to apply. 

  Make your application with plenty of time to spare so that you don’t rush the process. Enclose all the evidence and information that is being asked for, and wait to hear the results. It might be that you win, and if you do, you can use this award to show how serious you are about sustainability. Even if you don’t win, you might be able to legitimately claim that you were nominated. 

Sponsor Your Community 

It’s certainly possible – and a good idea – to change your business practices to work in a more eco-friendly way. This could include going paperless, using solar panels for energy, recycling more, and so on. Yet these things aren’t always going to be noticed by potential customers. 

  What will be noticed, however, is if you make an effort to sponsor your community and ensure that, in doing so, it becomes more environmentally friendly. An example of this would be to sponsor recycling bins to place around your town or organize a litter picking event. Anything like this will show people you are serious about making the world a better place. 

 

 

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.
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