Making Changes To Be More Green In Business Is Necessary

Julie Starr • March 24, 2022



Being green and being sustainable are two of the most important things that businesses should be trying to do right now. We understand that not all companies know how to do this, and they don’t understand that there are some pretty simple changes that can be made that will make a huge difference on the planet as a whole. But, by the time you have finished reading this, you will have a better idea. In this article, we’re going to be talking about some of the things that you can do to change your business for the better, pushing it into greener territory. Keep reading down below if you would like to find out more.

Energy Uses

First, you can look at the way that your business uses energy. Electricity of course is the most common form of energy that we use both in business and in everyday life. However, the problem is that electricity is not sustainable and probably costs your business an arm and a leg every single month. The best way to avoid this is to look at a different type of energy to use. Now, there are a few options for you to consider, but the one that we are going to look at today is solar power .

While solar panels might cost you a fair chunk of money to set up, if you live somewhere where the sun shines a lot, it is more than going to pay for itself. It might not be possible in the beginning to completely rely on solar power, and it might never be because it is weather dependent, but any change here is a substantial one. If you can become less dependent on electricity as a form of energy, you are making a big impact on the planet.

Hire An Expert

It might be the case that you decide you don’t know that much about being sustainable or going green, so you are going to hire someone who does. They will be in charge of working out the best ways to make your business more sustainable and more green, helping move your business into the future. You can find these experts through a biotech recruitment agency or by advertising online, so it just depends on which way you want to do this.

You might not realize just how much you could be doing until you have this individual on your side. We promise that they are going to be a fantastic investment because it means that you know this side of your business is taken care of, without you having to try and sort it all out yourself.

Go Paperless

A lot of companies have already done this, but if you are one of the ones that is dragging behind, it’s time to go paperless . We live in the world of technology anyway, so what is the point of using paper for the majority of things anymore? We understand that there are some cases in which this is going to be necessary, but for the majority of things, you can go paperless. Do you know how many millions of trees are cut down needlessly every single year, only for paper to be wasted anyway? It’s not like we need the trees for oxygen or anything, or the planet needs them to balance it out.

It might seem inconvenient in the beginning, but it’s just an adjustment period. We’re sure that you can manage without the paper. Or, if you are really struggling, work on cutting down first and then going completely paperless. Sometimes doing it in steps makes the transition easier.

Recycle

We know that we just said to go paperless, but paper is not the only material that can be recycled. Throughout your business process, there are likely a lot of materials going to waste that can be recycled. If you throw them away without recycling then this is the end of their life cycle on the planet, but it shouldn’t be. Materials that can be recycled can be used for something else, making use of what we already have rather than having to come up with more for the sake of being lazy.

Recycling took off in households a number of years ago, but there are a lot of businesses that still haven’t caught on to the idea that this is what needs to happen. It’s not difficult to separate the recyclable waste from non-recyclable waste, and it doesn’t take a lot of time either. There really is no excuse for this.

Make Use Of Online

When it comes to things like advertising, make sure that you are making use of all the tools that are available to you online. For example, you can post on social media which will give you a far reach, much further than if you were marketing traditionally. Of course, traditional marketing is still alive and well and you can still utilize this, but you want to use online as much as you can. When you are using a sustainable power source to use your tech, and you are not using paper to advertise your business, you are doing a lot of good for the world.

Online will provide you with more potential than other methods anyway. You can post on a number of different platforms, getting the attention of more people than you probably thought possible without causing damage to the world. It’s a win-win for everyone, including the Earth.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the changes that you can make to your business in order to make it a little more green. If you can make any change to your business to make it slightly more green than it is right now, it’s a fantastic start. You don’t have to get everything sorted right away, and you don’t need to bring all the changes in at the same time. Every small step towards being more sustainable is better than none. We wish you the very best of luck.

Simple Steps To Make Your Office Space More Eco-Friendly

By Julie Starr • October 7, 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 • October 4, 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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