What Should Do if You Want To Go Paperless (but You Can’t)?

Julie Starr • June 29, 2021



Everybody is trying to make their business sustainable. And this means that when we start to think about how we can do our bit for the environment, it goes way deep into the cultural aspects of our business. But sometimes, we start to overthink matters. Because businesses need to make seismic changes through cultural components, they can easily overlook the smaller factions that can make a significant difference. Case in point: going paperless . Cutting down on the paper you use is a very simple way to help, but what happens if you try to go paperless, but you just can’t? Going digital is easy, but it’s about making sure that the paper doesn’t come back into the business. Let’s show you what you need to do. 

Surround Yourself With Similar Mindsets

The difficulty of dealing with aspects of a supply chain means that you can’t always find people that have the same mindset. But it’s important to not make massive changes right away. If you are trying to change your thinking, the best way to do this is to surround yourself and work with people who are also environmentally conscious. There are times when you may need to print things but when you do this, consider making the purchases that make the least impact. A company like Aura Print focuses on digital cards, but will always work with businesses that embody the same sort of mindset. It’s a very key component to doing business effectively. When you start to work with like-minded people, it provides you with a positive influence to keep pushing forward for constructive change. 

Forget About the Backlog

One of the best ways to consider going paperless is to forget about how much paper you’ve already accumulated. It’s so easy for us to focus on past habits when we should be looking forward. Instead of looking back, adopt a forward-thinking approach. The fact is that if you are trying to go paperless, now is the time for you to make that change. Rather than looking backward and trying to digitize all of your paper files, which can be counterintuitive, instead, make sure that the backlog doesn’t get any bigger. Sign up for digital payments and email statements. If you are a business that still sends checks on a regular basis, you’ve got to make the switch to pay online. Many companies have had digital payments for years, but there are still some who will not accept online payments. When you are dealing with certain suppliers, they may still be stuck in the 1990s, and if you find yourself in this predicament, you’ve got to explain to them that they will get their money quicker if they accept digital payments. Small businesses can accept bank transfers with minimal fees. Sometimes, when we’re working with older suppliers, they are more stubborn. However, it’s just important to remember that sometimes we have to set an example. 

Scanning and Shredding

You can start to digitize your business through a scanner, but if your business is on the small side, you may not be able to invest in an expensive scanner, however, there are plenty of smartphone apps that you can use to scan information. Once you start to scan, put the paper in the shredder. When you dispose of the paper into the shredder, you’ve done everything you can. It can be difficult to follow that habit, especially if you don’t have time, but just take the opportunity to spend five minutes per day scanning from your backlog, to see how smoothly it goes. You can always hire temporary staff to do this for you also. 

Incorporate New Workflows

Scanning and shredding your documents is one approach, but as you get more comfortable with your paperless approach, you may discover you will need more workflows. This could mean that you need to create a new content management system, especially if you need to keep information on clients, such as their business number, contact details, etc. 

It’s also important to remember that you shouldn’t overthink it. When you are facing a difficult predicament as to whether you should go paperless with certain parts of the business, it can be tough. Going paperless should make your life easier. You may feel guilty that you got a few extra pieces of paper floating around, but you need to remember that if you are holding onto pointless papers, get rid of them, but also, you shouldn’t bother digitizing papers that serve no purpose. When in doubt, shred it, and let it go. Going paperless is not always straightforward, because there are different ideologies and attitudes to going completely digital. But when you are in doubt, try a few of these methods to see how it goes.

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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