With the growing ecological crisis, it is more important than ever before for both individuals and companies to limit waste and use resources responsibly. Your business can have a significant impact on saving the planet if it makes a few simple commitments. Regardless of your company’s size, implement these five practices to make your company eco-friendly.
Go Digital
Many companies use a significant amount of paper. Some require employees to fill out hard copies of orientation paperwork while others print many handouts or have clients fill out hard copies of information. You could save a significant amount of office-supply costs and reduce your environmental footprint by transferring the majority of your paperwork over to digital files.
When you have no choice but to use hard copies, use recycled paper and print double-sided to save on the amount of paper you use.
Incentivize Customers To Participate in Recycling
Whether your business is in the recycling industry or not, you can make small changes to incentivize your customers to recycle. Companies such as EcoATM do this by offering customers quick cash for recycling old electronic appliances. EcoATM professionals make a huge difference by giving customers an incentive for turning in devices that can be recycled instead of letting them take up space in a landfill or clutter up a home.
On a smaller level, you can offer discounts to customers who choose to use sustainable packaging. Encourage people to use reusable coffee mugs instead of single-use paper cups or invite customers to choose canvas grocery bags over plastic or paper ones.
Use Sustainable Packaging
It may be tempted to use packaging made of non-recyclable materials to improve your company’s bottom line, but your business may be more appealing to potential clients if you are committed to using sustainable packaging to help the planet.
There are several options to choose from that are both cost-efficient and eco-friendly, so considered using packaging made from one of the following materials.
- Recycled products
- Biodegradable or plant-based plastics
- Molded packaging
- Polyethylene bags made from recycled waste
Repurpose Old Office Furniture
Every company needs new furniture at some point, but you should be careful about what you do with old furniture. Instead of throwing it away and letting it take up space in a landfill, consider donating it to a charity or a non-profit organization.
You might also consider repurposing old furniture or taking it apart to reuse the pieces. There are hundreds of ways you can repurpose furniture so that it continues to meet your needs even after you have upgraded to new, updated furniture.
Choose Renewable Resources
Your office building uses a lot of energy to operate effectively, so installing an energy-efficient HVAC system and timed lights can drastically improve your ecological footprint. You should also monitor your water usage and eliminate any potential wastefulness. Installing low-flow toilets and high-efficiency taps can save the company money while helping to conserve resources.
You can also take advantage of renewable resources to provide power for your company building. Solar, geothermal, fuel cell and wind energy are all eco-friendly methods for heating water and generating electricity.
Regardless of this size of your company, it can still have a big impact on the environment. Choosing to ignore the environmental crisis only makes the problem worse, but making a few small changes in how your business operates can make your company eco-friendly and allow it to have a positive impact on the world.
Many of these practices are also cost-efficient, making them great for businesses that want to make a difference but need to watch their bottom lines. If you own a company, consider doing your part to make it eco-friendly and help the environment.
