More and more businesses are becoming aware of the importance of being eco-friendly. Not only does it have a positive impact on the environment, which is, of course, the most important thing. But it also helps to show your business in a positive light.
In fact, some consumers out there actively look for businesses that are not only aware of environmental matters, but that take action to make sure that they are following eco-friendly practices too.
Are you a business who wants to make sure that they are taking a more eco-friendly approach? Not sure where to start? If you want to make the change, then we have put together some of the best ways that you can make your business more eco-friendly this year.
Switch to green cleaning products
Whilst cleaning products are important for making sure that our workplaces are cleaned hygienic, the chemicals that are in them can have incredibly harmful implications to the world around us. This is why many businesses are switching to using green cleaning products where they can. If you employ a commercial cleaning company to come in and make sure that your premises are clean, then it is worthwhile talking to them about their own eco-friendly practices and the products that they use when they are cleaning.
You may be surprised to learn just how many cleaning companies out there adopt green cleaning practices and offer them to their clients.
Go Paperless
There is no need to waste paper in the digital age. In fact, documents are more easily shared and distributed electronically. Using DocCapture, businesses quit their paper habit and streamline by going digital. A tree would like to thank you in advance.
Think about water wastage and how better to conserve it
We waste water without even realizing it. The leaky tap in the bathroom and the constantly flushing toilets all play their part in using up water as a business. It doesn’t take much to arrange for someone to come out and fix your leaky tap, but it can really make a difference to how much water you use.
As well as thinking about ways to minimize the water that you use in your business on a daily basis. You can also try out eco-friendly water systems, such as small water tanks which will collect rainwater which you can then use as waste-water within your business. You don’t get much greener than that.
Make recycling easy and ensure that staff know its importance
There is a huge drive at the moment to promote the benefits of recycling in people’s homes and it seems that businesses really need to be following suit. The great thing about recycling is that it is not only incredibly effective in taking care of the environment, but it is also incredibly simple and cheap to do too.
You need to ensure that you have clear bins for each type of recyclable material and that they are easy for your staff to access. You might have a bin for paper products, glass, or items to go to a Metal Recycler North East (or elsewhere). This is because if they are easy to use, then they are going to be much more likely to pop things in there as they are passing by. As well as this, make it known that you are expecting people to recycle as much as they can, it is all too easy to forget about things that we all do at home, whilst we are at work. Which means that sometimes all your employees will need is a gentle reminder.
Encourage your staff to travel to work a different way
If you can drive a car, then chances are that you rely on them to travel around. However, all these cars on the roads are having a detrimental effect on our environment. Of course, for some people, it might not be realistic to expect them to find an alternative method to travel to work. But for others, there are other alternative methods of transport that they can try out.
As an employer, it is down to you to encourage these alternative travel methods. You could arrange a car-share option for those who need to travel in from further afield. This means that not only do you cut down on the need for parking spaces for your employees but that you are taking a much more eco-friendly approach too.
You could also arrange for a cycle to work scheme. This often means that staff can use a salary sacrifice in order to contribute towards a bike that they can then use to travel to work. If you are going to encourage cycling, then you need to ensure that your staff have a secure place to store their bike, as well as shower or changing room facilities that they can use after they have cycled in.
Use sustainable suppliers
The majority of businesses out there are going to have suppliers that they rely on for stock. What you may not realize is that there are more and more options to consider when it comes to green procurement or using sustainable suppliers.
If you use a sustainable supplier then you can be sure that the materials, products and items that you buy from them have been produced in a way that is sustainable. There are a number of ways that this could be the case. They could have been made using renewable materials, they could be non-toxic or they could be recyclable. Both of which are known to have a positive impact on the environment.
It might take a little more time to find a sustainable supplier, but it is definitely worthwhile searching for one for your business in the long term.
Plant some shrubs and trees outside your premises
It is no secret that plants are great for the environment. However, it seems that many people seem to forget this. A great way to make your office or business space eco-friendly is to plant trees and shrubs outside. Not only are they an all-important cog in our ecosystem but they are also going to make the outside of your business look and feel a whole lot prettier too.
If you are concerned about upkeep then choose plants that are easy to take care of such as succulents that need little water (you could always use your rainwater stores to water those plants or bring in a plant care company to take care of them for you. This may mean spending out some money, but we can promise you that in the long run, it will be worthwhile doing.
Consider alternative energy sources
The idea of alternative energy sources is becoming all the more popular of late now that we all realize just how expensive and unhelpful to the environment traditional sources can be. Solar power, water power, and wind power are all popping up around us and they are not only proving to be effective in their energy production but also reducing the number of toxins that are released in the air. You are going to need to research into which option is most viable for you as a business, but after taking the time to think about what is going to work for you, it is definitely worthwhile giving alternative energy a go. Not only is it much cleaner, but it also helps to reduce energy bills too. Something that every business could benefit from.
Replace equipment with energy-efficient models
Every single business out there, regardless of their industry, is likely to have plenty of pieces of electrical equipment in their premises. This could be computers, servers, production machines, even kettles, and dishwashers too. All of which are going to be used on a daily basis. For many businesses, cost has always been the most important consideration and of course, this does make sense. But now, alongside cost, it is also important to try and use an energy efficient model if you can.
It has been made all the easier to understand when a piece of equipment is energy efficient, its rating is displayed as a letter and the higher the letter, the better it will be for the environment, as well as energy usage too. A great consultant from RSB Environmental can advise you on the best equipment and models.
Recycle electronics that you are no longer going to use
More and more electronic equipment is ending up in landfill, filling up space. However, what you may not realize is that these pieces can be recycled. Many electronic retailers have a recycling program that you can use if your product is less than 5 years old. Not only this, but there may also be local community groups, schools or charities that could also benefit from you passing equipment on when it is time to replace them. This not only helps the environment but also helps those in your local area too, which will help to put you in good stead with those around you.
As you can see, when it comes to being an eco-friendly business, there are plenty of things that you can do to make sure that you are heading in the right direction. Some are simple, cheap and easy to do, some may require a little more time, effort and investment. Despite this, knowing that you are having a positive impact on the world around you, as well as boosting your appeal to some customers, is enough to give you the drive to make a change.
