Whether you're a large, international corporation or a small brick-and-motor shop, every business has the ability to become more sustainable. A simple upgrade of supplies or a few conscious choices to purchases "green" products can make a big difference. Here are some ways your business can become a more self-sustaining operation.
Upgrade to Energy Efficient Equipment
There have been huge advancements in the last few decades on how machines and equipment operate. Now companies are working harder to offer energy efficient resources to help you cut costs and make businesses and homes greener overall. With a few appliance, machine and lighting upgrades, you would be on your way to not only reduce your footprint but your operating costs.
“Green” up Your Office
There are more options for green, safe products now that we could ever imagine. From copy paper and pens to paper towel and cleaning products, you can virtually transition all of your normal, everyday products that are used in your office to something that has been recycled, refurbished or reused. Companies such as Seventh Generation and Green Line Paper offer great products that are derived from plant-based or recycled material are safer for you and the environment.
Go Paperless!
Technology is constantly changing and evolving to provide solutions for the needs of businesses. Now you can do basically everything online including selling products, managing customer information, communicating with your employees and the list goes on. Start with trading out your traditional printed receipts and 10-page printed manuals for an online version to get started. Transitioning your paper documents to electronic versions wil you save and everyone else big in the long run.
Cut Your Energy Usage
I would agree that sometimes it’s important to leave certain switches on to maintain a level of safety and security, but there are some areas that would be a better benefit if you hit the OFF switch. When everyone has gone home for the night, making a conscious effort to switch off unnecessary items like bathroom lights or computer monitors is a simple but effective way to reduce your energy usage and, again, overall monthly bills.
Recycle
Although we can thank advancements in technology for largely leading the way in reducing waste, there are still items that we either need or prefer to use that might not fit directly under the "green" category. This could be anything from unwanted paper to glass and plastic containers. Taking a proactive stance on recycling these items as much as possible and reducing what goes in the waste basket will help to get you in the fast track to becoming a more sustainable business.
