How to Make Your Business More Sustainable
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a small mom-and-pop shop or a major corporation, you need to consider the impact that your business has on the environment. While many businesses are looking for ways to decrease their carbon footprint through recycling and other sustainability efforts, there are a lot of other ways you can go can be greener.
Invest in Clean Energy
There are a variety of ways to reduce your carbon footprint. From installing solar panels to reduce energy consumption to upgrading your fleet, it’s easier than you think. If you do want to switch to electric vehicles, EV’s benefit the environment in many ways. An EV fleet doesn’t burn fossil fuel and it costs less to charge and maintain. In turn, upgrading your company’s current fleet can also lower your overhead expenses as well.
Look for Ways to Reuse Materials
Reusing materials is another great way to reduce the amount of waste your company creates. Repurposing cardboard boxes and plastic containers instead of throwing them out can help you save money simply by reusing them. If you don’t want to reuse them, you can also look to donate unused items to Goodwill or another charity. You can even use this practice digitally by recycling online content for engagement growth opportunities. Carrying the theme of re-use through to all your processes will only make it that much stronger.
Switch to Recycled Products
Like reusing what you can, you should also consider using recycled products whenever possible. So many products can be recycled, so it makes better financial sense to research which ones you can use within your organization. You can use recycled paper, storage boxes, plastic containers, and even hangers if you own a clothing store. On the topic of plastic, you can also ditch plastic water bottles and opt for glass ones instead. This is even more important if you have many employees who work in the office.
Look for Greener Vendors
You aren’t the one person looking to be more sustainable. Now, there are many vendors and manufacturers who also want to go green. If your current supplier doesn’t want to switch to more sustainable practices, you can look for ones who do. Interview them and ask how they’ve changed their daily operations to be more sustainable.
Improve Employee Health
If your staff works in-house, ditch the vending machine junk food, and offer healthier options instead. Healthy alternatives include fruit, prepackaged veggies and hummus, nuts, and even some dark chocolate. Your goal should be to provide your team your snacks that boost their brain power.
Clean with Green
Keeping your business clean is just as important as making a profit. If you haven’t switched to non-toxic cleaning products, you need to make the change. There are many options on the market that work just as well, if not better, than their caustic counterparts. Just make sure that the ones you choose kill germs and bacteria.
Swap Your Light Bulbs
Harsh fluorescent lighting is a thing of the past. They also make the workday a lot less desirable, especially if you’re sitting under them for eight or more hours. Look for LED lights that use less energy and are better for the environment. LEDs also last considerably longer than traditional bulbs, so you’ll save more money as well.
This article has been published in accordance with Socialnomics’ disclosure policy.
