If your business has always tried to be sustainable, you can create an eco-friendly product by default. You need to prioritize sustainable materials in that context. You can get supplies from ethical providers regardless of your line of work.
This guide shares some tips to make your business eco-friendlier.
1. Sustainable storage and shipping
Store your products in a facility that conserves energy and water, and use recyclable shipping boxes. If possible, work with entities that use renewable energy sources. Equip your warehouses with solar panels if you have the budget for them.
2. Consider your back office
A good first step would be outfitting your premises with recycling bins. You might need to remind your staff to use them and advise what materials can or can’t be recycled. Try to print fewer paper documents or go paperless completely. Use energy-efficient office equipment and devices. Turn the lights off at the end of the workday.
3. Donate
By donating products, you’re keeping them from ending up in a landfill. You can also volunteer or make monetary donations to NPOs that support the environment.
4. Encourage remote or hybrid work
Many businesses can transition to hybrid or partially remote work. You can reduce your energy use if this transition is possible. This will have an immediate impact on your electricity bill. Your expenses for office equipment and lighting will go down. Saving energy also means a reduced strain on the environment.
5. Get green web hosting
Eco-friendly web hosting providers use servers that are powered by wind energy, solar power, or other renewable energy sources. Other green web hosting providers invest in carbon-neutral initiatives to offset their carbon emissions. For example, GreenGeeks put back the energy they expend into the grid threefold.
Environmentally friendly hosting reduces your carbon footprint without sacrificing reliability or performance. It helps you save money as well because the companies use energy-efficient technologies. This is good for the environment and drives the bottom line.
Green web hosting companies tend to use technology that makes websites more reliable. This leads to more satisfied customers and less downtime. Customers are becoming more environmentally aware and actively seek out hosting providers that are taking measures to become more sustainable.
6. Reduce waste
By generating less waste, you can protect the environment and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It’s smart to invest in materials and equipment with a longer lifespan to keep them from going into landfills sooner.
7. Become more energy-efficient
Many businesses have prioritized energy efficiency in light of the Russian war in Ukraine and the resulting energy crisis. Companies all over the world are trying to adjust their operational expenses by becoming less reliant on fossil fuels, which are terrible for the environment.
Among the areas you can consider are building insulation, lighting, buying energy-efficient equipment, and using a fuel-efficient fleet. Insulation has a major impact on energy use, especially if your company is housed in an older building. Insulation helps retain more heat in cold seasons and traps cool air during hot periods. This saves money because heating and cooling systems use less energy to maintain a pleasant temperature.
Lights comprise a solid share of a commercial property’s energy use. By choosing LED lightbulbs, your office will save a lot of energy and money in contrast to fluorescent lightbulbs and even more compared to luminous lighting.
The best option, however, is making the most of natural light. You can improve the light entering the building through skylights and windows and encourage your employees to turn the lights off when it’s light out.
Energy Star-certified equipment is worth investing in. You can upgrade your office equipment, kitchen fridge, office computers, etc. When a piece of equipment has run its course, dispose of it in an eco-friendly way and replace it with a certified version.
Your business can also save money by improving its use of fuel. Make fuel efficiency a priority if you have delivery vans or a construction fleet. Hybrid vehicles can help achieve this.
8. Save water
Conserving water helps save your business money on utilities and achieves sustainability goals. Using less water also saves on electricity for heating water. Commercial properties can conserve water by installing low-flow urinals, toilets, and faucets in kitchens and bathrooms. No-touch sensors will save water because people can’t leave taps running.
