Could You Run a Business Green? Details to Consider Before You Decide

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. A lot of businesses are going ‘green’ and doing their part to help the environment. Before attempting to go green, there are some things you need to consider before updating your operations. The following contributed post is entitled, Could You Run a Business Green? Details to Consider Before You Decide.

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If you have a small business, you will have to make the most out of your point of differentiation, and make your brand stand out from the competition. It is also important that you align your personal values and your business ones with your customers’. Below you will find a few pointers on how to make your business more sustainable and whether or not you can run it off the grid.

Image via Wikimedia Commons

Communication

One of the things you can do to reduce the carbon footprint of your business is to work through the internet and avoid flying to meetings and meeting clients in person whenever necessary. Thanks to the latest technologies in communication, you can now set up a conference call in your office with people from all over the world. You might even run all your advertising online, setting up social media marketing campaigns, instead of advertising in print magazines. This would certainly be a good start if you are looking to improve your business.

Transport

One of the things you have to consider is the transport you and your colleagues use to get to the office. If you have more than a dozen employees, you might be thinking about setting up a car pooling scheme, offering bike discounts, or an incentive to buy electric vehicles. This will help you align your values with your employees’ and create a shared vision and mission for the company.

Energy Use and Generation

Image via Dugway Proving Ground – Army.mil

There are loads of ways you can make your business sustainable and ensure that you are not putting too much pressure on the environment. You can get solar panels installed on the roof of your building, create wind energy, or set up a gym that your employees can use for free, as it is hooked up to a battery, and they can generate electricity while working out. There are plenty of great ideas you can use to make your business greener.

Water Supply

Preserving water at the office is another area you should focus on. There are several ways you can reduce your water usage. If you are in the manufacturing business, you might want to install your own water treatment system to eliminate waste and ensure that you are minimizing your impact on the environment. There are great ways of measuring your water use, such as getting a 10000 litre water tank to see how long the water can last.

Sustainable Materials

When it comes to your office carbon footprint, it is also important that you invest in sustainable materials and furniture. You might need to pay more in the beginning, but your investment will pay off. Whenever you are installing new insulation or windows, consider the carbon footprint of the materials.

If you want to make the most out of your mission and vision alignment, you should consider going green as a shared goal between you, your staff, and your customers. This goal will help you create value and strengthen your brand long term, too.

Author: anwaryusef

Anwar Y. Dunbar is a Regulatory Scientist. Being a naturally curious person, he is also a student of all things. He earned his Ph.D. in Pharmacology from the University of Michigan and his Bachelor’s Degree in General Biology from Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU). Prior to starting the Big Words Blog Site, Anwar published and contributed to numerous research articles in competitive scientific journals reporting on his research from graduate school and postdoctoral years. After falling in love with writing, he contributed to the now defunct Examiner.com, and the Edvocate where he regularly wrote about: Education-related stories/topics, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), Financial Literacy; as well as conducted interviews with notable individuals such as actor and author Hill Harper. Having many influences, one of his most notable heroes is author, intellectual and speaker, Malcolm Gladwell, author of books including Outliers and David and Goliath. Anwar has his hands in many, many activities. In addition to writing, Anwar actively mentors youth, works to spread awareness of STEM careers, serves on the Board of Directors of the Friends of the David M. Brown Arlington Planetarium, serves as Treasurer for the JCSU Washington, DC Alumni Chapter, and is active in the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace Ministry at the Alfred Street Baptist Church. He also tutors in the subjects of biology, chemistry and physics. Along with his multi-talented older brother Amahl Dunbar (designer of the Big Words logos, inventor and a plethora of other things), Anwar is a “Fanboy” and really enjoys Science-Fiction and Superhero movies including but not restricted to Captain America Civil War, Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Prometheus. He is a proud native of Buffalo, NY.

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