Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. You can generate more profits from your business not just from sales of your products and services, but also from making your operations greener and more sustainable. The following contributed post is entitled, 3 Ways to Make Your Business Greener and More Sustainable.
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We’ve talked before about the importance of “going green” within your business. With endless talks of climate change and other negative environmental issues that face the planet, sustainability is on the tip of everyone’s tongue, especially in the business world.
While you may understand the importance of being a more sustainable company, you might not know exactly how to accomplish that. Thankfully, you don’t need to be “sustainability-savvy” to make a difference in your line of work. In fact, simply implementing a recycling program within your business is a great place to start. Just one ton of recycled plastic can save over 30 cubic yards of landfill space.
If you’re interested in even more impactful and long-term solutions to make your business greener, you don’t have to look far. There are simple and effective practices you can put into place right away to make your business a greener operation for the future.
1. Do Some Remodeling
To start making your business more sustainable, why not look at the building itself? Where could improvements be made to make where you work each day greener and cleaner? Installing updates and doing some eco-friendly remodeling could make a big difference. Some examples include:
- Installing energy-efficient appliances
- Switching lighting to LED bulbs
- Applying a white roof coating or a “cool roof”
- Installing low-flow toilets in the bathrooms
- Making sure your walls are properly insulated
There are plenty of creative ways to create a more sustainable space for your business. It might be a bit of an investment up front, but one of the great things about “going green” is that many of these practices can save you money by lowering your utility bills.
2. Have a Procurement Process in Place
Where do you get your goods and supplies? In some cases, it can be hard to order the things your business needs locally. Other times, though, finding the supplies you need just around the corner might be easier than you think. That’s especially true when it comes to food. If you provide lunches or snacks for your team, think about where you’re procuring them from.
It might be time to change your procurement practices to be more sustainable. You should do your best to purchase supplies from businesses that:
- Are committed to sustainability
- Use environmentally-friendly packaging
- Take advantage of renewable materials
- Make products that can be recycled
By helping out businesses that are already working to be more sustainable, you can make your own greener in the process.
3. Recycle Your Electronics
Chances are, your business is full of computers, laptops, mobile devices, phone systems, etc. Eventually, electronics wear out. Or, you might just try to stay up-to-date with the latest and greatest in technological innovations, so you’re switching out your computers frequently.
You should never just throw electronics into the garbage.
Electronic waste is becoming a huge problem across the globe, with over 48 million tons of it produced in 2018. Instead of throwing away your business’ electronics, work with companies like HP, Best Buy, or Staples. They all have electronic recycling programs that can help you to dispose of your computers in a safe and environmentally-friendly way. Some places even have trade-in programs that will give you cash for your old or used electronics.
As you can see, it doesn’t have to be difficult to bring your business into a more sustainable future. With a few simple changes and adjustments to your policies, you can promote a greener initiative that can boost your business, in the long run.
