Tag: Green

Going Greener With Your Business Can Actually Save Money

Two focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. The wave of the future is going green. Despite its stigmas, going green just may able to save you money. The following contributed post is entitled, Going Greener With Your Business Can Actually Save Money.

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Each day it becomes more and more important that we’re all doing our part in going green. There are many ways in which we leave our carbon footprint on the environment, and while sometimes it cannot be avoided – you have a lot of options when it comes to turning your business towards greener solutions.

What a lot of business owners haven’t realized yet is that going green can actually save you a decent chunk of money, which could be better spent on other aspects of your business. On top of the savings, you would be improving the reputation of your business, and you may even expect to see a rise in sales as you grow more and more conscious of the environmental impact your business is having.

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Profitable recycling

Recycling is something we should all be doing, regardless of whether we’re at work or at home – but if you’re often having to throw out materials, tools, or anything; you should be looking for better ways of disposing of it. Just because something is no longer functional, doesn’t mean you can’t do better than dumping it. Recycling can even turn out to be profitable if what you’re trying to get rid of has useful materials. Ridding yourself of unwanted junk and gaining a profit for it in return can do a lot for your business, so keep that in mind!

You can learn more about getting money for your recyclables at this post. The added complexity can be worth it if you’re constantly trying to make a difference with your business.

Less commuting costs

Working from home is something that’s become more and more common throughout the past couple of years, and as a result, businesses are managing to significantly lower their carbon footprint. When employees no longer have to worry about commuting to work each and every day, less money is going to be spent on that commute, and less pollution is going to be impacting the environment.

Not only is this a great chance for you to improve upon your business practices, but it allows you to lower the utility costs of the offices, as you won’t need to keep the lights running each and every day.

Lower resource investment

A great way you can save money while going greener would be to go paperless within your office. An unthinkable amount of paperwork is handled by different businesses every day, and with modern technology, that’s not always necessary. There are so many ways you can work around the use of paper, but it involves making changes to how things are handled within the workplace.

You could solve this by making better use of the cloud, allowing you to keep all of your documents in one place, while still being accessible to anyone who is sharing the network. You’re saving money, reducing waste, and also freeing up some of the space in your office that would otherwise be used for printers and file storage.

How To Utilise Your Green Space For Business Success

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. If you have green space, it might make the ideal location for your business. The following contributed post is entitled, How To Utilise Your Green Space For Business Success.

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You’ve either chosen to invest in a vacant plot of land or you’ve inherited a plot of land, either way you are most probably feeling unsure about the potential options for utilising that land. Coming into a high-quality piece of land in a great area gives you the opportunity to launch a business from the ground up. It won’t be easy, however if you are serious about making a success of a new venture, then you might want to consider getting creative and coming up with a unique business concept.

The good news is that for a free plot of land, there are plenty of business ideas that you could leverage to build a highly successful brand. In need of a little inspiration? Below are a number of business ideas that should allow you to utilise your green space and craft a business from the ground up.

Photo credit: Pixabay

Farm Shop

If your piece of land gets a vast number of passersby, then a good option to consider is to launch a farm shop on the plot of land. There’s a great call for high-quality, luxury farm shops selling local, organic and unique produce, from fruits and vegetables to meats and dairy, and everything in between. You could always opt to start out small with a produce stand or shack, and then as the business grows, move into a larger venue.

Build a golf course

Are you someone who is passionate about sport? If you are, then you might want to consider converting your green space in a beautifully designed golf course. Yes, this would require a lot of hard work, and a lot of investment, but the potential for success is incredible. You would need funds for building the course – you’d need to hire a specialist landscaper, you would need materials funds such as to buy high quality silica sand, for instance, and you would need a strong and well throughout business plan in place.

Create a campsite

Perhaps your plot of vacant land is located in an area that’s popular with tourists, if so then you could consider creating a camp ground. Of course, if you want to create a camping experience that is successful and beats out competitors, you would need to think carefully about the approach that you take. Right now, luxury campsites are extremely popular, as is glamping, so it could be worth investigating what going down this route would cost.

Run summer camps

If you are someone who has experience working with young people, then you might want to consider the idea of running summer camps from your plot of land. Whether it’s a sports-focused summer camp or something more diverse, it doesn’t matter – if you get the design aspect of your summer camp right, you could create a highly successful business.
There you have it, a few simple ideas for how you could utilise your plot of green space to launch and run a highly successful business. Take the time to think your options through carefully, and map out your route to success, before you start investing in your business idea.

3 Ways to Make Your Business Greener and More Sustainable

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.

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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.

Why Your Business Should Be Flexing Its Green Credentials

Three of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money, Business/Entrepreneurship and STEM. For your business itself and for the environment, making your business ‘green’ can have multiple benefits. Many aspects of running a green business are easy to implement. The following contributed post is entitled, Why Your Business Should Be Flexing Its Green Credentials.

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With Greta Thunberg taking on the mantle of climate change warrior and championing the future protection of the planet, more and more businesses are taking their corporate environmental responsibilities more seriously. You might want to get in on the action. If your office is wasting paper, you are sick of seeing computer monitors forever on standby, and you are concerned about your water usage, it’s time to make your business more eco-aware. This doesn’t have to cost you money, and can actually save you cash by making your venture more efficient and relevant to the twenty first century. Read on to discover how you can be successful and flexing your green credentials.

Image credit Pexels – CC0 Licence

Water

It doesn’t matter whether you are an office based startup or whether your business is more practical, such as a street food van or a smallholding, you can always find ways to manage your water usage more effectively. Outside, this could be something as simple as installing flumes on a smallholding. If you produce crops or food in an organic way, you can manage your irrigation systems more efficiently. If you are an office based entity, you may be more concerned about how many times the kettle is boiled on coffee breaks. Make sure you have posters up, detailing the importance of water preservation. If every staff member is more conscious of their environmental impact, you can be more environmentally aware as a corporate entity.

Paper

Death by paper is a concern of many businesses. The advent of cloud based storage has made paper reduction all that more easy. You no longer have to print off email after email, only to shred it within minutes after a meeting. Instead, you can now head onto the cloud, download the needed document and utilize a Sharepoint style package to show your team. Printouts are no longer a go-to way of distributing information. Ensure that you limit your paper usage. Doing this will limit your carbon footprint and help you to do your bit to protect the world’s rainforests. If you do need to use paper, counteract this by contributing to a tree planting scheme. This may have a financial impact, but customers are more savvy with who they choose to do business with. They will be more inclined to pay more for a product or service from a company that is conscious of their environmental impact rather than one that doesn’t care.

Image credit Pexels – CC0 Licence

Cars

If you have a staff team that commutes to work using their gas guzzling cars, set up a car sharing scheme. Even better, consider a subsidized cycle to work scheme, encouraging your staff team to whip on their helmets and get healthier. This can result in a team with a boosted morale as well as decreasing the carbon monoxide that your company produces. If you have company cars, ensure that you opt for hybrids. These may cost more initially but the running costs will be infinitely lower.

Don’t be too insular when considering your business aims and motivations. Take a bigger world view and take your corporate responsibility seriously when flexing your green credential muscles.

No More Excuses! Priority Reasons Why Your Business Should Go Green

Two of the focuses of my blog are Financial Literacy/Money and Business/Entrepreneurship. One potential way to grow your business is to go ‘Green’. This could have numerous positive results that will separate your business our from your competition. The following contributed post is entitled, No More Excuses! Priority Reasons Why Your Business Should Go Green.

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There are some common excuses as to why business owners don’t go green.

“I don’t have the time to look into it,” they might say.

Or…

“I don’t know how to go green.”

Or…

“I can’t afford the transition to green technologies.”

They might even say…

“I can’t be bothered. The planet is doomed anyway, so what’s the point?”

And what about you? Have you made these excuses?

If so, think again. The excuses we listed just don’t cut it.

In today’s society, it is the right of everybody, business owner or not, to go green. Our world depends on it because we aren’t doomed to extinction just yet. If we all play our part, we might just do enough to improve the future for ourselves and further generations. And while we appreciate that, as a business owner, you might be worried about the expense, know that in the long-term, going green in your business can be cost-effective for you anyway.

So, if you haven’t transitioned your business into greener practices yet, these are the reasons why you need to, and pronto!

1: You Will save money

Sure, it might cost you a fair bit of money to install solar panels around your business premises, but in the long term, you will have less to pay on your utility bills. Energy-efficient lightbulbs are more expensive to buy than the old-fashioned incandescent alternatives, but they last a lot longer, so you won’t have to replace them anytime soon. And while it will take you time to transition into a paperless office, just think about the money you will save on paper and printing costs. So, if you are keen to cut down on your business expenses, and if you want to maximize your profits to give you the scope to grow your business, then let this be an incentive for you to go green.

2: You will attract new customers (and retain your old ones)

As a business owner, you need to find ways to secure your competitive advantage if you want to have a foothold in the consumer marketplace. Studies suggest that customers prefer sustainable companies over those that aren’t, so let this be one of the driving forces behind a move into greener practices. You should then prove your green credentials to your customers to give you the opportunity to rise above your rivals. So, you might use less packaging when shipping your products, for example, and you might start to use eco-friendly bags in favor of the toxic plastic alternatives. You can showcase what you are doing to go green on your website, and if you have green certification, then you can proudly display this on your site. Your rivals won’t stand a chance if they haven’t done the same.

3: You will attract the best hires

Are you looking to attract the best and brightest people for employment within your business? If so, then going green is the way to go. Today’s workers are keen to work for companies that are environmentally responsible and are even willing to take a pay cut to do so. Not only will you attract the best hires, of course, as you will also improve the morale of the employees currently in your care. With the best people on board your staff team, and the happier they are, you can guarantee greater productivity in your business, and that will mean higher profits and growth for your company.

Finally

So, no more excuses! If you haven’t gone green in business yet, then now is the time to do so. You will improve your chances of survivability if you do, and in these turbulent times for businesses both large and small, this has to be the greatest incentive of them all.

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.