Even though Earth Day was a few weeks ago now, I wanted to take the “Every day is Earth Day” approach and share some ideas about how you can “green” your business.
If you already have a lot of eco-friendly practices, that’s great! But if you don’t, making changes to become more environmentally focused is a good idea. Many employees appreciate knowing that their employer cares about the environment, and your customers will be glad to see that you’re living your values.
Of course, this is easier for some businesses than others, and it may not be economically feasible to go all-out on sustainable practices. Even small steps can help, though, and you can make it a goal to work toward other options down the road.
With that in mind, here are five ways you can green your business.
1: Perform an environmental audit
You can’t make changes unless you know what the problem areas are, so an environmental audit is a great starting point. See if you can find an environmental auditing service that can provide you with suggestions specific to your business.
If a full environmental audit isn’t possible, try an energy audit. Many businesses lose a lot of money due to inefficient buildings, HVAC systems, lighting, etc. Identifying those problem areas will provide some good insights and give you some next steps.
2: Recycle and/or compost
Another idea is to provide ways for your employees to recycle and, if possible, compost.
Options for recycling will vary by location, but at a minimum, see if you can recycle paper and cardboard. You can also look at providing collection bins for recycling drink bottles and cans. Just be aware that plastic recycling currently isn’t very effective, so you may want to focus on other materials first.
If you want to step it up, see if you can offer a composting service. Food waste generates a lot of methane when it gets into a landfill, so this can be a big help. And it’s very useful for any of those lunch or snack items that have lingered too long in the fridge.
3: Avoid single-use
It’s to divert items from the trash, an even better way to do that is to reduce the waste to begin with. And single-use items are a huge culprit.
As much as people enjoy the convenience of things like Keurig machines or those cute little individual creamer cups, they create a huge amount of waste. Switching to a regular coffee machine and keeping creamer in the fridge is a more eco-friendly option.
You can also give employees reusable water bottles and mugs, and consider keeping real silverware in the kitchen instead of using plastic utensils.
4: Recycle e-waste
Most people think of recycling in terms of paper, glass, or plastic, but another area to consider is electronics. Electronic waste, or e-waste, has been growing fast, and given how quickly our technology gadgets can become outdated, that doesn’t show any signs of slowing down.
So, if you have old laptops, smartphones, tablets, monitors, etc., see if you can donate them to local schools or charities. They’ll do much more good there than in a landfill.
5: Green procurement
And finally, consider the items that you purchase and see if you can move towards green procurement – i.e., purchasing goods that are produced sustainably.
Here are a few questions to consider when making purchases:
- Was it manufactured sustainably?
- How far did it have to travel to get to you?
- Can it be recycled and/or was it made from recycled materials?
- Does it have minimal packaging, preferably environmentally-friendly packaging?
- Is it designed so it can be repaired?
These types of questions can help you decide on the items that will best suit your business – and the environment.
Going green is a win all around Although not every business can go green in every area, any business can make some changes to become more environmentally friendly. Doing so is good for the planet, but it can also make your employees happier. And your customers will be glad to see that you’re living up to your values, which could mean better business all around.