It is important for businesses to embrace sustainable practices for a variety of reasons. Not only does sustainable business support environmental causes, but sustainability can also help a business to save money. There are many reasons to encourage your business to become more sustainable.
Install LED Lighting
LED lighting is far more efficient than halogen and incandescent bulbs, as halogen and incandescent bulbs can use four to ten times more energy. The easiest way to save energy, and save money, is making the switch to energy-efficient bulbs. Additionally, you will save money over time after making this switch. LED bulbs are more expensive up front, but they last far longer than halogen and incandescent bulbs, thus saving you money from not frequently buying replacements. LED lights will pay for themselves over time. Switching out old bulbs for more energy-efficient ones is an easy switch. When you get the new bulbs, simply go around the office and make the switch.
Print Less Unnecessary Paper
Unfortunately, a majority of the paper that is printed in a business does not get recycled. An easy switch is going digital. More and more business is conducted online as businesses adjust to working in the digital age. Encourage employees to not print unless absolutely necessary. Introduce your employees to digital tools such as DocuSign and Microsoft Office that allow for digital business. Moving business online can help save money and reduce paper waste. Additionally, having important documents saved in a secure database will make it easier for employees to access what they need without having to rifle through cabinets.
Recycle E-Waste
As technology advances, older versions of technology becomes outdated and useless. Technology advancement can produce a lot of e-waste, such as phones, computers, tablets, and televisions. If your business acquires new computers, be sure to properly recycle the old ones. Many companies allow you to send in your e-waste and they will recycle it, or even give you money if they can reuse it. Encourage your employees to recycle their own e-waste by setting up a drop-off box. Allowing your employees to take part in recycling e-waste creates a sustainable office culture.
Buy Less Office Furniture
Each year, over 17 billion pounds of office furniture is dumped in landfills. This waste arises from business relocating, branches closing, or refurbishing projects. Office furniture often has many chemicals in it, so this furniture should not end up in landfills in the first place. Before acquiring new office furniture, asking yourself if it is really necessary. If not, maybe wait on the purchase. If it is absolutely necessary to buy new furniture, try to find ways to recycle or refurbish the existing office furniture. Not only will delaying refurbishing help the planet, but it can also save your business a lot of money. This saved money could be spent elsewhere and better utilized for your company.
Use Renewable Energy in the Office
Renewable energy is an up and coming industry that is set to generate a lot of money. Utilize this new energy source and power your office with green energy, such as solar, geothermal, hydropower, and plant matter. Not only will you be saving money and helping the plant, buying green energy helps support other businesses and the economy. More and more companies are beginning to turn to renewable energy as they begin to feel the impact on their bottom line. If you are struggling with financing businesses finding renewable energy options can greatly reduce costs. Partnering with a renewable energy company may even convince your employees to utilize green energy at home. Employees may be inspired to switch their energy provider, install solar panels, or make other eco-friendly swaps at home.
These are just a few of the many ways to make your business more sustainable. It is important for companies to make the switch to green energy as the climate crisis continues to worsen. If every business made just one of these suggested changes, those actions would add up. It can often feel like you or your business is battling the sustainability crisis alone. Encourage your partners to make these changes too. Creating a culture of sustainability in the workplace is key to creating lasting impacts. Do not hesitate to make these changes. Implement one of the five listed changes for your business today!
