You do not have to make major changes to help your small business go green, there are quite a few things that are very easy to implement yet can really help you change your impact on the environment. Alongside reducing your impact on the environment, you may help your business save money.
Simple Steps to Go Green.
Reduce Power Consumption – Technology and business internet are a large part of many occupations nowadays, but by simply unplugging equipment at the end of the day, you can save up to 25 percent in your energy use. Powering down all computers on top of other machines may help you save even more.
Reduce Paper Usage – This is a big one, and there are many things you can do to reduce your companies paper usage, this one can also help you save money.
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Start a new email policy where documents are emailed rather than printed out. Your employees can then read documents on screen and decide if it is worth it to print or not. This can also reduce clutter around the office.
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Use a fax modem allowing you to send documents directly from computers. Encourage employees to only use cover sheets when necessary.
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Skip single sided documents and use both sides of the paper when possible.
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Purchase paper that is made up of recycled content.
Add Recycling Bins Under Each Desk – Having recycling bins easy to reach will make recycling in your business more likely. Documents that do not include private information can be placed straight into the recycling bin.
Think Locally – By using local companies to source your companies resource needs you are reducing travel needs of shipping, this reduces energy consumption in general. You may be able to organize a service swap with local companies to help you save money on your local purchases.
Refurbish – If your office needs new furniture you may want to look into refurbishing the existing furniture you have in place. This will often end up less expensive than buying new furniture and means you are not contributing to landfill. You can also customize patterns and colors and choose materials that are more environmentally friendly.
Encourage Alternate Transport – By encouraging your employers to change their transport methods you can help our ozone. You can suggest alternate methods such as biking, walking, carpooling, or public transportation. Consider holding a raffle, offering public transport passes, or other discounts to employers that use alternate transport.
Locate and Fix Energy Leaks – Whether you own a business space or are renting one, energy leaks can be a big waste of money and energy. Check for leaks around windows or doors then grab some caulk or talk to your landlord about having these leaks fixed.
Use Natural Light, Heating, and Cooling Methods – If you are lucky to have nice big windows take advantage of them by opening up blinds and letting light in, be sure to switch off overhead lights that are not needed. If you have too much heat in the summer coming through these windows consider adding shades that can block the sun yet still let light in. Likewise if your windows let the sunshine in through the winter months, open up the shades and let the sun warm the space.
These are just a few ideas of how you can make small adjustments to your small businesses day to day practices to help make your business greener.
