go green

 

We live on a fragile planet. It’s easy for each of us to shrug our shoulders and say that there’s nothing we can do, because we each have our individual lives to think about. This is no different for businesses, of course, as running any form of company, whether big or small, eats up far too time to consider how one might save the planet in their lunch break. Yet, I don’t think the two have to be mutually exclusive.

 

We all contribute to resources being overused and, the majority of the time, wasted in their excessive use. That’s why each of us has the power to make an impact on the world, but none more so than local businesses and big corporations. With the manpower, the scale of their operations and, potentially, the manufacturing processes to which they contribute, most businesses, whether based virtually or physically, play at least some part in wastefulness of resources.

 

You might be shrugging your shoulders and thinking that there’s nothing you can do. However, you might change your tune if I explained that greener methods could be saving your company money, and so, in turn, improving your business rather than impeding its process. Here’s some advice for businesses wondering why and how they should go green.

 

Reduce and reuse

 

Before you start worrying about all the environmental “stuff” you’re going to need in order to be a greener organisation, just stop. Being an eco-friendly business isn’t about consuming new things; it’s about consuming less. At its very core, being greener will save you money as a business.

 

You don’t have to start packaging your goods in leaves, but you could consider more durable solutions such as kraft pouches for your shelved items. Going “green” isn’t about hugging trees or dressing in ponchos all of a sudden. An environmentally-conscious company is one which takes the time to consider less wasteful and longer-lasting solutions to elements of their daily operations.

 

Remote working is a life-saver

 

Outsourcing work has so many benefits in business. Rather than allowing employees to travel the work, who need not do so, you could open up the same job role as a work-from-home position. Not only are you reducing traffic pollution, but you’ll be saving money on-site; better yet, you might not have to offer such a large salary, given that employees will be saving on travel expenses.

 

Be less wasteful

 

As I’ve said throughout this piece, being green isn’t about fancy tricks or gimmicks. It’s about taking some time during your day, as an employee or the business owner, to look at things around the workplace which might be not only damaging the environment, but wasting your company money as well as resources.
Wasting energy is a big one, and most businesses could save thousands upon thousands each year if they simply turned off lights more frequently. It’s something our parents used to nag us about when we were children, but they were right. More importantly, leaving on computers wastes a whole lot more energy, so your company should have some sort of procedure in place to either ensure employees turn off their computer, or that they’re automatically turned off after a certain period of time; preferably both, as the latter acts as a safeguard in case the former doesn’t happen.