The Ultimate Business Blog Citygirlbusinessclub.com
Helping to save the environment is a major factor for many people, companies and charities. Many of these individuals and organisations refuse to work with firms that are not eco-friendly. So it is important to make sure your business is as green as possible.
Running a green company can help to build up your customer base, as well as helping to save you money. If you can show your customers that you are dedicated to protecting the environment, they will respect you and your business more. By reducing your energy usage and recycling and reusing your production materials, you will also be able to cut your costs.
Go paperless
Although it isn’t possible to go entirely paper-free, you can reduce your paper use considerably. Encourage staff to email documents to each other, instead of printing them out. If printing is necessary, make sure that both sides of the paper is printed on. You could also invest in recycled paper for printing purposes. By reducing your paper usage you will also cut down on your printing costs and shredding costs.
Recycle
Contact your local council and find out the rules and regulations on recycling in your area. Are there recycling policies already in place, or will you need to create your own? Whatever recycling system you choose to put in place, make sure that all staff are aware of it. Send regular reminder emails and place signs above bins as another reminder.
Find out if your local council are willing to collect your recycling for you. However, some councils will only collect domestic refuse. If this is the case, you may need to hire a waste management service to deal with your rubbish and recycling needs. Choose a company that offers all-in-one refuse collection. Have a look online to find reliable, low cost waste management firms, like http://www.rjswastemanagement.co.uk/.
Choose your office supplies carefully
Have a look at the most recommended supply businesses that eco-friendly brands use. By connecting with responsible companies, you will show your customers that you are serious about the commitment you have made to the environment.
Help the local economy and support other small businesses by using local companies as much as possible. Choosing to use local services over services from larger corporations is more eco-friendly and may also help to cut costs.
Keep your energy usage as low as possible
There are so many different ways you can reduce your energy usage. Make sure to switch off any electrical equipment that isn’t in use, don’t leave computers or other screens on stand-by. Swap the light bulbs in your office for energy saving ones. These may be more expensive initially but will last ten times longer than an average light bulb. To help save energy, replace old and outdated equipment with newer energy efficient alternatives. For instance, it is a good idea to change the high energy using hand dryers in the bathrooms, for energy saving ones.
Making a few small changes to your business can make a huge difference to your impact on the environment, as well as to your wallet.