It wasn’t long ago that going green was seen as expensive and difficult for business.
Sure – the biggest companies like Amazon and Apple could afford to get solar power on the roofs of their massive campuses, but the average mom-and-pop shop couldn’t do such a thing.
Now, though, the options for small businesses have expanded a lot. In fact, thanks to the greening of the economy, it’s cheaper than ever before to save on expenses while going green.
Buy Green
The greening of the economy doesn’t just refer to the fact that renewable energy sources and electric cars are taking off. It also refers to the fact that more and more companies are deliberately choosing to go green and modify their products.
For example, a decade ago, just one or two companies were offering environmentally-friendly packaging services to businesses. Now, though, there are dozens, and they enable companies to demonstrate their green credentials to their customers. Buying green, in fact, has never been easier.
Don’t Buy A Printer
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With the growth of managed print services, it’s no longer necessary for businesses to buy their own printer. Instead, they can just hook their businesses up to printing services over the cloud.
The great thing about these services is that they help businesses avoid damaging the environment so much by buying their own printers and toner, plus reduces the environmental pollution within the office. Instead, it’s all managed externally at a central facility.
Change The Way You Do Transportation
The leaders of ecommerce businesses see themselves as having intrinsically green businesses: after all, they’re online and don’t involve people going to and from shops.
But the problem is that online ecommerce retailers still have to ship goods around, and this creates environmental impacts. There are many ways to go greener here.
The first is to reduce the size and the amount of packaging your products use. Amazon is famous for supplying tiny products in large packages, wasting space on transportation and using more raw materials than absolutely necessary.
The second is to use logistics companies that are committed to reducing their emissions. These companies might be slightly more expensive, but they help to reduce the overall impact of your firm on the environment and boost your green credentials.
Talk To Suppliers About Less Toxic Alternatives
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According to Inc Magazine, many companies unwittingly use toxic chemicals in their offices that ultimately work their way into the ground and release heavy elements into the soil.
Many of these chemicals are found in copier toner and computer batteries. The best solution is to prevent the need to dispose of toxic substances in the first place. You can do this by asking your suppliers whether they have any non-toxic alternatives.
Grab An Energy Audit
Many small businesses don’t actually know how much energy they’re burning through on a daily basis. The good news is that getting an energy audit consultation is usually free.
Finding out where your business is wasting money is the first step on the road to reducing your outgoings. Often you’ll find you can slash your bills by installing better insulation and changing to newer light bulbs.
