6 Ways to Green Up Your Business

Going green isn’t easy – but it’s necessary for your environment. Many companies that seek a way to stand out in the crowd are choosing this path. It’s not just about being special and unique, it’s about helping our planet and reducing pollution and waste. What makes a business green is just how they go about their day – which products do they use, how much energy they save and doing everything in their power to help the environment. Here are a few ways how you can go green because a sustainable business that does its job well is what stands out the most nowadays.

Sustainable Office Supplies

Office supplies are something that can totally go green, you can use reusable, recyclable and sustainable materials in your whole office.

• Use pens that aren’t dispensable, but are able to be refilled with ink when they run out of it. That way you’ll reduce the accumulation of plastic in the dumpsters since the cheap plastic pens aren’t easy to recycle. Besides, you’ll save more money in the long term by refilling it instead of buying new pens all the time.
• You can also use sustainable stationery. The recyclable paper comes first, as well as vegetable ink, and natural glues and dyes. Invest in eco-friendly and biodegradable business cards, invitations and mail.
• Going digital can be eco-friendly. If you start to make and send out digital mail and newsletters, you’ll save a ton of paper.

No, that doesn’t mean you have to go to a dumpster and pick out the best-looking sofa for the waiting room – recycled furniture exists and it’s pretty fancy-looking. So, there are no doubts that you can find some office furniture made from recycled materials that are going to fit your office design as well.

Every year landfills are getting full to the brim with old furniture because of moving or refurbishing, but these materials shouldn’t be there in the first place. So, when you’re riddled by the question if you need new office furniture, try to find an answer in the fact that you can save money if you just find another way to update your old furniture instead of replacing it.

Renewable Energy Sources

Face it – installing a solar panel may as well be your best decision when it comes to leading a sustainable business. Its energy source is practically infinite – it may be expensive at the beginning, but it’ll pay off in the long run (when electricity bills come). And not to mention it needs little to no maintenance and it’s environmentally friendly, unlike other conventional energy sources.

Energy Conservation

Conserving energy needs to be a priority. You can start by buying CFL or LED lights which use almost as half energy than normal light bulbs. They’re a bit pricier, but, they last longer and provide a better quality of light. Appliances can be replaced with green counterparts. Last but not least, telecommuting can be an excellent way of conserving energy and reducing greenhouse gasses.

Reusable Items

Stop supplying paper and plastic utensils and dishes at all cost. For example, have everyone in the office bring their favourite glass and cup to work so they can reuse them continuously. That way you’ll eliminate the need for plastic cups – and you won’t even need to buy cups for employees as well. Encourage employees to use these items and clean them (you can provide biodegradable cleaning supplies as well).

While cups and glasses might be easy to clean, plates are a little bit harder to maintain without wasting water, so you can find a replacement for them in the form of dishes that are easily broken down in the compost – made from materials such as corn, potatoes or similar plant sources. If you have employees that are on the go, provide them with reusable water bottles – you can even print your company logo on them so they can be proud to represent you.

Recycle

Last but not least, encourage your employees to recycle all the time. Provide your office with everything they need to do it properly. If you don’t have the means to do that, Pink Junk rubbish removal and collection company can do it for you as it is a green business too – which collects trash, moves it and recycles it for you, so you will have more time to dedicate to your business.

Conclusion

A sustainable business is a noble and very positive thing to lead in today’s world filled with pollution and toxic waste. Let’s make this planet a better place and let’s start from ourselves – and if your business represents this message, it’ll go further and ring louder in everyone’s ear.

This story was originally published  by  Hannah Thomas, businesspartnermagazine.com