There are many benefits a business can rake in from adopting and executing environmentally friendly practices. A company can reduce the toxins they emit to the environment. The emissions can cause air, water, and noise pollution that will eventually harm the health of humans and animals. By making environmentally conscious decisions, you can cut costs and save money. Below are some tips to help your business go green while saving money;
1. Electronics
Most companies are technologically based and use electronics such as computers, scanners, fax machines, and printers. Using energy-efficient electronics will help you save electricity and save your company money. You can also have notes posted on each computer reminding employees to switch off all electronic devices after using them.
2. Light Bulbs
Some companies prefer using halogen bulbs because they give off more light. The problem with these bulbs is that they use so much energy thus the company spends more on electricity. LED light bulbs will help you save money because they use less energy but give off a bright light. The LED bulbs are made with semiconductor materials and no working parts thus cannot burn, making them last longer than incandescent bulbs.
3. Working from Home and Going Paperless
Some employees can work away from the office if your business can allow it. The first step you can take is to migrate to Exchange Online. An effective enterprise vault migration to office 365 will enable your staff to effectively work from home because they can access and transfer files from anywhere. Fewer people in the office will reduce the strain on heating, cooling, and electric appliances.
An effective cloud-based process will reduce the files you have to print and store in cabinets. You save on money that would have been used to buy and store the paper files. In place of printing catalogs, the company can create regular blogs for their website to update customers’ changes in the company.
4. Replace Plastic with Glass
You can adopt many policies to reduce the plastic you use in your office. You can reserve disposable plastic cups for clients and have a coffee mug and glass water bottles for your staff. Provide a microwave where employees can reheat their food and reduce takeaway lunches and snacks usually packed in plastic containers. Heated plastic containers transfer toxic chemicals, which affect the employees’ health. Using glass containers reduces the plastics you have to dispose of and preserves the health of your staff. You should also install a filtration system to dispense clean tap water instead of giving out bottled water.
5. Recycling
Recycling is vital for businesses that want to go green. Encourage your staff to recycle by setting up trash bins correctly labeled for plastics, food waste, and paper. You can give prizes to departments that have sufficiently reduced their waste at each end of the year. You can use recycled furniture, paper, and ink cartridges which is way cheaper and increases your companies thumbprint.
6. Green Products
When purchasing cleaning products, you can source green brands from vendors. Many companies offer biodegradable products that do not have toxins. These harsh chemicals are concentrated, making a small bottle of product cost-efficient. Exposure to harsh chemicals may affect your employees’ health, which will result in many sick days that affect the companies productivity and profits.
7. Employees and Energy Audits
To be successful in your green initiative, you will need to have your employees on board. You can encourage your employees to submit any ideas on how the company can go green. You can get a free energy audit and seal any cracks that may be causing you to use more energy to cool or heat your office building. Doing this audit will help you reduce utility bills.
8. Landscape and Green Energy
You can have a garden with a few trees or succulents that filter air. Plants offer free cooling and reduce exposure to heat while providing a beautiful aesthetic where employees can relax. There are many incentives when using renewable energy such as wind, hydro and solar power.
Conclusion
Going green is an excellent direction for any company to take. There are multiple benefits for the company, environment, and employees. You can start with simple initiatives like sorting trash into appropriate bins and work your way up to bigger and better endeavors.
