2021 has been a tough year for everyone, and businesses have to think of new ways to adapt. One thing that is going in everyone’s favor is the desire to be more eco-friendly. In fact, consumers have started to avoid companies that are not doing their part to maintain and promote a more sustainable future. With this in mind, here are five ways to turn your business a little more green.
Review your waste
As a business, cutting down on waste is a big priority. Not only can reviewing your waste systems make your company greener, it can cut costs too. Reuse what you can before it goes into the bin and switch your normal waste collection to a recycling service. This doesn’t have to apply to everyday rubbish. If you find yourself having to change the office furniture, you could consider upcycling or choosing secondhand items.
Make eco-upgrades
If you look around your place of business, how many things can you spot that you could change to a more eco-friendly option? Lightbulbs are one of the biggest wastes of energy in our businesses and the easiest things to switch out. If you aren’t sure how to change them, speak to an electrician who can give you some options. They may be able to suggest other ways to save energy and lower your costs.
Swap to eco-friendly packaging
Plastic pollution is a big problem, and it is going to get worse if we don’t change our ways now. Changing your packaging into more sustainable alternatives is a good way to get the world’s plastic problem under control. You can click here to learn about the options that are available. Try and find other eco-friendly vendors for office equipment and consumables, you will be surprised at what is available.
Go paperfree
The world is turning digital and it isn’t often that we have to have something in paper format. If you can, cut down on your paper usage. If you do need something printed, make the switch to paper from sustainable sources. Recycled and recyclable paper are your best options. Changing to online advertising and stopping the use of printed flyers is an excellent way to save money too. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t read the flyers that come with the junk mail, they tend to go straight in the bin. That’s a lot of waste and money getting thrown away.
Switch things off
It might be tempting to leave everything on sleep mode at the end of the work day to save time in the morning, but is it worth it? By switching the non-essential items off at the end of the day, you will reduce your carbon footprint and save money on your electric bill. Using energy monitors can help you become more mindful about the electric usage in your office. Appliances known as “vampire appliances” are some of the worst offenders for wasting energy. These include printers, TV’s, and cordless phones. It is estimated around £1.6 billion is wasted by these appliances every year.