Going green is becoming more and more important for everybody.
The environment has felt our impact more than ever in the past century. Glaciers are melting, the climate is warming, and the weather is getting more and more volatile.
And so, many customers and prospects want to see that you’re doing something to help reverse this trend and actually help the environment. And you may be personally inspired as well.
The solution is to “green” your business by making it more energy efficient and lowering its footprint. In the process, you can actually save your business some money too!
So today, we’ll give you 4 simple tips to “green” your business! Let’s get started…
1. Go Paperless
In the highly digitized world that we live in, paper is no longer an essential part of doing business. In fact, you can cut it out almost entirely.
Not only will this save paper and help the environment, but it’ll also save your business time (you no longer have to organized countless documents, and cleaning the office becomes easier) and money.
Here are some tips for going paperless:
- Scan and file documents electronically. This will help you get rid of the paper you already have on file, and help you start the paperless process.
- Switch from a fax machine to a fax app. If just 5% of businesses switched from fax machines to fax apps, it would save 10 billion pages of paper, or about 1 million trees each year…
- Let your customers and clients know. Get them on board with your new paperless endeavor, so it’s easy for both you and them to stay paperless.
2. Make the Office More Energy Efficient Office
Tons of energy is wasted every day in small business offices. But with a few simple changes, you can save that energy, and also save on your energy bill!
Here are a few tips for making the office more energy efficient:
- Turn off computers and other technology at the end of the workday or when not in use.
- Turn off the lights at the end of the workday.
- Try using more energy efficient light bulbs, as lighting can account for 40% of your office energy usage.
3. Have a “Work-from-Home” Day
Is it absolutely essential that all your employees are in the office every day? If not, consider instituting a work-from-home day.
When you allow employees to work from home for at least one day a week, you can save up to 20% of your office energy bills. That’s a full day where you don’t need to use any energy in the office.
What’s more, this can increase employee morale and even lead to more productivity. Just make sure you have the right systems in place before getting started with it, so that employees are held accountable and know exactly what they’re responsible for on their remote day.
4. Volunteer in the Community
A green business doesn’t just focus on themselves. They also try to help their community be more green, and help inspire other businesses as well.
A great way to do this is to volunteer in the community. You can host charity events, and even have a day every month or two where you and your team assist with an environmentally friendly event. There are plenty of ways you can spread the word in your community.
Do a little research and see how you can give back and help make your community more green.
Wrapping Up How to “Green” Your Business…
It’s now more important than ever to decrease the footprint of your business and go green. Not only can this help the environment, but it can also help you save money and make more people want to do business with you!
With these simple tips, you can start to “green” your business today!
Do you have any other tips for making a business more green? Let us know in the comments below!
