The issue of sustainability has recently become of close interest and concern to many entrepreneurs. Given the adverse social and environmental effects of climate change, business owners attempt to make their operations environmentally sustainable. While some people associate sustainability with the need to spend a lot of money, the truth is not so dramatic. In fact, what you really need to do is just change your daily practices, as well as the organisational culture.
Sure, some investments might be needed to achieve the aforementioned goal. However, if sustainability is what you are striving to achieve, these changes will definitely bring you considerable benefits. Here are the top seven ideas you could implement to make your business more sustainable.
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1. Digitise your documents
Let’s face it, the amount of paper waste entrepreneurs produce is second to none. We always need to print some copies for our business purposes or to write down some brilliant ideas of ours. However, seldom we think about how much paper waste we produce. Going paperless is a great opportunity to make your business more sustainable. Besides, you can take advantage of cool online instruments, such as a grammar checker and a content generator, to not only green your business but also make your business communication more vibrant and smooth. Believe us or not, there is nothing more repulsive for your potential business partner than grammar mistakes in your digital documents.
2. Phantom power
If you believe that powering down your devices automatically makes your business more sustainable, you are wrong. Have you heard about phantom power, the electricity that your devices consume when they are in stand-by mode? Some people would argue that this is not a big deal. However, as an entrepreneur, you know that unnecessary expenses should be cut off by any means to make your business more profitable. That is why you should always remember to unplug your devices before leaving the office to reduce power consumption and contribute to the sustainability of your business.
3. Use eco-friendly cards
Even though social networking platforms have largely eliminated the need for business cards, they remain very handy instruments when it comes to representing your brand or taking advantage of business opportunities. To make your business even more sustainable, you could try eco-friendly business cards made of recycled materials. In addition to the ‘feel-good’ factor you get every time you hand your card out, it is also a great way to tell your business partner that you are eco-conscious. Besides, recycled business cards can be of any shape, form and colour, so you won’t be limited in your ability to create something cool and extravagantly posh.
4. Use green energy
You could also improve the sustainability of your business by installing solar panels on the roof of your office. Capturing the sun’s energy and converting it into electricity is a particularly effective solution when you want to reduce the negative impact of your business operations on the environment. One could argue that solar panels are not carbon neutral and they still produce greenhouse gas emissions. Nonetheless, the carbon output of solar panels is still around 20 times less than that of coal-powered electricity sources. Since the option for renewable energy is becoming more affordable each year, buying solar panels could be a good idea for your business to become more sustainable. And before deciding on one, you can check with a solar calculator, the possible cost of having your panels installed and working.
5. Embrace remote work
A great way to reduce your carbon footprint is to opt for remote working. When working from home, you do not have to commute to the office, which significantly reduces your carbon emissions. Moreover, running your business remotely enables you to reduce food and plastic waste, as you do not need to buy bottled water or food in plastic containers. But the greatest benefit of working from home is that you can run your business in your pyjamas! Regardless of the reason why you decide to embrace remote work, the environment will thank you.
6. Use electric vehicles
In case you still need to run your business operations from the office, consider using electric vehicles instead of transports powered by fossil fuels. Mind you, there is no need to buy a Tesla or any other electric car if you don’t want to spend a lot of money on making your business more sustainable. Instead, you could buy an e-bike, Segway, onewheel, or any other personal transporter. Or you could just use public transport to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions. Another option to make your business more eco-friendly would be to walk or run to work. Either way, reducing your reliance on fossil fuels will reduce emissions problems and add to the sustainability of your company.
7. Reduce your plastic consumption
Once known as the greatest invention of humanity, plastic is arguably the biggest sustainability problem that pollutes the environment and contributes to the warming of our world. On a daily basis, we generate tons of plastic waste as we use plastic cups, utensils, water bottles, plates, and straws. To reduce your plastic waste and make the world a greener place, you could use reusable personal items, such as refillable water bottles or a cloth shopping bag. Did you know that chewing gum is also made of plastic? Try to purchase more bulk food and replace your plastic containers with glass and steel ones.
While we have only scratched the surface of the sustainability issue, the main idea of this article is that making your business greener not only eliminates unnecessary waste but also saves you a lot of money. You might think that making your business more environmentally friendly is easy. However, you should be aware of the fact that sustainability practices require persistence and a thoughtful approach. It is not enough to follow the recommendations we have provided once in a while. If you are serious about going green, you need to develop a sustainability mindset to create positive change in your business and the environment. Taking these simple yet effective steps might become a good start in your journey for sustainability.
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