Lately, protecting the environment is a trendy subject. Individuals, as well as businesses, are adopting green practices. Should your company join the movement as well? There are a couple of things to consider.
A business must consider the benefits first.
It’ll be good for your brand image. Not only will this make selling products easier, but it could also make attracting and retaining employees simpler as well. Environmentalism has gone mainstream, and people like the idea of being part of a positive force in the world.
In many cases, it’ll save money. Actions such as saving on energy or reducing the printing of paper will eliminate an expense. A penny saved is a penny earned, so being eco-friendly could be positive for the bottom line as well.
It’s important to mention that many of these practices are quite easy to implement. Anyone can make it a point to shut off the lights when leaving the office, but small actions like these make a big difference in the aggregate. You don’t need a Ph.D. in environmental science or hire a consultant to implement solid practices.
So what are some ideas?
Use recycled paper. Most offices go through reams of paper daily, so a small talk with your supplier could yield a big difference over time. Recycled paper is often less expensive than the non-recycled type as well.
Dispose of your ink toner cartridges properly. Ink toner is very harmful to the environment. You can give the cartridges to many retailers for proper processing.
Use eco-friendly cleaning chemicals. Regular cleaning chemicals often are harmful to the environment. Fortunately, many green alternatives are available, and they’re usually not much more expensive.
Hire an energy audit. If you have a larger business, this might be worth it. Consultants will cost you money upfront but could save you funds in the long run.
Eco-friendly transportation. Transportation is a big user of fossil fuels and emits harmful chemicals into the atmosphere. You can encourage employees to carpool or buy a bicycle rack.
And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Take note – most of these are quite easy to implement. There are hundreds of more actions you can implement at your workplace to be eco-friendly. Together, we can take action to protect our planet.