With climate change and our impact on the environment at the front of everyone’s mind, it’s important to look at how your business operates and if it could do so in a more environmentally friendly manner. Adapting to more environmentally friendly business habits will not only have a positive impact on our planet, but will help show both your employees and customers that you are making a conscious effort to improve the ecological state of the world.
The small stuff matters
Though it might not seem like it, lots of people all taking small steps to become more eco-friendly has a beneficial impact on the state of our climate. Try introducing a cycle-to-work or carpool initiative for your employees to encourage them to reduce carbon emissions on the way to and from work and invest in recycling bins for all cafeteria and social areas.
Encouraging your staff to take part in eco-friendly habits can also strengthen their sense of environmental responsibility, meaning they will be more likely to actively check they are turning off lights and equipment when they are finished.
Cut down on your emissions
An air pollution control system can help you meet your business emissions target and minimise the usage of energy, water and chemicals – meaning they’re better for the environment. Cutting down your emissions can also be achieved by opting for choosing renewable energy sources and investing in carbon off-setting.
Use energy efficient systems
If your building is closed on a night or over the weekend, there’s no need to heat or light the building during this time but many companies do simply due to the way their systems work. Consider swapping to a timer mechanism in which your thermostat and lights automatically adjust depending on the time of day to decrease the energy being wasted over time. Lighting can account for 40% of the energy used so consider also switching to LED bulbs which are 80% more energy efficient.
Responsibly source your materials
Ensuring you get your materials from a responsible and sustainable source will help lower your environmental impact as they will either have been used and recycled/formed or created in a way that reduces their damage to the environment.
By opting for materials sourced this way you not only help lower your impact but will likely increase the buyers use of your product as they may be influenced and want to continue the cycle of sustainability.
By reducing your carbon footprint, you will be able to show customers that you take the environmental impact of your business seriously. There are many areas you could focus on such as water, energy and recycling. Even a carpooling initiative can make a difference and using LED bulbs as well as using recycled materials can help your brand stand out as being eco-friendly. As the demand for environmentally friendly services and products increases, so do the options that you have available for your business to go green.
