Easy Business Changes to Make Your Warehouse More Eco-Friendly

There has been a shift towards higher efficiency and reduced general resource and material usage. And for good reason, since climate change has diverted corporate thinking and strategies towards renewable and (near) zero emission consumption. Luckily for us, the modern market is filled with eco-friendly choices. This goes for all market segments including commercial, industrial, real estate, etc. Here we will be focusing on a crucial part of any business that deals with a lot of storage space. Having an eco-friendly warehouse has a lot of benefits attached to it.

We can enjoy reduces utility bills, increase sustainability and do our part on reducing our carbon footprint. By offering our employees an eco-friendly working environment, we can ensure that our workforce is glad to be a part of something greater than just a regular business. There are several ways we can equip our warehouse in an eco-friendly manner. Some changes are small, some require a bit of investment in the form of time and effort. Here are a few of them.

1.  Lighting

Long are gone the days of old, dingy incandescent light bulbs. Frankly, changing our lighting is the easiest and most beneficial step we can take, therefore, we will start with it. So, what are the more eco-friendly alternatives? LED (light emitting diode) lighting has several benefits over their old counterparts, except for one. To get it out the way, they do have a higher initial price. But considering all the benefits, like the longevity that is several times more favorable, it pays for itself down the line. Also, energy consumption is a fraction of what older, incandescent lighting used, depending on the models of course. Factoring that in, they pretty much pay for themselves as we save on electricity bills and they do not have to be replaced nearly as often. The LED lighting also has a much greater variety of brightness choices (measured in Lumens) and colors (measured in Kelvin). This is something that was not nearly feasible or even possible with certain configurations. For a warehouse, the best choice to go for is to utilize bright (high Lumen) and clear (high Kelvin) lighting to increase productivity and minimize the risks for any accidents.

2. Recycling

It is all the rage for some time now and we would miss out greatly not to mention it. Recycling has been one of the greatest feats making has undergone in order to make the world a more sustainable place. Everyone seems to have a recycling system and policy in place and if that is not the case for us, we need to start as soon as possible. Warehouses can be quickly adapted to recycling and employees will be inclined to go with the necessary training. Who doesn't want to make their effort towards a cleaner environment? In a warehouse, it is usually cardboard and paper that make up the most of the waste that would otherwise to a landfill somewhere near our own backyard. Recycling can significantly reduce this waste. There are certain substances in certain objects that require special methods for disposing of. Batteries, medicine, oil, and various chemicals all include on their packaging special instructions on how to correctly go on about it. As we can see, there are many places in our warehouse that we can employ the habit of recycling and these can differ based on the materials in question. As a business, we can perform audits at all the different locations to identify areas and processes where a more eco-friendly optimization can be conducted.

3. Energy efficiency and equipment

In any warehouse, equipment runs on either gas or electricity. Preferably the latter, the reason being that electricity does not have any emissions that could get trapped in a warehouse. Equipment of any kind has different energy efficiency rankings. As we start replacing different pieces, it is highly profitable to replace them with more efficient models. These will not only save us a lot of money on bills but will also lead to a more healthier, zero-emission immediate environment. Some of the things to pay attention to are gallons per hour, miles per gallon, and watts used. Also, it is good to pay attention to any relevant energy-efficiency standards that are industry-specific. Look for companies like Sitecraft, for example, that are offering plenty of choices when it comes to high-efficiency equipment. Another factor to consider is the amount of maintenance needed to keep those efficiency levels. Proper maintenance will extend the life of any product and will reduce waste and the need for frequent upgrades or replacements.

4. Go vertical

As our warehouse expands, it is good practice to look up instead of in front of us for more space. Building upward will require less land for us to pay bills and taxes on and will increase the usability of what we already have. Relocating to a larger warehouse can be a costly endeavor and frankly, there is no need for it most of the times. It would require specific machinery, but it is quite common to find and operate. Still, the associated costs pale in comparison to renting a larger warehouse.

These practices do not necessarily demand a complete overhaul of our warehouse. They can be done gradually as time and circumstance allow. The best part is that there are no wrong moves. Going eco-friendly is a great way of saving without moving and to increase our brand reputation as something that goes above and beyond what is required.