How To Make Your Business More Environmentally Friendly

Climate change and other environmental issues are huge topics these days. No matter how big your company is or what industry you operate in, it’s critical for firms to strive to be as eco-friendly as possible. This is not only because it benefits the environment, but also because it is advantageous from a business standpoint. Going green can create a more positive working environment for you and your employees, save your company money, and improve your reputation with clients and customers. With that in mind, here are some top suggestions for ways in which you can make your business more environmentally friendly.

Create a sustainability team

One of the first steps you should take is to set up a dedicated sustainability team. This will help to ensure that your good intentions translate into real and effective action. Not only that, it also demonstrates to your employees, clients, and customers that you are genuinely committed to becoming more environmentally friendly, rather than merely paying lip service to the idea. Just make sure that you choose enthusiastic people to form the team, and also give them the time and resources necessary to make impactful changes. Anything less will likely lead to discouragement and skepticism.

Reduce your energy use

In the same way that we try to reduce gas and electricity consumption at home in order to be greener and save money on bills, you should be doing the same in the office. You will likely be surprised at how much scope there is here, and how much energy you are currently wasting. Encourage all staff members to turn off their computers and other equipment when they go home for the day (rather than leaving them on standby), and also switch off the plugs at the wall sockets. Another great idea if you own your building is to contact solar companies in Tucson regarding the possibility of having solar panels installed and generating your own energy.

Cut down on water use

In addition to using less energy, reducing the amount of water your business uses is key for becoming a green company. Options to achieve this include installing toilets with eco-flush systems in the restrooms, plus taps with aerators built in that reduce the flow of water without a loss of pressure. Having motion sensor faucets can prevent taps from being accidentally left on and wasting water, and you should ensure that your maintenance team regularly checks for and fixes any leaks.

Strive for a paperless office

It’s no secret that a lot of paper is wasted in workplaces, so aiming for a paperless office can both help the environment and cut down the amount of money you spend on stationery. Ask staff to only print files when it’s absolutely necessary, and then to print documents on both sides of the paper rather than just one. Inform managers that they should distribute meeting agendas and similar documents digitally rather than physically handing them out, and purchase recycled paper for when people do use your printers. It might take some time for people to adjust, but stick with it!

Boost your recycling

It’s unrealistic to expect your business not to use any paper or other resources at all, so it’s crucial to have an effective recycling system in place, too. You can encourage staff to recycle their personal waste by placing recycling bins in prominent locations around the office, and request that departments recycle larger office equipment such as printers and computers wherever possible. You can facilitate this by researching options and disseminating the information via email or a staff meeting.

Purchase green products

Shopping consciously is one of the biggest ways that you can make your business more environmentally friendly. For example, try and buy green products wherever you can—whether it’s printer ink and cleaning products with no harmful chemicals, items made with recycled materials, or energy-efficient light bulbs and computer equipment. In order for this to be most effective, it can be helpful to create a list of green suppliers for common purchases and distribute this to all employees who are responsibile for buying these items.

Get all of your staff involved

As has already been touched on in several of the points above, it’s vital that you get as many staff members on board as possible with your efforts to go green. This will ensure that the changes you try to implement have the maximum possible impact. You can try adding notes to the end of emails asking people not to print the attached documents if it’s not necessary, putting up posters around the office to encourage eco-friendly behavior like recycling and reducing energy consumption, or even holding regular competitions between different departments and teams to see who can achieve certain green goals such as the lowest amount of paper usage. Just take care not to come across as draconian or patronizing, as this could have the opposite effect to what you want!