Developing environmentally-responsible products, deploying green initiatives, and sustainable strategies can help you create a sustainable business that is also good for the bottom line.
A sustainable business with equal intent and intervention focused on political, environmental, and social issues is an organization that the public will want to work with.
To help you get started, here are some business actions and plans you and your business can partake in to become more sustainable.
Make Recycling a Habit in the Workforce
This may seem like a no-brainer, but access to recycling in all departments may sometimes not easily be accessible throughout the company. The placement of recycling bins alongside each garbage can makes going green easy.
Enterprises with many recyclables can use recycling equipment rather than pay for waste transportation.
Break the Habit of Convenience
Companies can simultaneously reduce waste output and their environmental footprint by reducing wasteful everyday employee behaviors, which revolve around single-use items.
The single-cup coffee makers in many offices are now a good example. A large tin of coffee will generate more than one hundred cups of coffee for a fraction of the non-recyclable coffee pod costs.
Allow people to carry their own refillable cups instead of offering paper cups and plastic water bottles for their workers and clients. And use bulk containers for condiments rather than one-use packets if you have a cafeteria. .
Using hand dryers instead of paper towels will also help in reducing paper waste.
Reduce Water Usage
The past decade has been one of the driest in western North America, which has contributed to the implementation of high water rationing in many municipalities for businesses and households.
Drought is ranked second among natural disasters that negatively affect the US economy, with losses of close to $9 billion each year.
Whether your company is located in a drought region or not, reducing water usage is an obvious way of saving money and helping to preserve precious environmental resources.
Fix leaky taps, plumbing leaks, and install low-flow toilets. You can switch to dry-tolerant landscape design where possible with drip irrigation and rain sensors.
Rethink Your Packaging
Examine whether or not your packaging is biodegradable and start using carton and paper instead of plastics. These are things you’ll find and inspire your customers in the future to do business with you.
Naturally, it is much easier said than done: the cheapest alternative can always be plastic packaging when you think of profit margins. Yet several companies have phased out the use of plastic packaging to pressure others to do the same.
With about 300 million tons of plastic being manufactured every year (50% for one-purpose purposes only), businesses will continue to explore this alternative.
Reduce Your Workforce’s Carbon Footprint
US building structures use nearly 40% of the country’s electricity for lighting, heating, cooling, and appliance operations, from homes and small businesses to schools and skyscrapers.
A rapidly growing industry in high-efficiency architecture has been pushed to reduce building emissions. Super-insulated shells fitted with solar and geothermal systems are net-zero and passive construction methods reduce energy consumption by 80-90%.
If you are building your own premises or renovating an existing building, find out about the various discounts and benefits for installing insulation, solar systems, and electrical equipment. And remember to run energy tests on appliances.
Partner with Sustainability-Leaning Organizations and Networks
Partnerships with like-minded people and organizations in your community are among the best ways to make your business more environmentally sustainable.
By working with local businesses, governmenst, and environmental organizations, the organization will also gain a better understanding of where community resources are wasted. This also provides a better opportunity to address green concerns.
Conclusion
There are many things you can do to become sustainable, all it takes is a little attention. Just remember that being sustainable is not just good for the environment, but also good for business too.
