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Go Green with Your Startup

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More and more companies are pledging to promote a green culture or an eco-friendly environment in their workplaces and reduce their carbon footprint in the years to come. While this is especially common in large companies, it might seem like a nice idea that is out of reach for a smaller business. But here are some interesting ways a startup business can also join this green bandwagon to be environmentally sensible. Consider them to go green with your startup business.

 
Switch-off equipment to switch-on green goals.
 
Do you know how much of an environmental impact your everyday electricity usage in the office is having? It can really add up quickly. But you just can’t switch off all your gadgets and continue with your business. So what can you do? Every day, make sure your associates switch off their desktops and laptops, the air conditioners or heating instruments, and lights and fans when they leave for the day. Also, ask them not to unnecessarily charge their business phones in office. This will not only save your electricity bills at the end of the month, but also make you qualify as a sensible green entrepreneur. Remember, every small effort you take saves your pennies and makes you more environmentally responsible.
 
Shoo off the snail mails and welcome emails.
 
Every day when you choose to print out a document to post it to your clients or business dealers, do you know how much carbon emissions are released? According to statistics, printing one sheet of paper releases 60gm of Carbon dioxide per hour. But you need to send messages, documents, and the like to continue with your business. The best thing that most companies have started doing, which you can follow, is to rely on emails rather than physical hard copies. This will reduce your printing and postage costs, and is fast, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly. Print stuff only when it is absolutely essential.
 
Believe the clouds.
 
Every month you spend a lot on IT data storage in your office. Instead grab the cloud opportunity to store data wisely in a shared network. This can lower your carbon emissions by almost half. Moreover by storing it in a remote location, all your associates can get the benefit of it too from any location. This means you get high productivity in low costs. What more can you look up to?
 
Recycling helps.
 
What do you do with old papers, furniture, and electronic items? Do you simply dispose of them? If so, you are acting insensibly and need to think again about being a green entrepreneur. Whenever you think of disposing scrap make sure you do it the right way by going green. There are a lot of green NGOs spread across country. Call one of them and fix a time for collection of your old stuff to get them recycled. Not only will people appreciate you as a green entrepreneur but you will also earn some money out of it. Again when you plan to buy furniture or paper make sure you use the recycled ones.
 
Live the real green life.
 
Introduce the real green elements in your office. Whether flowering plants or cacti or simple green leaved plants, beautify your office space with them. Not only will they add beauty to your drab office surrounding but will also cleanse your carbon levels emitted from your machines, staff and overall environment. Moreover having some plants in the office also reduces monotony in the office.
 
So take your pick and be a responsible green entrepreneur with your startup business.
Published: September 24, 2013
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Debarati Mukherjee

Debarati Mukherjee is an accomplished blogger, journalist, and communicator, with over five years of media writing experience. She has written on diverse subjects ranging from entrepreneurship and small businesses to human rights, beauty, fashion and fitness. There are more than 100 articles credited to her name. Presently she is working as Director Communications with Ruby on Rails Development Company, Idyllic Software which is technology partner to startups and helps grow their business. You can follow her at Twitter or LinkedIn or write to her: debarati@idyllic-software.com.

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