Going Green Doesn’t Just Help the Environment: It Helps Your Bottom Line

As the world tries to achieve a greener, healthier and more sustainable environment, doing your part will not only make you feel better about yourself but will also attract like-minded customers. In fact, many people today are ready to pay extra money to get products from an environmentally mindful company. If you operate a small business, here are go-green tips that you can easily adapt.

Reduce Water Usage

Clean water is becoming scarcer by the day. Although 70 percent of the earth is covered with water, only about 1 percent is clean and safe for drinking. As such, wastage of water must be avoided at all costs.

A good place to start is by fixing any plumbing issues that may lead to burst pipes or dripping. A single dripping faucet could waste up to 3,000 gallons a year. In the same breath, install low flow faucets and toilets. These fixtures work just as well while using much less water. If you use a substantial amount of water at your promises, implementing a water recycling strategy could be one of the best ways to green your business.

Change Your Lights

Changing lights is also one of the ways a business can be environmentally friendly. Eco-friendly bulbs and lighting systems such as LED and compact fluorescent use less energy and last for long. These will dramatically bring down your energy bill and will serve you more than twice as long as the ordinary bulbs. Although they could be more expensive than standard bulbs, they will go a long way in helping yours become a greener business.

Finally, encourage everyone to turn off the lights when they are not in use. You may establish a policy where the last person who leaves the office should do a quick walk-through to make sure all lights are turned off.

Reuse and Recycle

Using an item more than once is also one of the easiest ways for businesses to go green. As you will realize, there are many products such as paper cups and plates that you can get rid of and adopt items that can be used for longer. If you use paper cups in the office, buying the regular cups will not only be cheaper over time, but it will reduce waste. Also, you can adopt a hand dryer instead of using paper towels.

How you manage waste is also critical. Separate waste accordingly to allow for reuse. For example, plastics can be easily recycled, and compost waste from compost bin can be used in farms by the local farmers.

Replace Outdated Appliances with Greener Ones

This one is an easy tip to implement and can be done one by one overtime. Any equipment your business uses; photocopiers, fridges or freezers, there is going to be a more energy efficient version that the one you are using.

Older and obsolete equipment tend to be less efficient, use more energy and take up a lot of your time. Instead of replacing the machine with the same model, check out greener alternatives in the market first. Most may be cheaper or the same price as the old equipment. But greener alternatives will save energy.

If you aren’t running an office, but rather a business, such as a laundry service or cafe, purchasing eco-friendly equipment will lower the water and power bills and ensure fewer emissions and a cleaner environment. Take a look at the example of the laundry service business owners who chose to have environmentally friendly washers and dryer installed. They can save approximately $20 in gas costs per week, per unit. Plus, they can also avoid government fines and fees this way.

Use Biodegradable Cleaners

Green cleaners are less toxic and are friendlier to the skin. More to this, you do not have to worry about inhaling toxins, irritation in the eyes or accidental ingestion. Biodegradable cleaners are less harmful to the environment including the air, water, and soil. They also do affect plants or animals. When shopping for your next batch of cleaners, try out the greener ones; they are just as effective as their counterparts.

Create a Bike-based Delivery System

Instead of using vehicles, choose bikes. They will get the job done and at the same time do not run on fuel which may lead to environmental pollution. Bikes are low maintenance and can be a fun way to get around.

Other than using the bikes to run errands, encourage your employees can use them to get to work. If they live far off, let them take public transport. This will reduce the number of cars on the roads.

Practice, Monitor and Improve

It all starts with the desire to know” how can businesses be more environmentally friendly?” Once you adopt the go green tips, monitor the changes, they bring along and look for ways to achieve more. If this is a new concept in your business, you may need to follow up with your employees to ensure they are doing their best to achieve a greener environment. Keep on checking your performance and areas you need to improve on.

Support and Join Other Green Entrepreneurs

Don’t try and improve in isolation. When everyone participates in the go green initiative, the benefits will not just be within but for the world at large. The environment will be cleaner, meaning cleaner food, air and water and more natural resources.

You can support other like-minded entrepreneurs by buying from them or by assisting them with their initiatives. Together you can discuss and help one another stay green.

As you reap the benefits, you will naturally look for more ways to green your business. The community around you and the world at large will feel the benefits.

For instance, you will be more concerned with the less fortunate in your society and less likely to destroy anything that can be donated. You will also participate more in the events happening in the community and look for ways to make things better or the environment cleaner and greener.

Your passion for greener living will rub on everyone who relates to you or the business. By doing your part, you will make the world a better place for everyone.