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Running a business is not easy at all, and while it may have been a dream of yours to bring this idea you once had into a full fledged and successful business, are you really running it the way you should be. Of course, you may be hitting those personal sales targets, smashing your objectives and bringing in the profits, but there is more to running a business, and often there is an ethical cloud hanging over us and much of that is to do with energy efficiency, being a little more eco-friendly and doing our bit for the planet. We hear about it every day how climate change is affecting the very planet we live on, and while you may be doing all you can at home with your various recycling bins and smart meters to watch what energy you are using in your home, are you applying the same disciplines in your business and workplace? With that in mind, here are some of the ways you can make your business environment a little more eco-friendly.
Lights, lights, lights
You may face this problem at home as well as within your business, but your lighting can be one of the biggest causes of energy wastage and, to be honest, most of the power to reduce this lies in your own hands. The bulbs themselves can be changed to LEDs which is much more energy efficient in regards to how much is needed to power them up, while still getting the adequate lighting you need. However, the biggest issue is actually switching them off. I am sure you will agree that there may have been plenty of occasions where a light has been left on all night accidentally. But the energy it uses can really add up if this becomes a regular occurrence. For this it is purely about changing habits, and ensuring that you proactively switch them off when they are not needed.
Managing the recycling and waste from your business
Recycling is a big thing for businesses and one of the easy ways you can make your environment eco-friendly. From a paper recycling to ensuring that even lunchtime essentials such as cans and plastic wrappers are disposed of in the correct manner. Doing your bit by having appropriate areas to dispose of these things can help. Thankfully, once you have done your part you are safe in the knowledge that you can carry on with your business.
Old tech, new tech
There will always be technology advances and they can happen on an almost daily rate these days, so there will come a time in your business when old technology is replaced with new. This is another golden opportunity to ensure that your business is eco-friendly by disposing of the old technology in the most environmentally friendly way. These parts can be recycled and most of the materials used can be reworked for new things in the future. Ensure that you follow the right guidelines and dispose of them correctly so that you don’t make any mistakes.
The grounds of your business
It doesn’t just stop with the office and your business location. You can also look at ways to make the grounds of your business a little more eco-friendly. You may be fortunate enough to have a garden that you use communally with other businesses or just for yourself as part of your business. Flowers and grass need cutting and watering and using things like industrial water tanks to collect rainwater can be an excellent way of saving on water while making the most of what you have. Further to that, you could also use sustainable materials in the outside areas or even think about food gardens where vegetables and fruit can grow freely.
Reducing plastic in the workplace
Another thing you could consider in the workplace is reducing the amount of plastic that is used. This goes for packaging up of your items and making sure that it is recyclable or responsibly sourced. Or just generally cutting down the use of plastics in general. This might be cups that you offer visitors for water, or even just how you store things. Plastic is one of the leading causes of issues when it comes to the environment. So reducing your consumption in the workplace could be a great step in the right direction.
Replacing windows and doors
It might be time to consider replacing the windows and doors in your property and a great way to do that would be to get in touch with local suppliers of windows and doors. Replacing old windows with double or triple glazing not only helps when it comes to heating and reducing energy usage, but it can also be a great security feature. You could also use heavy duty doors to your offices to help improve security and keep drafts at bay. One of the big issues people have when working in offices is how cold they can get in the winter, so avoid big energy bills by making this investment where you can.
Solar energy to function the workplace
Another great step in the right direction to help your business be more environmentally friendly would be to use solar power instead of the electricity output. You could easily have solar panels fitted to the roof of your workplace, and in turn use this to power up computers and other pieces of technology in the office. It can help to reduce your carbon footprint.
Encouraging staff to commute together
Finally, why not encourage your staff to share the commute to work where possible. It could be that they car share, which will reduce your carbon footprint. You could even put on an incentive scheme to walk or cycle to work to help encourage others to do their bit outside of the workplace. It might be a great way to open up the conversation of making better choices when it comes to the environment.
Let’s hope these ideas help you to improve your energy expenses and enable your business to become much more environmentally friendly in the future.
