From Guest Blogger Sonja Harris: Green Business Practices For 2018
It is no secret that we have made a mess of our environment. For too many years we lived as if nothing would affect us. The results are:
- Air pollution
- According to reports provided by CBS news, 47% of Americans breath air that is unhealthy to breathe. Nearly half of us are breathing air that can make us sick.
- Water pollution
- Our water supply is not limited. Chemical spills, dumping trash into the water, contaminating our underground water with chemicals are just part of the problem. The poor quality of our water threatens animals that live in the water as well as the very food we eat.
The list of wastefulness, irresponsibility, and general lack of caring goes on and on. Many people have taken steps in their personal lives to reduce their impact on our environment. But, businesses are slow to follow. This must change. Below we will give you some examples of how to reduce waste, money, and your environmental impact through changes you can make in your business.
Going 100% paperless is difficult, but it works!
Going paperless is a great idea, and in many ways, it is effective, cost-efficient, and saves your company money due to a reduction of errors. You can send out paperless statements and invoices via computer. You can use online timesheets as opposed to printable timesheets (which are easily manipulated).
Every office has a need for paper. When you purchase your paper, insist on paper that has been recycled. Shipping boxes should be made of recycled cardboard. Job tracking and expenses. Be sure you provide recycle bins for your employees to use.
By using the job tracking tools, you know where your employees are and how long they are there. You can track the materials that are used and the amount of time your vehicles are on the road. Not only will you tighten your business expenses, but you will reduce the effects on the environment.
The evil styrofoam cup
Styrofoam (and thin plastic) cups are not biodegradable. This means they end up in our landfills. This may shock you, but a single employee uses an average of 500 styrofoam cups every single year! So is you own a company of 100 people, you are adding 50,000 styrofoam cups to the landfill annually.
Instead, provide printable water bottles to your employees. These cups are reusable. They can support your logo which is free advertising. Instruct your employee to write their name on their cup and reuse it. Keep extras on hand for guests. Do you think you cannot afford it? Think again. Some of these cups cost as little, as .60 cents each. The average cost of an employee who uses 500 cups per year is roughly .95 cents per year. So with this option, you save money, keep the earth clean, and keep your logo on the radar. Of course, there are nicer cups you can order for gifts or management.
Motion Sensors
Have you ever noticed that employees tend to leave lights burning as if they have stock in the power company? Of course, it is just so common that people rarely think of it. However, motion sensors will turn the lights off when there has been no movement in the room for a set number of minutes. This saves energy and reduces expenses.
Computers
As you upgrade your computer’s, consider buying laptops instead of desktop computers. It takes 90% less electricity to run a laptop computer than a desktop computer. Don’t worry about security. There are special locks that can secure a laptop to a desk or workstation.
Offsite or freelancers
If there are positions in your company that does not require the person be sitting in your office, let them work from home. Freelancers can handle a lot of work for you. This means the electricity, use of materials, and other costs are theirs, not yours. This is one of the easiest ways to reduce cost and waste at your office.
As you can see, there are many ways to make your workplace more efficient, eco-friendly, and productive. Just put your mind to it, and you will soon see, everybody wins.
