If you own a small business, you may believe that your environmental impact is negligible. However, that’s not the case. Small changes to become greener can have a big impact; not only does it feel good to make a difference, but it also produces noticeable results when a commitment to being eco-friendly is made and followed through on.
Making your company more environmentally friendly is excellent for the environment, your company’s reputation, and possibly your sales. Customers are becoming more aware and are demanding excellent environmental practises, therefore the environmental impact of corporate activity is becoming a significant issue for them.
When you want to make a small impact on Earth, do it sincerely. Here are 5 baby steps to make Earth more greener and save it from global warming:
1. Offer remote work:
Remote work has exploded in popularity in recent years, giving people more work-life balance and significantly lowering commuting time.
This is really beneficial to the environment. Less carbon dioxide (CO2) is emitted into the air when there are fewer cars on the road, idling in traffic.
This minor modification can boost a company’s overall carbon footprint and traffic. Furthermore, by having fewer workers in the office, businesses can save money on things like stocking, lighting, and heating.
2. Public transportation:
Public transport is the most environmental friendly mode of transportation, and employers can urge their employees to use it. Small firms can provide public transportation incentives to their employees that are environmentally friendly.
Companies can motivate their employees to come to work on bicycles which will be good for the environment and the employee’s physical health. They could also use carpooling system.
3. Eco-friendly cleaning alternatives:
An eco-friendly cleaner is derived from natural and organic ingredients and is biodegradable. An office requires cleaning multiple times a day which means it will impact the environment. A green cleaning product is just as effective as the traditional one.
Most cleaning solutions contain chemicals that can be hazardous to the environment and your health, so opt for non-toxic alternatives whenever feasible. This will shield your skin from harmful substances and prevent you from inhaling them.
4. Recycling:
Recycled products like these help to keep the economy circular and reduce waste. Businesses should make every effort to reduce usage of non-eco friendly products wherever possible. They can use actual glass and ceramic alternatives instead of disposable cups, plates, and cutlery.
The cardboard boxes in the warehouse should be reused multiple times and then given away for recycling purposes. Employees in the office should be encouraged to print on both sides of the page. Offices should also look into buying recycled furniture.
5. Reduce plastic and use sustainable products:
To reduce plastic, offices should cut down on single-use plastic products like straws, paper cups, containers, shopping bags etc as they’re contributing to the real environmental damage.
Hence, offices should provide metal cutlery and metal straws for the staff. For the water cooler, they should provide with reusable and recyclable paper cups instead of disposable ones. Furthermore, the manufactured goods should be packed in cardboard or recycled brown paper.
