# Steps To Lower A Companies Carbon Footprint

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2020/04/steps-to-lower-a-companys-carbon-footprint/
- Published: 2020-04-20T01:24:49-04:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

#### Reduce, reuse, recycle are the steps or mantra. The steps you need to make to help your business to go green don’t change much over the years, because the Three Rs don’t change.

The [Three Rs](https://web.archive.org/web/20160314021257/http://www.nrdc.org:80/thisgreenlife/0802.asp)—
Reduce use, reuse, recycle are steps in a triad that all but defines an approach
adopted by conservationist in the 1960s. And, as stodgy as it may sound, the green
movement today is mostly an updated version of ideals in discussion then.

Almost all of the environmental systems in a modern business can be discussed.  
All with the three Rs in mind. How much electricity does your business use? What
about paper use? What about the buildings your business occupies?

⌊Reduce reuse recycle steps⌉⌊Reduce reuse recycle steps⌉
 To go green is to walk
quietly through the path presented to you. This can save your business money, raise
its status (or its appeal) among clients and create a healthier workplace.

#### **_Where do you start?_**

![Saving our planet is about allowing land to breathe without trash Reduce reuse
recycle](https://i0.wp.com/greenlivingguy.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/img_1623.
jpg?resize=150%2C100&quality=52&ssl=1 "Hands holding sapling in soil - The Green
Living Guy")

Hands holding sapling in soil

#### **Plants**

Is your workplace plant friendly? Does it have natural lighting and have plenty 
of glass on the south side of the building? While having indoor plants is somewhat
of a token gesture in the overall scheme of things, they still send a clear message
to anyone who walks in the door: We are stewards of our domain. And we like it green.

#### **Energy**

The assumption that any business can simply go off the grid and live off of solar
panels on the roof or build a green building from scratch is very simplistic. Not
every business can go that far.

But every workplace deserves an energy audit to see where there may be some waste
or some inefficiency. Maybe lights are left on when a timer might shut them off.
Maybe the windows are leaky, causing your demand for heat and cooling to rise. Maybe
the company’s fleet of vehicles – even if it’s just one – could simply use a tune
up.

Energy audits have become more specialized and more insightful over the years, as
energy auditors compete for your business. As such, the more you save, the more 
highly you recommend your energy auditor to others.  This has been a big plus for
the planet and saves some large facilities tens of thousands of dollars.

#### **Passive systems**

Conservationists still love [passive systems](http://www.wbdg.org/resources/passive-solar-heating).
Why crank up the air conditioning, when you can plant trees to shade the building
and make sure that windows open on multiple sides of the structure to allow a breeze
to scoot through the building?

Passive heat is one of the most underutilized conservation tactics. Opening up a
southern wall to allow sunlight heat the offices during the day can save lots of
money and wear and tear on heating systems. The sun can also pre-heat water to lower
your demand for electricity.

[⌊image⌉⌊image⌉[

#### **Electronics**

We use more and more gadgets every year. Fortunately, however, the electronics companies
have a built-in motivation to providing us with efficient products.

That laptop in front of you as we speak: Years back, it was a clunky, power-hungry
electric typewriter and in the ensuing years it was a computer that practically 
doubled as an oven, it used so much electricity.

Electronics also allows for a huge savings in paper products and the expensive ink
used in [jet](https://greenlivingguy.com/2022/07/sustainable-building-materials-for-a-modern-and-eco-friendly-home/)
printers these days.

In some businesses, paper is a scarcity these days. Customers using a [sign in app ](https://web.archive.org/web/20170926014726/http://signinapp.co/)
not only save paper, but allow for seamless visitor registration. Advertising through
emails or online has saved tons of paper products over the years – just ask a postal
carrier who used to carry all that paper around in the old days.

#### **Recycling**

Depending on your business, recycling can put to use in every facet of what you 
do. Your offices can even be built of recycled material.

Products can also be made of recycled or biodegradable material.

Some thought should also be put into how your business deals with trash. Is this
a time to promote sorting and recycling on a local level, making sure plastic goes
where it needs to go and paper, plastic and metal products end up in the right place?

#### **Creative thinking**

Are there opportunities for green thinking that are unique to your business situation?
Allowing workers to work shifts that allow them to avoid rush-hour traffic not only
means more relaxed workers, but it means their cars – if that’s how they get go 
work – are not spewing fumes while idling in some traffic jam every day. Finally,
let’s not forget to think creatively on your reduce, reuse, recycle philosophies
for a positive economic return!

In conclusion, maybe just shifting the work-schedule a few hours forward or backwards
will save them time. Plus money and lower their personal carbon footprints.

![author avatar](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/df91669667126e1290c21ee0342c386e2da19d588d4d9ca6560bd82ed59a9641?
s=300&d=monsterid&r=g)

 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
expert, and Editor of the McGraw-Hill, TAB Green Guru Guides. Seth is also an Author,
Radio Host, Reporter, Writer and an Environmental Consultant on green living. The
Green Living Guy writes about green living, green lighting, the green guru guides
and more. Seth's books range from: # Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Bob Brant
and Seth Leitman (2nd and 3rd editions) # Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid Electric
Vehicle by Seth Leitman # Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle by Carl Vogel # Green
Lighting by Seth Leitman, Brian Clark Howard and Bill Brinsky # Solar Power For 
Your Home by David Findley # Renewable Energies For Your Home by Russel Gehrke #
Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audits by David Findley # Build Your Own Small Wind Power
System by Brian Clark Howard and Kevin Shea # and more green living books to follow.

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