Helping the environment starts with one person making a conscious effort to go green, encouraging more people to make the same changes. If you are in charge of a business, making some simple environmentally conscious changes to your workplace can potentially cause a massive difference.
Not only would having a green business make a positive impact on the environment, but it could also save costs and improve overall morale around the workplace. Follow these eight steps for making a more green business, and the effect you have can potentially spread and grow into something great for everybody.
1. Switch to Paperless Payment
An excellent way to make green efforts towards your business is to reduce the amount of paper your company produces. You can start by replacing paper checks with paperless payment methods, such as using an online paystub generator or direct deposit methods.
2. Use Less Plastic
Like paper, using less plastic is essential toward improving your impact on the environment, as companies contribute to most plastic waste in the world. These changes depend on what kind of business you run, but general changes can be made to any workplace. Cut down or remove plastic packaging altogether and encourage employees not to use plastic water bottles and replace them with reusable water cups instead. Replacing wasteful plastic with reusable items can make a big difference.
3. Use Sustainable Energy
Traditional energy contributes an enormous amount of air pollution in the world. Consider instead replacing your energy sources with clean, renewable, sustainable energy such as solar power. For instance, adding solar panels to your building can have many benefits, as not only will it cause your building to produce fewer toxic outputs into the air, it will also save power and money in the long run.
4. Your Business Can Save Energy on Appliances
Leaving appliances and electronic devices plugged in when not in use can waste large quantities of energy. Make sure any rooms in your business that are not occupied have all devices turned off or unplugged. Keep the lights and ceiling fans off as well to save power. When computers are in use, activate their energy-saving modes to cut down on the amount of energy they use. If every computer in the facility uses these power-saving features, the effect will add up to a big difference.
5. Add Recycling Bins to the Workplace
Ensure that employees can properly dispose of recyclables. In the cafeteria or break rooms, add recycling bins for paper, plastic, and aluminum waste. This way, recyclable materials will not be discarded into the trash.
6. Replace Paper Towel Dispensers
Eliminating as much paper as possible is key. In the restrooms, install hand dryers instead of paper towel dispensers to cut down immensely on the amount of paper waste your staff creates.
7. Add Plants to the Workplace
If you have artificial plants in the workplace as decoration, consider replacing them with live plants. Live plants do more than just add a decorative flourish to the room. Adding live plants to offices and keeping them well maintained and watered helps circulate oxygen and freshens up the room. Live plants also cut back on any pollutants that might be in the air, and they can also create a relaxing environment for staff.
8. Use Energy Saving Lights
Replace lightbulbs with lower wattage bulbs to save on energy. Also, when possible, avoid using indoor lights too much and instead let the outdoor sunlight shine through the window throughout the day. Be sure to reduce indoor light usage as much as you can, as lights can significantly drain power.
As the head of a business, you have the power to enact healthy, green changes to your workplace. By introducing some of the lifestyle choices in this list, you can spread these ideas and create a positive impact in your area.
Author: Finnegan Pierson
