# 5 Technologies Making Companies More Sustainable

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2022/04/5-technologies-making-companies-more-sustainable/
- Published: 2022-04-08T16:08:18-04:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

With all the problems arising from rapid climate change, everyone is asking what
they can do to help secure our global future. The business world is no different,
with an increasing number of companies pitching in and going green. Several advancements
are helping to make this process as painless (and as profitable) as possible. Here
are five technologies helping [companies become more sustainable](https://greenlivingguy.com/2024/10/sustainability-companies-rise-in-the-u-s/).

![5 technologies making companies more sustainable](https://i0.wp.com/greenlivingguy.
com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/nature-g63fbea97d_1920.jpg?resize=420%2C280&quality
=52&ssl=1 "5 Technologies Making Companies More Sustainable - The Green Living Guy")

## **Business Process Automation**

Business process automation (BPA) tools have the potential to vastly increase sustainability.
Besides making a [company’s operations function more efficiently](https://greenlivingguy.com/2011/11/veterans-department-reduces-it-to-address-budget-cuts/)
overall, they also reduce the need for physical infrastructure on multiple fronts.
For example, having [a labor management system ](https://envistacorp.com/technology/supply-chain/labor-management-system/)
can help an office go paperless. Using project coordination software and Voice over
Internet Protocol (VoIP) programs like Skype can cut the need for physical office
spaces and wasteful commutes. Of course, it takes a lot of energy to power these
automated systems. Businesses can solve these issues by employing the next tech 
on the list.

## **Sustainable Energy**

Renewable energy is becoming a better investment all the time. The [cost of solar power](https://news.energysage.com/how-much-does-the-average-solar-panel-installation-cost-in-the-u-s/)
has dropped about 13% over the past five years, making it increasingly affordable
at the residential and commercial scales. There are [two main ways](https://greenlivingguy.com/2014/01/basf-global-100-a-leader-in-sustainability/)
to invest in renewable energy. First, it can be purchased directly from a utility
provider. The second method is to have power generation systems like photovoltaic
cells installed directly on a building. The recent array of tax incentives at the
local, state and federal levels for installing green energy is making that an increasingly
attractive option for [companies](https://greenlivingguy.com/2025/08/kitchen-cabinet-materials-for-sustainable-design/)
that want to go green while saving money. 

## **Green Vehicles**

Government [research](https://www.epa.gov/ghgemissions/sources-greenhouse-gas-emissions)
shows that the transportation sector creates the largest share of greenhouse gas
emissions (29%). The advent of long-range electric and solar vehicles is a necessary
corrective to that, and [businesses are increasingly adding these “green”](https://greenlivingguy.com/green-living-consulting-services/going-green-for-businesses-energy-financing/)
vehicles to their company fleets. Along with the vehicles themselves, sustainable
driving practices are also being adopted. Removing junk from automobiles, using 
slow acceleration, prioritizing maintenance, and streamlining are just some of the
simple ways that fuel can be spared and money saved. 

## **Carbon Capture Technology**

It’s going to take time to develop a fully renewable infrastructure but in the meantime,
carbon-capturing technology is making inroads against pollution. Carbon capture 
either filters carbon dioxide from the air itself or (more commonly) intercepts 
it while it’s emitting. This makes the transition from fossil fuels easier on the
economy. The best news is that [carbon capture](https://www.forbes.com/sites/enriquedans/2021/06/26/why-carbon-dioxide-capture-could-be-a-profitable-business/?sh=39fd7e7d565f)
is itself a viable business, meaning that the process of going green is bound to
be a boon to job creation. Moreover, it’s just one more example of innovation beating
adversity. 

## **Biophilic Design and Biomimicry**

Creating lasting [sustainability in the business](https://greenlivingguy.com/2010/09/philips-buys-into-the-sustainable-technology-business/)
community and the world is going to take radical innovation. Moreover, biophilia
and biomimicry are two design concepts that could remake the relationship between
progress and the natural world by combining them. Biophilic design involves incorporating
nature directly into buildings such as office complexes. [NASA research](http://www.wolvertonenvironmental.com/NASA-Report-89.pdf)
showed years ago that common houseplants like English Ivy and the Spider Plant filter
carcinogens including formaldehyde from the air. 

Biomimicry takes this one step further. It’s a design philosophy that seeks to emulate
natural processes in order to maximize efficiency and minimize environmental harm.
Right now, engineers are using spider webs as inspiration to design safer auto glass.
They are also using termite mounds as a template for self-cooling buildings. Even
the design of Velcro in 1941 by George de Mestral was based on his observations 
of plant burrs. 

## **Final Thoughts**

Being a [sustainable](https://greenlivingguy.com/2011/10/forest-festival-to-explore-gatineau-park/)
business isn’t just about protecting the environment. It’s about [building a better future](https://greenlivingguy.com/2020/06/people-and-planet-building-a-sustainable-future/).
Moreover, business owners everywhere are beginning to leverage these new technologies
to make their [companies leaner and cleaner](https://greenlivingguy.com/2022/02/how-to-build-a-sustainable-company-from-the-ground-up/).

**_Author: Finnegan Pierson_**

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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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