When you think about running an eco-friendly business, it is likely that your mind automatically goes to the carbon footprint of the products that you make or use daily. However, although this is important, there is much more to consider. There are other areas in which you can make small changes (even starting tomorrow) that can benefit your workplace, surroundings, and how your business is thought about by your customers and potential customers alike.
#1 Start by Changing Your Power Supply
Changing your workplace power supply from a conventional to an eco-friendly solar panel source can be easier than you think. This has more perks than being environmentally friendly, as you may find that it could start saving you money on your utility bills and making you that bit more desirable to some customers.
This is because some customers actively look for companies that support eco-friendly technology, so they can say (and put on their labelling) that they do, too and that their products are eco-friendly. If you are selling your products or services directly to the public, you will find that there is a customer base already waiting for you.
#2 Go Paper-Free Where Possible
Going paper-free may not be as difficult as you think either. You will need to ensure that each member of your workforce has access to a computer, personal tablet, or even smartphone so that they can receive emails and notifications at a moment’s notice. Depending on the type of business you are running, they may also require access to certain data on your intranet system, such as scheduling software, customer information, and product information.
Even manufacturing businesses can go paper-free. Customer drawings, BOMs, and job packs can all be accessed via a tablet, rather than having hordes of paper cluttering up your shop floor and getting in the operator’s way while they are trying to use machinery or carry out their day-to-day duties.
#3 Increase Planting Outside Your Property
You could increase the planting outside your business property. This will not only make your property look more appealing from the outside by softening its overall appearance of it but will also provide shelter and often food to support wildlife. With so much building going on, wildlife has fewer and fewer areas to make homes or find natural food sources.
This could mean that they result in looking in areas that perhaps you would rather they didn’t, or they cease to exist, putting a strain on the fine balance of the natural ecosystem. Planting certain trees can help with air pollution, whereas planting bushes can provide nesting sites for birds, and flowers are food sources for bees and butterflies and other insects that need support in the ever-changing climate of the world.
#4 Repair What you Have Rather Than Replace
Regardless of how your feel about the surface of your outside area or your parking lot, it is a lot eco-friendlier, not to mention cost-effective, to repair rather than replace it altogether. This is even more so in the case of materials such as concrete. However, to make the repairs work as hard as they possibly can for your money and the environment, you will have to get expert businesses such as Keflatwork.com involved in the repair work.
By enlisting the help of experienced specialized companies from the start, you will be able to get what you are looking for. They will also be better suited to offer workmanship that will prove to be cost-effective and durable, therefore lasting the test of time.
If, however, you choose to either try and do any required work yourself or use companies that may not know what they are doing, you could find that it costs you both time and money and will certainly not be as eco-friendly as seeking professional help from the onset.
Final Thoughts
Any step in the right direction is the right choice as far as the eco-friendly movement is concerned. Whether you choose to start the process of going paperless at work, repair your parking lot rather than rip up and replace it, or start planting outside your building to encourage wildlife back into the area, it will all help the environment and your business will be recognized in a positive light for the efforts that you and your workers are putting in.
Photo by Medienstürmer on Unsplash.
