With environmental awareness at an all-time high, many large companies are finally helping with the drive to save the planet. Studies throughout the years have proven how society as a whole can impact the environment, and many companies are taking this to mind as more and more of their clients and customers begin to look for more sustainable alternatives.
And as more and more consumers become willing to shift their spending habits to accommodate a more climate-friendly approach, businesses must be able to adjust and adapt to the changing societal norms. Even small businesses have to do their part in joining the society in its goal to save the environment- and no, it doesn’t mean it will break the bank.
It’s a common misconception among many small business owners that turning their business into something environmentally stable will eat up a lot of their budget and cut through their expenses. In reality, ‘going green’ will most likely save the company money by enforcing efficient resource consumption and establishing a culture of reuse.
Source Your Materials from Eco-friendly Sources
As individuals and small companies, we can only do so much to help the environment. But our efforts are not wasted, especially when we do them consistently enough. As a service provider, another thing you can do to help play your part in saving the environment is by patronizing other sustainable businesses.
These businesses aren’t just limited to raw material providers, they can range from office supplies to air-conditioner manufacturers, to even eco-friendly paper. You simply need to know where to look, and you will find them. You can start by looking at local flea markets where most organic and eco-friendly merchants put up shop, or you can look for companies with green product certifications.
Go Paperless
Running a business often involves quite an amount of paperwork. From accounting records to legal papers, from notes to employee pamphlets and handouts, businesses normally use a large amount of paper on the regular. However, at this point, everyone knows that paper is a major pollutant due to how many trees need to be cut down to produce it.
Thankfully, technology has also progressed to the point where we can start weaning ourselves off of the paper. Instead of using paper to keep track of your paperwork, consider using tablets and smartphones instead. There are hundreds of applications that allow for filling up forms in a digital platform, and scanning already existing physical paperwork to store them online has been refined to the point of reliability.
This way, instead of wasting money on buying reams and reams of paper, it can go to something more productive like upgrading your shop or paying off your SBA or small business loan. Going paperless doesn’t just mean you’re doing sustainable practices, but it also means being more efficient with your finances.
Reuse Devices
Just as the progress of technology is fast, so is the rate at which people change devices. Every year newer models of the most popular smartphones, tablets, and laptops are released, rendering year-old models as ‘last-gen’. However, these devices are still fully functional in their own right and can still be utilized to the full extent of their abilities. These older devices are unfortunately thrown away, often becoming chemical pollutants as these devices normally have volatile chemicals inside that can be dangerous when improperly disposed of.
There is absolutely no reason for you to spend money on the latest and cutting edge technology if your business has no use for it. For example, accounting and document tasks can be done in 2 to 3-year-old hardware- which can often be bought second-hand. Not only will you be helping save the environment by extending the life span of digital devices, but you’re also saving money from refraining from buying the latest devices that can set your company back by thousands.
Use Eco-friendly Packaging
If your business uses packaging material to send out your products, then it’s best to consider eco-friendly packaging. This measure is also to protect you from any government-mandated changes as policies protecting the environment are being published as time goes by, and making a preemptive move will help you be ahead of the curve. It’s also a cost-effective decision as many eco-friendly packaging utilize cheaper but sustainable materials to produce.
Some companies also use recyclable materials that do a great job in reducing the environmental impact, and also reduce the cost of production. But beyond the environmental and financial benefits of using eco-friendly packaging, another reason to switch to eco-friendly packaging is because of consumer demand. More than half of international consumers prefer to support and patronize companies with a good environmental track record- making it not just a wise business decision, but also an aware one.
