Sustainability is not just a feel good catchphrase to make yourself look good these days. It is or should be, an integral part of your business strategy. For a while now, individuals have been striving to become more sustainable, but it has taken a while for companies to follow suit.
>> RELATED: Sustainability Entrepreneurship: Expert’s Guide To Living Green
When your company is sustainable it not only is a good look for your business, but it will help you become more profitable and competitive. There are so many ways that seem very small, that when implemented can have a dramatic effect on your bottom line when they are all added together.
In this article, I will go over several ways your small business can go green and become more sustainable.
1 – Use renewable energy
This is going to be a big investment, but it can pay off big very quickly when you start using renewable energy to power your office or production.
The most obvious way to go is to go with a solar system company to set up solar panels on your roof. You’ll need to add batteries and other electrical implants to make the transition but you’ll be glad you did.
Even if your business is not in a very sunny part of the world, these solar panels can help. The technology is very good these days so they can be very effective even when the sun isn’t shining brightly.
Another alternative is to use wind in conjunction with solar. Small wind turbines can produce quite a bit of electricity and working together with solar can produce more than what you need.
2 – Go paperless
The less paper you use, the less damage is done to the environment. But, even aside from the aspect of doing for the greater good, you will save a lot of money by going paperless.
A big chunk of a small business’s budget is spent needlessly on paper and supplies. There is also an issue of storage space for all of that paper. When you make it a goal to use less paper, you save money and increase the space you have.
>> RELATED: 3 Tips To Promote Sustainable Environment With your Small Business
If you do need to use some paper products in your business, make it a point to only use recycled material to make an environmental difference.
3 – Go low flow
Another area that is good for both the environment and your bottom line is to save water. Using low flow fixtures like toilets and faucets will cut down on your water bill dramatically.
And with droughts becoming more frequent, if you are ahead of the curb, then when the drought does happen you are well equipped with lower water needs.
In your bathrooms, make sure to also install timers on the faucets so there is even less water being wasted.
4 – Recycle electronics
Electronic waste is quickly becoming a leading problem with our overflowing landfills. And there is no reason to not recycle the materials out of them to be used over and over again instead of mining for more.
Have a program in your office to recycle any old devices either from work or even your employees personal ones that they no longer need. This can help the environment and those in need that can’t afford new devices.
