Amid the predictions of climate change, and threats to the environment, all of us are being encouraged to go green, and not just at home. There are lots of things you can to do to make your small business more environmentally-friendly, from being more efficient with electricity to recycling the office waste. Here are some of the ways you can help your company go green.
Think about it
You shouldn’t just think about your company’s environmental credentials on a whim. Sit down and assess what changes you can make, along with any staff, to make your business more efficient and greener.
Come up with a plan of action, which sets out your goals and commitments, which everyone working for the company understands and adheres to. You can use this plan to measure your achievements over each year, and to come up with changes and improvements to make your environmental performance even stronger.
Once you have an agreed plan in place, make sure it’s presented as a formal document and is shown to all staff – particularly new employees, when they are being introduced to the workings of your business.
Turn off the lights
We’ve all done it – left the light on in the office, when there’s no one in there. Making simple changes to the way you use energy in your company can make a real difference.
So, when you and your workers leave offices or meeting rooms, make sure you switch off any unnecessary lighting, computers, presentation equipment and so on. If you have a fair bit of office space, connected with corridors, you should consider installing automatic light sensors, so that you don’t have to worry about flicking the switch.
You and your staff can also help the environment by cutting down on water use, when doing the dishes in the kitchen or preparing drinks. You can also save water in the bathrooms, by installing the latest toilet technology, which doesn’t require water.
Recycle what you can
Offices can generate all sorts of garbage, ranging from paper and printer cartridges, to plastic wrappings and food waste. If you don’t already, install special trash cans throughout your offices – separating all the different types of waste.
These cans will not only encourage your staff to recycle, they will also help your company prepare waste for collection. Having some baler wire handy is useful for preparing crushed cardboard boxes and so on.
You can recycle most things and, by doing so, you will make a huge contribution to your green credentials.
Green travel
While you can make a big green footprint in your office, it shouldn’t just stop there. Get your staff together and talk about how they get to and from work. Are people using public transport, sharing a car, cycling or walking? Or are they all driving in individually?
Try to get your workers thinking about going green on the commute. Check out if there are any incentives you can offer to encourage them to make the switch from four wheels to two, for example.
