There is tremendous focus on green initiatives and the need for businesses to reduce their carbon footprint and increase recycling, but how easy is it in practice?
A lot of green initiatives will be technology driven and that can be costly – replacing lights with energy efficient bulbs, installing charging points for electric vehicles, replacing old equipment with energy efficient equipment.
There are however some steps that your business can take which will not cost the earth and what better time to start than Recycle Week 20th September 2021.
Go paper light or paper free
Do you need to print everything? It is a wonderful security blanket but in reality how many times have to looked in those folders and folders of papers and even if you have, you can still find the information you need in a well organised computer file or database. Provided your server/computer is regularly backed up, that should be sufficient security for the “just in case” in you.
Save on your Water
Remind staff only to boil the kettle with enough water in for the drinks they are making then and there. Whilst it’s nice to leave a full kettle for the next person it’s not that hard for the next person to fill it when they go into the kitchen.
Take care of lighting
Turn lights off in meeting rooms when they are not being used.
Cycle to work
Encourage staff to cycle to work. Great for the environment and their health. There is even a government cycle to work scheme that can be offered to staff as a tax efficient way to purchase a new bike.
Ensure your business is eco-friendly
Include environmentally aware clauses in your contracts with suppliers and customers – these can include how packaging material is dealt with, requiring continuous improvement in the energy efficiency of the manufacture and supply, consider energy efficient ordering and delivery services – place bulk orders that require one delivery rather than lots of small orders which require lots of deliveries.
Save on fuel emissions
Encourage car sharing for travel to meetings outside of the office.
Recycle!
Recycle what you can – cardboard, ink cartridges etc.
