Green Business Practices - 5 Simple Things Your Business Can Change

Meghan Belnap

November 12, 2014

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Going green in the workplace isn’t just good for the environment. It’s good business. From changing to more energy efficient light bulbs and appliances to using recycled paper, simple changes are all it takes to make a big impact on preserving the environment. Plus, being identified as a green business opens up a variety of additional opportunities for business and client retention.

What Are Green Business Practices?

A company that decides to “go green” employs a variety of strategies to reduce its environmental impact. The goal of these strategies is to go a step beyond mere regulation of usage to that of a clear commitment to establishing and maintaining a healthy workplace and, in turn, world. The benefits of going green extend far beyond just the environmental impact and include such advantages as attracting innovative employees, saving money, securing investors, and meeting the demands of the current market and industry.

What Are the Most Effective Ways to Go Green?

Going green may seem to be a daunting task to some businesses, but the truth is it takes little more than making a few simple changes to the day-to-day function of a business. These strategies are the simplest changes for going green that offer the most profound impact.

1. Upgrade Appliances

Energy use is one of the primary taxes on the environment, so it goes without saying that businesses can vastly reduce their carbon footprint by improving energy use. Upgrading office appliances, machines, and lights to more energy efficient models is the best way to reduce energy use (and cost), according to the Department of Environmental Conservation.

2. Reduce Waste

Most businesses require some level of paper documentation; however, options such as paperless billing and other services not only help to reduce office waste but also diminish consumer waste. In addition to adopting paperless processes, businesses can also embody the practices of Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle by recycling used paper, old electronics, and other materials.

3. Employ Video Conferencing

Travel is another primary contributor to environmental degradation. By using such options as video conferencing and web sharing rather than face-to-face travelling meetings, business reduce emissions as well as costs.

4. Hire Telecommuters

This suggestion goes hand-in-hand with the previous tip. Nevertheless, utilizing telecommuting employees is another way to reduce a business’s environmental impact. This change not only reduces consumption, but it also improves employee satisfaction and productivity.

5. Commit to Environmentally Friendly Purchasing

When managing new purchases, businesses should look for environmentally friendly options, including those created from recycling processes and existing green companies. For example, lights from myledlightinguide.com are green-friendly and can save a company money over time. A step like this is a key way businesses can work together to protect the environment.

Going green isn’t complicated. It simply takes a few simple changes to existing business practices and procedures. In this case, the benefit of these changes far outweigh the effort it takes to implement them.