Up your green business game with these top eco business tips.
We are in an age where it is no longer really acceptable to have a business without a sustainability plan in place. Consumers are taking action in their homes, now it is time for businesses to also be responsible and keep waste at a minimum and be as efficient as possible. Businesses practice fiscal responsibility, so why not environmental as well? It makes a lot of sense financially to put eco practices within a business because it saves a lot of money. When the planet is taken care of, business is too. It is all about something called the triple bottom line – people, planet and then profits.
Today, I’m sharing my 7 top eco business tips to take advantage of. You see, many times businesses believe that if you become eco-friendly, you are doing so at the expense of profits and that’s simply not true. Taking these tips to heart will increase your profits and in some cases very dramactically.
1. Get a waste audit
One of the best ways to see what is going in your trash at your company facility is to have a professional waste audit completed. Solid waste is a costly monthly utility. By hiring a professional company or environmental organization, they can conduct a thorough and proper audit of what exactly is going in the trash and how various items can be diverted away from the landfill. Waste diversion will save money and conserve natural resources.
2. Analyze monthly electric and solid waste bills
It is a good idea to look historically year over year at the amount of money the company is forking over to the local waste and energy facilities. If you are seeing a trend of high energy usage and rising solid waste bills, this is the perfect opportunity to investigate how putting some eco-friendly practices into place can save you a lot of green. It will also help lower the company carbon footprint.
3. Keep track of monthly expenditures on disposable items for the business
It is amazing how much money any company spends on items that are used once or twice and then carelessly thrown away. The office break room is a perfect example of excess waste. If items such as Styrofoam cups or plates, plastic utensils, water bottles, individualized packaged snack foods, coffee pods and paper towels are purchased on a regular basis, it is time to change a few habits. These have easy alternatives to save on waste and money.
4. Incentivize your employees to help the business go green
Sometimes the hardest part about going green is to get the employees trained to change their processes or behaviors. Spend quality time training the staff and make them aware of the programs you are trying to implement. Take it a step further and create an incentive or even a bonus plan for employees that help make the transition. This can create a positive boost to employee morale and set the tone to roll out a future long term sustainability program.
5. Start an internal green team
Once a master plan for green initiatives is put into place, gather employees within the company that have knowledge or passion about sustainable practices and create a “green team.” These individuals can monitor practices that are already in play and can be leaders in finding new plans to roll out.
6. Look into investing in software technology that assists in monitoring monthly energy usage
There are several software programs available today that can help track where energy is being used the most and at what times of day. It provides data on areas to conserve energy and what strategies can be put into place that are the most cost effective. A wide range of systems are available depending on the size of the business and the energy goals trying to be reached.
7. Never make false marketing claims about what the company does to protect the environment
This is a term known as “greenwashing.” Savvy marketers and companies around the world see the market research that shows a steady increase in consumer demand for green products. They also are paying attention to a generation that seeks out companies that care about the environment and not only their bottom lines. Un-reputable companies are using this data and creating a niche within their own companies by making faux green products or making false claims about sustainable business practices they are participating in. If and when consumers learn this information, the company will be in for a public relations nightmare. Always be up front and truthful with your customers about your green practices.