Blog Post
Sustainable-business essentials - How to go green in a few steps
Climate change is the biggest threat posed to humanity. The WHO forecasts that between 2030 and 2050, it will cause additional severe health issues to people of all ages.
There is no more time to procrastinate: every single of us should start acting now.
Individuals and organizations should make a green approach a priority, starting from observing small measures in their everyday life that can positively impact the environment and their lifestyles.
Let's explore some practices that every business can adopt to embrace a more green-friendly system.
Incentives for sustainable transportation
Those who have the possibility should consider allowing their employees to work from home, at least for a few days a week, especially if a car is required to reach the office. Fewer cars on the roads mean less carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide emissions.
If such measure is not possible, evaluate the option of rewarding incentives to those who walk, ride a bike, take the bus or the train to come to work. Another alternative would be offering a vanpool at an advantageous price.
Encourage a recycling culture
You should provide your team with adequate recycling resources, starting from appropriate paper, plastic, glass, and general waste bins. If your government doesn't have strict recycling measures yet, find out if you can partner with other local institutions that follow green regulations.
Also, if you are busy renovating your building, consider alternatives to the landfill to dispose of waste. Numerous organizations worldwide collect and reuse old appliances and used lumber, for example. The same goes for electronics: if you replace computers, machines, cables, and other related electronic items, get information on possible organizations that recycle them (i.e., schools, charities, electronic retailers, etc.).
Invest in sustainable alternatives
Consider replacing old appliances with energy-efficient ones. This applies to lighting bulbs, vending machines, toasters, microwaves, printers, fans, heaters, and low-flow faucets & toilets, for instance. Looking into alternative energy sources for power is also a conscious strategy.
In addition, you can lower your ecological impact by using non-toxic cleaning products.
To conclude, switch to sustainable stationaries, like refillable rollerball pens, notebooks & paper sheets made of eco-friendly materials, staple-free staples, solar USB chargers, etc.
Reduce waste
Encourage your team to carry reusable plastic bottles and cups instead of consuming disposable ones every day and possibly install water coolers/heaters. If you have a cafeteria, provide durable kitchen tools. Partner with local businesses to offer your employees sustainable and healthy meals or/and snacks instead of reverting to products wrapped in endless plastic.
Reuse misprints for notes and sketches and use both sides of a paper for the same purposes. Also, share documents via the cloud instead of printing them when possible.
Finally, reduce water waste. Besides installing low-flow appliances, you can also use high-efficiency pressure washers for cleaning jobs. Furthermore, ensure that you fix any dripping taps and leaking pipes.
Keep track of your waste
One last tip to move towards a more sustainable approach is monitoring your consumption, from energy to waste. Whatever you use and produce, put effort into keeping track of the impact that it has on your business and the environment. Only by knowing your habits can you change them!
Copyright © 2022 Harvard Business Council
