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Green Business Tips: How to Save Costs by Reducing Waste

Globally, people produce around 2.01 billion tons of municipal solid waste each year, but industrial waste is estimated to go as high as 7.6 billion annually. The significant amount of damage it does to the environment should be enough reason for businesses to take their stand against waste. But that’s often easier said than done.

So why should businesses take the eco-friendly route? The most obvious reason is it lessens the impact on the environment. While the United States has yet to implement stricter recycling laws for businesses, waste management is a legal responsibility in the United Kingdom. Plus, injecting eco-friendly principles into your brand can capture a wider audience, especially among millennials who are now more conscious about the brands they patronize. Of course, practicing sustainability can help enterprises save on waste management costs.

The question is, how can businesses kick-start their way to a greener future? Here are some tips to get started.

Go Paperless

With the world becoming more digitized, companies have started to produce less paper waste. Paper comes from trees, and millions of hectares of forest have been lost since 2000 to paper production.

With this, businesses should start transitioning the bulk of their processes to digital. There are a lot of online services that allow them to store files and documents in cloud storage.

Offices that still produce printed documents can also encourage their employees to recycle paper. Paper and cardboard without coffee spills can still be recycled up to seven times.

Get Refurbished Computers

Green Business Tips: How to Save Costs by Reducing Waste
E-waste is yet another major environmental problem among enterprises. With technology constantly running at full steam, it will only take a couple of years before a business’s electronic assets become outdated.

A smart solution to this is to consider getting refurbished computers instead of buying brand new ones. Businesses can find reliable refurbished IT providers out there that offer high-performance, quality refurbished computers that do the job at a much affordable price.

Consider Remote Work

Having fewer people come to the office means fewer cars on the road and less carbon dioxide emitted into the air. This also lessens the business’s energy consumption from lighting and heating in the office.

With more work getting done online, remote work has benefited businesses in more ways than one. Aside from its green impact, it helps boost productivity in the workforce as employees get flexibility and work-life balance.

Use Sustainable Packaging

Retail businesses often deal with tons of waste due to packaging, from the bubble wrap for each item sold to the boxes they’re shipped in.

Businesses can do their part in reducing waste by using recycled paper and cardboard in their packaging. It also helps to wrap items in bulk rather than individually, especially if they’re not fragile.

Other sustainable packaging options for businesses include the following:

  • Corrugated cardboard
  • Packing paper as cushion
  • Compostable mailers
  • Reusable plastic or canvas totes

Practice Energy Efficiency

Green Business Tips: How to Save Costs by Reducing Waste
Outdated appliances and equipment can consume more energy, which is harmful to the environment and your finances. Businesses that already have their offices set up can upgrade their existing equipment to energy-efficient ones. Before installing them, check to see if they’re ENERGY STAR-rated.

There are many other ways to practice conserving energy in the workplace, from programming the thermostat and regularly changing HEPA air filters to turning off the lights when not in use.

Set Up a Composting Plan

Aside from installing separate garbage bins for different types of waste, businesses can level up their green efforts by setting up an office composting plan to manage their food waste. There are composting services that can help them recycle and compost food scraps in the workplace.
Educating employees also goes a long way in a business’s less-waste journey. Companies can encourage them to minimize waste by launching waste management programs and handing incentives to those who participate.

 

Start the Eco-Friendly Journey

These tips are only some of the many ways small businesses and large enterprises can contribute to saving Mother Earth. These may seem like tiny steps, but they make a massive impact on the environment—and their business—in the long run.