Becoming more eco-friendly is something that a lot of businesses are focusing on nowadays as we begin to notice the impacts that climate change is having. You might think that it’s impossible for your business to do anything about it, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, there are lots of changes that you can make to your business that will have a massive positive impact on the planet. So, keep reading and discover 10 easy tips that will help your business go green! 

1. Encourage Cycling To Work

Travelling to work is a necessity, but there are things you can do to make it less bad for the environment. Encouraging employees to take green modes of transport is one of the best ways you can do so, and it can be done in very simple ways. Things like installing Sheffield cycle stands is super easy, but it gives cyclists somewhere to park their bike during work hours. Cycling is not only good for the earth, but it’s great for your health too, helping you feel much more alert and motivated to get on with your day. A lot of people don’t cycle to work because there’s nowhere secure to leave their bikes, so make sure you provide that. It’s also a good idea to set up a Cycle To Work scheme that helps employees buy bikes at a discounted rate. Promoting green transport is a brilliant way for your business to go green, so make a start today. 

2. Save Energy

Energy consumption can’t be avoided, especially when running a business. However, there are things you can do to make your decrease the amount you use. One of the easiest methods is by switching to a renewable energy supplier, as this will drastically reduce the amount of fossil fuels being burnt to sustain your business. Another top tip is to switch all bulbs to LED ones as they use much less energy but still give off enough light. Make sure you always switch everything off properly at night too. So much energy is wasted by businesses leaving their lights on overnight, and it’s completely unnecessary. These small changes can have a real big impact, so be sure to make them as soon as possible. 

3. Ditch Single-Use Plastic

Single-use plastic can be hard to avoid, but it’s not impossible. Even changing the cups at the water cooler to paper ones can make a big difference, so don’t feel as though you can’t do anything to make a change. If you offer plastic cutlery, swap it out for the reusable or compostable kind to really do your bit for the planet. Plastic takes hundreds of years to break down, so you want to use it as little as possible. Even your packaging could probably be improved and switched to a bio-degradable material instead. These changes won’t negatively affect your business, but they’ll have a very positive one on the earth. 

4. Cut Down On Waste

Waste isn’t always something that you’ll be thinking about when running a business, but it’s definitely the time to now. Whether it’s food waste or paper waste, you really want to do your best to eliminate it as much as you can. Even stock that ends up thrown away can be damaging to the environment, so make sure you do plenty of stock takes and are always aware of things that need to be used up. This will massively help you reduce the amount of waste you have, and you won’t need to buy as much, helping you to save money in the long run! 

5. Change Your Cleaning Products

Lots of cleaning products are actually very harmful to our delicate ecosystem, so it’s probably a good idea to swap to some gentler ones. Most generic cleaning products have very strong, harsh chemicals in that once they enter the water system, end up in the ground and in the sea, causing damage to everything around it. Simple swaps can be made, with everyday products like white vinegar and lemon juice being great natural alternatives. These are also a lot cheaper than all the hazardous cleaning products that claim to kill 99.9% of germs! So, make sure you check the back of your cleaning products and see if you could benefit from swapping to more natural ones. 

6. Recycle And Try To Go Paperless

Recycling is very important. As a business, you will use lots of different items each day. From paper to plastic, you want as much of this to be recycled as much as possible. This drives down the need to create more and cut down trees which is eventually going to be one of our downfalls. It’s also a good idea to go paperless too, as it bypasses the need for recycling altogether. Things like receipts can easily be swapped to being email only, and you’ll save a few pennies on buying till roll as well. A lot of customers prefer having everything digitally too as it’s much easier to access. You’re way more likely to lose a tiny scrap of paper than you are your phone! 

7. Invest In Carbon Insetting 

Carbon insetting is kind of similar to carbon offsetting which you’ve probably heard of. Insetting involves you becoming a part of projects that remove carbon from the atmosphere. This means you become physically responsible for some of the carbon emissions that your business is putting out there. You’ll soon find that you can decrease your own carbon footprint and your business model will be a lot greener. 

8. Take A Hybrid Or Remote Approach

Remote working became a necessity during the pandemic, but now a lot of businesses have asked people to return to the office five days a week. However, even offering a hybrid approach could really make a difference to the environment. Getting cars off the roads is key to decreasing CO2 emissions, so asking your employees to work from home even some of the time could have a huge impact. It also benefits you as you’ll be able to save money on office space and general operational costs, so it’s a win-win all around really. 

9. Stop Wasting Water

Water wastage is so easy to overlook, but it definitely has a big impact on the planet. To combat water wastage in your business, make sure none of your taps are leaking any where in your office space. A dripping tap can waste a bathtub’s amount of water in just one week! So, think about how many leaky taps you have and how many bathtubs you might have filled. The image will definitely make you want to get them fixed ASAP! If your office has a dishwasher, make sure that it’s only run when needed. If it’s full of a couple of mugs and that’s it, wash them up by hand and save on water. A large load will use less water in the dishwasher than when cleaned by hand, so make the right decision based on how much washing there is. You’ll be surprised at how much your water bill goes down too! 

10. Offer Environmentally Friendly Snacks

While you don’t need to force everyone in your office to go vegan for the planet, you can make some ethical choices that will benefit the environment while still catering to everyone. Try to be conscious about the type of packaging that’s used on certain food items and make sure you go for things that can be recycled easily. You could also offer more snacks that are dairy free or are sourced locally. Ethical consumption doesn’t have to just mean vegan. In fact, you could find a local chocolate supplier that has a lower carbon footprint than the far away vegan one, so it’s all about balance. As well as reducing CO2 emissions by shopping for office food locally, you’ll also be supporting small businesses, which is something that’s definitely needed in the wake of the pandemic. So, why not check out what companies near you can offer and you’ll be sure to find some tasty, eco-friendly snacks! 

Being a green business isn’t all about changing every single aspect of your business until it no longer resembles your vision. It’s actually about making the right choices and taking an ethical approach that will benefit your business and the environment. These 10 tips make seem like small changes, but they can really have a positive influence on the planet. So, try to implement some of these simple tips and your business will be well on its way to being green!