Making your office more eco-friendly is something every business owner should work towards. As well as being kinder to the environment, it will end up being much kinder to your wallet.
And it’s not like your business needs to make big wholesale changes, but rather a few simple adjustments which can end up making all the difference with renewable energy development.
As a responsible business owner, you will be playing your part in creating a brighter future for everyone. If you don’t know where to start, here are just a few ways to make your business greener.
Go paperless
The rapid advance of technology means that you have less of a need for paper. Encourage your employees to only print when absolutely necessary, and use emails rather than sending things by post. This reduces your need for filing cabinets and other space consuming storage items. As well as saving money, your files will be much more easily accessible and less likely to get lost.
Use less electricity
Though it’s important to utilise technology, you should also be looking to reduce electricity costs where possible. Many businesses are now turning to green energy so check out local commercial solar installers and other renewable energy companies to find out if this could be beneficial for your business. You should also make sure all lights and computers are turned off when everyone leaves the office. Another electricity saving technique is to select appliances that have a high Energy Star rating. Use LED lighting as this is more energy efficient and you will find yourself having to replace them less frequently.
Reduce heating costs
Another similar point, you should always try to reduce your heating bills wherever you can. This may involve installing double glazed windows or improving your office insulation. If you have a programmable thermostat, make sure the timings are right so you don’t end up heating the office when no one is there. Even turning it down a couple of degrees can make all the difference. Make sure there are no cracks or gaps in any of the walls that are causing draughts. On another matter, a constantly dripping tap can add thousands to your water bills.
Reward green lifestyle choices
Getting your employees involved will help extend your eco-friendly credentials beyond the office. You could introduce a rewards scheme for employees who use public transportation or ride their bike to work. This scheme could extend to members of staff who come up with innovative new ways to conserve energy at work. One technique could be to hand out canteens to encourage your employees not to drink bottled water.
Encourage recycling
This should be something that everyone is doing more of. Make sure recycling is easy for employees by placing clearly marked recycling bins in convenient parts of the office. Put someone in charge of making sure these are emptied on a regular basis.
These are just a few simple steps which can make a big difference to your business.
