You can make your business sustainable by altering the methods that you use to keep it running. One such method is online conferencing. Going “green” and becoming more eco-friendly are just parts of a sustainable solution. Ask yourself if helping the environment, saving money, and using natural resources are truly doable for your company and its employees. Can you make the changes and commit to meaningful practices for your business? Of course you can. We’ll show you how with the following 10 ways:
1. Utilize Energy Saving Technology
Begin with the computer equipment that you currently have. Assess which operating systems need to be upgraded. If it’s in your budget, you can replace them. You can also change the settings to have your systems go into sleep mode after a determined amount of idle time and when not in use. This allows you to eliminate wasted energy.
2. Increase Water Conservation
By installing timed taps or low-flow aerators for your bathroom and breakroom sinks, you can cut water usage in half. This applies to toilets with low flow or timed flushes as well. Is your business equipped with shower facilities or washer/dryer machines? Add low-flow shower heads and energy-saving washers and dryers to save more water and energy.
3. Participate in Online Conferencing
There is no need to burn fossil fuels or use gasoline while making your way to meet a client. Simply execute the meeting online with any of the available online conferencing tools like UberConference, Cisco WebEx and GoToMeeting. That’s right! Meet your client face-to-face via video technology. You can even have a conference call with several parties all at once. Think of all the time that you will save by conducting important business right in your office. Home-based businesses and small business owners find great satisfaction in implementing this method.
4. Light Up Your Business Life
By using compact fluorescent lights (CFL) in your hallways and common areas rather than incandescent lights, you achieve the following benefits:
· Bulbs that last almost ten times longer
· Save energy use by 75%
· Receive approximately $30 in savings on your electricity bill per bulb during its lifespan
To make even better use of this method, install timers for exterior lights, use solar lighting, and try motion-sensor lights in your conference rooms. Be sure to dispose of your CFLs properly when they burn out or recycle them.
5. Recycle, Recycle, Recycle
Number 4 was a great segue into this top way to sustain your business. Perhaps you have a recycling receptacle in your breakroom or at the back door. Are you using it properly? Go over the basics with your co-workers and employees. Everyone knows about paper, plastics, and glass, but don’t forget compost and yard waste. It is very easy to order a bin to dispose of it if you don’t have one. You will be eliminating unnecessary waste from landfills by doing so. Contact your local Waste Management Facility to find out more details.
6. Use Non-toxic Materials in Your Workplace
You can protect the environment by using hand soap and cleansers that are free of toxins and chemicals. In many companies, employees are required to wash their hands frequently. Biodegradable products are normally less expensive. Other sustainable options include painting the workplace with not-toxic paint, laying down carpet that is free of formaldehyde, and creating new workspaces with reclaimed building materials.
7. Protect Your Windows and Doors with Weatherization
When you weatherproof the windows and doors of your business buildings, you conserve energy. You may also be eligible for a weatherization rebate. Try caulking your windows or installing storm windows for protection against strong winds. Other sustainable weatherproofing options include energy-efficient window installation, insulation for your walls, attic, and crawlspaces if you have them. It is also important to wrap outside pipes during times of inclement weather.
8. Stop Drinking Bottled Water
Although it is a convenient way of hydrating our bodies while on the go, most plastic water bottles are not being disposed of properly. Of the 30,000,000,000 bottles sold in the U.S., less than 20% are recycled yearly. Did you know that many bottled water manufacturers use municipal water—tap water? If you aren’t ready to give it up entirely, install a filtration system in your breakroom refrigerator or purchase a filtered water pitcher.
9. Start a Gardening Area for Your Co-Workers
You can improve the property value of your business and provide a space for co-workers to nurture plants and vegetables with a garden at your workplace. The food grown can then be enjoyed at work, eliminating the need to go out and get food – allowing for the elimination of many wasted resources. If there is no available area for a garden on the ground level, try window boxes or a rooftop. Employees will surely find joy and serenity in having a place to go and relieve stress during their lunch break or before the workday begins.
10. Educate Your Employees, Colleagues and Friends
When you do well, you feel well and others will notice too. Share your experiences with sustainable business methods. While participating in online conferencing, you can relate to your clients what you are doing to save the environment—including using energy saving technology like the one that you are communicating on. Gently bringing up your energy and cost saving practices will put your colleagues at ease. Perhaps they are not utilizing any sustainable procedures and are not eager to reveal that. Your story and your workplace policies can be a source of inspiration for them.
Hopefully, you found these top 10 ways to make your business sustainable helpful. The benefits are numerous and foster a positive atmosphere in the workplace. Seeing how the staff comes together and pitches in to make their work environment a better one is a sight to behold. Naturally, the employees will take what they have learned and utilize it in their homes with their loved ones.