An eco-friendly business may seem unimportant. But there are several good reasons to make your business eco-friendly.
Environmentally friendly
An eco-friendly business is good for the environment. That’s always a good thing. While it may seem like a drop in the ocean compared to a multinational, every little bit helps. Doing your bit for the environment is important. Every piece of paper you don’t use is part of a forest that can keep doing its part for the ecosystem. Each time you work from home, walk to work or catch public transport, that’s a saving in the emissions your car would make. Whenever you turn off equipment or use recyclable products instead of single use alternatives. Every single time, you’re doing something for the environment.
Reduce costs
While it may cost a little to implement major changes. Becoming an eco-friendly business doesn’t have to cost a lot. Make small changes as you go. Whenever you replace something in your office, find an eco-friendlier version. Small things like replacing light fixtures with more eco-friendly lighting bulbs will reduce your electricity costs. As will turning off electrical equipment when it’s not in use.
Team building
Becoming an eco-friendly office can be a team building opportunity. You can gamify the process by setting goals and offering (environmentally friendly) rewards. Your staff can work together to implement ideas and develop systems. You can even get your staff into a sharing economy where they look at sharing a ride to work, having an office compost bin which is taken home by someone who shares the produce from their garden with everyone. If you get your team working together, they’ll come up with some great ideas. Making it a team effort will also make sure you have the buy-in from the whole staff that is necessary to make it work.
Good PR
Having an eco-friendly business is good PR. Your customers will feel good buying your products or using your services knowing that you’re an eco-friendly business. It’s also a good way to support and be more involved in the local community as buying local is more environmentally friendly. By being more eco-friendly, you also become a better community member. And having a great local reputation can get you publicity on many fronts from local Facebook pages to local news and magazines.
Happier and Healthier
Finally, eco friendly choices will result in you becoming happier and healthier. From deliberate choices such as having plants in the office to improve air quality, to side-effects like more exercise from ditching the car in favour of public transport and walking. You will feel better about yourself knowing you are part of the solution to a growing problem. And you’ll be setting a good advantage for other businesses.
It’s even possible you may be eligible for a grant for becoming more eco-friendly. You can see if you qualify for any of them here.
