6 potential ways to build an eco-friendly business

The world is changing and so is the mindset of the people. A lot of issues are taken into account in running a business today that one did not do a decade ago. Though technology has taken a giant leap making life as easy as it could be for us, science never occurs without consequences.

With the sword of global warming dangling over our heads, it’s high time businesses start going green keeping an eye on the future. It involves a compilation of small and simple things really, which could also create an impressive image in consumer’s eyes for the company.

Many sustainable business practices are not only eco-friendly but have been friendly on the company budget as well. Here are some of the ways one can make his or her business eco-friendly-

1. Go Digital with Your Documents- Digitising is a great way to reduce paper use. The use of electronic signatures can be a lot quicker than in physical and software like Adobe Acrobat Professional, DocuSign or e-signature are designed precisely for securely sign documents PayPal today is widely used to send invoices giving the ability to accept credit cards and receive instant payment.

2. Printing Less Stuff – Paper makes up about 35% of our waste stream, even though it’s one of the easiest materials to re-use and recycle. No one needs to print every e-mail, organising the inbox does just fine to make e-mails easier to find and reference. Backup copies of important files can be kept on an external drive, instead of storing boxes of paper files.

3. Pull that Plug- Always plug computers, printers, external hard drives, and other office gadgets into one power strip, to make sure none of the appliances are secretly pilfering energy. One can also make sure to stock office with energy-saving appliances and compact florescent light bulbs.

4. Work With Like-Minded Companies- There are always chances that one ties up with companies in the local area that have been certified green. Part of being a green business is making sure that one does their best to ensure that supply chain is green, too. Seek out green vendors for business needs, whether it be printing business cards, hosting website, or cleaning office building.

5. Slow the Flow of Junk Mail- Junk emails could be one of the most wasteful things known to man. While the plague of unwanted mailings never seems to end, there is a way to deal with them. There are free services out there that will remove you from mailing lists, and you can also remove your name from the Direct Marketing Association’s member prospect list.

6. Educate Yourself- Lastly, the only way to make progress is to know where you’re headed. It’s wise to keep up with environmental news and green business trends to identify areas one can improve on. Making oneself an “expert” on sustainability will not only build their green brand, but it will earn respect from potential clients, customers, and peers.