4 Simple Ways To Help Your Business Go Green

Environmental responsibility has been at the forefront of people’s minds over the last couple of years, with many of us becoming more aware of how our actions affect the planet. The importance of reducing waste to prevent pollution is paramount and we all have a role to play in the task of tackling the issue.

Businesses can often produce a lot of plastic and technology waste, but there is a multitude of ways they can reduce their carbon footprint to do their part. If you’re part of a business, give going green a go with these four simple tips.

1. Recycle printer cartridges
   Recycling shouldn’t end with just paper and packaging; there’s plenty of office essentials that can be reused to help the environment. Most companies go through a significant amount of printer cartridges, which is a big issue because they aren’t biodegradable and can end up in a landfill for hundreds of years.It’s easy to forget about technology waste like this, but toner cartridge recycling is free and can help reduce the pollution caused by landfills. When you consider that around 350 million empty cartridges are thrown away annually, recycling them can make a significant difference to the world.
2. Donate tech
   Consider donating working pieces of technology rather than leaving them to gather dust when you’ve replaced them. There are plenty of smaller businesses or charities that can do with spare parts or working technology, helping you go green while doing a good deed.Throwing them out adds to the growing issue of technology waste and pollution in general, so try not to do so if you want to reduce your carbon footprint. Don’t forget to delete all personal and business information from the computer before handing it over as Windows Central suggests.
3. Encourage staff to use greener transportEncourage your staff to leave the car at home and use a more eco-friendly way of getting to work. Implementing a cycle to work scheme is an excellent way of promoting this as it gives businesses the ability to loan bikes and equipment to their employees as a tax-free benefit. According to CycleScheme, it allows employees to save at least 25% on a new bike as well as other accessories by paying through their salary. If your office is too far for some employees to cycle to, suggest that they try sharing a car to help reduce pollution.
4. Cut back on single-use productsCutting down on non-recyclable single-use products is an essential part of going green. Its easier than ever to switch such items for something more sustainable. Instead of stocking up on plastic cups and bottles of water for the office, ask employees to bring in PBA-free reusable containers to fill up at a cooler. Coffee machines that take plastic pods are another thing to avoid as they get stuck in a landfill for hundreds of years while releasing harmful methane gas, according to 1 Million Women. Traditional coffee typically serves more for a fraction of the price or you can find more eco-friendly pods if you don’t want to give them up altogether.

These four simple tips can help your business becoming just a little bit greener, encourage your employees to get involved too and do your bit for the environment.

Have you read?

# Rich List Index, 2018. (Global)
# Best CEOs In The World, 2018. (Global)
# World’s Most Powerful People, 2018. (Global)
# World’s Most Powerful Women For 2018. (US)