Going green is no longer a fad in 2020. Whether you operate a Fortune 500 company or a small business, going green is a necessity. Not only can green initiatives help your bottom line, but they also attract top talent, help avoid stringent regulations and, you know, help save the planet. So, what do you have to lose? It’s time to ‘go green’ with your business in 2020.
Of course, not all businesses are easily converted into green enterprises. The reality is industrial and energy sector businesses have a much more difficult time making their business processes green. Thankfully, in 2020 there are a lot of resources out there to help these companies get started on the green path, no matter the industry.
Today, we are going to look at four tips to help industrial companies ‘go green’ in 2020.
Choose Green Materials
The first, and perhaps most important tip for industrial businesses is to choose green materials. That can mean opting for synthetic substitutes of natural materials(i.e synthetic gypsum vs. natural, mined gypsum), reducing your business's carbon footprint and impact on the environment. Or it can also mean finding recyclable alternatives to current materials.
Thankfully, there are a number of green materials companies out there whose sole purpose is to help industrial businesses go green with their materials. Choosing green materials can lead to energy savings which helps your bottom line, while simultaneously helping the environment. It really is a win-win.
For example, when industrials suppliers switched to green wheat straw packaging instead of using plastics, it led to a 40% saving in energy and a 90% reduction in water required for production. Not only that customers were happier as well, which makes going green a win-win-win for industrial businesses. It’s good for clients, the environment and your business.
Industrial Recycling Services
Hiring quality Industrial Recycling Services is probably the number one thing you can do to improve the carbon footprint and environmental impact of your business. Industrial companies produce a lot of waste, and in more ways than you may think. Some industries produce tones of dust every year, and with the appropriate dust collectors and systems, ends up polluting the surrounding environment. In 2017, for example, total municipal solid waste in the U.S was 236 million tonnes, whereas industrial waste hit an amazing(and frankly scary) 7.6 billion tonnes.
Not only can industrial recycling services help reduce costs and improve the efficiency of industrials businesses they can also help these companies get past increasingly stringent regulations.
As of today, federal regulations on industrial waste remain fairly lax(although I wouldn’t expect that to last), on the state level, however, things are far different.
California, for example, now has its own regulatory agency, CalRecycle, which has high standards for commercial and industrial recycling. If you hire industrial recycling services they will already be aware of the regulations and can help your company avoid any potential fines.
DIY Recycling
Smaller industrial businesses may still need recycling services, but what if they simply don’t have the funds to do the proper thing and hire an industrial recycling business?
Smaller industrial companies may want to consider attaching dump bodies to trucks they already own and performing some DIY recycling.
Having any form of legitimate, codified recycling program can help avoid regulations and also make the business eligible for grants for recycling programs. So, it pays to have a recycling plan in place, even if it has to be done in-house.
Conduct Regular Energy Audits
The final tip to help you go green with your industrial business is to conduct regular energy audits.
Energy audits are systematic processes that help identify how a business is using(and potentially wasting) energy. Audits can be performed in house, but if your business has the funds it may be a good idea to get Certified Energy Auditors (CEA) and Certified Energy Managers (CEM) credentialed by the Association of Energy Engineers (AEE). These professional energy auditors are certified to audit all types of buildings and facilities.
The auditors will make recommendations on line-items like inventory control, production equipment energy usage, HVAC and lighting, eco-labeling, green material usage, and alternative energy potential.
Of course, if your business can’t afford these services it pays to at least do an energy audit in-house. Set goals for energy use reductions, find your biggest energy drains and even consider utilizing alternative energy.
When all is said and done going green in 2020 is actually easier than ever. Thanks to all the new materials, energy-efficient systems, green services and new techniques going green can be a win-win for everyone. Even industrial businesses can help their bottom line in 2020 while also simultaneously helping the environment. So don’t delay go green with your industrial business today!
