Going green for 2020 is the talk of the stock market and major industry. That means it should be at the forefront of every business's objectives, no matter the size. In order to compete in 2020, every business will need to at least begin the process of going green.
The good news is that going green can be great for not just the environment, but your business’s profitability as well. Here are 4 ways you can go green without breaking the bank.
Get Your Team Involved
The best way to go green at the office is to get your entire team involved in the process. Explain the reasons for going green to your team and get everyone involved. Help them realize that in the coming decade going green will no longer be an extra, it will be a requirement for business. Even better the benefits are not just for the environment, but for the bottom line as well.
Create a designated Green Team. This group can be responsible for recycling, energy efficiency and keeping the entire office accountable towards your green goals.
Getting your team engaged in the effort to go Green is essential to making big changes. Sustainability is the way of the future, and the first step is getting the whole office involved.
Running a Paperless, Cloud Optimized Business
Going paperless is not a fad. Businesses are abandoning the wasteful practice of doing business on paper and opting for a complete—or almost complete—online presence. Going paperless not only saves on ink cartridges and printers but can improve productivity by allowing for things like improved document organization.
Paperless business operations can be a challenge at the beginning of the move to a more online-focused business. Moving to the cloud can make things easier. Cloud computing is decentralized and on-demand access to computer storage and system operations via a third-party provider. Some of the most well-known cloud companies are of course the Google Cloud Platform, Amazon Web Services, and Apple’s iCloud.
Gone are the days of the mailroom filled with ream after ream of paper, it’s time for a move to the cloud.
Energy Efficiency and Going Green at the Office
Making small changes to improve energy efficiency at the office may seem trivial, but it is anything but. Companies can save thousands annually by making some simple changes at the office and getting the Green Team involved. It’s all about accountability at the office. Some of the best energy efficiency and go green tactics include:
- Recycling of Paper, Ink Cartridges, Bottles, Etc.
- Replacing Old Bulbs with Energy Efficient CFLs or LEDs
- Don’t Forget To Turn Off the Lights and Thermostat!
- Don’t Overcool or Overheat the Office
- Buy Green Cleaning Chemicals
- Reduce Water Use
- Work From Home Days
Finance Your Way To Clean Energy
The final and most influential method for going green without breaking the bank that many business owners overlook is commercial real estate lending. By receiving commercial real estate loans to build green energy for your business, you can go green now and pay for it over time.
The benefits of going green are worth investing in. According to the U.S Green Building Council, energy-efficient buildings or ‘green buildings’ on average reduce their energy use by 30-50%. That savings more than pays for the low-interest rates offered by renewable energy commercial real estate lending firms.
So if you’re thinking about going green, there are many options—large and small— that can help your business on its way.
Remember, over the next decade going green will no longer be optional, so now is the time to get ahead of the game and go green!
