Brothers Staples
Your Business And The Environment: Five Tips Towards Closing The Gap Between Economy And Ecology
Read any online factual summary of office-related waste and you’ll agree that most of the perennial problems can be expanded ad infinitum with large scale business. But, as was once said, ‘we shall not shy away from difficult things’, and today, when our level of technology has already begun to demand an equal level of attention to our environmental obligations, this attitude is perhaps more pertinent than at any other time since the Industrial Revolution. That said, we’re about to discuss several approaches which prove that the first steps to promoting a sustainable, environmentally-benign business are easier to take than we might imagine.
Energy Saving: In all modern industries except a scant few, a huge amount of electronic equipment is required to operate daily, sometimes around the clock, for the very upkeep of the business itself. Energy saving ideas need to start from the ground up, and reach across the board of your energy usage. Energy saving lighting, motion-activated lighting and power-saving time-out systems are a few examples. Where feasible, total unplugging of equipment achieves a real zero waste result.
Paper and Packing Recycling: Whatever the size of your business, recycling is a must. We’re not talking composting used tea bags here (though you might as well); a realistic, well-implemented recycling program could mean a more attractive business appearance and huge cost savings. Disabling colour printer receipts, using maximum recyclable paper and encouraging a rigorous comprehensive packaging recycling program are just three ways to reduce your material waste over a long time period. Rewarding initiative is a must in this department, so allow your staff to identify and rectify the most common contributors to waste which they encounter daily.
Take an Online Carbon Poll: When our waste output is not as obvious as paper and electrical-heavy businesses, we can often find ourselves stumped when thinking of viable courses of action. Luckily, there are many sophisticated and insightful carbon footprint questionnaires online that can be filled out in a matter of minutes to ascertain problem areas for us to rectify and to start thinking about the way our business impacts the environment. There are plenty of environmental experts out there; in a business, we don’t need to be specialists to make a real difference.
Water Related: Over the course of a year, even a small office unit will use a great deal of water, much of which will be wasted without the implementation of solutions. There are many issues to cover in this department, but we’ll look at some of the most effective. Waterless urinals are both hygienic and involve a zero wastage quotient. In 1995 it was decreed that toilets should not exceed 1.5 gallons of water per flush (National Energy Policy Act). Low flow water regulators can make cuts well beyond this figure. Non-electric water coolers are a relatively new solution that does away with bottle recycling and the need for electric power in one fell swoop. Done.
Microcosm Scale: While you’re thinking of dramatic energy saving solutions to implement, it’s easy to forget that our smallest actions contribute to the widest part of our ecological concerns. The range of eco products is rapidly expanding, but perhaps a small list will provide some inspiration for budding eco-conscious individuals: water powered calculators, recycled sticky notes, staple-less punch-and-fold staplers, envelope recycling labels, recycled pens, pencils and notebooks – the list is thankfully endless, and as it constantly expands, we are seeing more ways to bring ecological innovations down to the lowest possible scale.
Hopefully these few tips will inspire you to go off and do some eco research yourself – take an online survey, look into office renewable energy solutions, and if you remember anything at all, bear in mind that the deciding factor in promoting and safeguarding our global environmental wellbeing depends heavily, if not gravely, on the ability of commercial support and action.
About the Author
Writing articles about how to help run your business more effectively, from employment tips to printer resource help
 |
No items matching your keywords were found.