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How to Make Your Business Greener Without Investing a Ton of Money

Shutterstock Licensed Photo - By Matthias G. Ziegler

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Going green has been proven to lead to more sales many times. The problem is that so many companies don’t have the money to invest.

With the world population expected to hit 9.7 billion by 2050, this problem has become more urgent than ever. So we’re going to take a look at how you can make your business greener without investing a lot of money.

Go Digital

Businesses waste so much paper every single year. Papers are typically single-use, so the number of trees falling victim to your business quickly adds up.

Plus in today’s digital world it simply doesn’t make sense to be so inefficient. Convert any paper records you have to digital records. You’ll save money in the long-term and do your part for the environment.

Stop Leaving Everything Switched On

It’s a popular myth that if you turn a computer off and leave the device plugged in it’s not using any energy. This couldn’t be further from the truth. There’s always a trickle of energy unless you physically remove the connection from the electrical outlet.

Get into the habit of unplugging everything at the end of the day.

Avoid Single Use Items (Where Possible)

Another easy way to go green is to cut out the use of single-use items where you can. One example of a single-use item would be the plastic cups attached to the water cooler. Most people drink from them and throw them in the trash. That’s a lot of plastic waste.

Use only the cups in the kitchen.

And as we discussed above, you can get rid of most single-use items by simply going digital.

Opt for Green Hosting

Green hosting is a simple concept. It means that any server that’s considered green is using a portion of renewable energy to keep going.

This may not make a massive dent in your carbon footprint, but it’s a novel concept and it’s one to encourage other businesses to do the same.

It makes a bigger impact than you think.

Choose Green Furniture

American businesses dispose of mass amounts of furniture every year. There’s no preventing this, but you can help the environment by changing where you source your new furniture.

Buy only reclaimed furniture for your business. Reclaimed furniture is furniture that has been built almost entirely from salvaged furniture, which means you’re recycling at the same time.

Qualify for PACE Improvements

Property Assessed Clean Energy(PACE) improvements are an initiative from the Department of Energy to subsidize businesses that want to install things like solar panels and wall insulation to cut their energy usage.

This can make previously expensive investments viable for your company. Look at the complete list of PACE improvements and see if you qualify for them.

Recycle (and encourage it)

The simplest way to go green is to start a recycling program for trash in your business. Buy multiple bins for things like paper, plastic, and metal. Then have that trash taken to the recycling plant every so often.

Other than the investment of the trash cans (and maybe a few promotional posters) it’s completely free to start recycling.

Last Word – Going Green is Easier than You Think

It doesn’t have to be expensive to go green in your business. This guide demonstrates that all it takes is some attentiveness.

The benefits to your business are immeasurable. Your firm will become more valuable and you will make your business better for the world we live in.

Do you believe your business should go green?

Becca Stickler is a freelance writer with a focus on sustainability and eco-friendly living.

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