We all need to make changes to better preserve our planet for future generations, especially Businesses across the UK. Big issues like climate change, deforestation and pollution are becoming a huge worry for the world and something needs to happen fast.
The business sector produces as much as 17% of the UK’s total greenhouse gas emissions, all companies should be taking steps toward being environmentally friendly. These can range from big changes to the littles of change which still make a great impact.
All companies need to take steps towards being more environmentally friendly, businesses should guarantee everything they do is as efficient, sustainable and green as possible. There are some super simple ways to make day-to-day business activities more eco-friendly – here are 6 top tips towards achieving a greener future!
- Transport
Transport is a big one, now we’re no longer working at home, employees have a commute again, and the way we travel can hugely impact our Carbon Footprint.
There are loads of green travel options out there. Such as walking, cycling, and investing in an electric scooter/car. If you must get a cab though, try Veluba; the electric-assisted three-wheeled pedicab that transports Londoners in a completely safe and environmentally friendly way.
Veluba can be booked via an app, similar to Uber or FreeNow, but not only are they covid safe, insured and good for the planet, Veluba can travel in bus and bicycle lanes meaning you can get places even London Taxis can’t. They are also incredibly cost-effective with a journey from Waterloo to Bank costing only £8.50. (They also do guided Tours starting at only £35, a lovely staff perk if you need one).
- Go paperless
Using paper is a thing of the past, businesses are becoming paperless because it is easier now than ever with technology. From digital documents, invoices, bills to online ordering – these are great ways to reduce the use of paper. Download an app like Dext to manage your receipts and expenses too. Snapping an image of a bill means you wont need to ask for a copy, saving a piece of paper every single time!
If you want to go the whole hog, maybe even trying swapping the toilet paper to one made from bamboo or recycled paper.
- Recycle & Reuse
Encouraging recycling and reusing is essential in any business. You can urge employees to use reusable lunch packaging, or give them branded lunch boxes – great for the planet and brand marketing!
What about running an initiative to reduce food waste, like selling leftover cafeteria food at the end of the day? Or even create a noticeboard for employees to exchange short-dated food and save it from the bin.
You can also encourage staff to sign up to apps such as Olio and Too Good to Go. Not only are they great for the environment, they will also help your staff to save money and get to know people in their community too.
- Become a carbon neutral company
There are thousands of green opportunities for your business to get involved in and showcase your commitment to creating a greener planet, but what could be better than offsetting your entire workforce’s Carbon footprint. Sounds like a tough one doesn’t it, but that’s where Selva can help. The extraordinary start-up is currently planting over 5,000 trees per month on behalf of individuals and businesses.
Selva estimates your carbon footprint, by you and your staff taking part in a short quiz to assess your carbon emissions. They then connect you with the most reliable, affordable and effective forestry projects around the world to plant trees on your behalf.
“There is no way we can reach our net-zero greenhouse gas emission objectives without mass reforestation, and our mission is to make this move easy to individuals and businesses through collectivism and transparency. We want to provide a solution”, says Harry, co-founder of Selva.
For a surprisingly small monthly subscription (it costs around £5/month for the average UK citizen to offset their carbon footprint with Selva – the higher your carbon footprint, the higher the cost), you can choose where your trees will be planted, and you feel safe in the knowledge that you are taking genuinely effective personal climate action.
- Save energy
Saving the energy we don’t use is a small change with a huge impact – even the simplest thing like turning off a light switch or switching off all technology before the end of the day goes a long way. Turning down your heating by even one degree will not only help save the planet, but it’ll save you a pound or two too!
- Choose green suppliers/clients
If you and the business are committed to creating a greener world then the people and businesses you work with should also share these same values. Try to find companies that are making important steps towards the goals your business is trying to achieve – this means not only will you be on the same page as the people you work with but you can also create more impact.
EXTRA: If you want to go that extra-mile, cutting meat from our diets is the most impactful method of decreasing our emissions. The Independent said that in western countries, according to a 2018 study, per gram of protein, beef emits 20 times more emissions than pulses such as beans and lentils. If you have an office cafeteria, restaurant or local shops then maybe start with eating meat-free one day a week, then if you like, you can increase the days.
This post first appeared on Book Review: And What Do You Do? By Barrie Hopson, please read the originial post: here
