To quote a modern poet, “It’s not the Earth that’s in trouble, it’s the people who live on it. Earth will be here long after we’ve all gone in the way of the Dodo.” As human beings, we do not realize how big an issue destroying our environment is – we still aren’t fully aware of the danger we are in, both in terms of health and survival. The industry and the Business world are most to blame for the adverse impact on the environment and cleaning up the mess we made should start at the business level. Here are some ways to turn your business green or greener.

Conserving Water

The water resources are dwindling all across the globe and this is likely to turn into an issue sooner than you might expect. We’re talking here, of course, about drinking water. Now, an occasional hot bath is a luxury that one can still afford, but there is no place for water wasting at work. Making sure that your employees conserve water is hugely important and not only in terms of saving the Earth’s most treasured liquid, but due to the fact that a lot of energy is being spent to pump it from rivers and lakes to cities.

Recycling

Recycling is one of those things that first come to mind when you think ‘green mentality’. Even though people are subconsciously aware that the waste doesn’t disappear at the nearby trash bins, this is often disregarded as trivial. In actuality, garbage is accumulated at landfills, with the emphasis on the word “accumulate” – the landfills do not simply disappear, but grow as time goes by. Although the waste will disintegrate at some point in the future, many materials such as plastic and rubber not only take hundreds of years to decompose, but also release dangerous components in the process. As a business owner, making sure that the supplies you obtain are fully certified as recyclable or biodegradable is a matter of top priority. Additionally, brief your employees about adequate disposal of the trash.

Reusing

Although recycling basically means reusing, the latter term is generally focused on individuals (workers themselves). You should make the most of the used items – for example, shredded paper, cardboard boxes, fiber-padded envelopes and popcorn can and should be used for making sure that outgoing items are safely packed for shipping.

Trees

The general motif behind the term ‘green mentality’ is based on trees for a reason. With rainforests dwindling all around the world, there can simply never be enough trees. Furthermore, plants provide more oxygen, which further boosts your employees’ productivity. Finally, the very sight of plants has calming properties.

Check Your Soil

Not everything is obvious when it comes to things that poison our planet – the very surroundings of your workspace may well be making a negative impact on nature. In addition, this may actually threaten the safety of your employees, which is why consulting geotechnical engineering experts is a great way to go – they will help you determine the soil quality in proximity to your office.

LED Lighting

Although LED bulbs are more expensive than regular ones, they have been proven to pay off in the long run – they last longer and spend less energy, which is the exact point here! As a bonus, LED light is as close to the natural lighting as budgetary bulbs go.

Transport

If you are currently providing transport for your employees, think about the bicycle option – it might not be the most luxurious of ways to move around, but it is definitely the greenest way to commute. If decreasing the carbon footprint isn’t enough, riding a bicycle to and from work is a valid exercise and, well, these two-wheeled vehicles don’t really require investing in gas.

There are many more ways of making a workspace greener and, hopefully, a couple of new ideas have already passed through your mind by now. Take care of office waste properly, plant trees and keep that carbon footprint at bay!

Share and Enjoy

• Facebook • Twitter • Delicious • LinkedIn • StumbleUpon • Add to favorites • Email • RSS