As a company, going green is not just about helping to protect the environment and saving more in the long run, but also about standing out of the crowd and differentiating from the competition. Whether you are a small business or large corporation, you can greatly benefit from going green. Here are a few tips to turn your business green.
- Use Biodegradable Cleaners
Biodegradable cleaning products claim to help you protect the environment as well as to have a clean, pleasant surroundings.
If you are looking for biodegradable cleaners for their eco-friendly qualities there are some ingredients that you will want to avoid.
- Alkylphenol ethoxylates (APEs)
- Ammonia
- Butyl cellosolve (aka butyl glycol, ethylene glycol monobutyl)
- Chlorine bleach/sodium hypochlorite
- Diethanolamine (DEA)
- D-limonene
- Glycol ethers
- Nonylphenols (NPEs)
- Petroleum based ingredients
- Phosphates
- Sodium hydroxide
- Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES)
- Sodium lauryl sulfate
- Terpenes
- Triclosan
Choosing cleaners without these ingredients will help protect the environment.
Probably the best way to ensure that you are using biodegradable cleaning products that are safe for the environment is to make them yourself. You can make laundry detergent, window cleaners, all purpose cleaners and other items at home from ingredients that you have in your kitchen or pantry.
Some of the common ingredients in homemade cleaners are probably very familiar to you:
- Baking soda: Deodorizes and scrubs without scratching
- Lemon juice: Cleans, bleaches and deodorizes
- Soap: A few drops of a natural soap like Dr. Bronner’s acts as a surfactant
- Vinegar: Deodorizes, kills germs and cleans
- Go With CFL’s
The U.S. is the largest consumer of electricity, and roughly 70% of that electricity is generated using fossil fuels (natural gas, coal, petroleum). Only 7% is generated from renewable sources such as hydroelectric, wind, and solar. This means that your decision to reduce consumption in your home or business has a real impact on the environment.
CFLs use roughly 1/4 as much energy as incandescent bulbs. This means that you can light a 60 watt fixture using as little as 13 watts of electricity. Lighting accounts for about 15% of total residential energy consumption in the U.S., and 23% of commercial consumption, so making some updates can really reduce your energy consumption in a meaningful way.
- Switch Off Equipment
Simply by switching off computers at night and weekends energy consumption can be reduced by 75% a year. Office equipment is now the fastest growing area of energy and most equipment has energy saving features which need to be activated. Timers on printers, vending machines etc. can save up to 70% of costs. After you leave the office, tell your employees to shut down their computers and laptops or put them on hibernate mode in order to quickly resume work the next day.
- Hold Virtual Meetings & Brainstorming Sessions
Whether or not your business is currently eco-conscious, you can rest easy knowing that holding virtual meetings is better for the environment. By reducing travel and printing less paper, you lessen your carbon footprint. Consider working this effort ever so subtly into your marketing plan. Customers nowadays respect a lean green business, and it could result in better sales.
- Go Further
ou can go a little bit further in turning your business green by installing solar panels. Utilizing electricity from solar power will result in reduced consumption of fuels, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions and pollution. By using this alternative source, any business or company can express its participation in the battle against global warming and can reduce the country’s dependence on foreign sources. Going green will not only reduce operation expenses but will serve as a great PR and marketing tool. Having an environmentally responsible image is good for any company, as it can generate a positive response from consumers.
- Take Advantage Of Green Web Hosting
With Green Web Hosting, businesses can not only invest in the future of the environment, but also in themselves. Going green and being affiliated with energy saving associations can be beneficial, promoting the image of a progressive and environmentally-friendly business.