With the prevalence of nature advocacy all over social media, more and more businesses around the world are making considerable efforts to shift to environmentally conscious practices. Becoming more eco-friendly and sustainable does not only help the planet, but it is also linked to increased productivity, improved workflow efficiency, and lower operating costs. Most importantly, it communicates a good brand image to your customers and prospects. If you also want to implement more environmentally friendly methods in your business, here are several simple tactics to help you get started:
Shift to Green Printing
Toners and inks can be very damaging to the environment, especially if they are disposed of inappropriately. Moreover, the chemical components found in these liquids can pollute the soil and water. By shifting to an eco-solvent printer, you will be utilising a mild biodegradable solvent that is less impactful to nature. Moreover, they don’t contain the same amount of volatile organic compounds (VCO) present in most inks. There are also other types of eco-friendly inks with decreased VCO composition that you can use, such as vegetable-based ones.
Use Recycled Paper and Minimise Paper Trail
Another step in green printing is switching to tree-free paper. This kind of paper is derived from non-wood fibrous plants such as cotton, kenaf, and hemp or agricultural residues such as husks and straw. You should also recycle the paper that you already have in the office. Set recycling bins in every working area to encourage employees to recycle their paper.
Moreover, aside from maximising usage of recycled printing paper, it is also helpful to purchase post-consumer waste (PCW) products such as packaging materials and toilet paper. PCW items are drastically less harmful to nature. They have been produced through a more sustainable manufacturing process. In addition, try to print fewer paper documents, and opt for electronic means instead. For instance, reduce your paper bills and invoices by sending them in electronic form via email.
Use Environmentally Friendly Cleaning Chemicals
Like inks, cleaning products also consist of toxic chemicals that can harm the environment. These cleaners may also affect the health and well-being of their personnel. Thus, make the shift to eco-friendly cleaning products such as castile soap and biodegradable sprays. Another plus is that they also are not harsh on wood, concrete, and other building materials. You can preserve the surfaces of the walls and floors of your workplace. The same goes for wooden and upholstered furniture.
Upgrade to Energy-efficient Appliances
Do not stop with just the working areas. Scan your pantry and replace old appliances such as refrigerators and coffeemakers with their updated energy-efficient counterparts. Equivalents that use less energy can help you minimise carbon footprints while also cutting down your energy bills.
Business organisations should not only be concerned about making profits. They should also be concern about taking care of the environment as well. By choosing eco-friendly items, you will not only contribute to the preservation of nature’s well-being but also present a pleasant image and good role model to the public.