As humans we have had a devastating impact on the earth, but in recent years there has been a global movement focused on protecting our planet. Now that we’re aware of the damage that our actions have caused, we can take steps to put it right. As a business owner, one thing you should bear in mind is how eco friendly your company is, and if you’re doing all that you can to prevent damage to the environment. Here are a few ideas.

Stop Buying Disposable Plastics

It has come to light in recent years just how damaging disposable plastics are. Since these items don’t degrade for hundreds of years, pretty much every piece of plastic ever created still exists- unless it’s incinerated which causes toxic gases. Huge ‘islands’ of waste plastic have been discovered, it’s killing animals and has even entered our own food chain- the effects of which are likely to be devastating. For this reason, cutting back on single use plastics as a business is so important. Using things like refillable pens and printer cartridges will not only save you money but will help you to do your bit as a business by reducing plastic waste. Companies like coffee shops and food places are already putting in motion things like getting rid of plastic straws and coffee stirrers, and using recyclable paper cups instead of plastic. Work out what you can do to follow suite.

Recycle

When you recycle materials, it allows them to be re-used instead of going to landfill or incinerators which are both bad for the environment. So recycling carefully is just as important in your business as it is in your home, and chances are you already recycle carefully at home. Ensure you have correct recycling bins and that employees are briefed on how to use them properly. Companies like PRS-Med have fully embraced this by utilizing marginal land and recycled materials, working with their clients to use less asphalt, less aggregate and utilize locally available soil for structural infill.

Go Paper Free

We live in a digital age, we can access any information we like right from our smartphone, tablet, computer or laptop. So there really is no need for the amount of paper that we still use. Cutting down trees leads to deforestation, not to mention getting rid of waste paper is also bad for the environment. Instead of sending out things such as invoices, receipts and statements on paper to customers, opt to have ‘paper free’ as your standard option- send to their email address instead. Customers can always request to have paper copies if they need to, although most people don’t as to the majority of us, things like paper receipts are nothing but junk. Lots of companies across the globe are aiming to go paper free in the near future and are taking steps to achieve this, see if you can do the same.

Have you taken steps to achieve a more eco friendly business, or is this something you will be looking into in the near future?