From talks about climate change to the increasing conversations about pollution and its consequences, operating a green business has become more important than ever. Many businesses—large and small—are bringing these issues to the spotlight. Multinational Corporations like Adidas, for example, kicked off the Run for the Oceans campaign on World Oceans Day on June 8. What steps are you taking to make your business greener? So what exactly is a green business? A green business describes companies that do not make (or make minimal) negative impact on the environment, economy, or community. These businesses are forward-thinking when it comes to human rights, environmental concerns, and related issues, according to Upcounsel. When going green, consider these four key areas: Eliminating waste and using sustainable materials Lowering energy consumption and improving efficiency Adhering to environmental laws, regulations, and best practices Purchasing green equipment products, and services As an example, many businesses start with supply chain. These companies ensure that most (if not all) ingredients and materials used to manufacture its products are safe, nontoxic, and ethically sourced. And as climate change worsens, consumers are increasingly stepping up on the end-user’s side of the spectrum to carefully sift through businesses and brands that operate as a green business. So I’m interested. How can I start? Here are four tips to get started: 1. Say goodbye to paper, go digital instead According to a report from the Paperless Project, the average office worker uses 10,000 sheets of copy paper every year. Printing paper, letters from utility companies, and bank statements are all necessary. However, what isn’t necessary is printing, mailing, and receiving mail in paper copy. By migrating to a paperless office, you are doing your part to eliminate waste. Additionally, consider switching your invoicing and emailed bills to the cloud. Benefits include drastically minimizing the amount of paper you use and faster delivery, which means faster payments. 2. Turn off your computers (especially overnight) Instead of leaving your laptop on sleep every night, try turning them off instead. This is not only the best way to reduce electricity use, but if you operate an office for your small business, it’s a surefire way to save your business money. After all, PCs that are perpetually turned on uses electricity and ultimately drives up utility bills. 3. Recycle more than just the usual materials There are a plethora of items that you can recycle in the office besides paper. Of course, the obvious office recyclables include paper, cardboard, bottles, cans, and other drinks containers. But did you know that you can recycle other things? Items like glass and pens are recyclable too. A big part of nurturing a green business is ensuring that appropriate collection and disposal arrangements are in place—whether it be in your office or at home. 4. Switch to the cloud to minimize waste If you haven’t already discovered the productivity boost cloud solutions provides to your “green business,” then now is a perfect time. From collaboration tools like Google Drive to accounting software such as Kashoo, adopting cloud solutions makes it easy to nurture a green business. With Kashoo, you no longer need to do bookkeeping from your shoebox. Instead of collecting old financial statements, receipts from previous years, and other ad hoc documents, cloud accounting software helps you run the financial side of your business in a sustainable way—for both your long-term growth and investing in the environment all at the same time. Ready to make the switch? You can try Kashoo free for 14 days with no commitment at all! We don’t even need to take your credit card information. So what are you waiting for? See how we can make your workflow more efficient (and green!)
