Running a small business in these difficult financial times can be hard. Here we will show you some practical steps you can take to reduce the money you spend and also do your bit for the environment.
Try to Run a Paperless Office
Although it may not be practical to do away with paper entirely,
you can dramatically reduce the paper you use. Try to communicate by email rather than letter, and keep all documents in digital format. Always think before you print that email.
Turn Off All Machines at Night
Your electricity bill will be much higher if you are inadvertently leaving electrical equipment running at night. Even leaving computer monitors on standby can use up unnecessary electricity. Another example is a scanner. If you are not using it all day, switch it off.
Encourage Employees Not to Drive to Work
Although this may not be practical for everyone, it is worth encouraging your staff to either cycle or use public transport. This will reduce the environmental effect your business has, as there will be less car emissions being produced. Also, if they cycle, your staff will be in better shape to meet the challenges of the day.
Use Natural Light Where Possible
Try to arrange your office space so that you can have light coming in from the windows as much as possible. This reduces the need for artificial lighting, thereby saving you electricity.
Use Hybrid Vehicles
If your business uses any vehicles, such as delivery vehicles or company cars, try to get hybrids. These vehicles use less energy than standard vehicles.
Recycle
There are various ways you can recycle. One important one is to re-use paper. For example, if you print a document and then suddenly realise you made a mistake and need to print it again, put it in a section marked “scrap paper”. Then, any time you need some paper to make notes on or need to print something just for your own records, use the scrap paper.
Also, some companies will pay take old computers off your hands, thereby saving you money and reducing waste.
Use Energy Efficient Appliances
Whenever any of your equipment needs to be replaced, try to find energy efficient versions. One way to do this is to look for Energy Star Appliances. Also, buy fluorescent light bulbs. If your premises needs exit signs, these are available in energy efficient LED versions.
Encourage Your Employees to Bring Packed Lunches
If your employees bring their own lunch, this is better for several reasons. Firstly, it means you don’t need to provide any catering services for them. Also, it means they won’t drive off to nearby food outlets or supermarkets.
Use the Cloud
You can make your businesses dramatically greener by using cloud computing services. The less hardware and software you have on-site the better, as it will save you both money and energy. It’s all about streamlining your business down, so that you can be efficient without expending lots of wasteful energy.
