5 Ways to Grow Your Business and Save Money by Going Green

Are you looking for ways to cut back on unnecessary spending in your small business’ office space? Maybe you haven’t looked at your budget yet, but there are probably many things you can cut back on to save a few dollars; maybe even a lot of dollars.

Even more, you could actually make your company more environmentally friendly by cutting back on wasteful expenditures; making the endeavor a win-win for both you and Mother Nature.

Cutting back on some of the following five items may require a little getting used to on the part of your employees, but the monetary and environmental benefits are worth the sacrifice.

1.     Cut out disposable cups: If you have a water cooler, stop providing disposable cups and purchase every employee a water bottle with the company logo on it to use instead. Although the initial cost of purchasing water bottles will be higher than the disposable cups, the cost will actually be less over the long run, and you will be doing a lot to help cut down on excess waste in landfills.

2.     Turn off the lights: If there is no one in a room, ask your employees to shut off the lights. Many businesses leave every light on, all day. This is especially true in break rooms that are usually only used during the lunch hour. Make it a company policy that, if you are the last one to leave a room, you are responsible for turning off the lights. In addition, make sure that you turn off as many lights as possible during non-office hours. This saves money on electricity and cuts back on unnecessary energy usage.

3.     Turn up the A/C: Some employees will argue against this, but most office spaces keep their thermostats at ridiculously low temperatures. This is not only uncomfortable for some workers, but it also wastes energy and money. Turn your business’ thermostat up a few degrees and see just how much money you will save. Do the same in the winter months by turning the thermostat down a few degrees.

4.     Unplug all unused electronic equipment: This is a lot easier for smaller businesses than larger ones, but it’s another way to save on energy use and costs. When a piece of equipment is not in use (a computer, laptop, copy machine, printer, etc.), keep it unplugged to cut back on stand-by (or vampire) power. You could also plug several electronic devices into a power strip that can be turned off easily with the switch of a button.

5.     Cut back on trash bags: Instead of placing plastic liners in every small trash can in the office, keep them bare and empty all cans into one larger lined can at the end of the day or week. This is a doable thing, because most office waste is paper that doesn’t create a mess in trash cans. For food waste, ask your employers to use a designated lined trash can in the break room. If you want to be really green, consider purchasing a few blue trash cans that can be designated as recycle bins.

     There is even another benefit of practicing these strategies in your office; you could use the environmental aspect of it to market your company as environmentally friendly. Many people actually seek out green companies to do business with, and most people find companies with green policies to be more responsible and conscientious. So not only could you save money, you could also grow your business!

Angelita Williams offers lifelong learning tips in her articles on college education, lifestyle and wellness

management. Though she specializes in online education, she likes to think that she can write about any

topic with substance and precision. You can contact Angelita at angelita.williams7@gmail.com.