1. Become the paperless office
Eliminate paper nearly altogether with a good digital infrastructure. Not only will this create a better system for keeping track of documents, contracts and invoices, but it eliminates the need to print wasteful paper items. The most visible impact of a move to a paperless office is the reduction in the cost and waste of printing, mailing, shipping, and storing paper.
Ready to go anti-paper? Joseph Anthony of Microsoft says “Many folks have made at least a partial move to a paperless office. They’re doing so this way: by using scanners instead of copying machines, sending electronic faxes instead of paper faxes, storing information electronically instead of in filing cabinets, giving friends, clients, or vendors information on CDs or through Internet attachments instead of in bound folders. In short, they’re getting greater return on their hardware, software, and technology investments.”
2. Promote moretelecommuting
Not only do Skype, Collaboration Software, GoToMeeting save money, but they reduce the amount of travel for employees. By promoting telecommuting, businesses can help reduce the impact they have on the environment by reducing the number of individuals who need to commute to the office. This also helps reduce a company’s carbon footprint.
3. Learn how the Government can help
The Federal Government’s Green Building Fund offers grants up to $500,000 for retro-fitting and retro-commissioning a commercial office building, hotel or shopping centre to become more energy efficient and so reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The initiative is designed to help businesses implement cost saving energy efficiency measures.
4. Buy iPads for your business
Not only does the iPad cut down on paper usage through note taking and document viewing, but it also provides energy-saving solutions. The Lutron Home Control+ iPad app enables businesses to monitor and control several systems, edit presets, modify energy-saving preferences and adjust time clock functionalities, according to Mashable.
5. Reduce energy costs
If you don’t want to go solar, why not create a green rooftop on top of your building? Creating a garden or grassy area can help to reduce cooling and heating costs by adding insulation to the building and shielding the roof from the sun’s direct rays, Lance Armstrong’s Live Strong Foundation says.
6. Be innovative
With enough research and thinking-outside-of-the-box, businesses can create amazing products to reduce energy. Dutch firm Cargoshell recently designed a collapsible shipping container that can be flat packed, enabling one lorry to transport three or four containers as opposed to one. This saves millions of gallons of fuel and their emissions.
7. Take back programs
Manufacturers need to start taking responsibility for e-waste, and part of that strategy should be creating take-back programs. Companies like Sony have created free recycling programs of old consumer electronics, which is not only environmentally-friendly, but a great marketing tool to have consumers see your brand as conscious.
8. Be honest
First and foremost, tell the truth. Choosing not to heed advice on green marketing could see companies fined up to A$1.2 million. The ACCC finds that misuse of the terms “environmentally friendly,” “environmentally safe,” “energy efficient,” “recyclable,” “‘carbon neutral,” “renewable” or “green” energy are punishable by law.
9. Bike and walk programs
The Live Strong Foundation suggests that businesses should implement bike and walk to work programs. Extra bonus? Corporations can sponsor company race teams, provide corporate logo attire and water bottles and offer positive recognition and support to team members who race for charitable fund raising events.
10. Recycling office materials
Ok, it’s the easiest tip in the book, but we shouldn’t discount the power of recycling. If you can’t do #1, encourage employees to recycle drink containers and paper, as well as using the back of outdated notes and printed resources as paper.
