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How to Create a Greener Business

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Becoming an environmentally-friendly business cannot only help to preserve the planet, but it can also improve your brand’s image and increase sales. If you want to develop eco-friendly practices across your organization, find out how to create a greener business.

Utilize Solar Energy

Do you want to reduce your energy bills without compromising on your electricity usage? If so, you should utilize the power of solar energy. You might be surprised to learn that one hour of sunlight can meet the world’s energy needs for a whole year. So, it is therefore an environmentally-friendly way to power your operations whilst reducing your overheads.

Telecommuting

Modern technologies no longer tie businesses to offices. Video conferencing, cloud computing and email has made it easier than ever for professionals to communicate and collaborate, so you can create and run your business from the comfort of your home. You can also outsource affordable talent from across the world to help run your growing business. So, try telecommuting to reduce traffic, your carbon footprint, waste and energy consumption.

Green Procurement

Green procurement is easily one of the most effective ways to make your business eco-friendly. You simply must source both goods and services that are both produced and supplied sustainably. Always try to buy from local suppliers to reduce your carbon footprint.

Always ensure suppliers embark with sustainable manufacturing processes, and that their products and materials do not feature any ozone depleting or toxic substances. Also, ask a supplier if their products are made from recyclable or renewable materials.

Decrease Water Usage

North America has experienced some of its driest years on record recently. It is therefore important to prevent both climate change and drought conditions by decreasing water usage across a business. You can do so by fixing dripping taps or plumbing leaks, and you can hire a plumber to install both low-flow faucets aerators and low-flow toilets in every washroom.

Electronic Recycling

Unfortunately, the US alone is responsible for two million tons of e-waste every year. Items that are not recycled will make their way to landfills or will be incinerated or illegally exported to developing countries, which will each have a negative impact on our planet.

Businesses therefore have a morale responsibility to recycle their electronic devices. Most technology manufacturers, such as HP and Dell, have introduced technology recycling programs to make it easier for individuals and companies to dispose of their gadgets. You may also be able to donate computers, monitors, smartphones or tablets to charities or schools across the local area.

Cloud Computing

 

Cloud computing makes it easy for businesses to store important documents, collaborate online and gain instant access to important files. As a result, it can reduce the need for travel or the printing of hard documents. So, you can reduce paper waste and improve your carbon footprint. Utilize cloud computing software today, such as Dropbox, Office 365 or Google Drive.

Have you got any top tips for becoming a greener company? Share your advice by posting a comment.

A Quick Guide To The Marketing Benefits Of A Greener Business

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A Quick Guide To The Marketing Benefits Of A Greener Business
Photo courtesy of Gui Seiz

There are plenty of reasons why businesses all over the world are becoming more eco-friendly. It’s a money-saver, for a start. All those high electricity bills, waste paper – it all costs you far less when you try and limit the use. But, one of the most overlooked benefits of running a greener business is that it is great for your marketing efforts. In this brief guide, I’m going to outline some of the reasons why.

It’s an instant profile changer

You hear a lot about ‘values’ in business these days. And, let’s be honest, most of them are nonsense. But with a greener outlook, you have something to shout about. Embracing a more eco-friendly approach with your company places you in an area that is more interesting for more people. And, it works on a local and national scale. Journalists will be more likely to pick up on your story, and, in essence, it gives you a much wider field to play on.

You make up your customer’s minds for them

We’ve spoken before of one particular problem that many businesses face when trying to build their customer base. It’s all about what makes buyers choose one product over another. Some people will buy only when they are at that stage of the sales cycle. Others will prefer a color or a brand name. And, most importantly for this article, some will buy for ethical reasons. People actively look for companies that embrace a green outlook. Nobody actively seeks out a business that damages the environment. So, it’s a no-brainer: pursuing eco-friendly values will make you more appealing to a large part of the market.

It’s trackable

One of the oldest marketing techniques in the book is sending out literature or greetings cards at certain times of the year. You can track these – to an extent. But, in most cases, you never know whether those flyers and leaflets end up in the trash or whether you get a direct response. It’s also a tremendous waste of paper and printing, especially for unsuccessful campaigns. However, try those marketing methods online and it’s a different story. Whether it’s holiday ecards for business customers or special offer emails to customers, you can track it all. You can see who opens them, who responds, and you can get a better grasp of what works – and what doesn’t.

You get access to your local community

With the web being all encompassing for marketer’s minds these days, it’s easy to forget what your local community can do for your business. It’s a strong market that can give you a backbone for growth, and local firms from different industries often work with one another. If you embrace a greener strategy, it’s something you can champion at a local level. That gives you access to all the other businesses in your area that are doing similar things and puts you on a pedestal of sorts.

So, there you have it: some simple ways that show going green can give your marketing a boost. Let me know if you have any ideas on how you can change things for your company and I’ll get right back to you. See you again!