subject: Green Business Will Assist Your Corporation To Reduce Costs [print this page] Environmental protection is not just good for the environment, it is also good for the budget. You can adopt green business practices and enjoy the positive effects that it will have on your company's public image. While you focus on increasing your profit margin, all anyone else needs to know is that you are helping out the planet.
The fastest way to reduce the amount of trash and waste that you have is to reduce what you start off with. Check out your entire operation and carefully evaluate what is being wasted. If there is scrap leftover, then there is money being thrown away. Check and see if you could save money, and emissions, in your shipping practices by adjusting the schedules or routes. Take a long look around your office and start to think about how much of the paper you really need.
Why should loose leaf paper be purchased? Even writing tablets can be produced in house. Take the paper that gets all wrinkled in the fax or copier jam, cut it up and use it for phone messages. Make sure that both sides of paper are used at all times. Finally, make sure that when it is used, it finds its way to the recycling bin and not the trash.
Lots of companies are making the move to paperless billing and invoicing. Not only does it create a lot of waste, it also costs a lot of money to produce the waste. If you are not comfortable jumping in with both feet you could test the water first by offering it as an option to existing clients, customers, or suppliers first. Then gradually make the shift to paperless billing as a standard. While people can still request paper, they will incur additional fees for it.
Traveling expenses can add up quickly in a company. Cutting these costs can have a gigantic effect on the budget. If you cut down the number trips taken altogether you also will cut your travel emissions from cars or planes. By adopting web conferencing in your company you can really cut back on those expenses. While this generally does have some cost, it will be nothing compared to what it costs to get people together in one place.
If office space is costly you a lot of money, then see who on your staff is a good candidate for telecommuting, sharing office space with flexible schedules, or another similar arrangement. While you may still have to pay to set up their home office, and will need them to physically come in periodically, it saves you from having to maintain their office or cubicle. Your employees may be wanting this change anyway, so it could do wonders for morale. You also will not have people driving their cars into work everyday. Lower emissions, happier employees, and the reduction in expenses was just the icing on the cake.
Recycling bins need to be clearly marked and easy to find throughout your building. Before throwing away anything make sure that it does not belong in the recycling bin instead of the trash can. Several cities and communities have instituted steep fines for not recycling.
Doing the right thing generally has a nice reward, and adopting green business practices are no exception. As the need to care for the environment becomes more understood, there are more tax breaks available for companies that do their share to make the world a cleaner place. There are also many grants available to implement eco-friendly changes. Look into it, you could be missing out on a lot.
