subject: Ways To Reduce Business Waste [print this page] Waste disposal is one of the most harrowing problems faced by our planet today. The increasing population and the ever burgeoning industrialisation have lead to tons and tons of waste being disposed of in the oceans and landfills. This waste causes deterioration of our natural resources and the environment.
So, how can we tackle this issue? Simply by starting at an individual level. We need to keep our offices, homes and surroundings clean. We need to take steps that help us to minimise this waste.
While, minimising home waste is relatively easy as the volume involved is not that much, taking care of business waste is tougher. However as well as being the right thing to do, it can also save your business money and is well worth the effort.
So, how does one reduce business waste? The first and most well known methods are through the "3R" program. In other words reduce, reuse and recycle.
Reduce: The first step in reducing business waste is to analyse the kind of wastes your business produces. You can study the pattern and understand what may help you to reduce your waste. Waste reduction can also help in lessening the cost of production.
Reuse: Most of the waste can be reused in order to save on resources. Another good idea would be to buy items that can be used again and again instead of those that need to be used and thrown.
Recycling: These days more and more companies are using recycled paper and other products. Recycled products help in conserving the natural energy sources and the environment. Most of all, recycling also helps in reducing the waste disposal costs.
Reducing office waste does not need any kind of dramatic changes. All it really needs is a keen presence of mind and some basic alterations to the work systems and processes.
Most businesses tend to generate a lot of waste paper. This can be reduced by using recycled paper. You can reuse your manila envelopes and use used paper to make scratch pads. Instead of making individual copies for everyone, that eventually land up in the bin, you can circulate all the important reports and documents. In-house memos can be made on outdated letterheads.
Make sure that you thoroughly check all your documents on your computer before you print them out. Make soft copies for all documents instead of printing and storing them. Hard copies can be kept in centralised files.
These days most businesses serve free lunch to their employees. This leads to wastage of disposable plates, cups and napkins. Instead, cloth napkins, tablecloths and towels can be used. Durable plates, glasses and dishes can be used and washed in a dishwasher. Though initially, a dishwasher may seem an added expense, in the long run it will help in the reduction of the overall expenses.
These are just some of the ways that can help in reducing business waste and creating more profit. With a bit of thought you will spot even more ways you can reduce your business waste, and hopefully save money in the process.
