Incorporating eco-friendly business habits is the best way to give your company a lower carbon footprint. It will also draw in the eco-conscious customers you might lose otherwise. There are some simple tips you can use to make your business more sustainable and less wasteful. You will save money, and your business will have a greener reputation.

Use Eco-Business Cards

Business cards are often printed in mass quantities and passed around freely. This causes a lot of waste. Make your cards extra special by using recycled paper and soy-based inks. You can even use seed paper. This type of paper is recycled and contains seeds. When a person is done with the card, they can plant it so that flowers will grow. If the card is thrown away, it will grow as long as there is moisture and sun. See GreenerPrinter for make-your-own business cards on 100% post consumer recycled paper. They’re high quality and professional. We would know: we have them, and can personally vouch for them!

Choose Eco-Conscious Promotional Products

Promotional products usually contain a lot of plastic and waste. Change things up by using recycled, reusable and otherwise eco-friendly products to promote your business. They are more affordable than you think. People are also more likely to keep them and use them if they have a greater perceived value. Reusable shopping bags are one example of an eco-promo product. Inkhead.com is a site with a variety of products to choose from.

Recycle What You Can

Set up recycling bins throughout the office. Recycling is an easy and effective way to make your business less wasteful and more eco. Instruct employees on how to properly use the recycle bins. Recycle everything you can. Plastic is a major concern, so see if you can eliminate plastic as much as possible, and be sure to encourage all employees to recycle plastic products. Plastics #1 and #2 are the most recyclable, but things like plastic bags and plastics #3-7 have little to no commercial value as post-consumer waste. You can even strive to become a certified no-waste company. That is an achievement worth bragging about, and can save you piles of money if you figure out how.

Use Biodegradable Supplies For Lunch And Snacks

Every office has disposable cups and utensils in the break room or lunch room. Put reusable materials, like real silverware, actual mugs, and cloth napkins in the break room, and take the ambitious step of removing the easy-to-grab disposables. If people have to look around, it’ll jog their thinking about waste, and if they find reusable stuff first, they’re likely to use it. Switching to biodegradable materials saves lots of plastic from going into the landfill each year. Your business will be producing less plastic waste. Biodegradable eating supplies usually dissolve with water and heat. Plastic takes over 500 years to degrade in a landfill. This is a major switch that can have a huge impact on the environment.

Set Up A Carpool System

Carpooling is one of the easiest eco-friendly business practices you can implement. Develop a route and have people carpool to work. This saves on fuel, prevents excess emissions and saves employees money on transportation to work. If it is feasible for your business, offer telecommuting as an option for employees. This reduces the carbon footprint of your business even more.

A few tweaks to your business can mean less waste and energy that negatively impacts the environment. There are even special awards for companies that can prove they are making green initiatives for their business. In a world where more people are becoming conscious of their environmental footprint, businesses that make eco changes are more popular and in high demand. You will save money and look better to potential customers and clients.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

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About The Author

Samantha Peters

This post is by Samantha Peters, who enjoys writing about Eco-friendly businesses and sustainable business models that take into account the triple bottom line, Planet, People, and Profits. You can follow Sam on Twitter @Sam_Peters1001.

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