How Can Businesses Reduce Their Carbon Footprint?

How Can Businesses Reduce Their Carbon Footprint?

Carbon pollution can lead to climate change and respiratory diseases. Thus, you don’t want to run a business with a high carbon footprint. This is the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere due to the activities of your business. Whether you have a small or established business, you need to reduce carbon emissions. First, you should know where you stand.

A sustainability consultancy firm can help you measure your carbon footprint by analyzing your daily activities. Using a carbon footprint calculator, they will give you your carbon score. A high score means you need improvement. You can also access a free carbon calculator online. Consumers are now gravitating towards sustainable companies. So, it is best to decrease your carbon output now. How can businesses reduce their carbon footprint?

Recycle

Recycling is the easiest way to reduce your business’s carbon footprint as it eliminates the need to process raw materials from scratch all the time. For example, when the paper is recycled, trees will be saved as companies won’t need to cut down a high number. Additionally, the water, oil, and energy needed for processing will be lower. This also saves landfill space.

In addition, you should consider using recycled products in your business. For this reason, you need to work only with sustainable suppliers. Ensure that they have a good certification, such as the ISO 14001. Some suppliers will even inform you of how they obtain the recycled materials. You should avoid suppliers with a high carbon footprint as they can increase yours indirectly.

Use Hybrid or Fully Electric Company Cars and Fleet Vehicles

The chances are you or your employees use company vehicles many times a day, especially if your business involves deliveries. Traffic emissions are one of the biggest contributors to your carbon footprint. This is because they emit carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and other toxic substances. Therefore, it will be best to switch to hybrid or fully electric company cars and fleet vehicles.

Using electric vehicles for business can reduce your business’s carbon footprint significantly. Today, car manufacturers have introduced different versions of electric cars to cut the need for gasoline and diesel. Hence, businesses of all sizes can find what suits them. Besides, there are numerous charging depots around the country for convenience. Nonetheless, encourage your employees to keep the cars in good shape.

Have Online Meetings and Events

Travelling to meetings means your employee have to use their cars, leading to carbon emissions if they don’t have electric ones. Fortunately, switching to online meetings and events can solve this problem. Several services are making this possible for businesses. This includes Zoom, Google Meet, Slack, GoToMeeting, Skype, Facebook Room, and Microsoft Teams, among others. All these platforms are convenient for businesses.

Choose the most suitable one, depending on the number of employees. For example, some will allow up to 100 participants, some only 50. Another factor to keep in mind is the period of your meetings. While some platforms have a limit of about 60 minutes, some have no time limit. Ensure that you inform the participants earlier about the meeting or event.

Reduce Carbon Footprint During Business Trips

When you have a business trip, use public transport. Employees using their cars can contribute to vast emissions of carbon. You will always find comfortable buses or trains that travel to your destination. But if this isn’t the best option, for example, if the location is far from the main road, consider car-sharing. Two to four employees can use one car.

Start Offsetting Carbon

Offsetting carbon involves reducing emissions or making your business carbon-neutral. A carbon-neutral certification partner should help you find the best solutions to implement. This will depend on your carbon output which the expert will determine by assessing miles covered by company vehicles, utility usage, manufacturing procedures and so on. The most straightforward way to offset carbon is by using green office equipment.

Invest in Green Energy & Green Office Equipment

Green energy is a popular term in the business world. You can install different green office equipment to reduce your carbon footprint. Installing solar panels is a great way to promote green energy. Solar energy can power your lighting, computers, and other machines. A professional will help you know the right number of solar panels to install based on your energy needs.

Other green equipment are appliances with a high energy rating. Energy-efficient appliances can reduce your electricity consumption. LED lighting is another energy-efficient solution to apply. Additionally, encourage your employees to turn off the lights when they leave a room. It will also help to have a smart thermostat that adjusts accordingly. Besides, ask your employee to dress appropriately for the season.

Reduce Carbon Footprint Without Difficulties

Businesses are responsible for the highest amounts of carbon emissions due to their processes. Thus, it is vital to lower your company’s carbon footprint to protect the environment from adverse effects. The tips discussed above will help you achieve this goal. It is also beneficial to talk to your employees and customers to ensure you are working towards the same goal.

Featured photo by Jonny Gios on Unsplash