6 Ways to be Eco-Friendly in Your Business

The reasons to operate sustainably in business are seemingly endless. From increased financial performance, to greater innovation, to better employee attraction and retention rates, sustainable business practices provide a plethora of benefits. In order to maximize these benefits, it is important to collect input from employees at all levels of the business. We’ve found this is a great way to implement simple, yet effective internal sustainable practices to promote a sustainable mindset and make sustainability second nature among employees. Here are a few practices we have implemented at Felins that we have found effective in building this sustainable mindset.

Go Paperless

One way to significantly reduce waste is to go paperless and digitize all documents. We began tracking our switch to digital in 2015 and have eliminated 14,705+ pounds of paper waste since then. Not only does going paperless reduce waste, but it also supports collaboration as files can easily be sent back and forth, it increases efficiency, and it reduces costs. Additionally, eliminating the need to print also reduces your environmental footprint, as it takes more than 3 quarts of oil to create laser printer and inkjet cartridges.

Stop Using Styrofoam

Styrofoam is a “known hazardous substance,” can leach into food and drinks, and depletes the ozone layer, so not only is it harmful to the environment, but it can be harmful to people as well. As a result, we have banned the use of all Styrofoam products from our operations. As an alternative to Styrofoam or other single-use products, we have provided reusable cups to all employees including stainless steel tumblers and coffee mugs for hot drinks. If single-use products are absolutely needed, in the instance of a catered lunch, we opt for the use of paper plates and paper cups over Styrofoam or plastic.

Recycle Paper, Plastic, and MEtal

A widely known, yet often incorrectly implemented procedure, proper recycling protocol is essential to any eco-friendly business.  Recycled products and materials are often sorted incorrectly or not prepared correctly to be recycled, and as a result, only about 32% of recycled items actually end up getting recycled. Here at Felins, we ensure that all corrugated cardboard, paper, plastic, and metal is correctly sorted and recycled to minimize waste.  In addition to recycling these materials, we also reuse packaging materials when possible, further reducing waste while simultaneously resulting in cost savings!

Eliminate Bottled Water

The production of plastic water bottles results in pollution of the air, and their disposal, or lack thereof, often results in the pollution of oceans. In fact, estimates suggest that by 2050 there will be more plastic waste by weight in the oceans than fish. Also, bottled water costs between 400 to 2,000 times more than tap water, so eliminating it in your business can result in significant savings. As a result, we have installed in-line water filtration systems to eliminate the need for bottled water.

Reduce Energy Consumption

Similar to the other eco-friendly practices listed above, reducing energy consumption offers several benefits in addition to reducing your environmental impact. According to a study done by the UK government in 2014, $4.36 billion in savings were achievable through energy efficiency improvements across non-domestic buildings in England and Wales.  Additionally, energy efficiency can result in improved working conditions for employees. One study found that individuals working for businesses who took energy efficiency seriously were more productive on average. We have taken advantage of these benefits by installing energy-efficient temperature controls and lighting.

It’s clear that operating your business sustainably offers an abundance of both external and internal benefits. However, it can be difficult to determine where to start and how to maximize these benefits. One way to start is by implementing simple sustainable practices internally to promote sustainability among all employees, thus making it easier to begin implementing similar practices externally. Listed above are just a few of the ways that we have utilized sustainability within our company, but you will find that there is room for sustainability in nearly every aspect of your business. To learn more about sustainability, you can visit our sustainability page or read more of our blogs.