Earth Day: 7 Ways to Green Your Business

Earth Day is observed each year on April 22 to remind everyone of the importance of protecting the environment. How can your business help? Here's a list of seven things you can do this Earth Day — and every day — to conserve water and energy, reduce waste and lower emissions:

1. Simply save energy. Turn things off when they're not in use — it's free and effective. Adjust the thermostat to reduce energy use after hours. When upgrading equipment, make sure it's ENERGY STAR®-certified. ENERGY STAR® products are independently tested to ensure that they are more energy efficient than standard models.

2. Print less. Do you really need to print that memo? The average office worker uses 10,000 sheets of copy paper a year. If you must print, use both sides of the paper and recycle it whenever possible.

3. Use reusable food containers. Reduce waste by bringing food to work in reusable containers. Provide employees with reusable dishes, silverware and cups.

4. Reduce travel. Employee commuting and business travel uses energy and pollutes the air. Encourage staff to carpool, use public transportation, walk or bicycle to work. Use video conferencing and other online tools for meetings or presentations instead of traveling.

5. Conserve water. Look for ways to conserve water at work. Use a sweeper to clean sidewalks and parking lots instead of a hose. Water landscaping at night when it's more effective and consider using moisture-sensing controls. Install low-flow toilets and check for leaks in faucets.

6. Join the loop. Encourage recycling throughout your facility. Place clearly marked recycling bins in accessible places. Purchase products — such as office supplies and packaging — that are made from recycled materials.

7. Team up. No one can do it alone. Start a green team to reduce waste and increase energy efficiency. For more information, see Bring Your Green to Work from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
 

Doing business more sustainably will not only save you money and reduce waste, it will help publicize your organization's commitment to the environment.