Beyond Community Solar: How Small Businesses Can Go Green
When you’re running a small business, you have a lot of things on your mind. You want to treat your employees well, provide your customers with a great product, and grow your business into a success. But there are plenty of other things that also take up space in your mind. Many business owners also think about their environmental impact and how their business can do good for the planet. At Renewables Worldwide, we help businesses become more sustainable by connecting them with community solar farms to save money and use less energy.
In this article, we’re going beyond community solar to take a look at some additional ways small businesses can go green.
Improve Energy Efficiency
Making your office more energy efficient is a lot easier than you might think. Swap out incandescent bulbs for LED lighting and encourage workers to turn off lights if a room is not in use. You can also use energy-efficient appliances and get programmable thermostats. If you have remote employees, offer them incentives to improve the energy efficiency of their home offices.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Recycling at your business is easy, and there are many ways to do it. You can, of course, sort your trash into recyclable and non-recyclable waste according to the guidelines in your community. But you can also do a lot within your business. Get reusable cups, utensils, plates, etc., rather than disposable items for your employee kitchen. Encourage your employees to reuse paper and use electronic communication whenever possible. When buying office supplies, look for items made from recycled materials or partner with a supplier that has a commitment to sustainability.
Encourage Green Transportation
Remote work has done a lot to reduce pollution from commuter traffic, but there are still plenty of jobs that have to be done in person. If you have employees who commute to work every day, encourage them to carpool or use public transportation if it’s available in your area. Do you have employees who live close enough to bike to work? Encourage that, too! If you can, offer incentives to employees who use green transportation.
Save Money and Energy with Community Solar!
At Renewables Worldwide, our mission is to help businesses like yours use less energy and become more sustainable. Community solar is our particular niche of that larger mission, but it’s a much bigger effort than just us! Contact us to learn more about joining a community solar project in your area.
