Measures small businesses can take to reduce ... - Personal Finance

Businesses of any size often have the means to reduce their impact on the environment, and there are many measures and ideas that they can take on board to not only be a greener business, but save money too.

The first measure, which is perhaps the simplest, is to increase the amount of recycling which takes place around the office. Just as many people do in their households, designating a specific bin especially for recyclables, can reduce the carbon footprint of the whole business, and make it greener. Another alternative for recycling your waste paper is to reuse it. Any scrap paper which needn?t be shredded can be used again for phone messages, note paper or anything else which may prove convenient. Dependent upon what the business is, re-using various packaging, paper and envelopes will save buying more, and have a benefit on the environment as more won?t need to be bought.

Another highly simple and straightforward measure to save energy and reduce impact on the environment is to switch lights and plugs off when they aren?t being used. Although a very obvious idea, which is often ignored, ensures that all lights are switched off and computers and other technology are also turned off (not just on standby!) By doing so, you save energy, but also save money!

Swapping light bulbs to energy saving bulbs will really pay off for small businesses, as there are likely to be quite a few lights that are in constant or intermittent use. Ensuring that outside lights, which may sometimes be constantly left on, are set on timers and fitted with sensors. This means that the lights are only on when someone is in the vicinity of the building, and only at certain times. Energy, and therefore money is saved, and the money that would have been spent can be reinvested into a different, more worthwhile area of the business.

Offices obviously use a large amount of energy, and so it would be worthwhile looking at, and switching to a greener business gas and electricity provider. This means that their providers have a more sustainable and greener method of supplying your energy, meaning smaller carbon footprints all around!

Energy Management Software is another useful tool which can reduce a business?s impact on the environment. This includes several energy-related software applications and programmes which can provide help and support regarding energy-saving measures. Such applications include utility bill tracking, carbon and sustainability reporting, IT equipment management, energy audits and utility bill tracking. This allows businesses to keep an eye on their energy-expenditures, and to monitor their impact on the environment.

There are so many things that we can do to lessen our impact on the environment, even if you?re a busy small business. It?s the small things which make a difference, and these small things needn?t be lots of effort, difficult or even expensive. By thinking a bit more about the things which can be done to save energy and money, small businesses can decrease the impact they have on the environment quicker and more easily than they thought.

James writes for PowerExperts.co.uk, a forward thinking business energy broker service.

Source: http://www.personalfinance4all.com/measures-small-businesses-can-take-to-reduce-their-impact-on-the-environment/

birth control pill recall ground hog day florida primary results black history groundhogs day paula abdul cinnamon challenge