The fact that more and more companies are working toward being environmentally friendly is more than just a trend – they’re doing it because they’ve realized it’s also saving them money. Running a green business provides you with many advantages by leaving more money on the table which you can invest back into the business or stash in your savings. This means that preserving your environment pays off with more than a clear conscience, making it a win-win situation. So let’s take a look at ways in which fulfilling your environmental responsibilities in the midst of the increasing global waste will make you a part of the cost-effective green movement.
A Longer Life
We’re not gonna talk about some esoteric concept of the fountain of youth, but about the longevity of your office materials. Most companies think that they have implemented the‛ reuse and recycle’ concept by the simple implementation of insulated and reusable shopping bags with a big fat logo for promotion. This is unquestionably desirable, but far from enough.
You need to pay attention to your office furniture, doors, windows, etc. because they are the ones that are truly filling up the landfills and they usually contain a wide variety of materials that are not recyclable. If you purchase the ones made of durable materials such as metal and wood, not only they’ll be possible to recycle, but they’ll also last longer and save you the money for replacements. More and more companies are also implementing cost-effective lead products since they finally realized this is also an eco-friendly material – since it comes from nature it can’t leave a trace in it.
The same goes for your light bulbs – the LED ones will actually provide a purer source of light while using less energy, and they can last around 20 years.
Printing on both sides can increase the longevity of your paper, but today’s cloud networks in combination with simple scanners can provide you with an almost paperless working operation.
Energize
One of the most effective ways to insulate yourself from risks associated with variable operating costs and to lower the overall ones is to embrace green energy. Relying on rates set by electricity companies can easily lead to overhead costs that are a financial burden which can turn your otherwise profitable business into the one that’s in the red. In order to avoid the cost fluctuations of these variable electricity costs, all you need to do is to employ alternative energies you’ll be able to control and thus dramatically lower your overall energy costs. We’ve already mentioned LED bulbs, but you can go a step further by implementing programmable lighting and prevent your offices from glowing through the night when there’s nobody inside.
Your Way to Tax Incentives
Going green will also provide you with a way to an earmarked capital, tax deduction, and green tax credits since governments (state, local, and federal) are very keen to incentivize green initiatives. So your efforts to improve the local environment will enable you to take tax credits for green efforts such as solar energy, reduced emissions, energy efficiency, etc. Since governments put effort to stimulate the renewable energy industry there is no reason why you shouldn’t take advantage of it with environmental-friendly practices. Energy Star offers rebates for their energy-efficient appliances, and you can easily check the local discount policies in your state or electricity rates by state.
The Chain of Influence
The money won’t come only from the government as a reward for complying with green standards. Since going green reduces your overhead costs, it will influence the investors to put their money into your business. The fact that they’ll have a larger return on their investment in the long-run is unquestionable, and the availability of their dollars is a necessity for every business owner who wants to expand with new product development efforts.
Since going green is a rising trend, there is a rising amount of consumers that are willing to pay more for goods produced by the brands that have shown the commitment to making a positive environmental impact. This means that your highly visible and well-defined social mission will appeal to socially conscious consumers and provide you with differentiation in crowded markets. In other words, you won’t be just saving revenue – you’ll also generate it.
Needless to say, your green practices will also attract and retain talented employees, inspiring them to be more productive. We live in an era where employees have increased power so it’s important to keep the best people by your side. In order to accomplish that you need to inject purpose into their profession, and embracing a green-friendly socially conscious mission will do precisely that.
It is quite logical – providing durable equipment and controllable green energy sources will free you from the need for replacement and complying with general costs. Following this logical step will also provide you with additional money from governments and investors, while the chain of positive influence will additionally generate your revenue. The green is the color of money, after all.
