Every business has a role to play in combating the climate crisis, no matter their size. Here are some ways to make your small business more eco-friendly.
Some people may think small businesses contribute very little to carbon emissions, so therefore the environmental impact must be minimal …
But consumers don’t agree. In one survey Sendle found 71% of consumers were planning on purchasing more from eco-friendly businesses.
In order for businesses to attract consumers, they must be minimizing their carbon footprint, however they can.
Every business has a role to play in combating the climate crisis, no matter their size.
Here are some ways to make your small business more eco-friendly!
#1. Do Business with Local Vendors.
Support businesses in your area that share the same environmental values you do.
This in turn supports your community and contributes to the local economy to keep business booming in your area.
When small businesses support each other, they foster an inclusive community that helps each other in times of need.
#2: Host a Fundraising Event.
Choose a not for profit organization that means something to you.
There are tons of organizations out there that do good for the environment by planting trees, or even raise funds to support students in environmental studies.
Not only is this great for the environment, but it also helps you stand out as supportive of green initiatives.
#3: Become Part of a Bigger Movement ...
by becoming a member with Random Acts of Green.
When you join our sustainability alliance, you demonstrate your commitment to being a sustainable business.
Together we can answer the call towards collective climate action.
#4: Do More Online.
Consider the impact of your paper and energy usage.
Try electronic marketing via emails or social media, or use an online payment system for invoicing to cut down on unnecessary paper usage.
You can store data on the cloud instead of a server to conserve energy.
#5: Use Green Web Hosting Services.
Website servers are constantly running, and therefore using up quite a bit of energy.
You can choose to store your data on a carbon neutral server, just do a bit of research and you’ll find there are plenty of options to explore.
#6. Eco-Friendly Shipping and Delivery Methods.
Avoid the “Russian Doll” effect of putting a package into a second or third box before shipping it to cut down on waste.
Look around for a close-to-you shipping company, too. Novex Delivery Solutions are a great example of a company doing it right. They’re a certified BCorp and they’re also carbon neutral!
#7. Eco-friendly Packaging.
Use sustainable packaging!
For companies who ship and deliver products: Plastic packaging is inherently wasteful and ends up accumulating in landfills.
Luckily there are tons of eco-friendly packaging options out there. Using biodegradable packaging made out of materials like mycelium, wood pulp, and seaweed are all great options.
Our members EcoEnclose are a fantastic example of this with an amazing selection compostable enterprise solutions!
Another tip: Try to use only one type of packaging. Often when packaging types are mixed together, it makes them un-recyclable.
#8. Buy Carbon Offsets.
After making the possible changes to reduce your carbon footprint, you can buy carbon offsets to get closer to carbon neutrality.
When choosing which organization to partner with, it’s important that they are third party certified and invest in legitimate projects.
Every company has an impact on the environment.
By taking responsibility for our actions, we can help slow the effects of climate change.
It takes each one of us, taking action now in our own ways.
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