Color Your Business Green

A profitable business model can also be friendly to the environment. It’s just the matter of choosing eco-friendly way in the overall strategy of the company and consequently, all areas of the organization will be aligned with this goal. It is not something that can happen overnight, but it is not an impossible mission either. Increasingly, people are more aware about the importance of protecting the environment. Therefore, it is time to renew the business strategy and make it 100 percent organic and, above all, highly productive.

Direct your staff to green goals
Ideally, before embarking on any long-term strategy, talk to your team about what practices and goals should be achieved. This information is even more relevant when it comes to forming habits within the organization that is friendly to the environment. Talk to your partners and colleagues about what the maximum use of resources could be, for example office paper, plastic, water and even cleaning products.  The simplest thing such as turning off the light when leaving the room can make a difference in order to meet the desired goals. This way, you will create a dynamic working conditions to go hand in hand with the organization's mission - to be 100% pro-environment.

Watch energy consumption

One of the key things to keep in mind when creating the overall strategy of your company is to make an estimate of the operating expenses. This means having an annual screening in terms of energy, water and material resources that are used. And do not forget to consider the environmental impact that this generates. Replacing inefficient light bulbs gives impressive results in energy savings of 50 to 75 percent. And best of all is that this produces equal performance. Remember that the most important points of energy consumption in a company are lighting, heating, air conditioning, food storage equipment, computers and audio devices.

Calculate CO2 emission
Knowing the percentage of greenhouse gases emission in your business requires a calculation of the direct consumption of the organization. This includes everything from light and water to other elements used to operate as inputs. It is recommended that you seek advice from an expert to assess the emissions you produce and the areas where the impact on the environment can be reduced. So you can make an estimate of the percentage of carbon dioxide (CO2) produced by your company and take action accordingly. For example, a home inhabited by two people with two cars, who do not use public transport, do not recycle and consume natural gas can generate about two tons of CO2 per year. One of the most affordable solutions is to plant a tree and care for it to help neutralize the emissions.


Sort your waste
If you recycle only half of garbage you generate (individually), 1080 kg of CO2 is issued per year. Because of this it’s good to separate waste in biodegradable bags in three colors - blue, green and red. Inorganic waste is deposited in the first, such as paper, glass, metals, textiles, etc. Organic waste, such as food, coffee filters or tea and dirty napkins, goes in the second, while in the third all health and medical related stuff, such as syringes, edible oil, cigarette butts, etc. are discarded.

Remember that if you crush organic and inorganic waste, you will take advantage over each of the bags’ space and spend less on them, which will also be reflected in your budget. You can store whatever you want in New Zealand shipping container, whether that’s growing plants or waste bags.

Look for green suppliers
Start by assessing whether the products and services you acquire for your business harm the environment. At this point it is important to remember that just like people working in your company perform ecological practices, your suppliers also should. If you believe that you won’t find everything you need in the market, you're wrong. Today, more and more shops only sell organic products. To identify organic articles, look for a distinctive mark on the packaging that says it’s environmentally friendly.

Get certified as a green company
For environmental certification different points are evaluated. For example, consumption of water and wastewater, soil and subsoil, air emissions, environmental indicators, solid and hazardous waste, noise and environmental risk. Remember that your certificate guarantees consumers that the product is environmentally friendly and does not harm the environment at any stage of manufacture.


Create a media strategy
Once you have everything ready, it’s time for customers, suppliers and the market in general to find out you're friendly with the planet. In order to do this, make a plan of communication and marketing to highlight this feature.

Although ecology and business seem to be two antagonistic concepts, circumstances have made them go hand in hand, even creating a niche market that is growing every year. These businesses are mainly supported by the progressive awareness of the population on environmental matters, because ultimately, they are the end customers in demand for organic products and services.