1. Create a culture of awareness
Educating employees on their impact on the environment is very important. Each one of us can implement some simple actions to cut down our ecological footprints, and if you embrace sustainability, it will turn into a practice, when at work or home. An excellent starting point is to begin by bringing together several environmental advocates to create a sustainability team in your workplace (These are five top tips from Earthforce, Salesforce’s environment team). Discover additional ways to impact the surroundings positively and reduce the consequences of climate change by completing the Trailhead’s Strategies for Positive Impact badge.
2. Consider your waste
In today’s world, byproducts and trash have morphed into a significant challenge. Though, it may be impossible to completely eradicate waste, figure out solutions to minimize it: ban paper handouts, reduce consumption of soda at the office, and do not use take-out containers unnecessarily. You can easily avoid using bottled water at meetings, and you may even decide to ban single-use water bottles in your company. Reducing waste is also a beneficial business decision as it reduces purchases as well as waste disposal costs. While scaling back, remember that recycling is an easy approach to achieve a significant impact and an amazing way that organizations can utilize old products.
3. Cut down your travel
If there is one thing that destroys the environment, it is travel, particularly air travel. As the years have gone by, video conferencing technology has advanced substantially, enabling easy connection to work colleagues around the world than at any other time in history. Therefore, when a travel assignment comes up, consider whether the trip is important or if the business can be done virtually. Also, scaling back the number of autos on our roads reduces emissions and gas, try using public means of transportation instead. If the circumstances don’t allow, provide incentives for staff who carpool or introduce remote work. Even a simple initiative like setting up a bike rack at your offices is a step towards the necessary change.
4. Vet your vendors for eco-friendliness
It takes a village, quite a fitting statement! If you are at the forefront in fighting climate change, look for business partners that are also doing so. Examine your supply chain. Who are your suppliers and do they have similar values? Contracting local suppliers for supplies and catering supports the economy in your area and other small enterprises, it also reduces manufacturing, shipping, gas, and logistics. Consuming seasonal products also assists to prevent the use of unsustainable production systems.
5. Conserve energy
Do you leave your electrical devices and appliances powered on even when no one is using them? Diligent use of appliances and technology helps to conserve energy and will also decrease your monthly energy bill. You might want to consider the installation of smart thermostats, which enable you to adjust remotely and set up temperature schedules at different hours of the day. Lastly, LED lighting uses just 25% of the energy consumed by traditional incandescent bulbs. To be on the right track, you don’t have to make significant changes – a light bulb replacement is a step in the right direction.
Read more on the subject of tackling climate change in this article by Atkins.
