Being sustainable depends as much on your mindset as it does on the funds you need to allocate to these initiatives. You don't need billions of dollars to change the world; all it takes is a desire to do what you can and knowledge of the programs and options available to you. With that in mind, here are some of the important ways entrepreneurs can be more sustainable both inside and outside the office.
SummaryUse a green credit cardChange starts at the officeEncourage your employees to adopt sustainable lifestyles ConclusionThere are several ways to integrate sustainability into your banking practices. This may mean choosing to do business with a financial institution that is actively trying to minimize its carbon footprint by investing in and divesting from carbon-intensive industries or opting for a green credit card. Green credit cards are a great option because they allow you to be green while you spend. Most have a partner NGO or environmental organization they donate a percentage of every dollar spent on the card to, for example, the World Wide Fund for Nature.
Greening your supply chains or reducing the use of raw materials and waste will have immediate and visible financial benefits for some companies. These techniques, however, generally require significant strategic planning and implementation time, not to mention significant capital costs. Fortunately, there are several simple techniques you can follow that won't take long to implement.
Encourage employees to recycle and educate them on recycling best practices when necessary. Make it easy for them, it can help you start building a sustainable culture. Do things like set recycling goals for your team and recognize those who meet them. You can also replace the bulbs in your desk with CFLs or LEDs, which use much less energy and tend to last up to ten and even twenty times longer than halogen or incandescent bulbs.
Making environmentally responsible decisions can start at work, but it doesn't have to stop there. You can also encourage environmentally friendly behavior outside of work. You might consider helping defray the cost of installing solar panels or providing a financial incentive to be closer to work so it's easier to take public transportation or ride a bike. At the very least, you will help to reduce their movements.
You might not have a ton of money to spend on these initiatives, but you might still be able to comfortably subsidize monthly rapid transit passes for your staff or help them buy a bike. . You can also offer gift cards to those who have energy audits carried out on their homes.
It may seem that as a lone entrepreneur, an entrepreneur is not really ready to make a major difference when it comes to green and sustainable initiatives. This, however, is usually the assumption because people assume you need deep pockets and a large institution supporting the efforts to see a significant effect. Every little thing helps and when done in unison with hundreds or even thousands of other entrepreneurs, it can start to bring about real change.
