5 Mistakes That Stop Business Owners from Going Green

The environment is a topic which is getting discussed more and more by governments and businesses all over the world.

Even if you only run a small company, there is a lot that you can do to reduce your own environmental impact.

And if you are not yet doing so, it is highly likely that you are committing one or more of the following mistakes.

So, here are just a few of the errors involved in not taking a greener approach to business.

1. Assuming Anything Green is Expensive

There is still a common misconception which keeps buzzing around suggesting that anything green is naturally going to be expensive as well.

In fact, many of the steps that you can take and policies that you can put in place are relatively low-cost or even free.

For example, are you making sure that all electrical items are turned off before you leave the premises?

Do you have a policy which dictates that employees should only print documents when absolutely necessary?

When it comes to protecting the environment, every little helps.

Read 5 Ways Businesses Can Save Energy Using Technology

2. High Monthly Bills

Two of the biggest bills involved in running a business are energy costs and waste disposal.

In fact, both of these can be cut by taking a greener approach to business. Energy usage can be decreased through simple cost-saving initiatives or bigger projects like installing solar panels.

As for waste, the amount your business is producing can be reduced by engaging in practices such as recycling, food composting, and altering your buying habits.

You could also negotiate a better contract with your local waste hauler.

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3. Not Looking to Employees for Ideas

If you have run out of ideas to make your business greener, you could always turn to your employees for some inspiration.

After all, they have an entirely different perspective of your company than you, and they may be able to spot some inefficiencies which can be improved.

As we mentioned earlier, all these little changes add up to make a greener business. You can also look at an ESCP course to get more information.

4. Losing Out to Your Industry Competition

Not only is going green important from an environmental perspective, it can also be invaluable from a business point of view.

This gives you something to shout about, keep you ahead of the competition and potentially even attract new clients.

Customers value businesses which are seen to take their corporate social responsibilities seriously. Don’t risk falling behind the competition by not making appropriate steps forward.

Read Going Green: 4 Smart Strategies for a Sustainable Business

5. Thinking it is Too Time-consuming

Of course, implementing any kind of change to your business is going to take a degree of time and effort.

However, this doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t bother with them. You don’t have to implement all changes at once as this could quickly get complicated.

Instead, take a step-by-step approach to running a greener company.

There is a great sense of pleasure to be gained by knowing that you are leading your business in a responsible manner.