Whether it is cutting costs or saving on workers Comp insurance. A business benefits from Going Green.
Going Green is a buzz word used by the environmental movement to encourage individuals and businesses to make decisions with the environment in mind. What many people and businesses fail to understand is that the steps towards a green business are also steps that can save your business money. Whether it means using less paper by going completely digital or saving on energy by installing compact fluorescent light bulbs, going green almost always saves a business money. Here are three ways your business can Go Green and three ways your business can benefit from Going Green.
How can your business Go Green
Buy Secondhand Furniture
Many startups are cash strapped. Because of a lack of cash, many businesses are buying on price when they look to get furniture for their office. In many instances, new furniture is cheaper up front. The price is because much of this new furniture is made to be disposable. Cheaply built furniture will not last long and may cause your business to suffer a workers comp claim when an employee has to go to the doctor because of a poorly fitting work station. Your business can avoid the cost of a Workers’ Compensation issue by purchasing sturdy secondhand office furniture.
Use Energy Star Certified Products
ENERGY STAR is the government-backed symbol for energy efficiency. It provides simple, credible, and unbiased info consumers and businesses can rely on to make well-informed decisions about their business. Many things around the office waste energy meaning a huge portion of the electric and gas bill your business uses each month goes to wasted energy usage. Energy Star products can reduce this significantly. Below are some examples of how your business is wasting energy and how Energy Star Products can help.
- Qualified refrigerators are at least 15% more efficient than the minimum federal efficiency standard.
- Qualified TVs consume 3 watts or less when switched off, compared to a standard TV, which consumes almost 6 watts on average.
- Office equipment that qualifies automatically enters a low-power “sleep” mode after a period of inactivity.
- Qualified light bulbs (CFLs) use two-thirds less energy than a standard incandescent bulb and must meet additional operating and reliability guidelines.
- Qualified furnaces offer a rating of 90% AFUE or greater, which is about 15% more efficient than the minimum federal efficiency standard.
Instead of wasting money, consider purchasing Energy Star products and the additional savings could make it easier for your business to afford many other things needed to expand your business.
Upgrade Your Lights
Switching to compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs is an easy upgrade that can reduce your risk of a Workers Comp Claim. On top of benefiting the health of your employees CFL’s last 3-25% longer than traditional light bulbs. This means your business does not have to replace the light bulbs as frequently. Also, according to energy.gov, CFL’s use 25-80% less energy depending upon the type of light you decide to use. 
How can Going Green Benefit my Business?
Employee Morale
Going Green does not only benefit your businesses bottom line, it can also benefit your employees. Companies with a good environmental record tend to have more committed and motivated employees. This is because it fosters positive feelings amongst the staff and from customers. Getting employees involved in company wide green initiatives can boost morale and give the employees a feeling the health and well-being of themselves, the business, and the community as being taken seriously by your business.
Build Goodwill in your community through Green Marketing Awareness
If your business makes a change within your business with Going Green in mind, this is a great opportunity to promote this action and gets some positive press for your business at the same time. This can broaden support for your company within the community, and have an impact on the companies bottom line.
Improved Worker Health
Most actions a business takes when going green have a direct impact on the health and well-being of the employees at the facility. When your business uses better lighting, the employees have less stress in their day to day lives dealing with eye issues. When the business installs an air quality filtration system, it not only helps the business, but it helps the health of the employee by them breathing in better air. These employees will in turn be more healthy, miss less time due to illness and have a higher sense of morale simply from better health.