Mother Earth continues to be threatened by global warming. Businesses of all sizes need to develop and implement strategies that reduce their carbon footprint to help save the planet. New entrepreneurs are specifically looking for green business ideas.
Additionally, consumers are becoming more aware of climate change and its effects. According to the latest report, 75% of consumers have moderate to extreme concerns about climate change, while 57% have changed their buying habits in response.
With more consumers voting green with their wallets, brands that ignore their customers' sentiments are at risk.
It will cost money to acquire sustainable business tools and pioneer an eco-friendly culture at your company. Due to the rise of fintech lenders, it has become easier for small businesses to get funding.
What are the benefits of becoming a green business? Some of the benefits include:
Global warming is bad for everyone, including your business. Global warming can be slowed down by reducing your carbon footprint. Environmentally-conscious consumers realize that what's bad for the earth isn't good for them. You can win more loyal customers by building a sustainable brand.
Sustainability is a unique marketing strategy that can help your business gain reputation as a reputable, eco-friendly brand. Differentiate yourself from the competition by transitioning to green business practices.
Work with green suppliers and manufacturers
Your business activities have an impact on the environment based on how you source your products/services. A first step towards carbon neutrality is to work with manufacturers and suppliers who integrate sustainable business practices into their operations.
Be sure the businesses you support have eco-friendly policies. Whenever possible, they should use recyclable, renewable, and biodegradable materials that have a minimal impact on the environment.
Packaging that is eco-friendly
According to the EPA, containers and packaging contribute about 23% of landfill waste. Sustainable packaging is an effective way to reduce your company's carbon footprint if you run a product-based business. At MAILERS HQ, we use only recycled materials, and our final products are always 100% recyclable.
Using biodegradable and reusable packaging materials such as cardboard, clear bubble wrap, recycled paper, and poly mailers is a practical way to help make a difference.
You can also work with packaging manufacturers to produce eco-friendly, custom-branded packaging that elevates your brand experience.
Make use of energy-efficient gadgets
By making energy-efficient upgrades at work, you are not only making your brand more sustainable, but also lowering your utility bills.
Allow your employees to use laptops instead of desktop computers, which consume more power. Simple changes like using energy-efficient office appliances, smart thermostats, LED lights, and automatic light sensors are some of the most cost-effective ways to go green.
Starting a business requires an initial investment, so you may want to apply for a small business loan first.
If you can't reduce or reuse, empty your trash can at nearby city bins so that waste can be recycled or disposed of responsibly.
Finally, remember that you'll need money to go green. The change requires you to engineer a sustainable culture shift and install eco-friendly tools and gadgets.
You should keep sustainability in mind when accessing small business loans. The carbon footprint of fintech lenders is almost zero because they process loans on the cloud with advanced technology.
If you prefer to, you can listen to this on the Mailers HQ podcast.