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Everyone understands the benefits of sustainability, but some business owners are hesitant to introduce the concept into their business. This is partially because of the common misconception that going green means you must sacrifice your business’s bottom line. The truth is the opposite. Making your business more sustainable doesn’t have to involve lowering material production, and it can lead to profit over time. If you’re wondering how to make your business more sustainable, check out these small, simple actions you and your employees can take. Remember: going green doesn’t just benefit the earth—it benefits everyone, including your company.

Reduce Your Water and Energy Usage

To make your business more sustainable, you should reduce the amount of resources it consumes daily. Reducing the amount of resources your business is using benefits the planet, and it can also lower your utility bills. You can reduce your business’s water consumption by:

• Installing low-flow appliances
• Cleaning with a high-efficiency pressure washer
• Fixing any dripping taps and plumbing leaks
• Using a drought-tolerant landscape design

When it comes to conserving energy, look at implementing eco-friendly building materials and appliances. Solar-powered panels are a great way to reduce your overall energy consumption, but they’re also an expensive and impractical option for most businesses. Luckily, there are plenty of alternatives to going solar. You can search for Energy Star certified appliances, replace windows with ones that are more energy-efficient, and use LED lightbulbs around the office. To hit two birds with one stone, consider installing automatic doors, which will save energy and make your building more convenient to access. As you might have noticed, switching to sustainable products isn’t a downgrade. These eco-friendly products are just as modern and multi-functional as their non-sustainable counterparts.

Eliminate Waste

It might not be possible to eliminate all waste, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take steps to cut down on it. The easiest way to do this is to discourage the use of single-use products. Instead of using paper cups and plastic water bottles, for example, you can ask employees to bring in their own, reusable drinkware. You might also want to consider placing a compost bin in the office kitchen. Composting is a great way to reuse scraps. Finally, reduce the amount of paper your business is using. Use printers for only the most important documents and store the rest digitally. You can also transition from paper towels to hand dryers in the bathroom and kitchen.

Be Charitable

Another tip on how to make your business more sustainable is to be charitable. Thinking about throwing something out? Ask yourself if it can be donated instead. You can donate electronics, office supplies, furniture, building materials, and more. These items can be donated even if they’re broken or non-functioning. Many people will take these broken objects apart and repurpose the base materials.

Donating will benefit the environment by reducing the amount of waste that’s sent to landfills. It can also net your business a nice return during the next tax season, seeing as how most donations can be written off.