Doing our bit for the planet is within our power – but let’s be realistic: SMEs have to balance goodwill with the bottom line. It’s about valuing the ‘me’ as well as the ‘we’, right?
That’s where the good news comes in.
Many green initiatives are good for planet, people and profit. If you’re using tight budgets as an excuse for burying your head in the sand when it comes to your carbon footprint, here are seven budget-friendly ways of going greener.
And this isn’t greenwashing either: the first five are things we’ve already done at Northern Tonic. With lots more in the pipeline too.
1. Switch to LED lighting
When we did this for Northern Tonic’s 1,300 sq ft of office space, the cost was around £2.5k. Current tariffs suggest this will pay for itself in just 12 months.
2. Improve loft insulation
With a quarter of heat lost through the roof in an uninsulated home, this is a no-brainer. Especially as properly installed loft insulation should last 40 years and pay for itself many times over. Never thought of doing it at work? You could save significant amounts on your heating bills.
3. Install and use timers on heating and hot water
Are you heating your workplace in the middle of the night, when no-one’s around? Here at Northern Tonic, we’ve installed timers that allow us to automate heat and hot water to switch off when not needed. Cost to install? Just £100.
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4. Save water
In the average UK business, between 50%-60% of all the water used goes down the toilet – a significant cost, as well as wasting our most precious resource. Each flush uses an average of 9L of water. Some water authorities will provide free flush-saving bags for cisterns – or you can buy one for less than £1.
At Northern Tonic, we decided to make a bigger statement and invest in two Novaloo Propelair toilet systems. These reduce water usage from 9L to just 1.5L per flush.
5. Switch off lights
Investing in movement sensor lights can make significant energy savings – but simply educating employees about turning off lights when they’re not in the room could make a big difference too.
6. Turn off laptops
Many people leave their laptops plugged in all day but there’s a simple way to save energy – ask everyone to turn them off when they reach 100% charge. It’s good for the battery too – leaving it plugged in non-stop will eventually make it less efficient.
7. Print smarter
Most workplaces already ask people to print only when necessary but make sure you’ve got your printers set up to print on both sides where possible.
Did you know switching to a thinner font and smaller type could save up to 10% on ink costs?
You may well have a paper recycling bin in the office – so make sure you buy recycled paper. Currently, paper takes more energy to make than steel iron, glass and aluminium. Recycled options use 28-70% less energy.
There are lots more you could explore, including helping employees to travel to work in greener ways, exploring more eco-friendly heating options and switching to more sustainable suppliers.
But it’s important to keep change feeling manageable – follow these tips and you’ll have made a great start.
Read our guide to the hidden tax benefits of switching to electric company cars. Or contact us for advice on green business initiatives that could also save you money.
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