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4 ways to go green in your business

Taking small, simple steps to control energy use and reduce waste can have a big impact and start a business on the road to systematic changes. Enterprise Ireland’s Green Competitiveness Guidebook gives businesses a simple set of tools to introduce some basic environmental awareness practices.The guide is directed at companies who have had no in-house expertise or exposure to environmental issues to date.

Here’s a snapshot of some of their tips for going green....

Green procurement

When buying products and services for your business, consider using those with a reduced environmental impact throughout their life cycle. This could include recyclable products, such as paper from recycled or sustainable sources, or non hazardous chemicals. Here are a few tips on different ways to incorporate green procurement in your business:

  1. Choose suppliers and contractors that adopt best environmental practices and make this the procurement policy of our company.
  2. Purchase products and services that have the least environmental impact, where this is feasible.
  3. Minimise the use of hazardous chemicals and solvents.
  4. Use timber from sustainable sources

 

Saving energy

Simple measures like analysing your energy bills, encouraging energy saving in your premises and encouraging energy efficient practices can go a long way to conserving energy in your business, and ultimately reducing your energy bills. Here are a few tips to consider:

  1. Go through your energy bills so you understand any penalty charges and how they can be reduced or avoided e.g. how much electricity is used at night
  2. Consider investing in energy efficient equipment, such as, lighting (substituting fluorescent lights), IT equipment, copiers, printers, heating and heating controls, air handling/conditioning
  3. Energy efficient practices, such as turning off lights, computers and other electrical equipment, water boilers and heating at night can help to save energy
  4. Routinely service your energy using equipment (gas/oil boilers, air conditioning etc)

 

Reducing waste

“Reduce, reuse, recycle” is a useful phrase to use when considering how to deal with waste; properly segregating waste using those three options can help to reduce waste. Particular attention should also be paid to correct disposal/recycling of hazardous materials, such as: batteries, fluorescent tubes, print cartridges and ozone filters, and IT hardware (WEEE waste). Another option open to businesses is to explore packaging take back opportunities with suppliers.

Put environmental commitments on paper

Many companies find it difficult to incorporate environmental improvements into the day to day running of their businesses. However, it is possible for a business to put a simplified environmental management system in place thereby introducing better environmental performance without requiring a major commitment in time and resources. When such a system is in place, its practices become second nature and can be developed over time to a more sophisticated level.

An Environmental Policy Statement is a good way to set a foundation for the basic management
of a business’s environmental impacts. It sets out a company’s commitment to identifying and managing its environmental impacts in the best possible way. Items to consider when writing Environment Policy Statement include plans for communications and training plans for stakeholders and staff, as well as specific measures such as using sustainable raw materials, reducing transportation, or using less packaging.

Take a look at an example of an Environmental Policy Statement from Enterprise Ireland.

 

For more information

Take a look at Enterprise Ireland's website for information on going green.