Many of us are concerned about climate change. It can feel easier to take control of your home utilities and purchases, but it’s much more difficult to make change when it comes to business utilities. Many companies just need to take the cheapest tariff, or work in buildings where the utility provider is not their call.
But pushing for change can be beneficial for both your business and the planet. Not only is making your company as eco-friendly as possible the right thing to do for the environment. It can also attract new customers, and retain existing ones. Research has shown that four out of five people are likely to choose a brand that has a commitment to sustainability. Plus, with awareness around climate change increasing, this isn’t likely to change.
So how can you make your business utilities more eco-friendly? We take a look.
Use a renewable energy tariff for your business
Most of the time, we just opt for the cheapest tariff, or renew with the same provider each year for ease. But actively moving away from supporting fossil fuels and choosing renewable energy can be a great way to go greener.
It doesn’t necessarily mean switching providers either. Plenty of the big electric companies offer a green tariff. This means they have made some sort of eco-friendly pledge, such as carbon offsetting, or investing in renewable energy projects. Or, if you’re happy to change providers, choose an energy provider that uses 100% renewable energy.
You can’t choose what energy actually comes into your building unless you generate your own. However, choosing a renewable energy tariff means that you are increasing the amount of green energy in the national grid. If you can, opting for a fully renewable energy company is the better option of the two. This is because large companies that offer both fossil fuels and green tariffs are still putting out harmful emissions into the atmosphere.
Generate your own electricity
If you own a building, then you could consider investing in sustainable technologies to create your own energy. Office roofs are often the perfect place for solar panels, as they’re generally a large flat space. Small wind turbines can be attached to the side of buildings, or on a pole in the car park or grounds. There are several smaller options, rather than the huge turbines you might initially think of.
Whilst both options aren’t cheap to install, they do mean that you can become self-sufficient when it comes to energy. This makes your utilities more eco-friendly, and allows you to avoid the fluctuating bills that come with buying your electricity.
Reduce water waste
One of the simplest ways to make your utilities more eco-friendly is to reduce the amount that you’re wasting. It can be easy to ignore dripping taps, but every bit of water that you waste has an impact.
This water then has to be treated and cleaned as if it was dirty, and this requires energy to do. To combat this, think about the amount of water that is used overall. Installing a dishwasher in office kitchens, for example, might initially seem like it uses a lot of water, but it can be more efficient if it means that employees aren’t running the tap every time they want to wash up a cup.
