58 Ways for Small Business to Save the World

We’re always hearing about nasty big corporations destroying the earth, and how we as consumers should be doing more to recycle and save the environment, however easily the largest employer in Australia is small business (90% of all Australian businesses have under 20 staff).

So, how can we, as small businesses, save the world? Well, we could start with;

1. Changing the office incandescent light bulbs to more energy efficient ones.
2. Recycling internal paper, by printing on both sides
3. Use email, not couriers
4. Encourage suppliers to invoice you electronically
5. Buy fair trade products (such as the office coffee)
6. Encouraging staff to catch public transport (trains and buses) to work if possible
7. Minimising the use of air conditioners wherever possible, or at least turn the thermostat up a degree.
8. Sponsor a child or family
9. Leaving lights and equipment off when we can
10. Ensuring all monitors are switched off when not in use
11. Organising to have a recycling bin for paper waste to be picked up by council
12. Buy organic fruit for staff snacks
13. Use mulch in the office garden
14. Use waterless urinals and dual flush toilets
15. Read online news instead of print newspapers
16. Printing stationery on recycled paper
17. Use cold water instead of hot
18. Take unwanted, re-usable items to your local charity shop
19. Stick a ‘No Junk Mail’ sign on your letterbox
20. Buy rechargeable batteries for all electronic devices
21. Provide a fridge so staff can bring their lunches instead of buying take away
22. Use suppliers who are environment-aware and preferably small businesses themselves
23. Organise to offset carbon emissions.
24. Have a spare change box for your favourite charity on premises.
25. Re-use packing boxes and materials
26. Encourage clients and suppliers to be more aware of their environment (send them this list!)
27. Promote a charity in your company newsletter
28. Donate time to a local charity, doing street collecting or using your professional services
29. Plant water-saving native plants in the office garden.
30. Organise a staff ‘donate blood‘ day
31. Encourage walks or physical exercise at lunch breaks
32. Wash the company cars less frequently
33. Reduce plane flights if possible.
34. Buying recycled paper products
35. Sponsor a local community event
36. Shred your ‘printed on both sides’ paper to use as packaging material
37. Insulate your office
38. Pin up posters to raise environment awareness
39. Embrace ethical investing for any investment strategies
40. Organise a company gym membership or personal trainer
41. Ask your cleaner to use chemical free cleaners around the office
42. Purchase office equipment based on their energy ratings
43. Have casual days and raise money for charity
44. Change your office power over to green power or commercial solar power.
45. Encourage the paper free office as much as possible
46. Choose vehicles with great fuel ratings for your fleet, or better still hybrid or electric cars
47. Look at ways of making products which contain less ‘bad stuff’ and more recyclables
48. Have staff discussions about how to save utilities (power, gas, water) in their homes
49. Offer rewards for environment saving ideas
50. Adopt a zoo animal
51. Re-use where you can – envelopes, folders and paperclips
52. Use internal email not paper memos
53. Ask clients and suppliers for their Social Responsibility Charters
54. Recycle computer parts, by giving them to computer recycling groups or donating them to charities
55. Instead of sending presents at Christmas to clients, make donations in their name instead
56. Recycle your mobile phones
57. Use recycled (second hand) office furniture
58. Email a link to this list to everyone at the office

As you’ll have noticed, many of the points above means your business will save money, you’ll all get good karma and it could even help the environment – isn’t it worth doing every bit that you can to prove that small business can save the world?

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