With the current devastation in Australia and concern for climate change, fear for the environment is consistently top of mind. There are more efforts being made by companies to be much more eco-friendly, and there are many more consumers who only want to associate with companies that are.

Here are some ideas to make your company a bit more environmentally friendly.

Get Rid of Paper When Possible: If you don’t already, consider sending out electronic invoices, rather than paper ones. Use your company website and email to disseminate information to clients and employees, rather than printed handouts or mailings.

Eliminate Single-Use Products: Single-cup pod coffee makers have become a staple in many offices. It’s a great convenience, but you can get multiple cups of coffee from one pot, and even recycle the coffee can later. Plus, encourage staff to bring in refillable water bottles and their own cups and glasses, instead of using paper cups and buying individual bottles of water.

Have a Flexible Work Environment: Allow employees to work from home one day a week. (Just make sure they’re not all at home on the same day!) This saves on energy and cuts down on pollution by not being in their vehicles. It will not only have a positive effect on the environment, but it will also have a positive mental impact on employees, as well as help increase productivity.

Leverage the Power of Plants: Plants not only make an office look much more inviting and pleasant, they help reduce your office’s carbon emissions and purify office air. Spider Plants, English Ivy and Bamboo Palms are a few good choices.

Host a Fundraising Event or Drive: Pick a timely cause and promote a drive or fundraiser to your employees, clients and public. It will make your employees and clients feel good about being associated with a socially conscious company and it’s good for public relations.

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