7 energy saving ways to green your business

As the price of energy continues to rise, many businesses are looking for environmentally-friendly ways to cut their utility bills while reducing their carbon footprint. Here are seven ways you can green your business and slash your energy expenses at the same time:

Practice The 3 R’s – Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Take a good hard look at what’s in your trash – chances are good that there are items that could be recycled by a waste management company in CT or reused in your business. For example, you can reduce your paper consumption by re-purposing the blank side of printed paper into notepads then recycle that well-used paper through your corporate waste management program.

Swap Out Your LIghts

Retiring your old incandescent light bulbs in favor of either CFLs (compact fluorescent lights) or ultra-efficient LEDs (light-emitting diodes) is an easy way to instantly reduce your company’s energy consumption. The average LED light bulb uses only 10 percent of the energy that an equivalent incandescent bulb does while providing up to 500 times longer service. Better yet, neither CFLs or LEDs heat up like traditional bulbs do, helping to reduce the need for air conditioning during the summer months.

Green Your Landscapes

With a little help from a local landscaper, your business can transform your outdoor spaces into welcoming, environmentally-friendly meeting areas. By encouraging employees to spend their breaks and lunch times outside, your business can save money on break rooms while encouraging a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

Put Electronics To Sleep

Reduce energy waste by setting computers to automatically go into “sleep” or “hibernation” mode after 15 minutes of inactivity, and make it a policy that all office equipment such as photocopiers and printers are turned off completely at the end of the workday.

Perform An HVAC Audit

Heating and cooling costs make up the bulk of energy use for many businesses; you can reduce your HVAC power use by having your system audited by an environmental technician who will look for energy-wasting duct leaks, inefficient windows and clogged filters that can prevent your HVAC system from running efficiently.

Add Motion-Activated Lighting

Adding occupancy-sensors to the lighting controls for meeting rooms and storage areas is a great way to increase your energy efficiency, reduce unnecessary lighting and improve after-hours security at your business.

Plant Trees

Trees planted near buildings act as natural temperature moderators, blocking chilling winds and temperature-elevating sunlight. This helps to reduce heating and cooling costs, minimizing costly (and uncomfortable) fluctuations in the temperature inside your business.

Key Takeaways:

Saving energy is a great way to cut expenses while you green your business.
Install either CFLs or LEDs and add motion-actived sensors to lighting controls in lesser-used areas like storage rooms.
Be on the lookout for new and creative ways to reduce, reuse and recycle.
Heating and air conditioning systems can be a major source of energy waste in your office – have your systems checked by an HVAC specialist.

Need Help?

Need help with implementing a waste management and recycling strategy for your business, contact us today!

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