The Importance of Being a Zero Waste Company
Environmentally conscious; eco-friendly; going green—no matter what you call it, the practice of trying to limit our impact on the planet is one of the most important concepts for the future of humanity. While there are many different ways that individuals and businesses in Connecticut can help reduce pollution and shrink their carbon footprint, the goal of achieving zero waste is by far one of the easiest and most effective methods around.
Being a zero waste company will, of course, help to minimize the negative impact your business has on the environment, but there are a number of other benefits as well. Still, when it comes to achieving the goal of zero waste, many people are confused about what exactly it entails and where to start.
What is Zero Waste?
The ultimate goal of being a zero waste company is obviously to eliminate all waste, i.e. to no longer send trash to your local landfill. While this may sound difficult at first glance, achieving the goal of zero waste definitely isn’t impossible. Nonetheless, it does involve several steps and will most likely take both time and a strong, concentrated effort to reach your goal.
Furthermore, in order to get started, you first need to get a better idea of how much waste your business currently produces. Most businesses accomplish this by simply weighing and documenting all waste before it’s thrown out. Still, no matter how you accomplish it, its important to first get an accurate measurement of waste production, as this will then allow you to begin making a plan and identifying the different ways you can shrink this amount through recycling, reusing and other methods.
Benefits of Being Zero Waste
Whether it occurs at our home or business, the amount of waste Americans send to landfills each year is staggering. Worse yet, this waste then causes untold amounts of damage to the soil, groundwater, air and more. For this reason, it’s not only important, but absolutely necessary that we all begin taking steps to reduce the waste each of us produces.
While the statistics show that Connecticut is actually better than many states when it comes to total amount of trash produced, the truth is that none of us are blameless. Still, by setting the goal of making your company zero waste, you can start doing your part and working towards creating a better future; and, even if your company never fully achieves this goal, any reduction will definitely help.
Reducing the amount of waste your company produces can be as simple as only using recyclable materials whenever possible and informing employees about the importance of recycling. However, most companies will require a detailed plan that takes advantage of multiple methods of waste reduction, including limiting unnecessary waste and reusing products and materials.
While the benefit of limiting waste and reducing your company’s environmental impact should be enough to convince you of the importance of zero waste, it’s far from the only impact this practice can have. In addition to reducing the waste you’re company is personally responsible for; working towards the goal of zero waste can also benefit your company’s bottom line in the following ways-
- Eliminating costs associated with waste disposal
- Reduction in purchasing costs
- Reusing can lead to reduction in goods used
- Potential tax credits and other governmental benefits
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