Sustainable Environment and Sustainable Business: Three Things You can Do

The last Nature Nimbus post put the spotlight on fourteen companies that are taking the lead in green business management and production. If you are a person in business and are interested in ways you can become a leader in sustainability and improve your own business, here is a brief look at some things you can consider:

Use Sustainable Materials
If your business generates a tangible, physical product that people can pick up and buy, there is lots of opportunity to help turn the tide in production and materials. Consider:

• sustainable production that minimizes pollution volume and/or intensity in areas such as manufacturing, transportation
• using recycles or reclaimed materials
• using materials that are extracted and/or processed in sustainable ways
• ingredients that are grown conscientiously

Certain products can be used to support a more environmentally-conscious lifestyle. However, not all businesses were founded with the most current standards of sustainability and not all businesses have a physical product that can be modified to use more sustainable materials very easily. Even in cases like this, there are still other places to start.

Minimize Waste
Potential energy, water, and food waste are present in every business. From the lighting system to toilets used, there are many ways both soft and concrete that a workplace can begin to reduce waste.

Seek Guidance
The weight of the world feels less heavy when we shoulder it together. It is easy to understand from any perspective how business and society hangs on environment. However, to take steps towards helping the environment within a business that entity itself also needs to be taken care of, and there are entities that can help with this.

Options include hiring an environmental consultant, seeking certifications, and joining groups like Partners In Project Green. At my college a presentation of some of the Partners' low impact development projects left quite the impression on me, and they are now a group I would be happy to reference as business-conscious guides for areas of water, waste, energy, and engagement, and to help other entities move through the process and learn the best places to start.

Think Long-Term
When we consider economy, society, and environment, having a healthy, livable environment is the top link in the chain that holds the others up. There is planning, budgeting, and engineering to consider, but each of these are ultimately investments that in the long run are sustainable for a business, and there is help available.

Taking the first step can feel overwhelming, but please do remember: not only are there groups like consultants and Partners in Project green rooting for you, but there are many of us around the world rooting for the people people behind businesses who are out there looking to move forward in sustainable ways.

This post was Republished 2019-12-07, and dated back to 2019-11-07