As climatologists continue to crunch the numbers many sources are already proclaiming that 2014 was the warmest year on record. The serious moves to prevent climate change will come from politicians and big multi-national corporations but small businesses and ordinary people have an impact that can add up more quickly than you realise. Being more sustainable is about more than carrying a Bag for Life and not driving to the post box – why not make 2015 the year your small business becomes more sustainable?
Consider Becoming More Communal
The Winchester BID team work out of the Winchester Business Centre five days a week which means that our lights, and for the moment at least our heating, is on five days a week as well. For every business person who shares our offices there is a light not turned on, a thermostat not twisted and, just possibly, a polar bear with a smile on his face. If a formal desk renting arrangement isn’t for you then why not consider a co-working group like Winchester Jelly.
The communal spirit works in other ways too. You might have started buying recycled paper and pens made from bamboo stems but who is delivering them? If the stationary van turns up on a Tuesday for you and a Wednesday for your neighbour then the true green goal has not been accomplished – it’s a little thing but co-ordinating your stationary orders to cut out a van journey can save a good amount of energy over a long period of time.
Embrace Video Conferencing
Back in the days of dial up internet and square televisions attached to trolleys with oversized seatbelts face to face meetings were absolutely crucial. We no longer live in those days though – there are a great range of video conferencing services available which allow every attendee to remain in the comfort of their own office which not only saves on transportation emissions it also saves on transportation time and the agonies of traffic jams and signal failures. A winning idea all around.
Shout about it
For many years businesses got away with not having visible environmental policies because caring about the environment was dreadfully uncool, insisting on recycled paper would land you with a bad reputation and a public humiliation on Top Gear – fortunately those days have almost passed. In fact in the information age being able to show off your green credentials may earn you a few more loyal customers. In addition once you have made the public announcement that you’re cutting back on the carbon you’re more inclined to stick to it – if you keep it to yourself it’s easy to fall back into the old habits of printing emails, driving everywhere and leaving the heating running all night long.
If you’re a Winchester business looking for ways to reduce your environmental impact then make sure to check out the advice of WinACC and get involved in The Great Waste project. Prove your sustainability standing by becoming one of Winchester’s growing number of Carbon Smart certified businesses or by entering The Winchester City Council Carbon Smart Business of the Year Award.
