Business owners, whether they are part of the restaurant, hospitality or retail industries, are always looking for ways to save money, especially during tough economic times. Going green is one of the many ways you can do that, no matter what industry your business is in.
Retail:
Green Products Mean Healthy Environment
We all know the products we have don’t just appear out of thin air. Everything comes from somewhere and each has its own impact after they are made.
One way to be sure your product has a positive impact is to make them from green materials such as organic cotton, recycled content, plastic lumber and more.
Green products will not only help the environment, but they will also help keep you healthy.
Something retailers should pay attention to is burden shifting. When making adjustments to your products to go, compare materials and see what will work best.
The last thing you want is to create more problems while only trying to fix one.
Lowering Costs While Increasing Demand
It can be tough to cut back on costs and still leave consumers wanting more. If you do it right, your customers will understand that even though your company went green, the product hasn’t lost its quality.
Going green can also show consumers your business is socially responsible.
One way you can do this is through reducing energy usage in places such as data centers and point of sale terminals. Having a green infrastructure will also help your business be more efficient.
In its study entitled “20 Counter-Culture Breakthroughs,” The Harvard Business Review found an estimated 25 percent of consumers are willing to switch the brands they buy if they had a greener option.
Going green will help your business, but it will also be enticing for consumers.
Working the Inside Out
When it comes to cost, a business is more than just the profit you make from sales. You have to keep the building you run your business out of maintained; you have to pay for heating and lighting. You know what kind of bills you have to pay in order to keep the business up and running, so you look at every possible way you can cut those costs.
Why not use energy-efficient lights such as LEDs or CFLs? Maybe you can start working with used fixtures. You can also improve air quality with the use of plants around vents. Consider turning everything off at the end of the business day and not leaving items like cash registers on overnight.
These are just a few ways you can cut costs right inside your eco-friendly building.
Hospitality:
Recycling What You Can
Owning a business in the hospitality industry can be trying in terms of cost management. Whether it’s a hotel, motel, bed and breakfast, or some other business, you consistently have customers checking in and out throughout the year.
That’s great for business, but you still have to worry about keeping your place up to par. You also have to take into consideration that products are going to break or get old and need to be replaced.
One way you can handle that is by recycling everything you possibly can, and that includes mattresses and beds. The main reason: mattresses and landfills won’t get along.
Mattresses take a long time to decompose, and they also take up space since they can’t be compressed like other materials can. Plus, their toxic chemicals leach into groundwater, which in turn makes drinking water poisonous.
While recycling old mattresses, don’t forget about waste. It’s important to recycle these items for a healthier environment. It will also allow other products to be made later on.
Cleaning Green
Within the hospitality industry there is a continuous cycle of straightening up after every guest leaves and making sure everything is ready for when the next guests arrive. It’s important to clean up efficiently and in a timely manner.
Avoiding chemical pesticides is a great start. Being surrounded by fresh air will help make guests feel more at home and relaxed, which is what you hope for when they come to stay at your business.
You can take green cleaning further by using various products that will lead to a healthful indoor environment. They remove dust and infectious germs while saving you money. Some products contain chemicals that can be hazardous to anyone exposed to them, but green products will greatly diminish that from happening.
Restaurants:
Organic Growing, Composting to Follow
One of the easiest ways to go green in the restaurant industry is to serve organic food that has avoided chemicals. Buying food locally will also help you with costs, and you will be helping the local economy.
You can grow your own food to use at your business. You will know from the start how your food was grown and how it was processed. You won’t be left guessing whether your customers are eating healthy.
Composting is also a great way to cut down on costs as well as waste. Watch what products you are composting to avoid problems with bacteria.
Another way you can go green is by giving your used brown grease to a waste management company that will use it in an environmentally friendly manner.
Saying Goodbye to Styrofoam
Styrofoam is a common takeout container product restaurants offer, but did you know it doesn’t bode well when it goes to the landfill? One way to change that is to use recycled paper products.
You will be reusing old material without causing any further harm after you are done with it.
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