Green business trends

Have you ever dreamed of riding your bike to work? Think about it: You’re not only getting your recommended amount of daily exercise, you’re also doing your part for the green revolution. Cutting that gym membership will put a little green back into your wallet, too. There’s only one thing better than commuting to work on a bike–and that’s brewing a cup of coffee instead of going to Starbucks and working from home. In many respects, these socially conscious ideas are as good for workers as they are for the environment. Businesses are changing with the times, and green trends are replacing extraneous waste and bad office habits. Here’s a look at some of the innovative things that businesses are doing to go green.

 

Telecommuting

Telecommuting is the wave of the future. This non-traditional approach to the workday is favorable with both employees and businesses. In other words, what’s the point of sitting in a cubicle if you can do the same type of work from home? Businesses save on space and energy, and employees are happy to type up reports from their studies or couches, many of them even claiming that they’re more productive than they would be at the office, where gossip, Internet surfing and water cooler chitchat bites into a large chunk of the day. Increased productivity and fewer cars on the road means more green for everyone.

 

The Paperless Office

Many offices have long been on a mission to reuse and recycle paper. From relying on email to programing a printer to use both sides of a document, offices have done a good job cutting down their paper waste. Today, however, businesses are taking the idea one step farther. The paperless office might sound like the name of a story conjured up by Ray Bradbury, but it’s quickly becoming a reality. From online billing statements to paychecks, more things are being done electronically than ever before.

 

Solar Power and Smart Lighting

Green energy like solar, wind and hydro-sources are an ideal way to power a business, but the start-up technology is expensive. It’s a trend that’ still in the process of catching on. In the meantime, many offices have opted to restructure their buildings with energy efficient lighting. For example, recessed lighting has become a hot commodity lately because it uses CFLs, which are known to be extreme energy savers.

 

Green Partners

Just because your office is innovative and trending green doesn’t mean your business partners are environmentally aware. Before you get involved with another office or firm, do some research and find out what their environmental stance is. It would be unfortunate if you were doing your best to be green while the company you’re investing in is notorious for felling trees in South America.

When it comes to green trends in business, the small things add up and every little bit helps. While you might not be a mega-corporation that has its own shuttle service for employees, you can pay to offset carbon emissions with green organizations like Zerofootprint and Offsetters. In the end, however, going green should not be a trend for businesses, but an integral part of their foundation.

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