Humanity has faced countless calamities within the past million years. Yet we never seem to learn because we continue our practices even if it’s taking a toll on our environment. Now our planet is left in a poor condition. Plastic which is used in most businesses and product packaging is one of the leading contributors to the world’s destruction.
This is one proof showing the impact of every decision being made by business owners.
What every entrepreneur must envision and implement are sustainable practices so we can see a brighter future with a more positive environmental change.
Here are some ways to on how to operate an eco-friendly business.
Replace toxic packaging with sustainable ones
One effective way to minimize waste and turn your business into a more sustainable one is by using recyclable and biodegradable materials for your parcel packaging. Studies showed how relevant it is for shoppers globally especially those that share a great concern for the environment. It was also revealed that it can be a factor for them when choosing a brand to purchase from.
This doesn’t only apply with packages but also to the products themselves. It is good if you can turn your items into their biodegradable versions so that at the end of their life, they can be easily disposed of with no doubts that they will not deteriorate.
There are many available suppliers for eco-friendly packaging. You can also tie-up with some to cover your shipping, ensuring that the whole delivery process will be free from any harmful steps. To date, this has already helped approximately up to 100,000 businesses ship more sustainably.
Explore a Carbon Neutral Delivery
People are environmentally aware now more than ever especially with all the diseases and catastrophes happening around. We knew since then that caring for the environment is a key element for our survival.
Other surveys around the globe showing global e-commerce shoppers are aiming for fewer emissions when deciding about the delivery of their parcels.
Science suggests that the average carbon dioxide emission emitted by a single delivery is one kilogram. If you will compute this with the number of businesses around the world the number can increase enormously.
It is up to shipping companies to offer carbon-neutral deliveries. Meanwhile, there are online apps that offer help in calculating and offsetting delivery emissions.
Utilize less impactful materials when creating your products
Limiting your options for product materials can be challenging but it also helps because it encourages creativity and it eventually leads to sustainability.
Some steps such as computing the impact to the environment caused by your current inputs are necessary to determine whether they should be replaced or retained.
After knowing that there can be better alternatives, you must also study whether choosing that material will have no repercussions. One example is hemp and cotton. Whilst the latter is a more common material, the former yields more fiber and has less environmental impact though it is a bit more expensive. If you don’t think that it will work for you, you can also try other sustainable fabrics and deadstock fabrics which will help you minimize waste during production.
There are many options available out there. All you need to do is find them. And keep in mind that, better and cheaper alternatives will emerge when more companies start to support low-impact materials.
Study and Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
It is impossible to fix an issue if you have zero ideas about it. Reducing your company’s carbon footprint starts with knowing first your emissions profile and determining the activities that contribute to this carbon dioxide production.
After being aware and knowledgeable about it, then you can start exploring what ways you can reduce these emissions. Eventually, you can also set a bigger goal which is to have an emissions reduction target or even a carbon-neutral or net zero commitment.
These recommendations will help you have a contribution to the state of our planet while operating your business. If you religiously follow these, you will be a part of the growing movement of businesses committed to protecting the environment to prepare a good future for the next generation of humans especially entrepreneurs.