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Extreme weather conditions nearly everywhere on our planet have convinced most people these days that climate change is real. However, if we all do our part, we can turn things around. In fact, there are changes you can make to the way you run your business that can make a difference in reversing climate change. Read on to find out more.
Climate Change Is Happening Now
In case you’re not yet convinced that climate change is real, you should know that carbon dioxide is at its highest level in roughly 800,000 years. This is occurring chiefly because deforestation is on the rise.
You might be wondering, however, how you can be a part of the solution. The truth is, even the way in which you run your office can make a difference.
To begin with, you can be mindful of the ways in which your business relies on transport and fossil fuel consumption. However, there are even simpler solutions you can turn to as well. That is, you can focus on reducing your use of paper and ink.
Know the Facts About Climate Change
Just consider the statistics. The manufacture of only a single ink cartridge emits 8 kg of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere. Couple this with the fact that an ink factory produces up to 200,000 cartridges a month. That represents a lot of CO2 pouring into the atmosphere every single month!
Additionally, fewer and fewer trees are available to convert this CO2 to oxygen. This process, called deforestation, leads to the world gradually becoming warmer year by year. This warming effect negatively affects the planet’s environment and its ecosystems. Sadly, for instance, polar bears are struggling to survive.
It may seem like such a small thing, but saving on ink and paper, both at home and at your place of business, is critical to limiting the effects of climate change. Here are some key things you can do:
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Think Before You Print to Help Reverse Climate Change
Embed this philosophy into your company’s vision and encourage its practice in your employees: Think before you print.
Every time you automatically start to print, stop and ask yourself, “Do I really need to print this document? Or can I file it electronically instead?” Just because printing is quick and easy doesn’t mean it should be your automatic go-to. Especially in light of climate change, can you do without that paper copy?
Also, if you do decide that you must have a paper copy of the document you’re considering, make sure to check it thoroughly before sending it to print. Use the print preview options in your word processing software, for instance, to ensure it looks exactly the way you want it to.
Overprinting is common in nearly every workplace, but you can train yourself to avoid wasting paper and ink. Also, think about reducing the font size and the margins of your documents so that more will fit on a single page.
These simple practices will help to conserve paper and thereby be a part of the solution to climate change.
Rely on Technology
New technologies make conserving paper easier, so use these advancements to your advantage to help save on paper and ink. You will save money for your business and help to reverse climate change when you follow these suggestions:
One of the most effective ways of saving paper and ink is by sending documents via email. Email is a fast, paper-free option, and virtually everyone is familiar with it and comfortable using it. So whether you’re contacting clients or employees, use email. This will not only save on printing but it will also keep an electronic record of which documents you sent to whom, and when.
Electronic Signatures
Documents that are signed electronically can also conserve paper. Further, electronic signatures are legally binding. Using specialist software, you can easily add them to any document.
Double-Sided Printing
Double-sided printing is a bit of a no-brainer really, and it will save you a lot of paper. What’s more, it will also help in the fight against climate change.
Most printers today have this capability. So make the most of it when you’re printing documents, especially internal documents, as most of them don’t need to be printed on only one side of the paper.
Electronic Archives
Practice keeping an electronic archive of your important documents. If your office, like most, has paper files stuffed with documents from the past, scan them into electronic files. To do this, contact a document scanning service such as Document Options.
You’ll find this to be a simple and effective way of storing historical documents for your business. Plus, electronic files are more secure than paper files, and searching them is easier, too. And the bonus? You’ll be helping to reverse climate change.
Online Faxing
Faxing is practically obsolete anyway, but if your business still uses this technology then think about subscribing to an app-based online faxing service. This will eliminate the need for a physical machine, as well as ink and paper. It will also give you a much easier way to access documents quickly online.
Online Payments and Invoicing
Invoicing clients with paper is completely unnecessary these days. Instead, ask for payments online or over the phone to save on printing costs.
This will also be a lot quicker than having clients send you a check through the mail then having to wait a few days after you deposit their check for it to clear.
Since many of your clients are already trying to do their part to reverse the effects of climate change, they will welcome these changes.
Recycling
It probably comes as no surprise for you to hear that recycling is vital not only to saving you money, but also in reversing climate change. So add designated recycling bins throughout the office. This can be a great way of reminding employees get into this important habit.
If you receive a lot of junk mail, don’t just throw it away. Either recycle it when it arrives, or unsubscribe from it. The latter will prevent flyers and leaflets from being printed in the first place.
Add a shredder, too. This can be a great tool for reducing waste, as shredders break paper down efficiently and conserve bin space. They also allow you to recycle important and sensitive documents.
In this same vein, think about adding a wastepaper tray next to your office printer. This will encourage employees to reuse scrap paper for their other work tasks. For example, they can use wastepaper for taking notes during a meeting.
Here’s One Last Word About Climate Change
Reducing the number of pages we print at the office is vital to reversing the effects of climate change. When you do the things we suggest here, you can feel good about the fact that you are not only saving your office money, but you’re also combating climate change.
It is important for everyone everywhere to be educated about climate change. We must all do our part, because the movement to save our planet is critically important to all of us, as well as to our children and our grandchildren. Lasting change won’t happen if only a few people pitch in. We must all be involved and do our part.
So spread the message. Then, working together, we will limit the amount of CO2 we’re pumping into the atmosphere. Then there might just be hope for those polar bears yet.
