Get Your Green On This Earth Day!

Earth Day is a celebration that started in the 1970s but became widely recognized in the last 30 years.  This date has another meaning for my family and me as it was 9 years ago on April 22 that we packed up and moved across town.  We technically downsized in square footage, but we upsized in green space which is much more important!  We have been working each year on making this space our own… from veggie growing, revitalizing the gardens, adding storage and a greenhouse to improving the existing tree canopies and adding to our living space (both inside and outside).

If you were to visit our home these days, you would find every window and sunny surface is currently filled with green seedlings.  I am in full production mode for our community garden, information that I will share with you at a later date.  Right now, these little babies are taking up a lot of my time as I get them ready to move outside in the next few weeks.  It will all be worth it later this summer when we harvest our veggies and deliver them to our local Food Bank.

Sweet Pepper Seedlings

Let’s celebrate Earth Day by adding more green initiatives to our lives, more specifically our businesses.  Start by adding some plants to your office.  Not only do they look good and make you feel great but they can help to purify the air around you.  Plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen back into our air through photosynthesis.  Low-maintenance plants are a must and depending on your light conditions, there is a plant option for every space!

Vadim Kaipov by Unsplash

Read on for some other ways we can incorporate environmental awareness into our businesses.

1. Reduce Paper

With so many digital options available, we have many opportunities to go paperless from contracts and invoices to communication.  I rely on cloud storage and a good backup system to keep my paper usage to a minimum.  However, I do love special paper notebooks and greeting cards, made from recycled paper where possible.

2. Be Energy Efficient

According to an article by Harvard University, computers are some of the biggest energy users in office buildings.  Instead of using a screensaver, turn off your computer when you are done for the day – this will not affect the life of your computer.  Ensure that your appliances are energy-efficient and replace your lighting with LED bulbs as a start towards implementing a reduction in your power usage.  Better still; attach your lights and devices to a power bar and turn it off with one switch at the end of the day!  

3. Shop at Home

Need something for your office?  Start at home first and if needed go vintage or visit upcycling sites to find what you need.  Create a fun space that is unique to you, your style and your brand.  Think outside the box – there are many artists that sell crafted office furniture, organizers or decor for that one-of-a-kind piece!

Artdol by Getty Images by Canva

These are just a few tips to help your business reduce waste and feel good about your footprint in the environment.  Start small and implement ‘go-green’ ideas into your day-to-day activities.  There are so many options from recycling printer cartridges, eco-friendly commuting practices, adding more recycling containers to the office, optimizing the use of natural light and so much more.  What practices do you have in place for your business?

🌍  Happy Earth Day!