Climate change is as real as it gets. African countries are experiencing climate change-induced famine. European countries have extreme rains and flooding. North American cities are freezing; Asian countries have record-breaking heat indexes.
Environmentalists said that we are at the brink of no return. We cannot anymore go back to the days when we can feel the cool afternoon breeze on our faces. All we can do right now is stop the environment from completely degrading to the point that our children and their children have no more place to call Earth.
There is now more pressure on individuals and companies to do their share of protecting the environment. Homes should be sustainable, but more so businesses that contribute to carbon emissions. There are many ways to do this, but unless technology helps businesses in energy consumption and sustainability, the road will be a long one. Plus, there might not be enough time to curb the impact of climate change.
So, yes, stop dragging your feet in the digital revolution and join the fray. The analog world has caused the high carbon emissions that the world is experiencing. Cutting down trees for papers, for example, has done so much harm that the world is now in a race to plant as many trees as possible. That’s all for the paper that you throw away in the bin, anyway? But protecting the environment is more than just about digitizing your businesses. It’s a whole business approach.
Alternative Energy
It is time for businesses to stop relying on traditional sources of energy. Talk to renewable energy companies about what options you have given the area where your business is located. Renewable energy is energy derived from the Earth’s natural resources. They are inexhaustible. Using solar, hydro, and wind to power your offices will not harm the environment as much as burning fossil fuel does.
Not only will this option help sustain the environment, but it will also curb your business’ high energy bill. Since you will rely on alternative energy to power your offices, your energy bill will likely decrease. That high upfront cost usually associated with installing alternative energy sources will be worth it.
Outsourcing
A company’s easier tasked can be outsourced to more capable people. Outsourcing has been a big help for businesses in the past decade. Instead of hiring in-house accountants, for example, you can outsource this business service to accounting firms. It cost less to outsource than it is to compensate in-house employees. With outsourcing, you only have to pay for the services that you use. Plus, there is less equipment you have to provide to your in-house employees.
Paperless
This is part of going digital for businesses. You shouldn’t only be using the cloud or hiring remote workers. You also have to commit to going paperless, which lessens the need for space, equipment, storage space, and, well, paper. Reducing paper consumption will go a long way toward environmental sustainability. Sure, the cost of tablets and cloud accounts will cost more in the beginning, but over time, you will spend less on paper, ink, and storage.
Work-from-home Policy
Technology finally made it happen: employees can work from the comforts of their own homes. The pandemic made that even more possible. Companies can significantly reduce their overhead and logistical costs because their employees are using electricity back home. Of course, you should be offering allowances, but that’s still going to be cheaper compared to having them in the office. Another benefit is employees are more productive when they don’t need to deal with the stress of a daily commute.
Video Conferencing
Yes, employees can work from home, but they still need to attend meetings with the team members and clients. Thanks to video conferencing platforms, businesses no longer need to send a person to the clients to sort out the issues. Dealing with clients will be via video conferencing anymore. This way, the company can check with the clients regularly since it’s easier than meeting them in person.
Remote Workers
The plethora of digital tools allowed for one more thing: the ability to hire workers from all over the country and world to work for you. You can have employees anywhere in the world, provided that they have a laptop and internet connection. It will reduce the physical space requirement, as well as the utility expenses and furnishings and equipment. Similar to outsourcing, you don’t need to make remote workers full-time employees. You can hire them on a per-project basis.
Digital companies are more efficient and productive. They are also more profitable than those that cannot adapt to new technologies. But more than that, they are more sustainable. And when you look at the state of the environment right now, this is exactly what every individual and business need to do.
