The movement toward sustainability has permeated all markets at this point, with green buildings and elements becoming essential norms in both the commercial and residential sectors of society. These days, it’s simply a necessity for any business to incorporate. That said, it is still the nature of the business to need continuous ways to stand out from the rest, attract and maintain customers, and remain competitive in an ever-growing and shifting market.
Thankfully, these days, you don’t have to pick one or the other. You can achieve both sustainability and success in business if you employ the right strategies and use resources judiciously. Here are a few sustainable business practices which you can adopt without any second thoughts:
1. Use thermoplastic for markings
One of the best environmentally-friendly business practices is by having the right signage and external road markings to bring people to your location. With the right permits, you can dictate the directional markings around your property within the vicinity that you have ownership or lease of. Whether it’s parking or some other exterior space, you’ll want to use a thermoplastic road marking machine. Thermoplastics are known to be much more environmentally friendly options that don’t sacrifice durability against the elements.
Thermoplastics are a good composite because they are made of materials that are recyclable. This means that even as they wear over time, they won’t be harmful to the organic environment surrounding them.
2. Use LED lights for signage
The right lighting and signs can really make you stand out as a business even if you’re in an area with a lot of competition surrounding you. The best way to keep your lights on when you need it without using up as much energy and creating emissions is simply by opting for LED outdoor display screen. These are much more energy-efficient options that end up lasting longer. That means it’s great for the environment and can significantly lower your costs.
These days, you aren’t limited by LED aesthetically either. You can still achieve the looks that other bulbs produce without the same harmful effects because of the variations that LED has now. You can still have those bright neon lights outside your window or some Edison bulbs by your display to bring in attention, but using LED dupes.
3. Incorporate a living wall
Living walls are a great way to incorporate green architecture into your shop, and aesthetically speaking, it does wonder in adding life to any establishment. It’s also very “Instagram-friendly,” so if you’re looking to bring in that social media-savvy crowd that will be sharing your store online, this is a great option. In terms of sustainability, it’s a great way to keep the air clean and free of pollutants, adding natural insulation and dampening out the noise.
There are different ways to go about this, either by building it yourself or having one installed. The exact greenery that you’ll use will depend on your preferences and how much maintenance you can provide. If you want to maximize its environmental effects, you’ll want to use real plants. If that’s too pricey to keep up or install, there are artificial plants that are also eco-friendly (though you’ll mostly just get the aesthetic results that way).
4. Highlight local goods
Instead of sourcing your supplies out, try going local. It will be much more sustainable, whether you are dealing with food or other services. When you go local, there is much less waste produced that would otherwise happen from packaging, transport emissions, and wastage from expiring items. In terms of how that brings in customers, you can specifically highlight that you source your goods locally in order to entice people and encourage them to share this with others.
Farm-to-table sees a lot of traction because it is both sustainable and fresher to consume. Loving local is another aspect that people are more inclined towards now, even in shops that sell clothes and other products.
5. Use solar power
Though it may be quite an investment, this renewable energy source pays off in the long run as it significantly cuts down your total power costs. The prices are also comparatively much lower than people think they are, as they have dropped in cost since their introduction into the market.
Despite its gaining traction in the market, it still comes off as quite a novel spectacle that can bring people in if you can market the fact that you use solar power. It’s a great way to get the best of both worlds, attracting both curious customers and environmentally-conscious consumers while giving you long-term savings on utilities.
There is still a long way to go in terms of sustainable business practices, but if you do these, your business can be a part of the change while still thriving. You don’t even have to implement all of these things at once, as the beauty of it is that you can incorporate them any time even onto existing establishment.
Originally posted 2021-06-17 10:05:05.
Salman is a prolific environmental writer, and has authored more than 500 articles in reputed journals, magazines and websites. He is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management, sustainability and conservation all over the world.
Salman can be reached on salman@cleantechloops.com
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