Top Tips To Create A Strong Sustainability Culture And Set A Good Example For Employees

Sustainability has become a key element of doing business in any industry. However, running a sustainable business can be challenging and involves engaging employees in your sustainability mission. Developing a strong sustainability culture allows employees to commit to sustainability and implement the environmentally friendly initiatives that best suit the company. Your organisational culture refers to the company’s mission and vision. However, there is much more to consider, such as the daily interaction between employees and managers or your team’s attitude to their daily responsibilities. Today we will provide you with our expert tips to cultivate a culture of sustainability and ensure that your company is striving for a greater purpose other than profit.

How To Create A Strong Sustainability Culture

Create A Sustainability Vision

Establishing a sustainability vision will help your company determine the direction in which it wants to move in. Therefore, it is critical to develop a picture of the future that is easy to communicate. As new challenges arise, you should adapt the sustainability vision accordingly. Then you will need to ensure that your company’s sustainability vision is remembered and celebrated in different ways.

For example, this might involve organising events, such as sustainability weeks, team competitions, as well as communication campaigns. It might also be a good idea to involve employees’ families, encouraging them to introduce sustainable practices at home.

Explore Effective Solutions

You will need to develop a solid understanding of your company’s impact and potential for sustainable growth. This can be done by exploring effective solutions and strategies to tackle environmental issues, such as climate change.

Take a look at this Business and Climate Change online short course from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, which is designed to show you how to combat climate change in your context and, through the process of decarbonising your business, identify new opportunities for innovation. It delves deep into the importance of this topic, providing you with guidelines on how to create a positive impact within your sphere of influence. You will also learn more about real-world examples of low carbon initiatives.

Get Involved In Local Initiatives

No matter how much effort you put into designing a sustainability strategy, there might be a few employees who might not want to get involved straightaway. It is advisable to provide them with a sense of relevance by looking for local community initiatives that your company can support.

Following successful involvement with community initiatives, these employees can witness the tangible results, which can increase their motivation to get involved again. To ensure success, focus on achieving goals related to employees’ daily lives and personal values.

Participate In Sustainability Forums

There are many issues that your business might want to learn about. However, nowadays, it can be challenging to always keep up with the best practices out there.

Consider participating in sustainability forums where public, private, and third sectors meet to discuss innovative sustainability practices. This can provide you with ideas on how to develop a culture of sustainability that will show your employees that you are committed to making positive changes. You may also have the chance to make new business connections and partnerships.

Implement Green Practices

Think about creating a more sustainable office so that you can save money and energy. For example, you may consider using renewable energy, as green power sources are now more accessible than ever. Also, you can try going paperless by printing less in general and using e-statements and invoices instead of paper documents.

There are also many benefits of choosing LED lighting in your office, such as providing a better work setting for employees and increasing energy efficiency. Where possible, you should try to maximise natural light as well.

Provide Sustainability Training

Employees should not only understand the idea of sustainability and developing a green culture, but they should also be aware of the reasons why the company is focused on sustainability. This means that your message needs to be clear so that employees feel more aligned with the company’s mission. Sustainability training can take place in a variety of ways by using a combination of internal and external resources.

climate change in sustainability reporting

For instance, you can start by hosting monthly meetings with the aim of discussing different topics related to business sustainability. Also, it might be helpful to establish a training budget that enables employees to attend seminars or conferences.

Put Together A Green Team

If you are looking to truly engage employees and establish a sustainability culture, you will not only just need leadership from management, but at all levels of the organisation.

It can be helpful to set up a green team made up of passionate individuals across all levels and departments of the company. These people should be eager to contribute to the organisation’s sustainability efforts. This will confirm the idea of a greater movement happening and will encourage participation from other team members as well. You will find that many employees will be interested in participating in something that aligns with their core values.

Organise Regular Meetings

Holding meetings on a regular basis is a great way to allow cross-collaboration between different departments and areas of the business. It will also enable you to track progress and communicate results with the rest of the team. Keep employees fully informed about company updates when it comes to broader sustainability goals. Explain how company initiatives are benefiting the environment  and your local community.

You may also want to include general news about eco-trends or worldwide sustainability activities that might interest your employees. Regular meetings will help you stay on track with your goals, ensuring that every employee can feel like a sustainability champion.

Be Open To Suggestions

When employees are empowered with education and the tools they need to make a positive environmental impact, they are more likely to embed sustainability into their daily routines. This means that you can avoid unwanted disruption to regular business culture. Instead, you can focus on making gradual changes and moving towards a culture of sustainability.

It is crucial to ensure that employees feel confident to share their ideas and suggestions, which may influence company actions. As a result, all employees can gain common ground on sustainability strategies.

Share Success Stories

It is important to show appreciation to employees who have adopted this culture by featuring their stories in a visible or public manner. If you are looking to promote employee engagement, you may also want to organise competitions with attractive incentives, such as a paid company volunteer day.

Remember to celebrate your employees’ success and show them that the company is committed to helping all stakeholders, including customers, partners, and the local community. For example, you can share awards, pictures, videos, and quotes on social media so that you can get more people involved.

Embed Sustainability In Employees’ Minds

Sustainability should become part of everyday interaction between employees and managers, from senior board meetings to sub-department lunches. When it comes to adopting new habits and getting accustomed to new ideas, repetition is key. Therefore, it might be beneficial for managers to mention sustainability during important speeches and presentations. This will portray sustainability as a main personal and organisational goal.

Managers can demonstrate that the company’s sustainability vision is not empty words but rather a top priority. As a result, the concept of sustainability and a green workplace culture will be embedded in employees’ minds.

Zero Waste Trends in the United States

Most people don’t see what happens to their trash. They throw it in a black plastic bag, toss the bag into a dumpster and the trash man collects it once a week and makes it disappear. Magic, right?

Wrong.

Most of our trash ends up in a landfill where it is buried and mixed in with decades-worth of junk. Certain items will break down over time while others are essentially just stored there, in a graveyard of forgotten items and a mountain of garbage.

In the year since China banned the import of other countries’ plastic recyclables, the global recycling industry has been in flux, resulting in plastics ending up in landfills, incinerators and littering the environment. This is causing countries and citizens across the globe to reexamine their recycling systems and highlights the need for zero waste practices.

Zero waste is the concept of eliminating the amount of trash thrown away by only purchasing reusable items. That’s a significant shift from the 4.4 pounds of trash that the average American tosses every day. But certain trends are helping make the idea of zero waste a reality in the United States. Let us have a look:

Replace Single-Use Packaging With Reusable Materials

Way too many plastic items that we use every day are meant to be used only once. And the amount of packaging that goes into shipping one box, that will simply get tossed in the garbage after the parcel is unwrapped, is astounding. In fact, 40 percent of plastic produced is packaging, which is thrown away after it arrives at your doorstep.

Plastic bag and straw bans are on the rise across the globe. Consumers are becoming more conscious of how their use of these items contributes to the trash crisis. Recent data shows that customers are more likely to buy products from brands that promote sustainable business practices.

biodegradeable-packaging

Reduce Energy Waste By Choosing Renewable Options

Many industries are opting to reduce energy waste by pursuing renewable energy sources. U.S. manufacturers account for 30 percent of the nation’s energy consumption, which means manufacturers must take the lead in reducing fossil fuel consumption and energy waste.

The U.S. is the leader in energy waste. Americans spend $350 billion on energy costs each year, yet three-quarters of that energy goes to waste. One way to reduce the burden on our power grid — and our wallets — from all that lost energy is by switching to renewable energy sources.

Air compressors are vital to the upkeep of a successful farm, and many producers in the agricultural sector are also reducing waste by switching to high-powered air compressors that, when properly maintained, can reduce energy usage and cut costs.

Eliminate Food Waste

About 94 percent of food waste ends up in landfills, which contribute to methane gas emissions. Reducing food waste not only helps the environment, but it also decreases the amount you have to spend at the grocery store. It also helps to conserve energy, as less power is needed to grow and produce food if less is wasted.

Individual consumers can help eliminate food waste by freezing leftovers to preserve them and composting uneaten food, as opposed to tossing in the trash.

Restaurants can use these tactics and others to cut down on food waste, such as donating leftovers and properly training staff to get on board with waste reduction. They can also hire auditors to help them identify ways to reduce waste and streamline business practices.

Never Too Late to Make a Change

Though the statistics may seem disheartening, the reality is that it’s never too late to make a change in your individual or business habits to help cut down on waste and work toward the goal of accomplishing zero waste. Following these trends and implementing others is just one way to do your part to eliminate waste and protect the environment.

How Companies Can Streamline Energy Consumption

Recent projections show that the world’s energy demands are about to increase by close to 25% between now and 2030. Population and wealth growth are the leading factors behind the increased need for energy. Additionally, issues related to pollution and climate change are compelling companies and investors alike with respect to how they produce and use energy.

energy-company

Grs a global resource solutions company offers a plethora of services that could help industries reshape and streamline their energy consumption.

Energy efficiency is playing a vital role in helping the world achieve its power needs and progress.

Increase in Fuel Prices

The prices of energy have kept rising over the years even when oil prices have dropped as was the case in 2014-2015. Such sudden fluctuations can be difficult for businesses to deal with. Also, declines in energy prices have called into question whether the efforts in energy conservation and efficiency are worth it.

According to various financial analyses, energy costs form a considerable chunk of operating expenses. Worldwide, cement, chemical, mining and metal companies, for instance, spend almost 30% of their operating budget on energy. Additionally, the percent of the budget spent on energy is higher in developing nations due to the cheap cost of labor.

Also Read: Why Industrial Property Owners Should Own Their Own Transformers

Energy Efficiency

Statistics and research show that operational upgrades can cut energy consumption by approximately 20%. Nonetheless, investment in energy efficiency technologies can reduce energy usage by even 50%.

The reports and findings show that it is not a pipe dream for manufacturing entities, which account for almost half of the world’s energy usage, to meet energy requirements in a way that is environmentally friendly and economical as well. Advanced technology could substantially reduce energy usage and save companies more than six hundred billion dollars per year.

reduce-energy-use

There are technologies currently in place that can help companies reduce energy consumption. The ideas cover a range of manufacturing and production companies like cement, mining, oil refining and chemicals. Nonetheless, firms are facing the challenge of how to put energy efficiency technology in place how to renew the technology so that it stays relevant year in and year out.

1. Think Circular

Consider your product to be a future source that can be used many times. In other words, when developing a product, strive to move away from the traditional linear supply chain. Take, for example, a data services provider. Put in place the think circular standard by using an analytics system to develop a facility that restructures energy to its core function. This results in more capacity and less operational expenses.

Circular-Economy

2. Profit Per Hour

Whenever making any changes, remember to create a comprehensive review of the full profit equation. During the study, evaluate aspects such as yield, throughput and energy. Nonetheless, profit should be of the highest priority before effecting any changes.

3. Think Lean

It is vital for an organization to create a resource productivity plan. Lean thinking and green manufacturing are based on similar principles and will blend in together well.

4. Think Holistic

When making changes, ensure that they not only focus on a specific aspect. Instead, you should also focus on the management system, behavior and mindsets.

5 Tips to Grow Your Construction Business

Construction is undoubtedly a profitable industry to be involved in. With high demand and a constant need, you have the potential to achieve great success. However, with desire comes competition. To secure regular jobs, you need to find ways to stand out from the crowd. Otherwise, you may find it harder to expand to new markets.

Below we will talk about five tips you can follow to grow your construction business.

Are you interested in learning more? Then keep on reading.

how to grow your construction business

1. Be organized

As you may already be aware, a lot of paperwork is involved in running a construction business. From bidding documents to staff qualifications, you’ll need to have everything readily available to complete work as efficiently as possible.

Office management tips can help with this, but looking into great software is also a good idea. The more tools you have, the easier it will be to stay on top of everything.

2. Discover your niche

There are many different types of construction, and while you may cover various aspects, having one niche is essential. You can grow your customer base by focusing on one specialty rather than multiple.

This is because you’ll be able to streamline your workflow and improve overall productivity. In addition, everyone will know their specific role within your company.

If you’re struggling to find your niche, try to:

  • Narrow down your best specialty.
  • Evaluate your current and previous customers.
  • Consider factors such as cost, location, and available equipment.

3. Hire the right team

When it comes to running a business, employee retention is critical. You won’t be able to build an excellent reputation if you are constantly accepting resignations or firing staff.

Instead, aim to hire experienced and dependable individuals so your team can flourish. But, of course, you should also focus on creating excellent company culture too. The right benefits can prove highly desirable.

4. Prioritize marketing

Marketing for construction industry is a little different than regular retail. You may not be able to join in on trending topics, but there are still ways that you can promote your business.

Naturally, this can be a little bit tricky to navigate if marketing doesn’t come naturally, and it can almost become a full-time occupation.  As you’re probably well aware as a busy electrician digital marketing isn’t a top priority, fortunately there are some affordable options for outsourcing that area of expertise.

If you’re having trouble, make sure that you consider the niche you decided upon as well as your target audience. You can find some other great marketing advice here.

construction-waste

5. Make smart investments

Finally, the last tip to follow is to ensure you make smart investments. You won’t be able to move forward if you are using outdated tools. Old equipment will only last so long.

Just remember to be careful with your decisions. On the one hand, hiring latest equipment from other companies can be more expensive, but on the other, you don’t want to waste money on things you don’t regularly need.

Final words

As you can see, growing your construction business will not be easy, but it is possible. You just need to stay organized, have a great plan, and most importantly, be patient. All of your hard work will pay off – it just takes time and dedication.

How to Incorporate Sustainability into Your Business?

Since catapulting to the frontlines of news headlines and global consciousness, climate change is one of the most talked about and concerning topics of the modern age. Fortunately with this shift in cognition, manufacturers all across the globe have banded together to create green products in hopes of a more eco-friendly future. It’s these very products that can transform any business from a wasteful guzzler to a green success. With this guide, we’ll walk you through how you can incorporate sustainability into your daily business practice.

1. LED bulbs

Switch out the incandescent light bulbs with CFL or LED bulbs for a longer-lasting and more energy-efficient brilliance. Compact-fluorescent (CFL) and LED light bulbs tend to carry higher price tags than the average fluorescent bulb, however they offer a far more attractive projected lifespan than typical fluorescent bulbs which tend to offer 1,200 hours of  light.

LED bulbs, on average, cost around $5 and offer 25,000 hours of light, while CFL light bulbs cost about $2 and offer 10,000 hours of projected lifespan. Not only are CFL and LED lights more practical from a sustainability standpoint, but they will also save you thousands on your business’s electric bill.

2. Biodegradable Kitchen Supplies

Using biodegradable kitchen supplies to save on plastic waste. Unless your office is the type of place where employees keep personal dishes in the kitchen cupboard, you will likely need to keep a stash of utensils, cups, and plates on deck for any catered lunches or work parties.

Instead of giving into the cheap prices of eco-unfriendly plastic ware, invest in biodegradable kitchen packaging for a greener feast. With fewer resource requirements, these biodegradable forks, spoons, and knives will leave your business with a reduced carbon footprint.

Green SMEs

3. Ink cartridge recycling

Recycling ink cartridges is a great practice to put in place for businesses equipped with a number of printers. Believe it or not, the vast majority of discarded ink cartridges end up in harmful, toxic landfills that eventually end up in our oceans. Ink cartridge recycling is the most eco-friendly solution to this preventable problem. There are a number of simple ways to take those empty cartridges off your hands and into the hands of a trusted recycler:

  • Find a local recycling facility: You may not even know where your local recycle center is located. Luckily Earth911 can guide you to the nearest location for easy cartridge recycling.
  • Find a local office supply store: Did you know most office supply stores offer recycle programs? Check online or call in to see if they accept ink cartridges.
  • Consider refilling original cartridges: Do a bit of research on the brand of your empty ink cartridge. You may find that they are able to refill your cartridge and you won’t ever have to worry about tossing them!

4. Opening windows

Opening up windows is an easy solution to a stuffy, warm office. When people are packed like sardines into their tiny cubicles, the air can quickly become stale and stifling. Instead of wasting money and energy on air conditioning, open a few windows to let fresh air flow in.

Air conditioners put hydrofluorocarbons, a type of greenhouse gas emission, into the environment—so while you may feel refreshed, the earth is further harmed. Reduce your business’ contribution by saving the AC for the more-unbearable summer days.

5. Adopt renewable energy

Invest in renewable energy sources for a long-term, energy-efficient, and eco-friendly power solution. Every year, we see more and more solar panels sitting atop rooftops, which means the time to invest in solar panels is now. By converting sunlight into a sustainable power source, solar panels are the greenest source of energy on the planet today. Solar energy can be used heat buildings and provide energy to power lights on.

what-is-community-solar

6. Make use of post-consumer waste

Turning to post-consumer waste (PCW) to escape the cycle of high-volume paper waste is an exceptional solution for any company that uses a lot of paper. PCW paper is paper re-made at recycling facilities. According to the Environmental Paper Network Paper Calculator, PCW paper saves on

  • 5,610 gallons of water
  • 5,000,000 BTU of energy
  • 376 pounds of solid waste
  • 1,035 pounds of CO2 greenhouse gas emissions

Bottom Line

In 2021, there are no more excuses for why a business is stuck in the past. The future can be a bright one if we all put our best foot forward and make the effort to make our spaces greener!

The Business Case For Water Conservation

The majority of properties globally waste water, and commercial properties are no different. According to EPA statistics, a single toilet can leak a gallon of water every two minutes; an unattended hose, 20 gallons every two minutes. This is a huge amount of water when you multiply that by the hundreds of thousands of businesses in every country around the world. For businesses, there is a moral and ethical imperative to save water – everyone needs to get involved in tackling climate change. However, there’s a business case to be made, too, starting with your bottom line.

Business Case For Water Conservation

Maximizing profits, minimizing waste

The impact of decreasing water levels and the rise of droughts is already having a serious impact on businesses. According to ABC, rising costs are inevitable, and that includes in traditionally water-rich areas such as Illinois, USA. Water can be lost through faulty plumbing, but also through business groundwork and premises. Too many non-water-retaining surfaces, such as asphalt, concrete and imitation lawns, can lead to water runoff, giving no benefit to the business and creating losses.

There is a clear business case for trying to trap this water. Studies have shown that huge savings can be made by installing infrastructure and policies that seek to retain water. Going in at the base level is a great place to start in generating real long-term savings.

Long-term impacts

Fighting water loss will also help to combat climate change, an area in which there is already untold damage being done to businesses. According to CNBC, the accumulated damage caused by climate change will cost businesses $2 trillion by the end of the century – every single year. This is a 7.1% loss in revenue in the USA alone. Businesses in less well protected areas of the world, especially around the equator, can stand to lose even more in the short term.

A proper climate change action policy is essential in getting involved in the fight against this, and that includes retaining as much water as possible – in the USA, and further afield, drought is already a major problem.

A sustainable generation

When it comes to business reputation, savvy owners know that it’s the opinion of their customers that really matters. The customer’s need trump everything else, and there’s a lot of evidence to back up just how much the customer really cares about the impact on the environment of the business they are purchasing from.

How is RO Water Harmful to Health

According to Forbes, 58% of consumers – all consumers, not just the typically more progressively-minded youth – will now pay more for products that come from companies with considerable green credentials. This is a massive opportunity for businesses to get ahead of competition and cement a long-term name in the industry.

As you can see, water saving policies aren’t only common sense – they’re a real action to take in the fight against climate change, and improving company profits. A business stands to benefit to a large degree from embracing pro-green policies.

A Guide to Sustainable Waste Management for Businesses

There are many reasons to adopt sustainability as your main guiding policy in conducting business. With environmental problems becoming more prevalent worldwide, consumers seem to show a strong preference for businesses that adhere to environmental ethics. A sustainable business strategy can thus give you an edge over competitors. But business sustainability is tightly connected to waste management because any business activity generates waste that can harm the environment.

In this article, you’ll discover a detailed guide to sustainable waste management for businesses that want to build an eco-friendly identity.

waste-management-in-companies

Identify Wasteful Activities

Whether you deliver products or services, analyze your business practices and determine what activities produce the largest amounts of waste. Most importantly, determine whether these waste-generating activities can be avoided or reduced. For example, paper consumption in offices is often wasteful and can be easily reduced by avoiding unnecessary printing and copying and working predominantly with electronic files.

So, identify all wasteful activities in your company. Then implement a series of rules to avoid these activities or reduce their recurrence. Much better than implementing a sustainable waste management system is not to generate waste at all.

Reuse, Recycle or Donate

Pay attention to the waste generated in your company and determine which items or components can be reused, recycled, or donated. In many cases, what you consider waste can find an application elsewhere.  Good waste management involves foremost an assessment of whether an item has lost all functional and practical purposes or is fit for other uses inside your company or elsewhere.

Always consider reusing items that haven’t lost their properties or features. Instruct employees to recycle. Add bins in the office for materials such as paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, or aluminum. Never send electronics, office equipment, furniture, or tools to the landfill. Either send them to a recycling facility or donate them to a charity.

Create a Disposal Plan

It’s almost impossible to avoid all waste since even raw materials and supplies can turn into waste due to being contaminated or damaged. This is why you need a waste disposal plan that it’s either dangerous to keep on your premises or cannot be recycled. For example, old and unused fuels can become contaminated and require removal from a specialized service.

waste-management-plan

To maintain a clean, healthy, and safe environment for your employees and customers, create a disposal plan for each type of waste. Ideally, only biodegradable waste should go to the landfill.

Conclusion

Although a business can find it difficult not to generate waste, it’s important to develop a waste management system that takes into consideration environmental concerns. Businesses need raw materials, supplies, tools, electronics, and various equipment to function properly. They also need energy, electricity, and water. And because businesses consume so many tangible and intangible resources, governments and customers expect them to show a sense of responsibility for the environment.

By adopting a sustainable waste management system, you demonstrate an ethical, future-oriented business approach. Perform a waste audit and use the tips above to set waste reduction goals for your business.

Waste Minimisation – Role of Public, Private and Community Sector

When it comes to waste minimisation and moving material up the waste hierarchy you will find partisan advocates for the roles of the public, private and community sectors. Each will tell you the reasons why their sector’s approach is the best. The private sector will extol their virtues as the only ones capable of efficiently and effectively doing the job.  They rightly note that they are the providers on the front lines who actually recover the vast majority of material, that the private sector approach drives innovation and efficiency, and that if waste minimisation is to be sustainable this must include economic sustainability.

 

The community sector on the other hand will make a strong case to say that their model, because it commonly encompasses social, environmental, and economic outcomes, is able to leverage value from recovered materials to dig deeper into the waste stream, to optimise recovered material quality, and to maximise employment and local economic benefit.

Before recycling and composting were economically viable prospects, community sector organisations led the way, developing many of the techniques now widely used. They remain the leaders in marginal areas such as furniture reuse, running projects that deliver environmental outcomes while providing wider community benefits such as rehabilitation and training for marginalised groups.

Finally, in the public sector corner, advocates will point out that the profit-driven private sector will only ever recover those materials that are able to generate positive revenues, and so cannot maximise waste minimisation, while social outcomes are strictly a secondary consideration. The community sector, on the other hand, while encompassing non-monetary values and capable of effective action on a local scale, is not set up to deliver these benefits on a larger scale and can sometimes struggle to deliver consistent, professional levels of service.

The public sector can point to government’s role in legislating to promote consistent environmental and social outcomes, while councils are major providers and commissioners of recycling services and instrumental in shaping public perceptions around waste issues. The public sector often leads in directing activity towards non-monetary but otherwise valuable outcomes, and provides the framework and funding for equity of service levels.

So who is right? Each sector has good arguments in its favour, and each has its weaknesses. Does one approach carry the day?  Should we just mix and match according to our personal taste or based on what is convenient?

Perhaps we are asking the wrong question. Maybe the issue is not “which approach is better?” but instead “how might the different models help us get to where we ultimately want to go?”

Smells Like Waste Minimisation

So where do we want to go?  What is the waste minimisation end game?

If we think about things from a zero waste perspective, the ideal is that we should move from linear processes of extraction, processing, consumption and disposal, to cyclical processes that mimic nature and that re-integrate materials into economic and natural systems.  This is the nirvana – where nothing is ‘thrown away’ because everything has a further beneficial use.  In other words what we have is not waste but resources.  Or to put it another way – everything has value.

Assuming that we continue to operate in an essentially capitalist system, value has to be translated into economic terms.  Imagine if every single thing that we now discard was worth enough money to motivate its recovery.  We would throw nothing away: why would we if there was money to be made from it?

So in a zero waste nirvana the private sector and the community sector would take care of recovery almost automatically.  There might evolve a community and private sector mix, with each occupying different niches depending on desired local outcomes. There would be no need for the public sector to intervene to promote waste minimisation.  All it would need to do would be to set some ground rules and monitor the industry to ensure a level playing field and appropriate health and safety.

Sectoral Healing

Returning to reality, we are a long way from that zero waste nirvana.  As things stand, a bunch of materials do have economic value, and are widely recycled. Another layer of materials have marginal value, and the remainder have no value in practical terms (or even a negative value in the case of hazardous wastes).

The suggested shift in perspective is most obvious in terms of how we think about the role of the public sector. To bring us closer to our goal, the public sector needs to intervene in the market to support those materials of marginal value so that they join the group that has genuine value.

Kerbside (or curbside) collection of certain materials, such as glass and lower value plastics, is an example of an activity that is in effect subsidised by public money. These subsidies enable the private sector to achieve environmental outcomes that we deem sufficiently worthwhile to fund.

However, the public sector should not just be plugging a gap in the market (as it largely does now), but be working towards largely doing itself out of a job. If we are to progress towards a cyclical economy, the role of the public sector should not be to subsidise marginal materials in perpetuity, but to progressively move them from marginal to genuinely economic, so that they no longer require support.

At the same time new materials would be progressively targeted and brought through so that the range and quantity requiring disposal constantly shrinks.  This suggests a vital role for the public sector that encompasses research, funding for development of new technologies and processes, and setting appropriate policy and price structures (such as through taxes, levies, or product stewardship programmes).

Similarly, the community sector, because it is able to ‘dig deeper’ into the waste stream, has a unique and ongoing role to play in terms of being able to more effectively address those materials of marginal value as they begin to move up the hierarchy.  The community sector’s unique value is its ability to work at the frontiers.

Meanwhile, the private sector’s resources and creativity will be needed to enable efficient systems to be developed to manage collection, processing and recycling of materials that reach the threshold of economic viability – and to create new, more sustainable products that fit more readily into a waste minimising world.

In the end, then, perhaps the answer is to stop seeing the three models as being in competition. Instead, we should consciously be utilising the unique characteristics of each so that we can evolve our practices towards a future that is more functional and capable of delivering the circular economy that must eventuate if we are to sustain ourselves on this planet.

Note: The article is being republished with the kind permission of our collaborative partner Isonomia. The original article can be viewed at this link

5 Reasons You Need a Commercial Dumpster for Your Business

Businesses are a leading source of waste, hence the need for management. While waste management on a large scale is still a challenge, businesses can come up with effective management, such as hiring a dumpster. You do not necessarily need a permanent dumpster as a business, but having one is vital to properly managing your waste. A dumpster will significantly benefit your business, whether a cleaning company, restaurant, or office.

Read on for five reasons you need a commercial dumpster rental for your business.

why your business need a commercial dumpster

1. Safe Workplace

A commercial dumpster rental will help create a safe job site, especially if you deal with sharp and hazardous products. You can designate special dumpsters for different kinds of waste to reduce accidents at the workplace. A clean and safe workplace also promotes peace of mind among your employees, improving their performance.

2. Commercial Dumpster Rentals Are Eco Friendly

As a business owner, you should meet the local, federal, state, or international standards to reduce the greenhouse effect. Adding a waste management policy helps you compact your trash for recycling. This way, a small percentage of your waste will find its way into the landfill sites and water bodies, saving the environment in the long run.

3. Create More Space

Compacting your waste saves on space as it reduces the once bulky items. You can, in turn, utilize the extra space in your business for more facilities for optimal performance.

4. Legal Waste Management

Unfortunately, many businesses are unaware that they are illegally throwing trash, which could get them into trouble. Using a commercial dumpster rental service provides your business with a legal waste management option. The company will take responsibility for the waste management and all its regulations, saving you the worry.

skip bins

5. Reduce Operational Costs

Failure to manage your waste could result in workplace injuries in which the affected party sues the organization resulting in hefty compensations. Also, while you may have other disposal mechanisms, they could violate the rules of your locality, which may attract fines. Therefore, investing in a commercial dumpster rental is ideal for reducing such costs.

Get a Commercial Dumpster for Your Business

A waste management system is necessary for any business. This system keeps the business clean, ensures a safe work environment, cuts operational costs, and preserves the environment. Hence, if you are yet to implement such a system, consider linking up with a reputable company, most of which will also set a recycling program for your business.

MySQL Alternatives and Competitors for Small Businesses

MySQL is a popular technology in the extensive data ecosystem. Anyone dealing with data or general IT must familiarize themselves with MySQL. It’s also essential to identify MySQL alternatives and competitors when considering circumstances and potential growth for your small business.

What Is MySQL?

This is a relational database management system (RDBMS) established by Oracle. This system is based on structured query language or SQL. A database is a collection of data. It could involve anything as simple as a picture gallery or shopping list. It’s a place where you hold vast amounts of information. A digital store collects data and organizes it according to a relational model. 

MySQL Alternatives for Small Businesses

MySQL is a crucial system for data classification. This analyzes data and organizes it into defined categories based on its contents, type, and other characteristics. Many organizations use MySQL for data classification because it allows them to answer queries about their data, and use this data to make critical business decisions. Analyzing data helps organizations mitigate risk by safeguarding data based on criteria like sensitivity, secrecy, and confidentiality.

Some popular organizations that have employed MySQL backends include Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Flickr, and Wikipedia. The following are some alternatives and competitors of MySQL.

1. Microsoft SQL Server

SQL Server 2017 supports Windows, Linux, and Docker containers. It allows developers to create applications using their preferred language. This system comes with innovative security features and built-in AI. SQL Server is also capable of delivering insights through mobile BI.

2. Azure SQL Database

Azure SQL Database uses the Microsoft SQL Server Engine. This relational database has a high-performance, secure database and is reliable. You can use this system to create data-driven websites and applications in the programming language of your choice without the need to manage infrastructure.

3. IBM Informix

IBM Informix is a database optimized for Internet of Things (IoT) and OLTP data. This system can integrate SQL, NoSQL, and JSON. It’s reliable, flexible, and easy to use. It’s also affordable. IBM Informix works with both structured and unstructured data. It’s a hybrid database system that allows flexibility and easier development. You can run OLTP queries and workloads and use the Informix warehouse accelerator for predictive analytics. 

4. MariaDB

MariaDB was created by the same people who developed MySQL. The MariaDB foundation supports this open-source relational database. Some capabilities of this system include Galera Cluster 4, Temporal Data Tables, and Oracle Database.

5. SQLite

SQLite is a database library that implements a serverless, self-contained, transactional, and zero-configuration database engine. SQL lite is the most famous database in the world. The code used for SQLite is in the public domain and is free for use, whether for private or commercial purposes. 

6. Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS)

Amazon Relational Database Service (RDS) is a web service you can easily set up. Operating and scaling a relational database in the cloud is also easy. Some supported database systems include Amazon Aurora, MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, MariaDB, and PostgreSQL.

7. SAP HANA Cloud

SAP HANA Cloud combines database and application platform capabilities to transform transactions, text analysis, analytics, and predictive and spatial processing. This allows businesses to operate in real time.

8. LibreOffice Base

This is a full-featured desktop front-end database that addresses the needs of different users. LibreOffice Base supports drivers for the most popular multi-user database engines. These include MariaDB, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and MS Access. Additionally, the built-in support for ODBC and JDBC standard drivers enables you to connect to virtually any existing database engine.

9. PostgreSQL

PostgreSQL is an open-source and free object-relational database system. This database boasts many years of active reliability, robustness, development, and performance. PostgreSQL supports SQL and is designed for various workloads.

10. Firebird

Firebird is a relational database system offering ANSI SQL features. The system runs on Windows, Linux, and Unix platforms.

What To Consider When Choosing a Database Management System

When choosing a database management system, some essential features include data model, data consistency, and data security. When looking at the data model, you need to determine whether you are dealing with a relational model or unstructured data. Furthermore, consider how to retrieve and manipulate data. For example, it’s faster to analyze hierarchical data in sequential files in a NoSQL database than in a relational one.

Data consistency is another factor you must consider when choosing a database management system. Maintaining data consistency is essential as more sources tap into the database. You should consider consistency rules and define them when selecting a DBMS.

Lastly, you should think about the ability to back up and restore databases. Therefore, when choosing a database management system, you need to be able to set up a plan for data security to ensure minimal downtime in case of a security threat.

Wrapping It Up

The efficiency of any small business relies on the ability to store large amounts of crucial information securely and in an organized manner. This is why many corporations today have adopted MySQL and other related alternatives for database management. Choosing the appropriate system will ensure your data’s integrity and allow business processes to run smoothly.