Solar panels are becoming much more accessible, for homeowners and for businesses. Traditional roof-rack solar panels can now be installed for as little as around $3,000, and are practically a no-brainer due to the energy savings you’ll make over time (you could even totally eliminate your electricity bill). Not to mention that you’ll be doing your part to help the environment in our planet’s time of need.

If you’ve always found chunky solar panels ugly and off-putting, business magnate Elon Musk has a solution. His electric car and solar panel company Tesla has recently unveiled invisible solar roof tiles. The tiles look exactly like normal roof slates, but capture the sun’s energy without drawing attention. These tiles are paving the way to normalizing sustainable, beautiful eco-homes.

To further convince you about seriously considering installing solar panels for your home, check out our list of top reasons why solar panels will benefit your household or business.

Slash Your Energy Bills

After the initial investment of purchasing the panels and installation, the energy produced is all yours. Even if you consume more energy than your panels can produce, you’ll make drastic savings on what you are currently paying by purchasing all your electricity from the grid.

You’ll make even more amazing savings if you live in a sunny state or country – prices in Brisbane, Australia, are particularly low to purchase and install solar panels. And as the city enjoys on average 261 days of sun per year, panels there will produce more than enough energy to power homes all year round.

Energy costs are only set to rise and rise – meaning that by investing in solar panels now, you’ll never feel the strain of your electricity bills going up again. This is an especially smart idea for business owners with fluctuating income, as you can more easily predict your cashflow with fixed energy prices.

Increase the Value of Your Home

If you are open to the possibility of moving to a new house in the future, you will be able to sell your current property at an increased value by equipping it with solar panels. It’s an attractive prospect for buyers if a potential home comes with very small or no electricity bills, so you’ll be making a huge return on your investment in this way, too.

Note: Be wary of ‘renting your roof’ to solar panel companies if you can’t afford to purchase the panels outright. You may want to ‘go green’ in any way you can, but buying panels is by far the most practical way to enjoy the benefits. The lengthy leases that come with rental panel contracts (often 25 years) have been seen to put off mortgage lenders.

It’s highly recommended that if you want to benefit from free electricity and help the environment with solar, you should save up first to increase the value of your property – not render it unsellable.

Reduce Your Carbon Footprint

As we said, it’s never been so important to do your bit to save our eco-system. The polar ice caps are melting faster than has ever been recorded, and the earth is suffering terrible effects. As well as hurricanes and fires, we’ve also experienced floods, earthquakes and landslides all over the world this year.

In the large scheme of things, installing solar panels doesn’t seem like it will help much, but if everyone did their part to be more eco-conscious, we could significantly reduce the strain of destructive fossil fuels on the environment. By equipping your property with solar panels, you will save money while making steps to saving the environment – a tough offer to turn down!

Utilizing green energy within your business has even better rewards. Marketing your business as eco-conscious and sustainable is a great way to attract customers and impress existing ones. In recent years, studies into consumer activity have found that sustainability is a big shopping priority, especially among the millennial generation. Corporate solar panels will increase your revenue by expanding your customer base AND saving your business’s energy bills.

So – what are you waiting for? Contact a solar energy company today, who will be more than happy to assist you on your green energy journey.

Recommended Reading: Marketing Strategy for Solar Companies

The post Why You Should Be Investing in Solar Panels? first appeared on BioEnergy Consult.

If Australia plans on keeping its water resource at a steady level, it has got to go from its use of coal to renewable sources. Thanks to its abundance in both solar and wind energy, Australia has quite the advantage when it comes to green energy production possibilities.

Unfortunately though due to their geographic position, the water supply is limited for the country. So much so, that the coal industry was taking a toll on the water supply due to the large quantities of water needed when producing energy from coal. As a result, moving over to wind and solar energy fueled productions is a viable option seeing how both respective energy productions do not require water.

The news that Australia was listed as a “water-stressed company” was released by the World Resource Institute; a non-profit organization based in Washington D.C. Moreover, on this past May 13th The Sydney Morning Herald also wrote that 73% of Australia’s electricity needs were met by the use of coal. In respect to these findings and Australia’s continuous growth, it is imperative that new resources are used for energy production.

Fortunately, Australia’s geography is a big resource as well when it comes to studying the possibilities of implementing the new energy production. It was in fact calculated that the dimensions of the solar power farm needed to meet the country’s demands would result in occupying only 0.1% of Australia’s total land mass; I think we can all agree on the fact that that land could be spared for a solar farm.

And on that note, the government is taking the matter seriously, and has called upon everybody to try and better the situation. The incentives call upon small businesses and households as well by reminding them that there are the possibilities of installing their own solar panels, heat pumps, solar water heaters, and more.

Thanks to the various incentives, the Green Energy Council has stated that there is a lot of activity in the sector, including at least 58 different projects focused on implementing the renewable energy sources. As a consequence of these projects, the council has also stated that there would be an income of $10 billion in investments, 6,141 new jobs, and 5,482 megawatts of renewable energy capacity. Definitely great numbers to look forward to!

Recommended Reading: Reasons Behind Electric Vehicle Adoption in Australia

The post Renewable Energy in Australia: Potential and Progress first appeared on BioEnergy Consult.

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.

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.

The post The Business Case For Water Conservation first appeared on BioEnergy Consult.

Burning coal to produce electricity releases particulates and substances such as mercury, arsenic, sulfur and carbon monoxide into the air, all of which can cause health problems in humans.

Other by-products from burning coal are acid rain, sludge run-off and heated water that is released back into the rivers and lakes nearby the coal-fired plants.  While efforts are being made to create “clean coal,” businesses have been reluctant to use the technology due to the high costs associated with changing their plants.

If you are considering taking the plunge and switching to a renewable energy source to save money on your electric and heating bills or to help the environment, you have a lot of decisions to make. The first decision you need to make is which energy source to use in your home or business.  Do you want to switch to solar energy, wind power, biomass energy or geothermal energy?

Emissions from homes using heating oil, vehicles, and electricity produced from fossil fuels also pollute the air and contribute to the number of greenhouse gases that are in the atmosphere and depleting the ozone layer.  Carbon dioxide is one of the gases that is released into the air by the burning of fossil fuels to create energy and in the use of motor vehicles.  Neither coal nor fossil fuels are sources of renewable energy.

Replacing those energy sources with solar, biomass, geothermal or wind-powered generators will allow homes and businesses to have an adequate source of energy always at hand.  While converting to these systems can sometimes be expensive, the costs are quickly coming down, and they pay for themselves in just a few short years because they supply energy that is virtually free.  In some cases, the excess energy they create can be bought from the business or the homeowner.

While there are more than these three alternative energy options, these are the easiest to implement on an individual basis.  Other sources of alternative energy, for instance, nuclear power, hydroelectric power, and natural gas require a primary power source for the heat so it can be fed to your home or business.  Solar, wind, biomass and geothermal energy can all have power sources in your home or business to supply your needs.

1. Solar Energy

Solar power is probably the most widely used source of these options.  While it can be expensive to convert your home or business over to solar energy, or to an alternative energy source for that matter, it is probably the most natural source to turn over to.

You can use the sun’s energy to power your home or business and heat water.  It can be used to passively heat or light up your rooms as well just by opening up your shades.

2. Wind Power

You need your wind turbine to power your home or office, but wind energy has been used for centuries to pump water or for commercial purposes, like grinding grain into flour.  While many countries have wind farms to produce energy on a full-scale basis, you can have your wind turbine at home or at your business to provide electricity for your purposes.

3. Biomass Energy

Biomass energy has rapidly become a vital part of the global renewable energy mix and account for an ever-growing share of electric capacity added worldwide. Biomass is the material derived from plants that use sunlight to grow which include plant and animal material such as wood from forests, material left over from agricultural and forestry processes, and organic industrial, human and animal wastes.

Biomass comes from a variety of sources which include wood from natural forests and woodlands, agricultural residues, agro-industrial wastes, animal wastes, industrial wastewater, municipal sewage and municipal solid wastes.

4. Geothermal Energy

A geothermal heat pump helps cool or heat your home or office using the earth’s heat to provide the power needed to heat the liquid that is run through the system to either heat your home in the winter or cool it off in the summer.  While many people use it, it doesn’t provide electricity, so you still need an energy source for that.

The post Your Choices for Alternative Energy first appeared on BioEnergy Consult.

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

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.

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.

The post A Guide to Sustainable Waste Management for Businesses first appeared on BioEnergy Consult.

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

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.

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.

The post 5 Reasons You Need a Commercial Dumpster for Your Business first appeared on BioEnergy Consult.

Despite this, a 2018 survey by Carbon Credentials found that only 10 percent of UK businesses had strategies in place to cut carbon emissions. Of those that did, none had a set science-based target in their carbon reduction plan. We know that climate change will devastate the economy and drastically increase the cost of doing business. That’s not even mentioning how it will impact resource scarcity and the global population as a whole.

At the same time, businesses that take the initiative to reduce their carbon footprint can look forward to many more immediate benefits. Here’s why your business needs to conduct a full carbon audit to reduce its carbon output and do to highlight climate action in the sustainability reports.

Cost Savings

Naturally, your expenses go down with your resource usage. From using more efficient equipment to streamlining your transportation operations to recycling office supplies, there are countless measures every business can take to make this happen. Within the first month, you’ll have more money to allocate towards growth – instead of utility bills.

Regulatory and Tax Compliance

Year-on-year, laws are passed to penalise businesses that don’t make an effort to reduce their impact on the environment and reward those that do. In the UK, this includes the Climate Change Levy, the EU Emissions Trading System and capital allowances on energy-efficient equipment, among other schemes.

Public Image

A 2015 Nielsen study of 30,000 consumers found that 66 percent of them would pay more for sustainably manufactured products. Among millennials, that portion increases to 77 percent. Gen Z is known to be even more conscious in this regard. The more your business cares, the more your customers will care about your business.

Employee Morale

In a similar light, going green fosters positive feelings from your employees as well. This has many benefits. For one, your staff will be more productive and motivated to achieve if they know they’re working for a good cause. Additionally, turnover will be reduced as employees will be less compelled to leave a work community that cares.

The Bigger Picture

This should go without saying, but reducing your company’s environmental impact has lasting benefits for your community and the economy as a whole. The likelihood of your long-term success and prosperity is far greater if the environment is in better shape.

What You Can Do

The list of measures your business can take to become more environmentally conscious is quite frankly endless. Get started by reading about some simple ways that businesses can reduce their carbon output. The internet serves as a wealth of information on this topic.

Implementing greener practises is extremely beneficial to your business and more often than not, it is a dead-simple process. Getting started today will help you reap the benefits and reach your business goals sooner.

The post Why Businesses Need to Reduce Their Carbon Output? first appeared on BioEnergy Consult.

Hazardous waste regulations compliance is complex, and businesses of all sizes find them significantly stringent to follow and comply with. If found guilty, the organizations are liable to pay huge fines that can financially wipe out small and mid-size organizations. This article can help businesses stay proactive about preventing hazardous waste violations.

Types of Hazardous Waste

Hazardous waste is any solid waste that is listed as a known hazardous waste or exhibits any characteristic among ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity. A known hazardous waste is categorized into four lists named F, K, P, and U lists.

 The hazardous waste regulations differ based on the quantity of waste generated by your business.

• Large Quantity Generators – Businesses that monthly generate more than 1000 kg of hazardous waste or more than 100 kg of acute spill residue or soil, or more than 1 kg of acute hazardous waste.
• Small Quantity Generators – Businesses that monthly generate hazardous waste between 100 kg and 1000 kg.
• Very Small Quantity Generators – Businesses that monthly generate up to 100 kg of hazardous waste, or up to 100 kg of acute spill residue or soil, or up to 1 kg of acute hazardous waste.

After knowing your class of hazardous waste generators, let’s understand some of the common hazardous waste violations.

Common Hazardous Waste Violations

1. Lack of Proper Labelling

Proper labeling is critical for notifying government waste haulers, safety personnel, and your employees regarding the accumulated chemical, specifically in the event of an emergency and how long it has been accumulating onsite.

2. Improper Disposal

Businesses dispose of hazardous waste by illegally dumping it due to various reasons, including lack of time and efforts, avoid disposal fees, lack of knowledge about what constitutes hazardous waste, or understaffed or untrained workforce with lack of waste management procedures knowledge.

3. Improper or No Determination of the Waste

Many times, the generators fail to properly determine the waste by testing it or knowing its stream that can attract hefty fines.

4. Improper Management of Expired Waste

Expired chemicals can be extremely volatile and considered hazardous waste. These materials can be dangerous as they are no longer in their original containers and can become less stable or have decomposed due to aging. They are subject to hazardous waste generator requirements as well as the regulatory timeframes in which they can be disposed of or stored.

5. No or Inadequate Waste Manifests

Adequate paperwork is also critical when it comes to hazardous waste. After storing and labeling hazardous waste, you, as a generator, are mandated to complete the Hazardous Waste Manifest that outlines the type and quality of waste. Further, you need to mail its copy to the appropriate regulatory agencies such as EPA and DOT (Department of Transportation).

6. No or Inadequate Training for Employees

Inadequate employee training can lead to improper hazardous waste handling procedures that might result in treacherous spills, toxic chemical reactions, and spreading fire. Also, failing to wear protective gear can expose your employees to radioactive materials, fumes, and other hidden risks that can cost their lives. Not following proper updated standards for employee communication and training can result in hefty fines.

7. Lack of Contingency Plan

A generator should have a written Hazardous Waste Contingency Plan that can be implemented immediately during an emergency, including explosions, fires, and sudden unplanned release of hazardous waste. It’s designed to minimize hazards to the environment and human health during emergencies. Failing to have a contingency plan can result in significant fines.

8. Improper Management of Mercury

Mercury and its products are incredibly toxic and can cause chronic and acute poisoning and severe illness if mishandled. Improper management of mercury attracts hefty fines as it can lead to spills and evaporation, risking human lives and the environment.

9. Open Containers

Not closing the containers containing hazardous waste is among the common violations and can be a cause of accidents and physical injuries that can be avoided with a few precautions.

10. No or Infrequent Weekly Inspections

All hazardous waste generators are compelled to perform a weekly inspection of their hazardous waste container storage areas. It’s also a common violation that can be easily avoided by the implementation of standard procedures and compliance maintenance.

Also Read: What are Forever Chemicals and Why are They Dangerous

How to Prevent Hazardous Waste Violations

Hazardous waste violations and the associated hefty fines can be avoided by implementing standard procedures and giving due diligence during generating, storing, transporting, and disposing of hazardous waste.

• Follow rigorous labeling of containers with hazardous waste including name and address of your facility, accumulation start date, source or identity of waste, characteristic of waste, mentioning what makes it hazardous, and physical state of the waste.
• Keep in mind proper licensing and know your waste generator requirements.
• Understand the “cradle to grave” requirements by RCRA.
• Comply with hazardous waste management training requirements by providing on-the-job as well as classroom training to your employees on hazardous waste management, storage, and disposal procedures.
• Contract with a reputed and properly licensed hazardous waste company that will provide proof of proper disposal along with adequate documentation. Closed top mini frac tanks can be ideal for hazardous waste disposal as they ensure safe transportation of chemicals and other volatile substances.
• Properly determine your waste streams with the Hazardous Waste Identification process.
  • Check if it is solid waste.
  • Check if it’s particularly excluded from RCRA.
  • Check if it’s listed as hazardous waste.
  • Check if it exhibits hazardous waste characteristics.
• Conduct regular audits. Keep track of expired chemicals to dispose of them properly. Have a centralized purchasing and inventory process for effective organization and inventory management of chemicals.
• Fill out and double-check the Uniform Hazardous Waste Manifest correctly.
• Create an adequate contingency plan based on your company’s waste generator status. The plan should include contact information of emergency coordinator, emergency equipment location, emergency phone numbers, and more.
• Conduct regular audits and weekly inspections of the storage area and containers and keep them closed at all times. Maintain a log record. Ensure that the storage area is free from debris and other materials, container tops are free from spillage, containers are in good condition and free from spills and leaks, and the ground is clean and dry. Make sure that the waste is stored in compatible containers.

Stay in the Know About EPA Regulations

Besides knowing the common hazardous waste violations and how to avoid them, here are some of the critical EPA laws and regulations you should know if you are dealing with hazardous waste.

• Resource Conservation Recovery Act (RCRA) – The act is aimed to protect human health and the environment from waste disposal hazards.
• Clean Air Act (CAA) – Its goal is to enhance and protect the country’s air quality.
• Clean Water Act (CWA) – It intends to prevent, reduce, and eliminate pollution in groundwater and navigable waters.
• Toxic Substance Control Act (TCSA) – It aims to protect human health and the environment from potentially hazardous chemicals by restricting their manufacture, processing, and use.

Hazardous waste violations are taken extremely seriously, and the associated fines can spell financial doom for small and mid-sized companies. However, well-thought procedures, a disciplined, proactive approach, and routine inspections can help you stay compliant.

The post Proactive Prevention of Common Hazardous Waste Violations first appeared on BioEnergy Consult.

The mistake that businesses make is to assume that paying for commercial cleaning services is a net loss. Between proven cleaning methods and attention to detail, there are many advantages to hiring professionals for cleaning.

Below are seven reasons why you must hire commercial cleaners for your business.

1. Maintain a Sleek Aesthetic

Businesses that prioritize cleanliness have a much easier time maintaining a sleek and modern aesthetic. If you are running a business that aims to target Millennials and Generation Z customers, crafting a sleek and stylish aesthetic is so important.

Such aesthetics are very difficult to maintain if your workspace is untidy, dirty, and unhygienic. Rather than appearing modern and sleek, your business may look chaotic and claustrophobic. While such appearances may have been acceptable in the past, modern customers may not find them particularly appealing.

2. Impress Customers and Clients

When you are running a business that depends on daily interactions with customers or clients, you must prioritize cleanliness. If someone walks into your store, restaurant, or office first thing in the morning, they should see a spotless environment.

Perhaps a customer is unsure of where they want to shop, and they take an interest in your store. They walk inside and immediately notice areas of the floor that have a great deal of dust and debris. Such an appearance does not create a positive impression, and may even cause them to turn around and look for a different place to shop.

3. Avoid Liabilities and Risks

Commercial cleaners are very thorough in their work, while they also keep up to date on the latest OSHA compliance and state health standards. Your business does not have to concern itself with cleaning standards, as your cleaners will take care of that for you.

Many business owners make the mistake of delegating the cleaning of an establishment to specific employees. While those workers may do their best, they are unlikely to know the latest OSHA standards and compliance. That means your business could suffer consequences when your annual health inspection comes around.

4. Retain and Attract Employees

The state of the economy in the United States is extremely precarious in 2021 and beyond. Despite the impressive performance of the stock market and housing market, many businesses are still struggling to reach the same levels of business as pre-2020.

In addition, many workers are not showing a great desire to get back to work. Others are a lot more cautious about committing to a workplace, and will not hesitate to change jobs if they believe a better alternative is available.

Business owners must ensure they can both retain existing employees and attract new workers in such an environment. Maintaining a clean business is one way to project your company in the best possible light.

If a prospective employee comes in for an interview, they are likely to look through the various areas of your business. Should they notice dirty corners in certain rooms, messy communal spaces, and other issues, they are far less likely to take up a job at that establishment.

5. Avoid Business Shutdowns

Companies that are not making cleanliness a priority are taking a significant risk in 2021. There are countless stories of businesses that had to shut down for several days due to a virus outbreak among their staff.

Not only do such outbreaks cause your business to lose money, as you must shut your doors for a few days or weeks, but you may develop a poor reputation among the local community. If people hear that your business shut down due to a virus outbreak, they will be more hesitant to frequent your establishment in the near future.

The cost of hiring cleaners to spend a couple of hours at your business each day of the year is likely to cost less money than a few days of your business being closed down due to health issues among staff. Similar shutdowns are possible if you fail annual health inspections.

6. Lighten the Load on Your Staff

Considering the changes occurring in 2020 and 2021, many businesses are placing greater workloads on their staff. Most workers already have many tasks they must handle each day, which means that adding cleaning into that workload could overwhelm your employees.

Rather than doing a great job cleaning your business premises, those workers may look to cut corners in every area of their job. As they are tasked with so many different responsibilities, they may attempt to do the bare minimum with each task. That could result in your business not receiving the care it deserves.

If you are overworking your employees, their stress and tension may spill over into interactions with customers. That is not how you want your business to appear to a customer, whether they are coming in for the first time or are a regular visitor.

7. Save Money on Cleaning in the Long-Term

Business owners assume that if they are hiring a cleaning company one or two times a week, they are likely to spend a lot of money on cleaning in the long term. In contrast, hiring professionals for a deep cleaning one time a month can save money.

What many people do not realize is that hiring commercial cleaners for regular cleaning is cost-effective over time. If cleaners are constantly at your business mopping the floors, vacuuming, spot cleaning surfaces, and ensuring your bathrooms are thoroughly disinfected, then you will not require major cleaning at any stage.

Every area of your business receives priority from the cleaners during each of their visits, ensuring the entire business is spotless when they leave. In contrast, a company that only hires professionals one or two times a year may end up with excessively dirty surfaces, floors, and carpeting. Some of the dirt or debris may not come off easily, which can increase the cost of cleaning significantly.

The post 7 Benefits of Hiring a Commercial Cleaning Service first appeared on BioEnergy Consult.

An area that some businesses overlook is their cleaning practices. Many conventional cleaning products contain chemicals that have a negative impact on people, animals, and the environment. Chemicals in cleaning products can cause health problems such as asthma, cancer, and birth defects. After the products are used, they typically get washed down the drain. Water treatment facilities can get rid of some of the contaminants but not all. These contaminants then get washed into our rivers and lakes, where it can have a negative impact on wildlife.

This is why more and more businesses are incorporating green cleaning into their business practices. If you’re looking for additional ways to stay green, it’s time to look at your cleaning practices.

What is green cleaning?

Green cleaning is when you use cleaning methods and procedures that are designed to preserve human health and the environment. Typically, this means using products that contain environmentally friendly ingredients. Most green products are also manufactured in an environmentally friendly way and are biodegradable.

Most green cleaning products contain a label on their packaging that indicates the company has met certain environmental and labor standards. However, it’s important to remember that some companies can get this label just by donating to environmental causes or using recycled packaging while their products still contain harmful chemicals. You should always check to see what ingredients are in the product to ensure that it is environmentally friendly. Avoid products that use phosphates, chlorine, artificial fragrances, and artificial colors.

The right green cleaning products smell more natural and will still clean your business just as well as conventional cleaning supplies.

How do I switch to green products?

If you would like to practice green cleaning, the first thing you’ll need to do is to find out what you’re currently cleaning with. If your business does its own cleaning, go around your business and make a list of all your products. If you’re using a cleaning company, ask them to provide you with a list.

After you have your list of products, go through and see if any of them are green products. You can do this by seeing if any of them have an ecolabel or checking to see if they are EWG verified.  If any of them are, great! You’re already using green products.

“There are many options for ordering green cleaning products,” says Martha Hernandez of Beyond Eco, a commercial cleaning business in Austin, TX. “Be sure that the label is transparent in the ingredients that are used. Many will withhold information. You also can look up your own recipes for cleaning products. We make many solutions ourselves and utilize reusable bottles or containers to reduce waste in the process.”

If they don’t, you’ll want to see if the vendor you buy your supplies from offers a green product line. If you’re using an outside cleaning company, see if they’re willing to use green products. Most companies will already have alternative products on hand. Some companies, such as Executive Cleaning Services, LLC, will also let you provide your own green cleaning products while still doing the cleaning for you!

Aren’t green products more expensive?

No, not necessarily. Depending on where you buy your products, you can get them for around the same price as conventional products.

There are a number of ways to make green cleaning affordable. If you’re a small business, you can consider making your own cleaners out of natural ingredients. If you purchase your products from a vendor, see if you can buy in bulk or buy concentrated products. You’ll spend more money upfront, but the products will last longer.

You should also eliminate unnecessary products to help reduce costs. There are many all-purpose cleaners out there that can be used on multiple surfaces.

What other ways can I stay green with my cleaning?

Switching to green cleaning products is the best way! If you’re not using green products, then you’re not practicing green cleaning. However, it’s also important that your entire team is on board. If your employees go out and buy conventional cleaning products to clean their own cubicle with, it defeats the purpose of your company using green products. Engage your employees in the process of switching to new supplies so that they have a say.

Some might even start practicing green cleaning at home! If you use a cleaning service, make sure you choose someone who also adopts green cleaning practices. An example of someone who does this is Ideal Cleaning – they only use environmentally cleaning products as they understand how much safer they are to use.

In conclusion

If you’re already practicing sustainable business practices, make sure to add green cleaning to your list of practices. Or, if you’re trying to find ways to start being sustainable, green cleaning is a great first step! It’ll take some time to review your current cleaning products, but once you identify new green cleaning products, you’ll be good to go.

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