Sustainability: What It Means and How It’s Changing

Growing demand for sustainable industrial, commercial and development practices is quickly changing the way the world does business.

New technologies, as well as shifting priorities and new agendas, are needed in order to meet and overcome some of the biggest modern challenges.

What is Sustainability?

Sustainability is a concept that allows organizations to exist, function and even expand the scope of their operations without depleting non-renewable resources or doing excessive harm to the natural world.

pillars of sustainability

Sustainable business practices are essential for dealing with threats caused by climate change, species depletion or pollution. Investing in sustainable infrastructure now could allow businesses to have far higher costs these problems may result in should they be ignored.

Why is Sustainability Important?

According to the GetSmarter Sustainability Report, it’s important to understand the crucial business benefits that sustainability offers. Business practices that are unsustainable have the potential to quickly exhaust precious natural resources, destroy ecosystems and natural habitats or to accelerate the process of climate change.

Sustainability is essential for ensuring clean air and water as well as protecting the natural environment and preventing potentially-catastrophic consequences like widespread extinction or ecological collapse.

The 3 Pillars of Sustainability

The core tenets of sustainability are of particular relevance to corporations, businesses and larger organizations whose actions and operations have the potential to make a greater impact.

1. Environmental Protection

The most often discussed aspect of sustainability – protecting the environment, is an important responsibility. Environmental protection involves finding ways to reduce carbon footprints, minimizing waste and pollution or finding sustainable alternatives for both materials and workflow processes.

2. Social Development

Business practices that are less than ethical can cause no end of problems. Social development efforts typically focus on treating employees and associates in sustainable ways or improving a business’s standing within the surrounding community. Providing staff and associates with fair pay and treatment is essential for ensuring that employees are able to create and maintain a safer workplace and social environment.

3. Economic Development

Reinvesting profits and directing revenue in order to fund sustainable development is another essential concern. While many businesses may find it challenging to strike the right balance between profitability and investing in their own future economic development, doing so can be an issue of paramount importance. Ensuring that future growth, expansion and development can be handled in a sustainable manner is never an issue that should be taken lightly.

sustainable-habits-for-ecofriendly-home

Adherence to the core concepts of sustainability can help to ensure that businesses are able to make more effective choices and direct their actions in a way that will have the most impact. Incorporating the three pillars of sustainability into either a planned or existing business model can lead to long-lasting benefits that no business can afford to ignore. In addition, it will also help you to avoid being a victim of greenwashing.

Investing in sustainable business practices means investing in our shared future. Businesses would do well to take further action in their efforts to curb carbon emissions, decrease their consumption or resources or to lessen the impact that their operations may be having on the natural world.

The Eco Revolution in Property Investment

Many of us are now making more eco-friendly and environmentally conscious decisions every day. Whether it’s taking our own carrier bags to the shops, having a reusable water bottle or recycling your tin cans – little changes are making a big impact. When it comes to property, the eco revolution has increasingly been making waves. From solar panels to energy efficient light bulbs, our properties are becoming better for the planet. These eco-friendly priorities are also affecting real estate investment, with an increasing number of tenants looking for eco-friendly properties.

Eco-friendly homes are becoming increasingly popular with a new environmentally conscious generation starting to look for rental properties. Young professionals who are living in the city are less likely to buy a home than ever before, so are looking for a rental property that meets their exacting requirements. With many of them choosing to make environmentally friendly choices, like going plastic free or cutting down on how much meat they eat, accordingly they are looking for eco-friendly homes too.

Environmental impact is increasingly on the agenda of consumers in every aspect of their lives. Many are also willing to pay a premium for eco-friendly purchases. Research has shown that UK consumers would pay an average 10% more if they were buying something they thought had a positive impact on society. Property investors would be wise to bear this in mind when looking for new property investments. In an increasingly competitive rental market, the ability to raise prices because of eco credentials is a lucrative option for investors.

Furthermore, 40% of consumers think that sustainability is important when they are making a purchase. The impact of this can be seen in the growing number of brands and businesses that are making their environmental commitments obvious to consumers. It is clear that savvy property investors can be both environmentally friendly and business smart when looking to purchase new properties.

In another study, 80% of tenants believed that their landlords should be considering the environment more, and suggested measures like double-glazing, insulation and eco-modifications. These simple measures can make a large impact on the appeal of a property to prospective tenants. Increasing energy prices are another concern for occupants.

In addition, 55% of renters asked said they would prefer a rental property with a smart meter if it was the same price. Energy efficient measures are both good for tenant’s monthly costs and for the environment so buy to let property investors can be at an advantage if their property offers these.

As of April 2018, buy to let landlords are legally required to have an EPC rating of E or above in their properties. This means that property investors are increasingly looking at new build properties which are already energy efficient and don’t require costly renovations. Tenants can also legally request that a landlord makes property improvements if the EPC rating is F or G.

Developers are increasingly taking sustainability and environmental impact into consideration when building new properties. Properties with energy efficient specifications, like many by RW Invest are providing investors with lucrative returns and high tenant demand. Recent changes to regulation mean that new build properties need to be energy efficient and this is making a huge impact on the buy to let market.

The trend towards environmentally conscious properties looks set to continue, with eco-friendly qualities high on the agenda of both potential tenants and investors.

Towards Sustainable Biomass Energy

Biomass is one of the oldest and simplest ways of getting heat and energy, and it’s starting to make a comeback due to its status as renewable resource. Some, however, aren’t so sure that using more of it would be good for our environment. So, how sustainable is biomass energy really?

biomass-bales

What is Biomass?

Biomass is organic material from plants and animals. It naturally contains energy because plants absorb it from the sun through photosynthesis. When you burn biomass, it releases that energy. It’s also sometimes converted into a liquid or gas form before it is burned.

Biomass includes a wide variety of materials but includes:

About five percent of the United States’ energy comes from biomass. Biomass fuel products such as ethanol make up about 48 percent of that five percent while wood makes up about 41 percent and municipal waste accounts for around 11 percent.

The Benefits of Biomass

Biomass is a renewable resource because the plants that store the energy released when it is burned can be regrown continuously. In theory, if you planted the same amount of vegetation that you burned, it would be carbon neutral because the plants would absorb all of the carbon released. Doing this is, however, much easier said than done.

Another potential is that it serves as a use for waste materials that have are already been created. It adds value to what otherwise would be purely waste.

Additionally, many forms of biomass are also relatively low-tech energy sources, so they may be useful, or even required for older buildings that need an electrical renovation.

Drawbacks of Biomass

A major drawback of using biomass fuel is that it is not an efficient process. In fact, burning it can release even more carbon dioxide than burning the same amount of a fossil fuel.

While you can replenish the organic matter you burn, doing so requires complex crop or forest management and the use of a large amount of land.  Also, some biomass, such as wood, takes a long time to grow back. This amounts to a delay in carbon absorption. Additionally, the harvesting of biomass will likely involve some sort of emissions.

 Is it Sustainable?

So, is biomass energy sustainable? Measuring the environmental impacts of biomass fuel use has proven to be complex due to the high number of variables, which has led to a lot of disagreement about this question.

Some assert that biomass use cannot be carbon neutral, because even if you burned and planted the same amount of organic matter, harvesting it would still result in some emissions. This could perhaps be avoided if you used renewable energy to harvest it. A continuous supply of biomass would likely require it to be transported long distances, worsening the challenge of going carbon neutral.

With careful planning, responsible land management and environmentally friendly harvesting and distribution, biomass could be close to, if not entirely, carbon neutral and sustainable. Given our reliance on fossil fuels, high energy consumption levels and the limited availability of land and other resources, this would be an immense challenge to undertake and require a complete overhaul of our energy use.

If you are interested in sustainability, check out carbon neutral companies in Australia.

How to Improve the Biomass Industry

Biomass could emerge as a major solution to our energy and sustainability issues, but it isn’t likely to be a comprehensive solution. There are some things we can do, though, to make biomass use more sustainable when we do use it.

  • Source locally: Using biomass that comes from the local area reduces the impact of distributing it.
  • Clean distribution: If you do transport biofuel long distances, using an electric or hybrid vehicles powered largely by clean energy would be the most eco-friendly way to do it. This also applies to transporting it short distances.

Measuring the environmental impacts of biomass fuel use is complex due to high number of variables

  • Clean harvesting: Using environmentally friendly, non-emitting means of harvesting can greatly reduce the impact of using biomass. This might also involve electric vehicles.
  • Manage land sustainably: For biomass to be healthy for the ecosystem, you must manage land used to grow it with responsible farming practices.
  • Focus on waste: Waste is likely the most environmentally friendly form of biomass because it uses materials that would otherwise simply decompose and doesn’t require you to grow any new resources for your fuel or energy needs.

Is biomass energy sustainable? It has the potential to be, but doing so would be quite complex and require quite a bit of resources. Any easier way to address the problem is to look at small areas of land and portions of energy use first. First, make that sustainable and then we may be able to expand that model on to a broader scale.

How Can Managed IT Services Help Your Business Become More Sustainable

How sustainable is your IT strategy? Sustainability in business is a significant concern, especially when incorporating it into your tech stack.

Your business needs to balance innovation and growth with environmental consciousness and responsibility. This effort involves considering the hardware and software systems you choose, among other IT assets. Most importantly, how you manage and dispose of these assets reflects your business’s sustainability efforts.

how to make your business more sustainable with managed IT services

However, not all businesses have the right people, infrastructure, and experience to manage IT assets and address their challenges, vulnerabilities, and threats. That’s where managed IT services come into play.

But how can a managed IT service help you promote a greener business footprint? Learn more about making your business more sustainable with managed IT services below.

Establish Benchmarks For Smarter Roadmaps

Many companies want to align their technology approach with broader sustainability goals. But the problem is the lack of knowledge and understanding of their technological needs and unclear sustainability goals. In addition, going paperless isn’t enough, and embracing digital technology generates a considerable digital footprint.

Managed IT services can help businesses establish benchmarks for smarter roadmaps to meet tech needs and sustainability objectives. Environmental benchmarking aims to reduce a business’s carbon emissions by continuously evaluating solutions, workflows, and equipment.

Without environmental benchmarking, evaluating if your business is progressing in its sustainability efforts is difficult. A managed IT service company can help prioritize this task to make your business more sustainable.

You can get managed IT in Phoenix or your area to kickstart your business’s sustainability journey.

Provide Flexible IT Infrastructure

Is your IT infrastructure obsolete? How do you want to have a flexible IT infrastructure without generating dramatic environmental impacts?

As companies accelerate their digital transformation efforts, their tech requirements change. Businesses want to upgrade their IT infrastructure to the latest operating systems, hardware models, and other tech advancements to keep up with the tough competition.

However, the challenge lies in maintaining a flexible IT infrastructure. If you want your business to maximize benefits from your legacy systems and existing technology, think of a more informed approach.

A managed IT service company can assess your existing business system and help you develop a more flexible IT infrastructure to scale your business.

Recommend Sustainable Products And Solutions

Managed IT service companies have highly trained, experienced, and qualified technology professionals who can recommend sustainable products and solutions for your business.

These professionals can assist you in comparing different tech products considering their lifecycle and environmental performance.

For instance, a managed IT service can recommend the best renewable energy to run your business systems without compromising performance. An IT expert can recommend brands of sustainable laptops, computer systems, servers, and other hardware solutions that generate less emissions.

You can also get expert tech insights about smart data asset management and how to empower your employees with data and tech tools to boost sustainability consciousness and proactive efforts.

Assist In Cloud Migration

Drive business sustainability with cloud hosting. Instead of using local servers that generate much power, cloud computing utilizes a network of internet-hosted remote servers for data management, processing, and storage.

Cloud migration is a sustainable effort. It can reduce the electrical consumption from energy sources. As a result, this technology can significantly reduce climate impact with fewer emissions and greater energy efficiency.

Moreover, cloud hosting reduces your on-premises footprint by powering and cooling your hardware. A managed IT service company can help you move your data and application to the cloud.

managed IT services and sustainability

In addition, a reputable managed IT service provider can help build cloud workloads sustainably which involves understanding and quantifying the service impacts. Implementing the best practices and applying design principles to decrease these impacts is crucial.

Assist In Proper Electronic Waste Disposal

Businesses can help minimize electronic waste to reduce the amount of energy and conserve the earth’s resources.

ways you can use your old computer

Managed IT services can assist in electronic waste management. They can help businesses connect with recycling companies that practice sustainable practices, such as recycling. Proper e-waste disposal ensures that electronics don’t end up in landfills.

Furthermore, managed IT services can help set up a business to automate waste management tasks. They can recommend apps or solutions to organize storage better, ease waste verification and provide real-time waste monitoring from collection and segregation to its conversion into power and other useful products.

Make Your Business More Sustainable Today

Now more than ever, businesses take sustainability as one of the keys to success. As more customers patronize brands with sustainability advocacy, businesses aim for innovation and growth while promoting a greener footprint. Managed IT services offer solutions that can help you attain these goals.

Ingredients of Environmental Sustainability

Global interest in environmental sustainability is on the rise. Businesses and individuals are making efforts to engage in more environmentally conscious practices, thanks in part to a growing worldwide population and dwindling natural resources. Ultimately, sustainability is the practice of finding long-lasting methods of maintaining our existing quality of life while still preserving the environment and natural resources.

Proponents must consider all aspects of environmental sustainability for it be successful. Additionally, eco-conscious thought must be applied to multiple professions to achieve deep-rooted results. Here are three ingredients to ensure the continued success of environmental sustainability.

Economic Incentives

Everyone knows change can be difficult. Making the shift toward more eco-friendly practices is no different. One way to initiate this change is through financial incentives. Money is an essential factor for families and companies. If sustainable options and practices are too expensive the majority of the population can’t afford to implement them, the environmentally-conscious movement will come grinding to a halt.

Environmentally-friendly technology often carries higher upfront costs but pays off through long-term benefits, both to the environment and to individuals. Additionally, companies that invest in environmentally conscious technology can potentially market to a broader range of consumers with similar interests and values.

When considering options to follow more sustainable practices, consumers need to set specific goals they would like to achieve and define their plan of action. This will also help maintain perspective and keep the focus on the long-term incentives, which will keep everyone motivated to continue down the road to sustainability.

Environmental Protection

Another key factor in environmental sustainability is protecting and preserving the environment. Part of this practice includes sustainable use and management procedures. While specific materials may be renewable over time, overuse can deplete these resources and lead to shortages. Industry professionals must give careful consideration to planning how, when and in what quantity resources will be used.

Surprisingly, several sustainable methods exist to renew depleted environmental resources in a fast and environmentally conscious manner. Agricultural practices often strip fields of necessary minerals and nutrients while leaving behind harmful inorganic residuals from fertilizers.

Naturally occurring microorganisms will eventually restore the soil’s nutrients and neutralize noxious compounds, though this process takes a long time. Bioremediation can expedite this process. Industry professionals can introduce higher numbers of the naturally occurring microbes and then create their optimal living conditions by varying the amount of water and food they have available.

Once the harmful pollutants are neutralized, farmers can resume planting operations. In addition to bioremediation, sustainable agricultural practices include rotating crops and using cover crops. Rotating crops and using cover crops can help reduce the occurrence of weeds and the impact of pests. In turn, farmers can use less fertilizer and maintain soil health for more extended periods.

Fostering interest in sustainability at a young age will encourage future leaders

Education

Without proper education, the general public won’t understand the importance of sustainability. This may lead to a decreased demand for sustainable products and procedures, which will foster growth in non-sustainable markets and practices. Future generations will then be left with the task of preserving and repairing the environment.

Fostering interest in sustainability at a young age will encourage future leaders to create innovative solutions to meet the current demands of society through unconventional and eco-conscious lifestyle. The future youth will also need the proper educational background to develop the tools they need to cultivate these solutions.

Environmental education also helps adults understand the impact their choices have on themselves and society. Uneducated adults may not recognize their choices to pollute or use toxic chemicals are degrading the local water supply for their neighbors or are harmful to their health. Once they understand the full weight of their decisions, they will be able to make the most informed choices.

With proper management and forethought, environmental sustainability can be fully achievable in our society today.

A New Form of Ecotourism in Cyprus

Ecotourism has gained popularity as different states seek sustainability. It was one of the millennial goals at the global level, and many states have invested money and ideas into the project. Cyprus has not been left behind and has done a lot to promote a new form of ecotourism in the country. If you are planning to obtain a Cyprus immigration with One Visa, their agents definitely mention a few things about ecotourism in Cyprus. Now that you are reading this publication, you have come to the right place to get insights on a new form of ecotourism.

Guided Walks

Cyprus has a plethora of trained guides to lead you on nature walks. You can easily choose the destination from a list of many depending on what you want to view and experience. Some are best suited for the family while others are suited for explorers.

For walks and expeditions in the forest and on the beaches, the guides will explain all the regulations that seek to protect the habitat by leaving it as natural as possible. Unfortunately, Cyprus’s government does not allow collection of souvenirs and artifacts.

Cyprus Village Tours

Cyprus still has people living in villages in rural areas. However, the villages are becoming smaller by the day, and the government is encouraging their growth. This is one way to preserve the original culture of the Cypriot people.

The number of people who can take bus tours to the villages is highly regulated. If you would like to visit these villages, make sure that you book well in advance and follow the given regulations.

Marine Tours

Cyprus is an island and has breathtaking and clean beaches. The marine department is obsessed with maintaining the original form of both the beaches and the marine life. However, this does not mean that people cannot go to visit the marine life.

The country offers guided tours to the beach, shallow sea and deep sea. Some of the best scenery can be found at the untouched shipwrecks and with the marine life that dwells in and around the shipwrecks. The diving tours are guided and regulated by the government to make sure that the untouched environment is maintained.

A breath-taking natural attraction in Cyprus

Preserving the Historic Sites

Any tour in Cyprus cannot be complete without touring the historic and cultural ruins. However, have you ever wondered how these sites still exist or why they get recognized all over the world? It has taken great efforts to protect them and let nature take its course.

Even though Cyprus has modern architectural buildings, none has interfered with these cultural and historic sites. They spread all over the island and carry a rich history for all people to enjoy.

Conclusion

Finally, it is worth mentioning that Cyprus has zoos and modern parks that protect indigenous plants and animals. The public is allowed to visit under certain regulations. The government strives to preserve the country’s tourist attractions through the employment of ecotourism strategies. If you visit the country as a tourist or an expat, remember to check the regulations that govern ecotourism.

Green Financing as a Tool for Sustainable Development

Climate change and environmental damage due to human activity is now an accepted fact. Thankfully, investors and financial organizations are finally recognizing the importance of changing our ways and investing in sustainable technologies. This type of green financing is allowing them to recognize the environmental and financial benefits of these new technologies.

Green SMEs

Today we’ll cover how green financing can be used to encourage sustainable development on the company and individual scale.

What is Green Financing?

Green financing at its most basic is the use of public money, personal loans, and micro-lending to support sustainability. The goal of green financing is to encourage change in favor of environmentally friendly actions.

It can be everything from large scale investment into tools to fight climate change all the way down to small personal online loans next day for consumers. This allows everyone to do their part to help promote sustainability.

Most green loans are tied to specific metrics. They can cover everything from large companies to the type of washing machine you purchase.

How Green Financing Works

Like any financial product there’s a huge range of green financing options. One of the most prominent examples is sustainability-focused venture capital firms.

These VC firms search for early-stage startups with a focus on the environment. They combine their financial goals together with their vision of what the planet should be.

By far the largest subset of their focus is on reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and fighting emissions. On the individual scale there’s lots of focus on lowering your carbon footprint.

Lots of loans are specifically put in place for people to buy green friendly products.

What Qualifies as Sustainable Projects

There are tons of early to middle stage startups with a sustainability focus. These are all key examples of large scale green financing.

Many of the projects are receiving the most funding focus on clean power and the use of renewables. Think electric vehicles, charging stations, battery enhancements, solar and wind energy, etc.

Another major sector is advancements in water purification, desalination, and ocean cleanup. These also include interesting projects like advanced agriculture and reducing the overall reliance on irrigation.

For individuals most green financing is related to their home or vehicle. There are lots of online loans same day available for things like energy efficient appliances or vehicles. These often combine with tax credits as a way to encourage people to reduce their overall energy consumption habits.

One of the biggest uses of green financing by individuals is to buy an electric or hybrid car. This reduces the often high price of these advanced vehicles and makes it more attractive to drive one.

Another big one is to finance green renovations to your home. If you want to improve your home’s insulation or add on a solar power system there’s ample funding available. These often combine with tax breaks and utility buyback programs to make it an even more attractive option.

Turnaround Time for Financing Decisions

With venture capital the around time for high-quality opportunities is often very rapid. If you have a great model for your business and can show a clear return potential they’ll often respond within just a few days.

For green financing other factors come into play. Most green venture capital funds have very specific requirements on what they’re looking for. Do your research before contacting them and make sure you represent what they’re looking for.

How much you should reasonably expect to receive depends on how far along in the process you are. Seed stage companies generally receive less than $1 million. Series A and Series B can receive more but still much less than more mature companies with proven revenue and a customer base.

For personal green loans the turnaround is often much faster. Many companies offer instant or at least same day approval for well qualified borrowers. This gives you the freedom to begin making your plans immediately after receiving funds.

Make Changes Today

The clock is running down on our ability to head off the effects of climate change. Green financing is one of the best ways to make changes in the world and your life. It funds the technology that may save humanity and allows individuals to make changes to their home and car to reduce their own carbon footprint.

An Easy Guide to Make Your Business Sustainable

The adoption of sustainable practices is an opportunity for growth of california llc, but it also presents a challenge. Though you’ll eventually enjoy the economic and environmental benefits of your changes, implementing them takes commitment. You need to approach the transition with subtlety.

So what are the main points to keep in mind as you continue? What are practical strategies to reduce carbon emissions and excessive commercial waste? We’ll answer those questions and others like them, providing an easy guide for professionals who want to improve their standard of sustainability.

Read on to know how to make your business sustainable:

1. Assign a Sustainability Team Lead

One of the key factors in your success is communication. You need every employee to understand and accept your proposed changes, and that coordination is no small responsibility. If you’re going to increase sustainability in your workplace, you’ll need the assistance of a sustainability team lead.

Their role is to share your objectives with other employees and encourage them to adapt their behavior. They serve as an advocate for your new policies, putting them into action and helping others do the same. In short, your sustainability team lead will facilitate cooperation.

2. Invest in Practical Adjustments

When you’re operating a business, your bottom line is your top priority. You can’t afford to make changes if they compromise your profitability. Fortunately, you don’t need to make that kind of sacrifice, as certain practices are beneficial for both the environment and your expenses.

As an example, you can digitize documents to limit paper waste and lower the costs of printing and ink. You can also connect a group of devices to a single power strip, then turn it off when you leave the office. It’s a simple adjustment which will increase the lifespan of your devices and reduce e-waste.

3. Maintain Careful Record-Keeping

Over the past two years, many companies have engaged in the practice of sustainability reporting. Investors are starting to ask for this type of report, and if business owners are unable to provide it, they may encounter issues. Naturally, you need to give thought to record-keeping.

Are you documenting your changes? Do you have the necessary information from project and property managers? Investors need more than a promise to feel secure in your company’s improvements, and you can instill confidence when you offer reports with the relevant data.

4. Work With Similar Companies

Many companies have made it their goal to “go green,” and you should seek their support. Check for a list of green vendors in your area, and when you find one that meets your needs, reach out. You’ll come across sustainable alternatives for many products and services you currently depend on.

You may benefit from an eco-friendly cleaning service or maid service if your present service isn’t adequate. On a smaller scale, you can purchase business cards from a company that uses recycled materials. The point remains the same: You have options, and you should explore them.

5. Keep Convenience in Mind

As you modify your office, consider the convenience of your changes. An employee is far more likely to recycle paper and plastic products when they can easily access a recycling bin. If you’ve placed the bin in a location that doesn’t see much foot traffic, you’re not going to get the results you want.

Naturally, the ideal place for a recycling bin is the lunchroom or a similar area where your employees tend to congregate. The choice to recycle shouldn’t take more effort than the choice to use a conventional bin. Make both bins available to employees and trust them to make the correct decision.

6. Start Planning Today

Sustainability isn’t as simple as it first seems. A business owner may have good intentions, but unless they take time to prepare, their initiative won’t yield the desired results. With that in mind, review the steps in this guide and start planning your business sustainability program today.

You may also want to consider working with an e-cycling company to recycle your IT hardware and earn money from it. Whenever you have to upgrade your equipment, you can sell your used IT gear to one to keep it from polluting the environment, give it another life, and make money from your e-waste.

The Relationship Between Waste Management and Sustainability

Waste management is one of the core themes of sustainability, but achieving sustainable waste management is a challenging and complex task. Despite the fact that an increasing amount of waste has been reused and recycled, landfills still play an important role in the management of wastes.

However, waste degradation in landfill produce leachate and harmful gases viz. carbon dioxide, methane which are considered as greenhouse gases. It has been studied that leachate contribute to 20% emission of greenhouse gases. This can largely risk human health as well as threat to environment. Furthermore, it contains low concentration of gases with heavy aromatic rings, most of them are toxic in nature.

The increasing cost of waste disposal is a cause of major concern in developing nations

Movements of leachate create problem as aquifers need more time for rehabilitation. Leachate can migrate to groundwater or surface water and have potential threat to drinking water. Constructing landfills have adverse effects on aquaculture and habitats by diffusing leachate into surface/groundwater with limited on-site recycling activities.

Various studies also claim that residential areas close to landfill areas have low housing values because people don’t prefer to live close to the area enriched with flies, mosquitoes, bacteria and bad odours.

The lower calorific value of wastes lowers the significance of waste-to-energy technologies, such as incineration/gasification, and make waste-to-energy less viable as solution for waste management solution. The low calorific value is an important outcome of waste collection process.

Waste scavengers often collect in a mixed state with all type of wastes, which include reusable materials, plastic, glass bottles etc. which reduces the calorific value and combustibility of waste. Waste is usually sorted out manually and unfortunately it becomes very difficult to regulate and implement an efficient method. This kind of waste recovery methods is very common in Asian countries e.g. India, Indonesia etc. using improper waste management technique can cause contaminated soil, water and environment.

Water is most easy to contaminate as it dissolves chemicals easily, causing harm to all living organisms including humans. Animal and marine life is most effected with water contamination. It also restricts our use of water for drinking and cooking purposes without cleaning system. The environment is highly harmed because of improper waste management.

Greenhouse gases are generated from decomposition of waste, these gasses are major cause of global warming affecting air precipitation, causing acid rain to severe hailstorms. Moreover humans who live near to garbage dumping area are found to be most significant to risk of health diseases, skin problems, cancer etc.

Olusosun is the largest dumpsite in Nigeria

With proper awareness and teaching methods of efficient waste management we can achieve sustainable solution to waste management. It has been forecasted by Environmental Sanitary Protection Plan that, by 2020 Kamikatsu a city in Japan is going to be 100% free from waste. Although the target of reaching the 100% waste is going to be achieved but the standby waste issue is going to be major hurdle as Kamikatsu have only 34% of land space available.

The lack of availability of standby space for waste is going to be major problem in future because of shortage of space, degraded quality of waste with lower calorific value and formation of leachate. And unfortunately, this issue is not going to be solved very soon.

How to Manage Your Business Maintenance Waste

Just 6% of businesses consider their maintenance department to be well established, showing just how little attention companies are paying to this area. No employee likes trash piling up in the bins around the office. The only solution to this problem is to help arrange a Roll Off Dumpster Berks County that can be placed under the company building and emptied on specific days of the week. This can get your business to be more organized just by making waste removal services more accessible.

As a result, wastage is often high, which eats into profit margins. When an office is refurbished, there will inevitably be some waste created, which the company must pay for. In order to mitigate the damage, business managers should put more attention into their maintenance strategy, acting preventatively rather than reactively. This way, business maintenance waste will be limited. The resulting maintenance waste can then be converted into energy, thus becoming a money maker rather than a drain on resources.

Benefits of Sustainability for Business

Sustainability is really a no-brainer from a business perspective, yet many companies are failing to hit a sustainable level of waste management. US consumers are beginning to care more about a business’s environmental impact over the price of their products, with 67% supporting an end to single-use plastic straws. Not only will restructuring your waste strategy save you money on cleanup, but it will improve the image of your company. In these eco-conscious times, this is essential.

Furthermore, a recent poll by Michigan State University found that 88% of Americans take steps to reduce their food wastage. This shows how high a priority this is for the average customer. If you can target more resources towards sustainable waste management, then you are bound to see increased profits in other areas.

Scheduling and Planning

Cutting waste is all about taking preventative actions rather than reacting to circumstances as they arise. By planning your maintenance ahead of time, it is possible to identify areas where wastage will occur and take steps to avoid this. Work with the most experienced maintenance waste managers for the best results. You are probably already a top planner when it comes to marketing and sales, but are you using these skills when maintenance work needs carrying out?

Before any big construction or renovation project, have an expert identify the quantity of waste that will be produced. You will then be able to schedule in workers to come and remove it immediately, increasing efficiency and lowering costs. It is then up to you to dispose of this waste in a way which is responsible.

Profit From Your Waste

The average business uses between 15,000 and 25,000 kWh per year. This energy has to come from somewhere. Given the amount of waste produced by a typical company, why not put this back into your operation by converting it to energy or transforming it into useful products? This is a win-win situation. You get to carry out the necessary maintenance to keep your business running, while receiving free energy to power your company and promoting an eco-friendly brand image.

Maintenance is an important part of every business, but many managers neglect the cost of waste. Staying on top of your business maintenance waste is guaranteed to cut costs and boost profits. Have a waste management schedule in place and use the trash to provide a sustainable energy source as well as useful products.