Tag Archives: Sustainability

Green Financing as a Tool for Sustainable Development

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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.

Recommended Reading: The Rising Appeal of ESG Investments

An Easy Guide to Make Your Business Sustainable

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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

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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 gases 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.

Also Read: Transforming Waste – Eco-friendly Waste Disposal Methods

How to Manage Your Business Maintenance Waste

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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.

Create a Sustainable and Energy-Efficient Home on a Budget

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In the US, the typical home and family spend an average minimum of $2,200 on energy costs per year, according to the US Department of Energy. Understandably, homeowners are aiming to cut costs and seeking to save oodles of money down the road. With that being the case, it isn’t surprising to find that more and more people are turning to smart home technology. What about those that can’t exactly afford all the tech-led bells and whistles, however? Read on to know how to create an energy-efficient home on a budget:

1. Think Long-Term Package

Instead of looking at the things to put in a home, it’s smart to consider the entirety of the home itself—from conceptual plans to layouts and building materials. Planning and choosing a home that is affordable and fashioned to be conducive to a sustainable and energy-efficient build will save you thousands of dollars in the future.

sustainable-habits-for-ecofriendly-home

For example, you can try living in a mobile home. Lenders and lending institutions like mobile and manufactured homes so you won’t have trouble securing a loan. These types of homes come in a wide gamut of sustainable materials to choose from like recycled steel. So it provides a good marriage between budgets and sustainability.

2. Enforcing Helpful Practices

Beyond having a home that’s built to be conducive for sustainability and energy-efficiency, you need to take a long hard look at the habits of the people in the home. When you’re on a budget, fancy things like smart thermostats can be a tad out of reach. So what can you do? You can try enforcing helpful practices.

eco-friendly-business-practices

For example, lowering the water heating temperature can lower your energy consumption by 22% annually. Other good practices are sealing any air leaks so you can avoid any excessive use of heating. Not only will these help you save money but they’ll help keep everyone on the same page when it comes to being energy-efficient. But if it surpasses your budget, taking SMS loans in Sweden can be an ideal option to cover for the extra cost. By taking out this micro loan, you will be able to pay your bills while enforcing helpful habits to minimize your spending.

3. Seek Sustainable Technology

All the savings you get from a well-built home and sustainable practices will eventually give you more options. Sustainable technology can help boost your home’s energy efficiency. While tech like solar panels can be expensive, it is always worth noting that there are Federal Tax Credit plans that allow homeowners to claim at least 30% of installation costs, according to NerdWallet. Other good options are biogas digesters and active recycling posts on the property.

solar-powered-home

When it comes to creating a sustainable and energy-efficient home, there are always a lot of options to choose from. It is all a matter of doing the right research to find which solutions help you best with the budget that you presently have. Always remember that whatever you spend now toward sustainability will eventually mean triple in savings and more down the line.

Recommended Reading:

How to improve home energy efficiency

Energy efficiency guide for homeowners

Biomass Energy and Sustainability

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Biomass energy systems offer significant possibilities for reducing greenhouse gas emissions due to their immense potential to replace fossil fuels in energy production. Biomass reduces emissions and enhances carbon sequestration since short-rotation crops or forests established on abandoned agricultural land accumulate carbon in the soil. Biomass energy usually provides an irreversible mitigation effect by reducing carbon dioxide at source, but it may emit more carbon per unit of energy than fossil fuels unless biomass fuels are produced in a sustainable manner.

Biomass resources can play a major role in reducing the reliance on fossil fuels by making use of thermo-chemical conversion technologies. In addition, the increased utilization of biomass-based fuels will be instrumental in safeguarding the environment, generation of new job opportunities, sustainable development and health improvements in rural areas.

biomass-sustainability

The development of efficient biomass handling technology, improvement of agro-forestry systems and establishment of small and large-scale biomass-based power plants can play a major role in sustainable development of rural as well as urban areas. Biomass energy could also aid in modernizing the agricultural economy and creating significant job opportunities.

Harvesting practices remove only a small portion of branches and tops leaving sufficient biomass to conserve organic matter and nutrients. Moreover, the ash obtained after combustion of biomass compensates for nutrient losses by fertilizing the soil periodically in natural forests as well as fields.

The impact of forest biomass utilization on the ecology and biodiversity has been found to be insignificant. Infact, forest residues are environmentally beneficial because of their potential to replace fossil fuels as an energy source.

A quick glance at popular biomass resources

A quick glance at popular biomass resources

Plantation of energy crops on abandoned agricultural land will lead to an increase in species diversity. The creation of structurally and species diverse forests helps in reducing the impacts of insects, diseases and weeds. Similarly the artificial creation of diversity is essential when genetically modified or genetically identical species are being planted.

Short-rotation crops give higher yields than forests so smaller tracts are needed to produce biomass which results in the reduction of area under intensive forest management. An intelligent approach in forest management will go a long way in the realization of sustainability goals.

Improvements in agricultural practices promises to increased biomass yields, reductions in cultivation costs, and improved environmental quality. Extensive research in the fields of plant genetics, analytical techniques, remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) will immensely help in increasing the energy potential of biomass feedstock.

A large amount of energy is expended in the cultivation and processing of crops like sugarcane, coconut, and rice which can met by utilizing energy-rich residues for electricity production. The integration of biomass-fueled gasifiers in coal-fired power stations would be advantageous in terms of improved flexibility in response to fluctuations in biomass availability and lower investment costs. The growth of the biomass energy industry can also be achieved by laying more stress on green power marketing.

Recommended Reading: Exploring Synergy Between Bioenergy and Solar Power Systems

5 Tips for Successful Land Development Design

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Land development design is a complex process that requires expertise in architecture, engineering, and other disciplines. Challenges such as sustainability, regulations, and cost considerations can be difficult to navigate. Add this to the demands of stakeholders, and it’s clear that a successful land development design is no easy feat. Fortunately, there are some key strategies that you can use to increase your chances of success. Here are five tips for a successful land development design:

Guide to land development design

1. Conduct Thorough Research

Before designing, ensure you understand the local context, legal requirements, and other relevant information. Investigate the land’s history, its current use, and what regulations you must comply with throughout the process. Without this knowledge base to build upon, your design decisions may be misguided or ill-informed. Environmental site assessment is also an important consideration. Find out as much as possible about the ecosystem and wildlife in the area, as well as any potential risks to human health or safety.

2. Involve Stakeholders Early On

Stakeholder involvement is critical for a successful land development design project. Make sure you identify your stakeholders and try to bring them into the process early. Ask for their feedback throughout, and make sure they are aware of any changes along the way. This will help ensure that all parties are on board with your design decisions and reduce potential conflicts.

3. Consider Sustainability

Sustainability is more important than ever when it comes to the land development design. Ensure you consider energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction, and other environmental considerations. This will ensure that your design is compliant with regulations and helps protect the environment for future generations. Ideally, the site should be designed to take full advantage of the natural environment and resources. This means considering nearby bodies of water, wildlife habitats, and renewable energy sources.

How To Create A Strong Sustainability Culture

4. Focus On Cost-Effective Solutions

The success of any project depends on how effectively you manage the budget. Look for cost-effective solutions throughout the design process, such as using recycled materials, maximizing energy efficiency, and utilizing local resources whenever possible. This will help you stay within your budget while creating a successful land development design.

Hiring professionals can also help you save money. An experienced architect or engineer can provide valuable insight and help ensure that your design is cost-effective and meets all the necessary requirements.

5. Develop an Implementation Plan

The goal of the design phase is to create a plan ready for implementation. Create a timeline, identify resources, and anticipate any risks or challenges. This will ensure that you’re prepared to move forward with your project efficiently and cost-effectively. You should involve professionals such as architects, engineers, and legal experts throughout the process. This will help ensure that all your design decisions comply with local regulations and best practices while also helping to keep costs down.

However, your plan should not dictate every step of the process. Instead, it should provide a framework that allows for flexibility and adaptation as needed. Keep an open mind and be willing to adjust your plans according to the changing landscape.

Many factors can influence the success of a land development design project. By conducting thorough research, involving stakeholders early on, focusing on sustainability and cost-effectiveness, and developing an implementation plan with the help of professionals, you can increase your chances of creating a successful project.

Green SMEs: Catalyst for Green Economy

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With ‘green’ being the buzzword across all industries, greening of the business sector and development of green skills has assumed greater importance all over the world. SMEs, startups and ecopreneurs are playing a vital role in the transition to a low-carbon economy by developing new green business models for different industrial sectors. Infact, young and small firms are emerging as main drivers of radical eco-innovation in the industrial and services sectors.

Green SMEs

What are Green SMEs

Green SMEs adopt green processes and/or those producing green goods using green production inputs. A judicious exploitation of techno-commercial opportunities and redevelopment of business models, often neglected by established companies, have been the major hallmarks of green SMEs.

For example, SMEs operating in eco-design, green architecture, renewable energy, energy efficiency and sustainability are spearheading the transition to green economy across a wide range of industries. The path to green economy is achieved by making use of production, technology and management practices of green SMEs. Impact investment platforms allows individuals to invest in environmentally sustainable companies.

Categories of Green Industries

Environmental Protection Resource Management
Protection of ambient air Water management
Protection of climate Management of forest resources
Wastewater management Management of flora and fauna
Waste management Energy management
Noise and vibration abatement Management of minerals
Protection of biodiversity and landscape Eco-construction
Protection against radiation Natural resource management activities
Protection of soil, groundwater and surface water Eco-tourism
Environmental Monitoring and Instrumentation Organic agriculture
Research and Development Research and Development

Key Drivers

The key motivations for a green entrepreneur are to exploit the market opportunity and to promote environmental sustainability. A green business help in the implementation of innovative solutions, competes with established markets and creates new market niches. Green entrepreneurs are a role model for one and all as they combine environmental performance with market targets and profit outcomes, thus contributing to the expansion of green markets.

Some of the popular areas in which small green businesses have been historically successful are renewable energy production (solar, wind and biomass), smart metering, building retrofitting, hybrid cars and waste recycling.

As far as established green industries (such as waste management and wastewater treatment) are concerned, large companies tend to dominate, however SMEs and start-ups can make a mark if they can introduce innovative processes and systems. Eco-friendly transformation of existing practices is another attractive pathway for SMEs to participate in the green economy.

The Way Forward

Policy interventions for supporting green SMEs, especially in developing nations, are urgently required to overcome major barriers, including knowledge-sharing, raising environmental awareness, enhancing financial support, supporting skill development and skill formation, improving market access and implementing green taxation.

In recent decades, entrepreneurship in developing world has been increasing at a rapid pace which should be channeled towards addressing water, energy, environment and waste management challenges, thereby converting environmental constraints into business opportunities.

How to Incorporate Sustainability into Your Business?

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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!

4 Tips On How Smart Manufacturing Can Reduce Environmental Impact

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Manufacturing accounts for a massive portion of global carbon emissions, almost a quarter of direct global carbon emissions. The Environmental Protection Agency reports a 23 percent contribution from manufacturing companies in the United States. Varying factors drive this output, but there could be a way businesses could lessen their environmental impact.

Smart manufacturing improves many of these problem areas, leading to better environmental results. Here are four ways smart manufacturing could make a splash by lessening its environmental impact.

How Smart Manufacturing Could Lessen Environmental Impact

How Smart Manufacturing Could Lessen Environmental Impact

Global climate change has evolved into one of the most prominent concerns around the world today. The connection between manufacturers and global climate change is undeniable, leading to understandable concern in worldwide industrialization and economic development.

The manufacturing industry isn’t going anywhere, so changes need to be made. Smart manufacturing can repair and improve areas that affect environmental impact, allowing facilities to remain efficient, productive, and cost-effective without sacrificing the environment.

1. Reducing Production Waste

Many facilities produce enormous amounts of waste every year. By reducing waste output, intelligent technologies can minimize the environmental effect. There are a few ways to implement innovative technology toward lessening production waste:

  • Adopt lean manufacturing to reduce waste production with assured quality.
  • Implement an advanced manufacturing process to minimize wasted material used to make a product. 3D printing is an excellent way to reduce production waste.
  • Incorporate automation in certain areas of the process to minimize the dependence of the process on human intervention. Automated devices can reduce the regularity of human error and defection, resulting in less waste.
  • Utilize greener cleaning materials with water- and bio-based cleaners to reduce water waste.

2. Improved Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency is another significant piece of the puzzle. A facility can become more energy efficient in varying areas by incorporating greener, high-end equipment designed to reduce energy consumption in specific tasks.

Additionally, internet-connected sensors can improve the performance of energy management systems, allowing facilities to reduce their energy consumption without impacting production. Intelligent scheduling and AI can also help in the efficiency process, whether at the base equipment level or covering the entire supply chain. IoT-consulting services can enable industrial manufacturing systems to be more intelligent.

robotics in sustainable manufacturing

3. Working Toward Sustainability

Sustainability is a critical factor in reducing a facility’s environmental impact. Facilities can incorporate remanufacturing to restore damaged or defective products to full functionality, allowing the product to become useable again and reducing waste.

Reconfigurable manufacturing, although initially designed to improve responsiveness to a fluctuating market, can help facilities improve and manage wastewater and emissions via system reconfiguration.

4. Adjusted Manufacturing Processes

Changing the nature of the beast is one of the most promising ways to lessen environmental impact. Facilities could switch from a chemical to a physical or biological process, reducing emissions. Additionally, facilities can directly use smart technologies to reduce specific emissions from industrial processes, such as GHG emissions.

Greener inputs can replace traditional forms of energy, such as fossil fuels, which are rapidly depleting and produce carbon dioxide as a byproduct. Alternative renewable energies, such as hydrogen, biobutanol, and bioethanol, could replace fossil fuels.

Bottom Line

Smart manufacturing has the potential to improve manufacturing drastically. It could be the way of the future, increasing sustainability, productivity, and cost-efficacy to reduce environmental impact.