Today, prioritizing the planet is more important than ever. Truth is known by all but acknowledged only by a select few is that when you limit your energy usage, you lower your impact on the environment. The longer we go without making significant changes, the greater the threat of global warming and climate change become to our daily lives!
To make energy-saving a more conscious and deliberate effort, every year, India observes National Energy Conservation on December 14. The day is organized by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) – which operates under the Ministry of Power, aiming to present India’s stellar achievements in cost-efficient energy production and resource conservation. Further plans for the future are also discussed on this day, targeting holistic development as the main goal towards mitigation of climate change.
When we showcase India’s contribution to energy conservation and steps taken towards becoming an energy-efficient nation, we also simultaneously encourage more people to become energy savers. So, today, I take this opportunity to share tips to encourage entrepreneurs to make their business more sustainable and give back to the world as they continue to rise.
- Respect the changing consumer sentiment -Faced with compounding environmental crises, consumers are starting to vote green with their wallets. Businesses of all shapes and sizes need to continually analyze consumer sentiment because as people learn more about climate change and its effects, they are changing their buying habits.
- Offer remote work – As more work gets done online, there is less need for people to be in a physical office. The pandemic has accelerated remote working, thereby allowing employees to have work-life flexibility, substantially reducing their time spent commuting. This is a boon in disguise for the environment. Fewer cars on the road, equates to less traffic, which in turn equates to less carbon dioxide (CO2) being emitted into the air.
- Use sustainable products- The items/hardware companies purchase to ensure their workplaces function well can be detrimental to the health of the environment due to the processes that go into making them. All paper items commonly used, such as printer paper, should be made from post- or pre-consumer waste. Recycled products such as these maintain a circular economy and reduce overall waste.
- Make energy-efficient upgrades to become sustainable – Becoming energy efficient doesn’t only help to shrink carbon footprints, it also helps to reduce a company’s energy bill. Many simple changes such as using energy-efficient appliances; moving to LED lights; automating lights with sensors; using smart thermostats; taking advantage of natural light; and supplying staff with energy efficient laptops instead of desktop computers, will certainly make your business more sustainable.
- Do business with green businesses – Web hosting isn’t the only way businesses can go carbon-neutral with the companies they choose to operate with. From software companies and food and beverage brands to apparel labels and shipping carriers, carbon-neutral vendors can be found across every major industry. It is important to remember that, becoming a sustainable business also largely depends on the companies you support/deal with.
So, come one, come all, to conserve energy and thus preserve the future!
Avtar Madan
Content Team
Himanshu
Shree Lahiri
