How to Reduce Your Organization's Carbon Footprint

March 18th is Global Recycling Day, which is intended to remind us of all the materials that can be reused in everyday life, in part as a way to decrease our individual carbon footprint. Having said that, it's valuable to know how much your business contributes in terms of its carbon footprint… and, once you know that figure, how you can minimize it.

What is a Carbon Footprint?

A carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that a business’ activities generate, including carbon dioxide and methane, over the course of a year.

Naturally, this can be a complicated number to calculate independently, as it factors in a variety of energy expenditures that a business would be involved in, such as:

• Utilities, like electricity and heat
• Transportation, including vehicle costs, air travel, and rail travel
• How much their shipments cost
• The emissions associated with business events, including travel and the venue
• The emissions generated by the supply chains associated with business procurement

This can make it fairly challenging to calculate your business’ total carbon footprint, although there are a variety of calculators available online to assist you.

Regardless of what your carbon footprint ultimately tallies up to, it helps to reduce it however you can.

How to Limit Your Business’ Carbon Footprint

There are many ways to help reduce your business’ carbon footprint. Let’s go over just a few:

Check Up on Your Suppliers’ Processes

With all the supplies that an average business relies on, the carbon footprint of the various supply chains involved can lead to quite a bit of emissions. In addition to trying to eliminate inefficiency in your supply chains by consolidating as much as possible, your (or any climate-conscious) business can and should inquire with your suppliers about any measures they have taken to eliminate emissions. This may help guide you towards alternative suppliers who have done more to offset their impact.

Introduce Change in the Workplace

Internally, there is a lot that a company can do to optimize its carbon waste output. Reducing the business’ energy use is a very accessible option through the numerous “green” options now available in terms of appliances and lighting. Removing single-use plastics and packaging materials from the company’s break room can also make a large difference, as these materials are commonly made from fossil fuels through an energy-intensive process. Incorporating these kinds of habits into your company culture can help influence your team members to adopt these processes into their own life.

Adopt Remote Work Policies and Capabilities

Travel is a significant segment of a business’ carbon footprint, so if there’s a way to reduce or even eliminate the commute that you and your employees need to take to get to and from work, it can make a big difference. Remote work and telecommuting, even if just a few days per week, can take a sizable chunk out of the emissions that you and your team generate.

The Environment is Critical, and It's Relatively Easy to Help Preserve It

There are many ways to optimize your use of natural resources, even in your business. Reach out to Macro Systems for the kinds of technology that help both your operations and your use of energy. Call 703-359-9211 today!