Five ways businesses can become more sustainable
Businesses need to be more conscious than ever of the impact their practices have on the environment. Many local businesses in Fort Collins have already begun taking steps to become more environmentally sustainable. Here are five ways businesses can become more environmentally sustainable and reduce their impact on the environment.
- Use locally and sustainably grown ingredients and materials
Businesses can become more environmentally sustainable if they use locally and sustainably grown ingredients and materials.
By using these kinds of ingredients and materials, businesses will preserve small farmland, reduce the distance food must be transported, hold local farmers accountable, and preserve genetic diversity.
The FoCo Café, a nonprofit restaurant in Fort Collins, uses as many locally and sustainably grown ingredients as possible.
Jax Fish House, a seafood restaurant in Fort Collins, has partnered with The Blue Ocean Institute, Fish Choice, and other sustainable seafood organizations, to provide seafood that’s been prepared in a way that won’t harm the environment. Jax Fish House is also the first restaurant in Colorado to be certified by the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch, a leading organization in the sustainable seafood movement.
2. Encourage employees to use public transportation
Using public transportation, like buses and trains, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, which makes the community more sustainable.
Fort Collins has many opportunities for public transportation. Fort Collins has buses that run on biodiesel or compressed natural gas, as well as many bike lanes. Fort Collins also has a bicycle co-op, bike share program, and bike parking.
Employers can encourage employees to use public transportation by offering incentives that motivate employees to do so.
3. Use reusable products
Businesses and offices often use products such as disposable cups, plates, utensils, and more. They could decide to replace these products with reusable options, such as glass or ceramic kitchenware.
Businesses can also encourage employees to reuse whatever materials they can. Boxes can be reused and both sides of paper can be written on.
Using reusable products and materials to their fullest extent creates less waste, which helps keep the environment cleaner and healthier. In Fort Collins, businesses and multi-family units are required to subscribe to single-stream recycling services.
Eco-Thrift, a thrift store in Fort Collins, returns used items to service and allows customers to rent items such as tools, kitchen supplies, and more.
4. Use sustainable packaging
Businesses can also take steps to ensure that the packaging they use is sustainable for the environment. Businesses can use recycled materials, such as cardboard for packaging. They could also try implementing compostable packaging.
Using sustainable packaging helps reduce the amount of waste that ends up in the environment.
Wander Coffee, a coffee shop in Fort Collins uses environmentally-friendly equipment and packages with biodegradable materials.
5. Use renewable energy sources
Businesses can also become more environmentally sustainable by using renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and hydropower. Using these sources will help reduce the business’s carbon footprint, therefore making it more environmentally sustainable.
Businesses can also use energy-efficient appliances, LED lights, and natural light.
Fort Collins has various renewable energy programs, including Solar Rebates, Green Energy, Self-Generation, and the Solar Power Purchase Program.
Fort Collins utilities allows customers to use solar photovoltaic panels to generate renewable energy and allows businesses to purchase renewable energy for 1.6 cents per kilowatt-hour added to their utility bill.
