Go Green with Technology
More businesses of all sizes are demonstrating a growing concern for the planet by engaging in practices that reduce waste and their carbon footprint. In a recent article for The News-Herald, contributor Scott Held noted how going green can yield significant payoffs for all businesses. While some may believe environmentally conscious decisions mean higher costs, Dan Jacobs, an architect and advocate for sustainable design, said green initiatives can actually help businesses save money.
According to Jacobs, more American corporations are considering adjustments to their operations to reduce energy consumption and related costs. In 2012, roughly 53 percent of Fortune 500 companies published reports detailing their social and environmental initiatives, which is 20 percent more than the previous year.
“While a small business or workplace might not realize the large savings corporations like Walmart have, Jacobs said there are simple ways to get started,” Held wrote. “Changing a building’s lighting to more efficient sources, like LEDs or compact fluorescent bulbs, can yield immediate savings that can be applied to upgrades of the HVAC systems. As those savings are realized, steps to conserve water and cut down on the amount of waste generated also are available. And, as we’re constantly reminded, there always are ways for businesses to reduce, reuse and recycle materials.”
Leverage Tech Go Green and Improve Reputation
Jacobs recommended that businesses start small with their eco-friendly solutions. Even if savings are minimal, they can have a bigger impact by reinvesting initial savings to ramp up green technology efforts. While lighting and water consumption are certainly important, businesses can also leverage strategic tech investments to support environmental conservation.
For example, most small and medium-sized businesses would invest in a virtual PBX system from AccessDirect to enhance internal and external communications, increase enterprise mobility and reduce regular fixed operational costs. However, most business leaders are not likely thinking about helping the planet when making this investment. Nevertheless, a hosted PBX system comes with many advanced features that help SMBs be more environmentally conscious. For example, the fax-to-email feature sends fax notifications directly to a user’s inbox, enabling the company to eliminate paper costs associated with printing larger volumes of documents.
In addition, implementing a virtual office phone system can produce a Butterfly Effect of benefits by equipping employees with the technology needed to work remotely or from home. One of the oft-cited benefits of telecommuting is the reduction of travel, which consequently reduces a company’s contribution to global carbon emissions.
In a recent Sustainable Business Forum article, contributor Sarah Brooks explained how implementing green technology solutions can help improve a company’s reputation as well.
“There are many reasons as to why a company may want to ‘go green,’ or become environmentally friendly,” Brooks wrote. “Yes, going green does protect the environment, but it can be good for your company as well. You’ll gain customers who support and appreciate companies that respect the environment, you’ll save money on your electric bill and reduce waste, your work environment will be healthier and your company will get more tax credits. In addition to these benefits, going green can actually help your company’s reputation. In order to have a successful company, you must have a good, solid reputation.”
At AccessDirect fax to email is just one of the products we offer to help you go green with technology upgrades that can make your business more eco-friendly.
