In the beginning, it hurt everyone and everyone to recycle, except the environment. Purchasing products that were eco-friendly often cost businesses and consumers more money than they might have liked. However, much of the expense of recycling has been reduced in recent years and compared to what was involved years ago, the expense of recycling can now reward businesses by not only lowering costs but, in some cases, paying businesses back.
Nowadays, businesses consume an inordinate amount of resources unnecessarily, in a multitude of different ways. Recycling programs today create opportunities for your business to reduce waste, but unlike in previous years, businesses benefit by saving money on donating products, in conserving energy and saving on technology. However, to really make an impact, businesses have to commit to a recycling program that takes inventory of the logistics of how the entire office functions.
Continue reading to learn more about how recycling can save your business money going forward.
Recycle Printer Ink
One of the easiest ways to recycle and potentially save money is to recycle old printer cartridges. In fact, many printer manufacturers participate in recycling programs that allow businesses to donate their used cartridges. The makers of HP ink cartridges, for example, are a part of a recycling program that encourages businesses to return old cartridges to certain merchants. In some cases, these programs will pay businesses to donate old cartridges. Businesses who consume a lot of ink might find this to be a great way to save some money.
Recycle Old Technology
Another way that businesses can contribute to a recycling program is to purchase refurbished or recycled technology. For example, businesses can benefit from programs that rebuild printers from old ones. For businesses, using refurbished printers could save countless dollars when compared with the cost of replacing this type of technology with brand new equipment that will function in the same way. And, if your printing needs are simple, a recycled printer is great for businesses that only need help with simple printing tasks.
Reuse Office Supplies
Pens, pencils and other refillable office supplies are another way that businesses stand to save money through recycling. Pens and pencils that come with refillable ink remove the need to replace pens and pencils routinely. Furthermore, your business stands to save money simply on only having to spend money on refills.
Invest In An Energy Audit
One way to guarantee savings is to invest in an energy audit. Simply put, this is where an energy expert takes inventory of your office building and shows you all of the ways that you are not only wasting money but also wasting energy. Whether it means investing in LED or some other more energy efficient lighting or turning off your various devices at the end of the day, an energy audit can give business owners an idea of how much they are really spending on energy. More importantly, the suggestions garnered from the audit can be opportunities for you to save money, leaving you with more funds to invest in other areas of your business.
Invest In An Eco-Friendly Printer
Printing technology is such that today’s office printers can print a year’s worth of prints with one cartridge – one cartridge! This printer is on the high end, but there are many brands, such as HP, that offer eco-friendly printers at an affordable cost. While these printers are more expensive, they are an investment that sometime down the line will pay off in terms of not having to continually purchase ink for your printer.
Using Recycling To Your Business’s Advantage
Recycling can often be seen as a chore by business owners as it means extra effort, processes and training to be implemented within your organisation. However, there are many benefits to recycling, including financial benefits and now is the time to take action to help our planet recover from just some of the harm we have caused over the last number of years. When you take steps to help the environment, your customers will notice and with more and more people paying attention to how sustainable businesses are being, you have the potential to attract new customers, improve your bottom line and ultimately improve your business for the better, all through the power of recycling.
