Is your enterprise environmental footprint, green?

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I am an SMB owner and like many others, I feel more and more not only questionned but also concerned with the global environmental situation and, honestly, quite worried for my children’s future. As a SMB owner, I want to have a green envitonmental footprint.  So, here it goes…

For more than a decade now, the conssumer has been the target of many awareness campaigns in regards to the environmental impact of his choices and decisions. More so, in recent years, there’s not a month that goes by without having Mother Nature reminding us one way or another that something is not right with the climate and the environment.

It comforts me to think that average Joe has come a long way in terms of awareness of the environmental impact of his every moves and decisions but what about all these SMBs’ owners?  but what is your SMB’s environmental footprint?

The green environmental footprint enterprise – myth or reality?

We’ve all heard about these entreprises’ leaders that have embraced the green philosophy and have paved the way towards the responsible entreprise and who can teach a lesson or two to many entrepreneurs…

But does that mean that SMBs (which by the way hire more than 50% of all workers in Québec) can’t or don’t have to move towards that direction?  Is a paper consumption diminution sufficient enough for enterprises’ leaders and employees to feel eco-responsible?

Nature itself provide us with many examples of the power of the many (an anthill with 150 000 ants all working together towards one common goal can accomplish incredibly colossal tasks considering their size).  So, what if all 245 000 Québec SMBs would take one step towards ecoresponsibility? Surely, their impact would be much greater than that of a few large ecoresponsible enterprises.

I am becoming an eco-responsible SMB

So, here are a few very simple steps any SMB can implement with very little investment (mostly time…) but which cumulated efforts, times 245,000 other SMBs would have a remarkable impact on Québec’s environment.

  • Limit paper consumption and favor digital technologies and digital displays instead
  • Implement collaboration technologies to favour:
    • Travelling reduction
    • Meetings surface allocated surface areas reduction
    • Documents printing reduction
  • Recycle actively by implementing a Recycled Barrels Program :
    • Paper
    • Glass
    • Metal
    • Compost
  • Implement a Printing Cartridge Recycling Program
  • Implement a Technology Recycling Program
    • Computer equipements
    • Telephones
    • Batteries
    • Cathode-ray screen (for those who…)
  • Ensure a minimal ratio of plants in working areas
  • Replace halogenes with “LEDs”
  • For the more nordic areas, do not systematically climatize the servers room; instead, install a heat exchange system between the servers room, the office areas and the exterior

I am becoming an eco-responsible SMB Leader

Nevertheless, just like innovative technologies require a minimum anti-inertia adaptation effort, even the best of eco-responsibilization program wouldn’t have much impact if it were not to be supported offcicially by the SMBs Managing Body. Here are a few advices:

  • Show a clear favorable eco-responsible policy
  • Assign a person responsible for implementing green intitatives
  • Implement a Bonus Program for employees demonstrating creativity, initiative and diligence in ecological / eco-responsible measures’ implementation
  • If applicable, proceed with a feasability / ROI study for a green roof

 

Humbly hoping that this personal note would inspire you…

Good weekend,

Denis Paul and Michel

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