The longer, laid-back summer days are almost here, and it feels like a perfect time to reflect on creating a more sustainable, green future.
Here are some simple ways to incorporate sustainability into your life this summer and reduce environmental impact.
At home or in the office, comfort matters. But efficiency is essential too. An easy “right now” solution to improving energy efficiency is to install a smart thermostat. These wifi-enabled features can be remote-controlled from any smart device. They can be connected to your central heating, boiler, or air conditioning system.
This is useful in reducing energy demand from fossil-fueled power plants and is also great for your electric bill and bottom line.
You can’t control whether the products you dispose will end up being recycled. Still, you can purchase biodegradable products with less packaging that use non-synthetic ingredients. Biodegradable products dissolve due to contact with bacteria and fungi. This means that if they encounter nature, they won’t cause any environmental harm, as they disappear through natural processes.
At the office, consider hiring a cleaning service that commits to using earth-friendly cleaning products and techniques.
The types of products you might consider switching to at home:
- Recycled toilet paper
- Natural ingredient shampoo
- Natural deodorant
- Bamboo toothbrush
- Washcloths made from hemp or agave fibers
At the office:
- Recycled toilet paper
- Green cleaning products
- Recycled paper towels
- Recycled printing paper
- Green Office Supplies
Many office supply companies, like Dolphin Blue, specialize in eco-friendly products.
Biking has tons of physical, mental, and environmental benefits. Replacing even one round-trip commute per week can increase your physical fitness, ease stress, and reduce your carbon footprint.
Biking helps you maintain a healthy weight by burning calories. For example, a 180-pound person who bikes 10-12 miles per hour for 30 minutes burns up to 240 calories.
The more active you are, the less likely you are to get chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes. It also lowers your risk for certain cancers like breast or colorectal cancer. Biking is good for your heart and lungs, too. Regular bike riding has been found to strengthen your heart muscles, improve blood circulation in your heart and lungs, and lower your resting pulse rate.
Biking to work is also good for the environment. When you bike to work, it helps reduce the use of harmful chemicals and pollutants like antifreeze and motor oil. Having fewer cars on the road also means reducing harmful emissions like CO2 that pollute the air and contribute to climate change. When more commuters bike, there is also less need to build more roads to accommodate cars. This cuts down on runoff water that usually pollutes groundwater.
Take advantage of a commuter benefits program, where you can add funds to employees’ commuter benefits accounts through a company subsidy or direct employee funding from their payroll.
Aim for a zero-waste lifestyle
Adopting a “zero waste” lifestyle is a great way to make a daily difference.
- Use reusable water bottles
- Bring your own reusable grocery bags when you shop
- Use a reusable coffee tumbler
- Replace paper products with cloth (paper towels, napkins, etc.)
Let Edenred help
Whether you want to help your employees go green by biking to work, reduce their carbon footprint by taking mass transit, or make it easier for them to lead a healthier, green lifestyle, Edenred can help. Schedule a call today to discuss the best options for your goals.
