How to reduce plastic consumption as a business?

Plastic is polluting our planet, and it costs businesses money. According to a report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the world’s economy will lose $1 trillion annually by 2050 if decisive action isn’t taken to address plastic pollution. That’s a lot of money! So what can your business do to reduce its plastic consumption and boost its bottom line? In this blog post, we will discuss some strategies that you can implement today.

Carry out a plastic audit: Consider a plastic audit as important as a financial audit or even more important. A plastic audit will help you understand where your business is using plastic and where it can be replaced with a more sustainable option. There are many ways to conduct a plastic audit, but one way is to take inventory of all the products and packaging your business uses. Once you have this information, you can start to look for ways to reduce or eliminate plastic use.

Educate your employees: One of the best ways to reduce plastic consumption in your business is to educate your employees about the issue. Make sure they are aware of the negative environmental impacts of plastic and how it costs the company money. Encourage them to come up with ideas on how to reduce plastic use. You may even want to offer incentives for employees who come up with successful strategies.

Choose sustainable packaging: If your business ships products, then you have a great opportunity to reduce plastic use by choosing sustainable packaging options. There are many eco-friendly packaging materials available that are just as strong and durable as plastic but don’t have the same negative environmental impacts. You may even be able to find packaging that is made from recycled materials.

Reduce at source: A country can ask its people to use plastics, but unless it stops production, plastic is going to find a way to be in constant circulation. The same applies to your business. The best and probably the only way to stop plastic waste, in the long run, is to reduce it at the source. This means finding alternative materials or redesigning your products and packaging so that they use less plastic.

Use Sustainable Suppliers: One of the most important things you can do to reduce your business’s plastic footprint is to choose sustainable suppliers. There are many suppliers out there who are making an effort to use less plastic and more sustainable materials. Look for suppliers who share your commitment to reducing plastic use and work with them to find eco-friendly packaging and shipping options.

Review Your Promotional Material: Promotional materials are another great opportunity to reduce plastic use in your business. Review the current promotional materials and look for ways to make them more sustainable. For example, if you use plastic bags to promote your business, consider switching to paper or even reusable shopping bags. If you use plastic water bottles at events, see if you can switch to aluminum or glass options.

Signpost Recycling Bins: Many businesses don’t realize they can recycle plastic. Most plastics can be recycled if they are properly sorted and labeled. Make recycling easy for your employees and customers by placing clearly labeled recycling bins around your business. You may even want to offer incentives for people who use the recycling bins.

 Change up your tea & coffee: We are not kidding. There is always a boiling kettle and a coffee machine at the office. Most people use tea bags that come wrapped in plastic. While some companies are trying to find more sustainable options for their tea bags, others are ditching them altogether and going loose-leaf. This might not seem like much, but if everyone in the office made this switch, it would make a big difference. Not to mention, loose-leaf tea often tastes better!

Eliminate plastic bottles: Get a flask. Seriously. Ditch the plastic water bottles and invest in a good-quality flask you can take everywhere. Not only will this save you money in the long run, but it will also help reduce your business’s plastic footprint.

Do your part to educate others: One of the best things you can do to reduce plastic consumption in your business is to educate others about the issue. Talk to fellow business owners about the importance of reducing plastic use and share tips and resources on how they can do so. You can also share articles and blog posts on social media or write your blog post about the issue. The more people you can reach, the better!

Make a commitment to reduce plastic use in your business, and you’ll not only be doing your part to save the planet but also boost your bottom line. Implement some of the strategies discussed here, and you’ll be well on reducing your business’s plastic footprint. However, these are just a few of the many strategies you can implement in your business to reduce plastic consumption and boost your bottom line. Do you have any other ideas?