Did you know that 66% of Americans and 80% of Americans aged 18 to 34 will happily pay more for sustainable products (source: Forbes)? Another survey found that over 70% of US consumers expect businesses to proactively act on climate change and prioritize environmentally friendly practices.

This consumer trend towards sustainability represents a significant growth opportunity for business owners. By not addressing your environmental impact, you risk alienating a substantial portion of your potential market. However, by embracing sustainable practices, you can tap into a growing consumer base and expand your business.

But if you’re interested in exploring this market, rest assured that there are some straightforward ways to get started. These steps can help you understand how to make changes to your business that will appeal to the more eco-conscious consumers without overwhelming you with complex strategies.

Recycle

Recycling and using products that have been or can be easily recycled are not just environmentally friendly; they’re also financially beneficial. There’s often a recycled version of any material you need, a way to recycle raw materials you don’t need, or you can recycle materials internally in different ways. For instance, metal recycling can help you earn money by selling unwanted metal for reuse. Choosing recyclable materials over plastic wrapping and packaging, and using more recycled products and materials in your operations, can all contribute to your bottom line.

Reduce Miles

Reducing miles traveled is possible for both supplies and your working miles. This might mean reducing the number of hours spent on the road by allowing remote working for some or all of the week. It should be using local suppliers and foods, i.e., fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, and seafood, to limit how many miles they travel to get to your business. Always look for ways you can reduce the need for travel, where possible, use virtual meetings over in-person ones, especially long-distance meetings requiring extensive travel, and reduce the emissions you produce when getting employees, customers, or supplies to your workplace.

Sustainable Energy

Sustainable energy is a really easy option to help you cut your carbon footprint. Introducing renewable energy sources to power your operations, either in part or in full, can help you cut emissions and become more sustainable. Coupled with energy-saving techniques within the workplace, the amount of energy you eliminate can really add up over the year.

Green Suppliers

A great way to support and reinforce your green initiatives is to partner with others with the same ethos. Talk to suppliers about what green initiatives they have in place or eco goals they are working towards. Because these actions will filter through to you, i.e., does your web hosting company offset their carbon footprint or use greener energy or technology to power their servers? Does your delivery partner use eco-friendly fuel options or adopt more climate-friendly delivery options? These seem insignificant alone, but when you introduce more suppliers adopting these approaches, the effect can be cumulative and help support what you do, too.