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Eco-Friendly Upgrades: 5 Best Ways to Make Your Small Business More Eco-Friendly

eco-friendly materials

Eco-friendly – Photo by Anna Oliinyk on  Unsplash

From individuals to small businesses, every contribution towards fixing global warming counts. In addition to using serviced and virtual offices, there are many other solutions you can adopt to make your business more eco-friendly. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:

Recycle and Reuse

Using biodegradable or reusable packaging for your products is one of the easiest ways to go green. If you’re in the food and grocery business, you can opt for recyclable cups and bottles. It’s also worth upgrading to reusable shopping bags instead of their plastic counterparts.

Regardless of your industry, you can incorporate recycling bins into your office or shop to encourage employees and customers to recycle and reuse wherever possible.

Save Energy

Even the smallest business can have energy needs that contribute to pollution in some way, especially if you run a brick-and-mortar location. One way to reduce the energy you use is to open up the windows instead of cranking up the air conditioner.

If you have access to natural light, make the most of it to maximize the amount of sunlight you get each day. For example, design your business layout in a way that doesn’t obstruct light, and use energy-saver bulbs and motion-sensing lights that only come on when needed.

Encourage your employees to carpool or even cycle to work when possible. Consider working from serviced or virtual offices to limit the work commute and save on overhead costs. Better yet, find one of the many serviced offices worldwide that have been designed from the ground up to be eco-friendly.

eco-friendly shop

Eco-friendly Shop – Photo by Jason Briscoe on Unsplash

Conserve Water

Apart from putting up signs around the office reminding everyone to be careful with water, there are many ways to conserve water in a business. For instance, you could encourage employees to wash their dishes at the same time instead of doing it separately. It can even help to opt for a dishwasher instead of the hand washing method.

You may also upgrade to water-saving dual flush toilets and collect rainwater for flushing. Any rainwater you collect can also be used to water your office plants.

Use Less Paper

As we all know, the number of trees that are cut down to make paper every year is devastating. In fact, the paper industry accounts for 0.6% of all annual greenhouse gas emissions.

Be a part of eco-friendly solutions by going digital. Everything from memos to invoices and order fulfillment can be done online now. Another benefit of going digital is that you won’t have to spend money on new filing cabinets each year, and you can run your business from anywhere.

Plant Trees

Trees are the lungs of our planet and an essential part of our fragile ecosystem. They convert the carbon dioxide released by cars, humans, and industrial activity into the oxygen we humans breathe. They also provide shade and shelter while beautifying the environment.

Despite all this, ancient forests are being decimated at an alarming rate each year, displacing animals and threatening habitats all around the world.

What can you do about this as a business owner? Aside from sponsoring local tree-planting initiatives, you could regularly donate to a reforestation non-profit as part of your company’s corporate social responsibility strategy.

As we continue to face the accelerating effects of global warming, it’s important to remember that we all have the power to help reverse the damage being done to the planet. Get started today by applying one or more of the solutions shared above to make your business that much more eco-friendly.

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3 Commonly Asked Solar Panel Questions (With Answers)

Solar Panel Questions – Photo by Bill Mead on Unsplash

Solar energy accounts for just 2.3% of America’s electricity generation. Though we know how harmful fossil fuels are, they are still the most common way we generate electricity.

If you’re curious about reducing your carbon footprint, consider solar energy for your home. If you’re not sure what it is or what going solar entails, we can help. Keep reading to find our answers to your most frequently asked solar panel questions.

Q: What Happens During Inclement Weather?

A: It is a common misconception that your solar panels won’t be effective in inclement weather. Folks in rainy climates might believe that there’s no point in investing in green energy if it’s cloudy all the time.

The truth is that even when it’s cloudy out, your solar panels can still capture sunlight. Though they are most effective in direct sunlight, you can still generate power when light is reflected.

Rain is a godsend for solar panel owners. The natural moisture washes away dust or dirt from the panels to boost their efficiency.

Solar panels are designed to hold up well against hail. As long as your installation company faces them to the south, they should never break or crack from hail.

Q: Will Solar Energy Save Me Money?

A: In a word: yes.

Investing in green energy will save you money by reducing how much electricity you need to buy from the grid. Having a solar system is essentially owning a mini power station.

The drawback of solar panels is that it’s a long-term investment. The initial cost is quite high and that’s offputting to many homeowners.

Look at it as if you’re prepaying your electricity bill for the next several years all upfront. Your investment will pay for itself over time.

The exact amount of money you’ll save on your monthly payment will vary. The hours of direct sunlight your home receives and the angle and size of your roof play a role in your potential savings. A trustworthy company like Blue Raven Solar can provide a more detailed estimation of your savings.

solar panel questionsPhoto by Benjamin Jopen on Unsplash

Q: How Do Solar Panels Help the Environment?

A: Solar is a renewable energy source as it harnesses power from the sun. Any step we take towards reducing dependency on fossil fuels is good for the environment.

Solar systems can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Since GHG emissions are one of the main causes of climate change, solar energy is a worthy opponent in the fight against the climate crisis.

Solar power has also been found to reduce air pollutants. Widespread usage could reduce nitrous oxides and sulfur dioxide from the air. This could lead to fewer cases of respiratory illnesses and cardiovascular problems.

Your Solar Panel Questions Answered

We hope our blog was able to answer some (or all) of your burning solar panel questions. While the investment in solar energy is quite high, both you and all humankind can benefit from its implementation.

Keep reading our blogs for more tips on sustainable living.

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How to Keep Termites Out of Your Home

Termites are one of the most destructive pests that you can have in your home. If you discover that there are termites eating away at your home’s structure, you need to get rid of them as soon as possible. How do you do that?

termite control

Call a Termite Control Professional

The first thing that you need to do is call a termite control expert who can come up with a plan of action that will get rid of your termites once and for all. If the termite problem in your home is really bad, an exterminator can come to your home right away even if you need someone to help you out after business hours or on weekends. While you may pay an additional fee, you can rest assured that your termite problem will be taken care of right away.

Do Termite Treatments Work?

A termite treatment will be sprayed around your home as well as outside of the property to kill any termites that are in or just outside your home. The treatment will kill the termites and their eggs immediately. The dead termites should then be cleaned from the walls, from within the cupboards and anywhere else where the termites may have previously existed.

Keeping Termites Away From Good

Using a termite treatment to kill any termites in your house is only one part of the removal process. You must take steps to ensure that you are not going to have to deal with them ever again. To ensure that they stay away for good, you should get any dead or rotted wood out of your home as well as out of your yard. If you have any dead trees, cut them down and haul the wood away.

What Can You Do About Termite Damage?

After the termites are killed, you should check to see if there is any serious damage that has been caused by them. Keep in mind that you are not going to be able to file an insurance claim to help pay for structures that have been weakened as the result of a termite infestation. This is especially important to understand if you are about to buy a home that has recently had an infestation or is currently infested.

Termites are no laughing matter. If you sense that there may be termites in your home, there is no time to wait to get rid of them. Call an exterminator right away who will come up with ideas to kill and permanently get rid of them for good.

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What Kind Of Archeological Survey Equipment Are Available?

If you are new in the market for archeological survey equipment, then you might find yourself wondering just what all is available to you. As you probably already know, there are a lot of different types of equipment out there, some more valuable than others. However, if you are just beginning to build your career in this field, you might want to try to invest in as much as you can. You just never know what you are going to need and when you are going to need it.

archeological survey equipment

One great tool for the job is the ministing earth resistivity meter, which works great for small jobs that require testing of the electrical grounding grid. This is a meter that has the capability to be used in automatic or manual mode, so it works great for everyone.

Then you have the AGI EarthImager in 2D and in 3D. The 2D imager has the feature of inversion of the borehole and surface resistivity, survey planning, terrain correction, survey planning, and continuous resistivity profiling. Of course, there are many people who might prefer the 3D imager due to the three-dimensional interpretation of the data collected.

While those might be some of the more popular pieces of equipment to start out with, you will also have the SuperSting Marine, the PowerSting High Voltage External Transmitters, and t he SuperSting R1/IP Earth Resistivity Meter along with many others.

The key is to make sure that these pieces of equipment are purchased from a reputable source so that you do not end up with a bunch of useless equipment and wasted money. You know that this is a field that requires accuracy so there is no room for error. This is not just in relation to the work you perform, but in the equipment you purchase. If the equipment is not the best, your work with it cannot be the best.

All of your archeological equipment should come tested and fully backed by a warranty that you will be able to count on. This way, you know that you are getting the best equipment for your money.

Image Credit: www.agiusa.com

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Common Causes for a Pest invasion at your Workplace

Pest invasions are not only a potential problem in the home, but also in the workplace. Office buildings and work premises often offer rodents and other pests, water and food sources, as well as shelter. The presence of rodents in the workplace is particularly dangerous due to their tendency to spread viruses and parasites. Having people working in close proximity with these risks endangers the health of all staff members.

Many office workers will often snack on the go, or eat food at their computers or desks. This means more crumbs, attracting more pests.
Many office workers will often snack on the go,
or eat food at their computers or desks. This
means more crumbs, attracting more pests.

Food Sources

Workplaces are often a great source of food for pests, as most work premises contain kitchens or other food preparation areas used by staff members. With so many people using these facilities every week, crumbs and food particles quickly build up in these areas. Many people also store non-refrigerated items in the cupboards or drawers of the work kitchen, which if not sealed properly, will attract pests. In addition to this, many office workers will often snack on the go, or eat food at their computers or desks. This means more crumbs, attracting more pests. Workplaces that are surrounded by fruit trees or bushes are also known to attract pests.

Water Sources

Water is also a great attraction to pests. All pests require water to survive, and rodents and ants are drawn to bodies of water, especially of they occur near food sources. This means leaking taps, sinks and pipes (both indoors and outdoors) as well as bird feeders and birdbaths, can attract unwanted pests. Leaving water in the sink or in glasses or bowls can also attract pests.

Shelter

Pests and particularly rodents, like to hide from view where it is quite and dark. Office buildings are wrought with cracks, openings, utility entries, pipes and ventilation ducts which provide perfect shelter for rodents. If cracks are not filled with concrete, mortar, steel wool or metal flashing, pest have a direct route into the building. It is also important to be aware of your outdoor workplace environment Shrubs and foliage bordering the building, tree limbs over hanging the building, and vines hanging off the building, also offer pests another method of entry if not properly pruned and cut back. Outdoors storage sheds that are not mounted on concrete slabs may also encourage rodents to tunnel and use the shed as shelter.

Common signs of rodents include, spotting rats or mice, especially in the early hours of the morning or late at night. Other signs may include spotting rodent droppings around the workplace, especially in kitchens or food preparation areas and on attics and wall beams. There may also be evidence of food packaging being nibbled or gnawed within bins, cupboards, and drawers. Ants are usually reasonably easy to spot, appearing as long marching lines that lead to and from water or food sources. If you have found evidence of rodents or other pests at your workplace, contact www.trustedpestmanagement.com.au/.

By Grace Patterson

Image Credit:
James Barker – FreeDigitalPhotos.Net

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