Are you feeling the call to make your home-based travel business more sustainable? While making the switch to a greener operation doesn’t happen overnight, a few small changes can make the transition easier. Here are five ideas to help you get started.
Go Paperless
Embrace technology by moving your documents, storage and billing information to an online platform. Not only is going paperless an easy way to reduce office clutter, but it’s also a simple way to make your business more sustainable. If the thought of parting with your folders, file cabinets and drawers seems daunting; don't fret as services like cloud storage and Google Drive make it relatively painless to organize all your files with the click of a button. And don’t forget about mailing lists. Digitalize any updates or deals you want to share with travelers via a recurring email through services like Mailchimp to keep you and your agency top of mind while being kinder to the planet in the process.
Buy Refurbished
Newer isn’t always better. At least, not when it comes to electronics and office furniture. Make Captain Planet proud by purchasing refurbished products for your home office. Sure, you won't be flaunting the latest sensation from Apple, but these like-new products are often in great condition and cost a fraction of the price.
P.S., remember to dispose of electronic waste like old cell phones, tablets, computers and TVs at the nearest e-waste recycling location in your city.
Shine Some (Natural) Light On the Situation
Another quick tip to conserve energy is being conscious of your lighting situation. If possible, build your workspace in a bright and sunny area of your home to help utilize natural lighting during working hours. If that's not possible, or if sunny days are hard to come by (hello, winter), purchase energy-efficient lightbulbs for your office area to keep the space as eco-friendly as possible. If you want to take things to the next level, you even can invest in motion-sensor timers to ensure no beam of light goes to waste.
Eat Mindfully
People love convenience. Unfortunately, that same convenience – grabbing a cup of coffee at the nearest Starbucks, picking up fast food for lunch and drinking out of single-use water bottles – results in tons of solid waste in our landfills. Curb the amount of trash you produce by being mindful of what you consume throughout the day. Try making your coffee at home, cooking a homemade meal for lunch (maybe even take up composting scraps) and purchasing a refillable water bottle.
Trust the Professionals
If you're ready to seriously commit to taking your home-office sustainability journey to the next level, consider calling an inspector to do an energy audit on your home. While more costly than the other items on this list, an energy audit will help you determine how your home uses and conserves energy, allowing you to make incrimental changes that will be beneficial for the long-haul.
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