9 green technologies small business should consider

Green technologies can offer benefits to businesses while at the same time making it more environmentally sensible. There are a lot of options for smaller companies looking to be friendlier to the environment. Remote work, for instance, reduces people’s commute, which also reduces frustrations for individuals, as well as the release of carbon into the atmosphere. And green shipping materials can reduce landfill waste and potentially save on costs.

To find out more about how an organization can become more environmentally responsible while also supporting business development, I asked a panel of entrepreneurs from YEC the following question:

What kind of green technologies should small businesses be looking at in order to help their company grow?

Here is what they said:

1. Cloud Computing

Businesses can leverage cloud computing to reduce the size of real estate needed to house servers. This will also reduce the environmental resources needed to keep the servers running such as server-farm cooling systems. The impact to the cloud providers, such as Google, Amazon, etc., will be minimal as they have extremely efficient systems and operational processes. – Susan Rebner, Cyleron, Inc.

2. Remote Work Technologies

Utilize technologies that will make remote work more of an option at your business. This reduces the need for commuting and positively affects the environment. You might consider Google G Suite for work and collaboration, and Slack for communications. – Andrew Schrage, Money Crashers Personal Finance

3. Digital Communication Tools

My company is based in Japan, where many companies are still using fax machines. In this day and age, you have no excuse for using fax, or even paper, when there are great alternatives like Slack and G Suite for instant communication. – Frederik Bussler, bitgrit Inc.

4. A Unified Communications System

A unified communications system can help small businesses greatly reduce their carbon footprint, save money and increase productivity. By bundling communication and collaboration features, UC easily allows for remote work. Digital storage features will greatly reduce (if not eliminate) the need for paper. And UC works seamlessly on any device so that a “bring your own device” policy can be implemented. – Reuben Yonatan, GetVoIP

5. IoT Energy-Monitoring Devices

These energy devices are already saving the number of energy people use, including having customized heating and cooling by room rather than wasting it on an entire home or office. The more we understand about how we over-use, the better we become in our choices with using less. – John Rampton, Calendar

6. Green Data Centers

In the U.S, data centers consume 90 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity each year, which means they consume a lot of fossil fuel. Data centers play a vital role in the economy and are essential to modern business, but companies can reduce their carbon footprint by hosting sites and applications in green data centers that draw power from renewable sources. – Corey Northcutt, Northcutt Enterprise SEO

7. 3D Printing

3D printing has revolutionized the way products are created, which translates into beneficial consequences for the environment. For example, because 3D printing builds items by layering materials, it creates a nearly lossless production process. This is in contrast to traditional production processes, which cut away large blocks of material, create more waste and use more raw material. – Shu Saito, Godai

8. Hybrid/Electric Vehicles

If your small business requires the use of company vehicles, look into those that offer high fuel efficiency or alternative power methods. In addition to reducing the fuel costs that employees will need to expense, these vehicles can entitle you to substantial tax credits depending on what state you operate out of. – Bryce Welker, Beat The CPA

9. Green Shipping Materials

Shipping materials can increase costs and impact the environment. A small business can reduce costs while also helping to save the planet with innovative shipping materials. For instance, instead of bubble wrap or other expensive fillers, consider using the shredded paper stored in your company’s shredder bin. This is a free and eco-friendly way to safeguard your fragile packages. – Matthew Podolsky, Florida Law Advisers, P.A.