From its beginning as a regional educational forum in the late 1960s, Earth Day has since grown into an international environmental effort. Every April 22, we consider our role as citizens of the Earth, how we treat the animal and plant life with which we share the planet, and how we can better contribute to our environment’s well-being.
But why should you, a financial advisor and business owner, care about Earth Day? You’d be surprised how much money you can save when you go green in your office. We rarely think about the amount of waste we go through in our office, but it adds up to quite a lot at the end of the day, week, month, and year. Earth Day is the perfect time to start implementing greener options that improve the environment (both in and outside of your practice), and we’re providing a few simple changes you can make that could save, or even make you some money.
Ditch the Paper & Plastic Cups
We understand the convenience of paper and plastic cups, especially for clients in the office. They’re quick to grab, easy to store and thoughtless to toss. But those empties add up quickly; just because they’re easy doesn’t mean they’re healthy.
Changing to mugs or glasses in your office cuts down on cup waste entirely. Instead of dumping dozens of disposable cups in the trash every evening, a quick clean in the sink gets your glasses ready for the next day. Mugs and glasses also provide an easy branding win — not only do you get rid of cup waste, you can give your clients a branded mug or glass to remind them of your excellent office.
Host a Shred Event
If you don’t want bins taking up space in the office, you could shred your papers into an easy-to-manage pulp and turn the process into a great client event for financial advisors!
Shred events, especially with tax season coming to a close, provide you and your clients with a thorough means of destroying sensitive documents. They also make recycling your paper waste a breeze, since all those sheets are reduced to much lighter clippings. You can check out our House Rules video about shred events for ideas on making the most of an Earth Day shred event.
BYOS (Bring Your Own Silverware)
Plastic utensils, much like disposable cups, are a staple in most offices that create a lot of waste. Save trash (and some cash) by providing your breakroom with reusable silverware or ask teammates to keep their own silverware at their desk. It’s a quick scrub in the sink and you are all set for your next meal.
Recycle Cardboard and Paper
Going more digital in your business is by far one of the easiest, cost-effective ways to go green in your office. Instead of printing handouts for team meetings, email PDFs. Being mindful of more digital communications can make a big impact, however some things like shipping boxes and junk mail are unavoidable. Set up recycling bins throughout your office and, if you have janitorial service, ask if they pick up recycling while they are cleaning. If not, locate the nearest recycling center and do a drop-off at the end of the week.
Donate & Volunteer
Earth Day is the perfect time to launch an earth-friendly initiative for your practice. Clients and prospects want to know you are involved in the local community. Also, community involvement is great for your neighbors, clients, the environment, school systems, and so much more. One option is to set up a donation fund for tree planting or bee conservation. Another option is getting out in nature and participating in a local beach or park cleanup. Who knows, you may meet some environmentally savvy prospects that need a financial professional.
Try out a couple of these to go green in your office! Remember: you live here too!
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