Sustainability and profitability go hand-in-hand. From the energy efficiency of your physical facilities to the commuting habits of your employees, every aspect of your operations offers an opportunity to reduce costs and minimize your environmental footprint. Learn more below about how to prioritize your effots and reduce your emissions while showcasing your efforts. Additionally, see how other businesses and community organizations are implementing other environmentally friendly practices into their day-to-day operations.
Scope 1 emissions are generated when you burn fossil fuels on-site, such as by driving a corporate gas vehicle or using natural gas to heat a building. Direct emissions can be are reduced by using energy efficient systems or by converting to electric options like electric vehicles and heat pumps.
Scope 2 emissions come from purchased energy, like the electricity used to power your operations. You can reduce Scope 2 emissions by cutting energy use or by transitioning to a renewable source of electricity. For example, all the electricity to power a warehouse could be renewable.
Scope 3 emissions includes all the other carbon emissions resulting from your activities. Scope 3 is usually the largest emissions category because it covers your supply chain, waste disposal, employee activity, customer use of your products and more.
Businesses use resources to create valuable products and services. Businesses thrive when they match the resources used to the products sold. Likewise, business are most profitable when they don't use more energy or water than necessary for operations. Optimizing resource use reduces your operating costs and improves profitability. Reducing our waste and ensuring that the waste we do produce is disposed of properly can help us to reduce emissions, save valuable space in landfills, and often times save money too!
You will need to examine your supply chain and work with suppliers to reduce the emissions associated with the goods you buy. And you will also want to think about the life cycle of the products you create. Can you, for example, make it easier for consumers to recycle your product? Companies can further reduce their environmental foot print by purchasing carbon offsets. Learn more about carbon offsets via the 2020 Nelson Institute Earth Day webinar series for businesses.
One way to reduce emissions is to transition your light-duty vehicles from gasoline to hybrid electric or battery-electric options. By switching over to an electric vehicle, you're saving money on fuel and maintenance. Wisconsin Clean Cities has resources to help you calculate savings and identify vehicles that will work for you
Every year we highlight organizations across Dane County that are making progress towards sustainability goals. Businesses and community organizations are especially encouraged to apply! Showcase to your stakeholders and your employees that you are a Climate Champion and send in your application!
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Talking about your emissions reduction strategies is critical. When organizations talk about their efforts, customers and employees listen. Almost 7 in 10 people in the US and Canada prefer sustainable brands. More, research shows that consumers follow through on this purchase and are more likely to buy sustainable products. Similarly, your employees care about what you are doing; 71% of job seekers want to work for a company that's environmentally and socially responsible. Learn more about how your employees can help your business thrive
Your employees are a critical part of your operations; be sure to involve them in your efforts to reduce emissions!
Initiating a green team is a great way to engage employees. Sustain Dane offers a Green Team Roundtable where your team can connect to other Green Teams, to share ideas and build momentum.
For examples of ways other organizations leverage green teams, check out the case studies on the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council website.
Employee travel contributes to your emissions, including both employee commuting and travel to attend meetings and other work-related events. Take action to reduce both kinds of emissions:
COVID-19 has prompted a lot of individuals and companies to re-think their travel habits. This is a great time to work with your employees to establish a new normal that is healthier, less stressful, and better for the environment.
Every day your employees make hundreds or even thousands of decisions that affect your business. Will they turn off lights and equipment when not in use? Will they toss the paper in the nearby trash can or find a recycling bin? Will they seek out suppliers that meet your green critieria?
To facilitate good workplace decisions make it easy for people to make smart choices. A clearly-labeled recycling bin makes separate items that can be recyled easy. Clear messages about equipment usage (e.g., "always turn off your monitor if you'll be away from your desk for five minutes or more") clear up any confusion about what to do. Then, celebrate success; simple acknowledgements can reinforce important habits. Thank a colleague for turning off the lights as you leave the conference room or provide treats for a team that's doing a great job recycling. Your acknowledgement will reinforce good habits and encourage others to adopt those habits as well.
You can also influence what employees do by creating social norms around those practices.
The Feynman parking ramp can accommodate approximately 600 total parking spaces. Promega supports employees who reduce their carbon footprint by driving electric vehicles to work by offering charging stations. The newly renovated parking ramp includes 17 double electronic vehicle charging stations to service 34 parking spaces.
Additionally, the garage contains secure, enclosed bike storage to encourage more bike-to-work commutes. However, the crown jewel of this sustainability makeover is the photovoltaic (PV) system of solar panels adorning the entire roof of the parking ramp. The Feynman parking ramp is estimated to produce over 900,000 kWh each year. This is enough energy to power 110 homes, and is expected to power around 11% of the Feynman Center’s total annual consumption.
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Artisan Dental purchases 100% of the electricity used in their oral care service operations from MG&E’s Green Power program, which helps to prevent the emission of greenhouse gases. Team members at Artisan Dental are offered an incentive to use carbon sensitive alternative modes of transportation in order to reduce their collective carbon footprint and emissions.
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