5 Ways How Small Businesses Can Save The Planet

On April 22,1970, 20 million of people took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies. Thousands of colleges and universities organized protests against the deterioration of the environment.

Groups that had been fighting against oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides, freeways, the loss of wilderness, and the extinction of wildlife suddenly realized they shared common values.

Today is 46th Anniversary of Earth Day, It's the time of the year to get involved, give to the cause and spread the word. While great leaders like Elon Musk are putting efforts into this great mission by launching planet saving electric cars, smaller businesses could also come together to take a stand on the importance of combatting climate changes.

Here are very simple ways to save planet earth.

Conserve Water

Fix your leaky faucets; left alone it can waste up to 100 gallons of water a day. A faucet leaking just one drop per second wastes over 1,300 gallons per year! Replace old water heaters with tankless systems. Consider calling a plumbing expert to identify ways to reduce water footprint. Today is a perfect day to fix all plumbing related problems.

Use Green Cleaning Products for Office & Home

Green cleaning can be defined as "effective cleaning that protects health without harming the environment." Many of us grew up with conventional cleaning products, which are mostly petroleum-based, or a mix of hazardous chemicals. These could potentially cause health and environmental implications.

They expose you to toxins and then end up in the ecosystem. When you go green, you not only avoid exposing your skin to toxic materials or breathe in when you clean, but also help protect the Earth.

Ride A Bike To Work

Biking to work could be one of the wisest decisions you ever make. Biking brings several benefits such as improved sleep quality, younger looking skin, relief from constipation, Increased brain power, Longevity, Improved vascular health, Improved bank balance and reduce pollution. If the commute is far, try to carpool on every possible occasion. It's a great way to save the planet.

Plant A Tree. They combat Climate Change.

Here's why. Trees act as natural pollution filters. They absorb pollutants such as carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and produce the oxygen we all need to breathe. Their roots prevent erosion by holding the soil intact and filter water by removing pollutants.

Trees create an ecosystem to provide habitat and food for birds and other animals. Over a 50-year lifetime, a tree generates $31,250 worth of oxygen, provides $62,000 worth of air pollution control, recycles $37,500 worth of water, and controls $31,250 worth of soil erosion.

All you need to do is to plant and water it. Trees conserve energy. When trees are planted on sunny sides of a building, they shade it and help cut summer air conditioning needs by up to 50 percent. By reducing the energy demand for cooling offices & homes, you help reduce pollution emissions from power plants.

Deciduous trees are best for this use because they lose their leaves in winter, exposing the house to the warming winter sun, which lowers the energy needed to heat the office.L

Lighten Your Energy Bill

Encourage employees to turn off PCs and Laptops at the end of the day. Use energy saving monitors, printers, and other electrical appliances. Recycle office papers, Computers, Phones, Plastic Containers, Ink and toner cartridges, Aluminum Cans and any other office supplies.

Use natural Lighting instead as much as possible. Install motion sensors to automatically turn off lighting when an area is not in use. Replace incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps. CFLs last 10 times longer, use only 1/4 the energy and produce 90 per cent less heat, yet they produce more light per watt. Instead of paper towels, switch to hand dryers.