The climate crisis has always been at the forefront of my mind as an individual, yet when I started running a small business I came to realise how difficult it is to take more eco-friendly routes. Such as purchasing imperative items without producing a mountain of plastic waste.
When buying products for myself or my home, I'm able (to a degree) to choose more eco-friendly items which come in cardboard packaging, can be refilled or have no packaging at all. However, when buying large quantities of say, fruits and vegetables, it's usually more cost effective to buy packs that come in a soft plastic wrapping than to purchase items individually. Every time I reach out for one of those packs I grimace. Supermarkets are all aware of public opinion on the subject, but changes seem few and far between.
I know you're probably thinking go to a greengrocer, where plastic has never been their priority but finding a local, affordable greengrocer is a rarity in Hampshire. Markets tend to be quite expensive and quality poor, whereas farm shops charge £4 for an avocado... So you see my dilemma. Luckily, the local shop in my village sells some wonderfully fresh produce at a relatively reasonable price. Therefore I tend to pick and choose which are the most important ingredients to splash out the cash on. Larger companies have the luxury of buying in bulk, which may mean buying high-quality produce at a lower cost per unit and small businesses like mine just can't compete with that.
Plastic waste isn't the only concern, albeit the most visible. Using local produce and suppliers is a great way to reduce your businesses carbon footprint as well as create a sense of community. The cheese I use in all my grazing products comes from a dairy about 6 miles up the road from me, rather than using an imported French or Spanish cheese which would emit tonnes of carbon. Obviously cows produce methane which is detrimental to the environment, therefore reducing the carbon footprint of my business is vitally important to me.
Easy (relatively) Practices for Sustainable Business:
Recycle: recycle anything you can, whatever your business. I know it can seem like an extra chore to separate or wash containers but it's an easy way to make an impact.
Compost: all of our food scraps, tea bags and shredding goes straight into the composter where the worms work their magic! Food waste that goes to landfill can have a hugely damaging impact, so you can make positive change even if you're not a food business.
Eco-friendly products: there are many eco-friendly cleaning and everyday products. A personal favourite is 'Who Gives A Crap' toilet roll, made from recycled products and plastic-free packaging.
Feel free to share any sustainable business hacks with us, we're always looking to improve and provide our customers with beautiful products that don't harm the planet.
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