When you’re in the process of starting up a company, your priority usually isn’t how you’ll make your business as environmentally-friendly as possible.

Instead, most entrepreneurs and small business owners are focused on how they can scrimp, save and budget their way to a successful business. However, many fail to realise that the two are inextricably linked.

Here are some of the best ways you can save money and keep your business as environmentally-friendly as possible.

Government schemes

If you want to reduce the emissions of those travelling a short distance to the office in a car, why not instead encourage employees to travel on a much more economically friendly bicycle?

The government’s Cycle to Work scheme is ideal for employees who wish to spend their commute cycling rather than stuck in traffic.

Obviously, this isn’t an ideal solution for everyone. For those businesses whose staff commute long distances, another scheme may work in both your favours is flexible working.

Outsourcing

If you’re a small, growing company, hiring staff may be something you’re not considering until further down the line.

In this case, you can save money in the meantime by outsourcing work as an alternative to hiring staff straight away. Then, it’s only when you really need to that you’ll be required to begin your search for an employee.

This will also mean that when the time does come for you to hire an employee, you’re able to recognise the areas you need the most help in, and reassign this outsourced work to a suitable employee.

Make use of the cloud

We might be a little biased here, but we think one of the best green ideas for any entrepreneur and small business owner is to switch to the cloud.

By using the cloud you encourage the use of efficient data centres, rather than an individual server which you will have to pay for. Servers require a certain temperature and regular maintenance to work, so by making use of cloud software, you’re saving yourself money and helping the environment.

Recycling

This one may seem all too obvious, but it’s surprising how many businesses are still failing to recycle.

Consumers prize a company on how environmentally-friendly it is, which means you should prioritise, and even market all your company efforts to go green.

Keep your space energy efficient

There are multiple ways you can make your business space as green as possible.

From energy efficient bulbs to cutting back on the number of disposable items your company uses; there are endless opportunities to create an environmentally-friendly workspace.

A great way to cut down your electricity bill and save money is by switching to either compact-fluorescent (CFL) or LED lights. They might have a higher price tag, but you’ll easily be able to make that money back in the savings you’ll make on your monthly electricity bill.

Are you struggling to stay environmentally-friendly because of your small business budget? Or do you make sure to find a way, no matter what? Leave your comments in the section below!