Small Businesses Struggle To Go Green
The Environment Agency reports that small and medium sized businesses are not following green practices in the downturn. The Daily Telegraph reports that more than 50% of businesses said their environmental policy was of no use to their business during the present economic climate.
The Environment Agency said they were disappointed that businesses were not prioritising green issues at the moment after previous evidence showed green practices had improved.
NetRegs, an environmental website said that over the last two years the number of small businesses reducing energy and water consumption had doubled. They also found that 85% of small businesses were recycling waste up from 66% in 2007 and over half had done something to reduce their contribution to environmental damage.
The NetRegs research showed that many small businesses were in denial over the impact their business had on the environment. Strategy Manager at NetRegs said “SMEs make up 99% of British business so their cumulative impact is huge. They simply cannot be apathetic or maintain indifference.”
NetRegs is trying to encourage businesses to give an employee the responsibility of overseeing energy improvement programmes and in doing so become green ambassadors”.
Source: The Daily Telegraph Business Section (August 18th 2009)