Five paths to sustainability
Realigning business with cost- and planet-saving changes

Updated November 12, 2024
By Charlotte Di Veto | Fastenal team member with Environmental Resource Studies background

1. Electricity usage: When you hear about switching light bulbs don’t think only about primary overhead lighting. Branch out! Many industries that use specific bulbs now have the option to go with LED bulbs. Even motion detectors can be fitted with LEDs. Consider tracking the previous months' electricity usage to compare before and after installation.
   
   
2. Recycling programs: Not all materials are accepted with your local municipality, with recent raw material shortages, you can see how helpful additional recycling programs could be. TerraCycle and Kimberly-Cark Professional both have recycling programs for items like shipping & packaging supplies and PPE. 
   
   
3. Cigarette butts: Butts are litter, too! Because of that, TerraCycle has a free cigarette butt recycling program, with the option to purchase specialized marketing signage to go with their receptacles.
   
   
4. Rewilding lawns: This movement is gaining traction. Instead of a water-needy lawn, use native plants and grasses to create a low-maintenance “garden.” Native lawns reduce your carbon footprint, attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, and best of all, they require less time and cost for upkeep. Depending on the native grasses you plant, you can mow as few as three times a year. Check with your local conservation group for more information.
   
   
5. Community gardens: If your conditions allow it, setting up space for a shared garden can provide needed food to your local community. Additionally, you can save money and divert waste from the landfills by setting up a composting area for the community to bring organic waste like kitchen scraps. 

​You may also like:

How to Make Your Business More Sustainable

Sustainability Serves Your Bottom Line (and the Environment)

Why Organizations Convert Lawns into Gardens

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