Now more than ever, nonprofits need to embrace sustainable practices and lessen their ecological footprint hence the need for eco-friendly nonprofit ideas. It is our collective responsibility to contribute in our little way toward building a more sustainable future.
- When a nonprofit rethinks its use of energy, the ripple effects extend beyond its walls.
- To better protect the environment, we must prioritize waste prevention—reducing, rather than recycling.
- Sustainable organisations do not operate in a silo but are active in their community and contribute towards bringing about positive change.
Top eco-friendly nonprofit ideas by experts
In this article, we will highlight the top effective nonprofit ideas that organisations can adopt for sustainable eco-friendly practices.
1. Educate and Empower
Being a nonprofit gives you the opportunity to inform the public about the value of sustainability in addition to helping your organisation make more environmentally responsible decisions. Therefore, organisations must be at the forefront of educating and empowering communities on eco-friendly practices and sustainable living.
Telecom4Good, a nonprofit technology platform emphasised that “sustainable organisations do not operate in a silo but are active in their community and contribute towards bringing about positive change – be it at a local, district, provincial or national level. Use your experience and knowledge to influence positively.”
2. Incorporate Energy-Efficiency
Green Living, an environmental publication platform shares its views on the importance of sustainable energy efficiency stating that ‘when a nonprofit rethinks its use of energy, the ripple effects extend beyond its walls. Transforming your headquarters or offices into models of energy efficiency is a clear-cut demonstration of sustainable commitment in action. It begins with assessing current consumption; easy adjustments often yield immediate results.”
3. Minimise waste by going digital
Tim Forbes, a content marketer at Soap Box Engage, a nonprofit management platform stated the need for Nonprofits to shift to more digitized options to reduce carbon footprint.
According to Tim, ‘It’s estimated that every year, around 12.1 trillion sheets of paper waste are generated by offices, and nearly 1 billion trees worth of paper is thrown away each year.” As a result, nonprofits must respond by adopting sustainable actions. “Eliminate paper from your office and reduce your carbon footprint by moving your operations to a digital medium.
‘You may be thinking: paper is recyclable, so why do I need to change my entire nonprofit’s workflow just to avoid it? In the waste hierarchy, recycling is actually on the lower end of preferred actions. Instead, to better protect the environment, we must prioritize waste prevention—reducing, rather than recycling.’
4. Practice Tree Planting
Ilma Ibrisevic, a nonprofit writer at DonorBox, the popular fundraising platform stated that “one of the most dramatic impacts of deforestation is the loss of habitat for millions of species. Eighty percent of Earth’s land animals and plants live in forests, and many cannot survive the deforestation that destroys their homes. In addition to the loss of habitat, the lack of trees also allows a greater amount of greenhouse gases to be released into the atmosphere.”
In response to addressing the challenges of deforestation, the writer suggests the need for tree planting. “Commit to planting a certain number of trees. When you reach your fundraising goal, get together with community members and plant the trees at a local park, forest, or nature preserve. Try to see if a local tree nursery will donate saplings to this event to increase your earnings even more.”
Conclusion
It is imperative that all types of organisations work toward making the planet greener and more environmentally sustainable. After all, it is our duty to ensure that our planet stays healthy and habitable. Organisations looking to adopt eco-friendly practices can incorporate these nonprofit ideas into their activities.
If this article resonates with you, we welcome your thoughts, suggestions, and questions.