Even if you don’t like Al Gore, it’s time to acknowledge that global warming is real. Did we really think we could release all those emissions into the atmosphere without any ramifications? If you run your car in a closed garage, you run the risk of death by carbon monoxide poisoning. Just because outdoor air is “bigger” than your garage doesn’t mean the toxins just evaporate.

But I digress. If you’re reading this post it’s because you already care about the environment… or you care about customers who care about the environment. Either way, if you’re willing to reduce your carbon footprint, I’m willing to step down off my soapbox and get on with the practical tips.

Tip #1 – Eliminate Hard Copies of Employee Records

I don’t mean shred their W-9s. Instead of having employees fill out personnel files on paper, have them do it online or on a program that affiliates with the Bindo iPad Based POS system. Do the same for time cards and payroll receipts. Forget writing paychecks; direct deposit is more convenient for everybody. In short, use less paper.

Tip #2 – Use The iPad Based POS For Inventory and Ordering

Once again, it’s about using less paper. Paper comes from trees, and trees turn carbon dioxide into oxygen. Forget the clipboard and pencil method of inventory, and use scanners and digital data instead. Forget order forms and order online.

Tip #3 – Save Postage, Emissions and Time With Electronic Invoicing

By the time you print out an invoice and stuff it in an envelope, you’ve already broken the “less paper” rule. Then you’ve got to pay for a stamp so a mail truck can drive to your office, pick up the envelope, and drive back to the Post Office so your invoice can be sorted and mailed. The same thing happens in reverse on the receiving end. That’s paper, gasoline, and emissions that could be saved by emailing the invoice instead.

Tip #4 – Encourage Your Patrons to Buy Local and Make It Easy To Do

Chances are that somebody somewhere is selling some version of your product on Amazon. When customers order it there, you miss out on their business, your community misses the sales tax, shipping produces emissions, and small business takes the hit. Buying local addresses each one of those problems.

People order online because it’s easy to find what they’re looking for. It’s convenient. What if shoppers in your community could search your local inventory online and pick it up at your brick and mortar location? What if there was a “buy local” version of Amazon that brought online shopping to the neighborhood?

Using the cloud and its iPad Based POS system, Bindo is working to make that happen, and the environment will benefit. Instead of ordering online and sending shipping emissions into the ozone, instead of driving all over town looking for just the right thing, instead of supporting corporations who suffocate mom and pop shops, your customers could find your product online and visit you in person. Maybe your shop is on their way to work. Maybe they live within walking distance. Maybe the tax dollars your community earns will be used to build more bike trails and they can fight obesity and global warming all at the same time.