We hear a lot about how businesses need to reduce their carbon emissions but sometimes the information is unclear and unhelpful. We’ve made a list of ten practical ways your business can cut carbon in 2026.
Why carbon reduction matters
“Carbon compounds regulate the earth’s temperature, make up the food that sustains us, and provide energy that fuels our global economy. Atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are rising mostly because of the fossil fuels that people are burning for energy” (NOAA). This is causing temperatures to rise because the atmospheric carbon dioxide is trapping heat and causing the ‘greenhouse effect’.
By reducing our carbon emissions, we can help to reduce the greenhouse effect. As a business, our carbon emissions likely come from energy, transport, materials and waste. In 2026, we expect that consumers and business buyers will require stricter and clearer reporting which will cause supply chain pressure on all businesses – even very small businesses.
The most practical ways your business can cut carbon are:
Measure your current emissions – record your current emissions so that you can report on them and demonstrate improvement on them in 2026. This can be very simple – we can help through our Carbon Reduction course. Then set realistic targets for next year.
Switch to low carbon energy – move to a green energy provider or if you can, install renewables (solar panels and / or a heat pump).
Change your energy use – use LED light bulbs, set up smart meters and use smart plugs & timers, turn off appliances when they are not in use instead of leaving them on standby, etc.
Go minimum paper – reduce office consumables and print less hard copies of invoices and receipts. Use digital alternatives where possible.
Start using reusables – use a reusable cup instead of a paper cup, find cleaning products that are refillable or don’t come wrapped or stored in plastic; rent, reuse or return packaging.
Rethink travel – use an electric car, electric bike, or public transport when possible, and walk or cycle more. Share vehicles.
Make online first the default – plan meetings so that they are virtual or batched together if site visits and deliveries are required.
Choose low carbon suppliers – local suppliers reduce the transportation of materials, use suppliers with credible certifications and consider repaired & recycled materials and refillable packaging.
Blue Patch will be adding suppliers to our directory that meet our criteria from 2026. This will help small businesses to find low-carbon partners, saving on carbon miles.
Think tech – find a green hosting company, reduce the size of your website’s digital footprint, and choose refurbished technology when possible. Repair technology rather than replacing it.
Engage your customers – communicate to your customers about what you are doing, especially if a change will impact them for example when changing packaging, materials or ingredients.
Ways your business can cut carbon in 2026
Not every business will be able to do everything on this list of ten ways your business can cut carbon in 2026, so we recommend that you pick one or two items that will have the biggest impact on your carbon reduction plans for next year and start with those. You can always add extra tasks once the first tasks are successfully completed.
And remember that Blue Patch offers a free Carbon Reduction course, achievement badge and drop-in support workshops training to members of our sustainability-minded community – so join today.
Are you already on a journey to reduce your carbon footprint? We’d love to hear how you are making changes in your business.
