5 actions to be more sustainable every day

We know that being sustainable means changing our everyday habits, having to take the high road, without shortcuts, and starting small to forge our own path towards sustainability and reducing our carbon footprint.
Engaging with sustainability is not a trend but an ethical choice, which today is becoming a more and more competitive advantage and opportunity for distinction, and something which the customer increasingly values, often being a deciding factor in their purchase..

For an optician's practice, reducing its environmental impact means investing in a better future for generations to come, retaining sustainability-conscious customers, and improving the name-reputation of your brand.

These are 5 simple everyday actions to being more respectful of the Planet.

1. Reduce unnecessary packaging

Use essential packaging made of recycled and/or recyclable materials. Offer customers the opportunity to buy glasses without unnecessary packaging and use certified-paper shopping bags. If you use personalised bags, try to aim for quality, so that your customers will use again for other purposes.

2. Support reuse and recycling 

Promote the recycling of used glasses with collection points and donation initiatives. Collaborate with charitable organisations that repurpose frames for those in need, in local areas near you. 

3. Replace light bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs

A well-lit shop is vital, but LED bulbs use less energy and last longer, reducing your costs and environmental impact.

4. Collaborate with sustainable suppliers

Choose companies that share your values on sustainability, from suppliers of frames to manufacturers of environmentally-friendly detergents for cleaning glasses. Favour brands with a short supply chain and ask for information on the production chain ‘upstream’: reward the transparency of those who offer you satisfying and clear answers.  

5. Raise awareness among your customers

Offer tips on how to take care of glasses to make them last longer and reduce waste. Invite your customers to keep their frames tidy, to treat them with care, and offer them annual ‘coupons’ for checking the condition of their glasses: this will ensure they live longer.

... one last bonus tip: