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      How Independent Retailers are setting the trend for recycling in business

      How Independent Retailers are setting the trend for recycling in business

      Concerns surrounding global warming are growing as the effects on our planet become more and more noticeable.

      Despite this, waste is increasing yearly and causing severe pollution in our environment - according to government statistics, the UK produced around 37.9 million tonnes of commercial waste in 2019 alone.

      To help reduce the carbon footprint of commercial waste, many businesses have adopted waste management practices that aim to improve recycling efforts and minimise waste.

      Effective waste management practices can help businesses save money, reduce harmful emissions, and meet their green energy targets.

      Below, we’re going to explore the different waste management processes that small businesses and independent retailers have adopted:

      Setting up a recycling scheme

      The first step to effective waste management is to create a recycling scheme that enables waste to be disposed of in a way that is responsible and sustainable.

      The environmental benefits of recycling are well-known, yet a recent study found that the majority of UK companies don’t have a recycling policy in place.

      A recycling policy allows businesses to review their environmental impact and identify ways to make their operations as sustainable as possible.

      As part of a recycling scheme, companies must identify what items can be recycled within their business.

      Fortunately, most common workplace items - including plastic, cardboard, glass, printer cartridges, and electrical equipment - can now be recycled.

      Once businesses are aware of what they can recycle, they need to determine how their waste will be stored and transported to recycling facilities.

      Many small and independent retailed choose to enter into a contract with a waste management company.

      These companies will typically collect waste from your business premises, then transport it to local recycling facilities, thus providing a convenient method of green waste disposal.

      Enforcing recycling policies

      For a recycling scheme to be effective, businesses must communicate green policies with their employees and educate them on the importance of adopting sustainable practices in the workplace.

      Employees play a crucial role in the success of business recycling schemes. For instance, if employees fail to properly separate items before placing them in recycling bins, then this could result in a whole batch of items being sent to landfill instead of being recycled.

      It is, therefore, essential that businesses get their staff on board with their recycling efforts and create a green culture in the workplace.

      Employers can help simplify the recycling process by storing recycling bins close to where the waste is produced and putting up signs reminding employees of the recycling policies.

      Companies can also invest in equipment like balers to save both time and money.

      Balers are innovative machines that compress recyclable materials like cardboard, paper, and plastic compactly. This allows these items to be stored and transported efficiently and means that employees don’t need to spend time manually flattening cardboard boxes.

      Minimising waste

      Another key way that small and independent retailers are reducing the carbon footprint of commercial waste, is by reducing the amount of waste produced in the first place.

      In particular, many companies going paperless to minimise waste.

      Switching to digital processes is now quick, easy, and is a highly effective way for businesses to reduce their carbon footprint.

      In addition to the environmental benefits, going paperless can also save companies significant amounts of money on office supplies and ensure that valuable data is stored securely.

      Some companies are further reducing their environmental impact by minimising packaging or eliminating it completely.

      Fortunately, there are many simple ways for businesses to reduce waste and minimise environmental harm - here are a few ideas:

      Complete a waste management audit to assess what waste is being produced.

      This helps businesses identify ways to reduce waste and avoid unnecessary waste i.e. duplicate invoices and documents.

      Reduce packaging and try to reuse materials like boxes and wrapping whenever possible. Also, opt for packaging that can be recycled easily.

      Purchase products that can be reused or recycled and avoid anything disposable. For example, companies should buy refillable pens and encourage staff to avoid using plastic water bottles.

      Supporting Local Economies

      There are many advantages to shopping at small and independent retailers, the main being that they give back to the local economy – according to Small Business, '£10 spent at a local independent shop means up to an additional £50 goes back into the local economy.’

      This is due to the fact money is circulated more this way, as what you gave spent in an independent business is then often spent in restaurants and other local amenities.

      By helping your community grow, you are contributing towards a healthier economy.

      The most important reason why independent retailers benefit the economy is because usually, independent retailers startup because they would like the ability to make a difference.

      Many small businesses today support disadvantage areas and sustainability – research shows that 66% of independent and small businesses give to local charities.

      This suggests that independent retailers are fighting for causes that affect our planet – including climate change and waste production.

      Final thoughts

      Adopting effective waste management policies offers many benefits to businesses.

      This includes reducing harmful emissions and helping companies to reach their environmental targets.

      Many small and independent retailers are taking advantage of green practices as a way to save money and gain a competitive edge in the modern business world.

      Consumers are increasingly becoming eco-conscious and searching for ways to reduce their carbon footprint by supporting green, sustainable businesses.

      All companies should be taking responsibility for their waste by adopting green waste management policies like those discussed above.

      Tips For Going Ethical This Christmas

      Tips For Going Ethical This Christmas

      Winter is on its way and that goes to say that Christmas is near.

      The gleaming autumn shades of orange, gold, red, and brown are going to soon disappear and possibly all our trees are going to be decorated with white snow.

      The festive season is fast approaching and we have the perfect solution for your gifts..

      Flowers, yes!

      Flowers are the perfect way to show how much you appreciate your loved ones. It's something about fresh flowers and the aroma of these gorgeous bunches that takes the cake!

      So for the next set of questions - what are the best flowers that you can add to your list of Christmas gift ideas and on Christmas flowers delivery in the UK, we’ve taken care of it too!

      We’ve specially curated a few bouquets that you can order on the go as your Christmas gift.

      Christmas flowers delivery UK

      Christmas Gift UK

      Attention on the climate emergency and the sense of ethical consumerism is increasing with time. 


      So while most of the readily available bouquets out there are imported, this bouquet is made up of British grown flowers as it is considered to emit around 95% less CO2 emissions than the imported ones.

      Additionally, they are wrapped with biodegradable hydrating fabric & reused coffee bags of hessian so you can celebrate a guilt-free green Christmas!

      Now, let’s go over a few more tips for a Eco-friendly Christmas - 

      • Choose Decorations Wisely - While decorations are the paramount part of Christmas, plastic decors just go down as waste once the party is over. So this year, go with long-lasting decorations that are environmental friendly and can be used again next year. Fabric and glass ornaments are great substitutes for plastic, and recycled wood is a great way to go too. 
      • Dinner The Right Way - While ending up cooking too little is the worst nightmare for any host, ending up with a lot of leftovers isn’t pretty either. Buy according to your guest list, and cook according to what seems right for the amount of people joining for the meal. If you still end up with some leftovers consider including the veggies in a recipe the next day. 
      • Send E-Cards - Rather than going for the paper cards, choose e-cards or other digital channels to connect with your loved ones. If you still prefer going traditional with the handwritten card, recycle old cards or paper. 

      We hope we have given you something to think about at this special time of year which can be good for you and for our planet!  Here's to a very special Christmas period- goodness knows we all deserve it! 

      Happy holidays!

      We do NOT support Black Friday

      We do NOT support Black Friday

      We do love a good deal and a hunt for a bargain but also we believe that there is an alternative to the ruthless policy of the big retailers to push you into purchasing a deal. Especially when most of the time, we would suggest, the item may not actually be needed...

      Black Friday has an incredible negative impact on our planet, it is the biggest sales days of the year thanks to the crazy discounts that generate an incredible amount of waste worldwide.

      What we are going to do instead!

      We do not support black Friday, it will be very hypocritical if we were considering that here at The Hiden Collective we stand for Ethical & Locally source seasonal flowers, hampers and gifts from local independent business and 100% Eco-wrapping.

      Our goal is to generate a small positive impact without costing the Earth.

      We would like to offer you for 4 weeks (commencing on the 30th October) unique product discount that is different each week but valid to be used within the next 12 months whenever you wish to!

      Black Friday Flowers Delivery UK

      Unique discounts by week:

      30/10-05/11 - Gift Card

      - 30% discount on Gift Card from £100 

      - 20% discount on £80 Gift Card

      - 15% discount on £50 Gift Card

      06/11-12/11 - 20% discount on all our Hampers

      12/11-19/11 - 20% discount on all our Plants

      20/11-26/11 - 20% discount on all our Flowers

      27/11 - 20% of every sale goes to the Woodland Trust, the UK's largest woodland conservation charity

       #takebackblackfriday - #greenfriday

      #takebackblackfriday is a growing movement started by Global Fashion Exchange and Eco-Age and they are calling on our communities around the world to celebrate a slower, more sustainable ways of living.

      #greenfriday is campaign where companies are trying to coax the public out of the shops and away from their computer and mobile screens (where they are spending so much money!!), to instead spend time outdoors, with friends and family, enjoying the wonders that our world has to offer.

      They want us to keep buying as if there is not tomorrow, and Black Friday or Cyber Monday are just another way of wooing us into keep spending money and buying “stuff".

      When consumers demand more, more needs to be made which increases the negative impact on the environment. Our consumption habits are already taking a toll with increased emissions, increased land-use and deforestation, which is accelerating climate change.

      We need to change the way we shop

      As global sales on Black Friday and Cyber Monday increase year on year, the phenomenon of frenzied festive discount shopping is growing exponentially.

      To move towards a more sustainable future, we need to change attitudes in order to positively impact the way we, as a global community, think and act; changing the way we shop is just one small factor in this.

      The Hiden Collective sustainable value:

      At The Hiden Collective we are trying to do the right things for our planet and we think that we are on the right path.

      So far this is what we manage to do and we still improving every day:

      • We only source Ethical & locally grown British flowers
      • We also buy only what we can sell and if we have any spare blooms, we donate and brighten the life of the residents of an elderly home close to our studio
      • Our supply chain is very simple, trackable and energy efficient.
      • All our packages are biodegradable or recyclable
      • We guarantee that all our delivery are Carbon neutral 
      • We are protecting a parcel of land in the Nicaraguan cloud forest on the Isla de Ometepe
      • All the above should be more than enough to offset any Carbon that we may produce, but just to play safe we plant a tree every 100 order
      • Also, we donate every order £1 to our current charity

       Would you like to know why it is important to buy Ethical & Sustainable British Flowers for your home or for your flowers delivery UK? 

      Read more here on our blog  Best Blooms - British Blooms