8 eco-friendly tools for entrepreneurs (and more!)

Are you launching a positive impact project and want to go the whole nine yards and set up ethical digital tools for your future company? Nowadays, there are digital solutions which allow you to manage your daily life as an entrepreneur and that align with your social and environmental values. Here are eight alternative tools to help you make even the smallest impact on the planet.

1. Internet Browser

Ecosia is a positive impact search engine which protects your privacy. Unlike Google, for each search you make, you contribute to reforestation in strategic places, thus absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere. A financial report is available each month so that you can clearly see how the money made from your searches has been used. YouCare is another option and works in a similar way. It is also an eco-friendly search engine. The adverts linked to your searches generate revenue, 80% of which are donations. In order to compensate its CO2 emissions from its servers and activities, YouCare funds reforestation programmes around the world via the Eden Reforestation Projects Association.

2. Hosting Your Website

The type of website hosting provided by traditional companies such as OVH Cloud use a lot of energy and aren’t very eco-friendly. This has a very big impact! This is why we recommend hosting your website with an eco-friendly company. This way, your website won’t make global warming any worse. Eco-friendly hosting companies try to solve this problem with the help of compensation systems for their carbon footprint by using renewable energies and cooling their data centers with natural air from the outside. This is the case for Swiss hosting company, Infomaniak.

 3. Sending Files

FileVert is a transient file sending service and an alternative to traditional tools such as WeTransfer. Thanks to this programme, you can send any type of personal or professional file safely while controlling your environmental impact. Why? Because files sent via FileVert are stocked on average for 40 hours compared to a minimum of seven days for other similar tools.

4. Finding Public Domain Images

Why not do some good while looking good? Pick&Pick (link in French) is the first sustainable image bank, an alternative to Pixabay and Unsplash. This French-based company is certified B Corp (link in French) for its positive impact. It gives 5% of its income to associations and foundations committed to diverse and just causes.

5. Sending Emails

Like Microsoft and Google, Mailo provides a whole package of services: emails, calendar, storage space, organisational tools, etc., but unlike them, Mailo also protects your privacy and personal data. The handling of energy-hungry attachments is one of Mailo’s strengths: an alert system detects heavy or useless files that are taking up space. Mailo also has a sustainable approach by giving part of its income to sustainable development projects.

6. Cleaning Out Your Inbox

Did you know that a stored email generates 10 grams of CO2 per year? This is the equivalent of a plastic bag’s CO2 emissions! On top of that, only 60% of emails are read and 10% of newsletters are opened. Yes, storing emails is a big part of digital pollution. Cleanfox (an alternative to Clean Email and ListWise) allows you to tidy your inbox – detects, sorts and deletes unnecessary emails – and to take back control to reduce your carbon footprint.

7. Plan Meetings

Framadate is a survey-creating and planning tool, in other words, an alternative to Doodle. This tool uses free software and is hosted by a French non-profit association which supports awareness of digital issues and cultural heritage.

8. Accepting online payments

Founded in 2014, PayGreen (link in French) allows you to replace traditional payment tools such as PayPal and Stripe. PayGreen is a French company which focuses on sustainable development. Its main goal? That each transaction made on PayGreen has a real impact on our society and environment. It’s a great tool to use if you work in e-commerce! The Climate Kit option lets you see the carbon emissions generated by your activity in real time. You can also add an environmental indicator during the purchase process. Your clients can also round up their online purchases in aid of the association of your choice.

There you have it! It’s refreshing to see how such initiatives are being developed! By using alternative tools, we can all help to reduce our impact on the planet, help associations which defend noble causes, etc., all while making the most of useful and efficient tools to make everyday life easier. Do you know of any other eco-friendly tools? If you do, let us know via our Facebook page!