Small Business Essentials

NHG Consulting has become a pretty darn green company in recent months. Although we have gone green for environmental reasons, going green for your business has now become a great additional way to market yourself and save on operating costs. "Green Business" certifications have been popping up across the country, and there has been a lot of press about green businesses in recent news. This article examines the simple ways in which small businesses can go green.

Remember your 3 Rs – And Learn from the Terracycle Model

What are the 3 Rs? They are Reduce, Reuse and Recycle – and they are on their way to becoming good business sense for many small businesses. Although I’m not going to go into how crazy the NHG team is about fresh, organic produce, I will talk about how one company has taken the 3 Rs to a whole new level. That company is Terracycle, and they reuse plastic bottles for their product, reduce garbage wastes by composting them into the food for their worms, and then they ask you to recycle the product when you are done! For more about Terracycle and their rise to a serious competitor in a market worth billions, see this YouTube clip from CNN on the Money, or go to Terracycle’s website.

Reduce Paper Usage and Announce it on a Shirt

At NHG Consulting, we only provide paper invoices if customers ask for them. Otherwise, all our invoicing are done electronically by sending a PDF through e-mail. Trying to reduce your paperwork for NDAs? Trying having your contractors read and sign your NDA electronically, or at least only print the signature page and not the entire document. Reducing your paper consumption saves you money on paper costs and helps the environment. When you do need to use paper, buy recycled!

Some businesses have found interesting ways to reduce their customer’s paper usage as well. As an example, some coffee houses have started to encourage customers to bring their own mugs, and they sell mugs on the premises. This is not only a environmental benefit (reducing paper usage), but also a financial benefit for the company (less cup costs and profits from selling branded merchandise) and a marketing benefit (press for making an environmental concern part of your company culture and advertising from customers using your branded cups in other locations). You can even start a viral marketing campaign by printing your own t-shirts, such as the "Sustainability is Sexy" shirts shown in this video!

Reduce Energy Consumption or Make Your Own

As our light bulbs blow out, we replace them with compact fluorescent bulbs, which are those funny-looking swirly bulbs that screw into a standard light socket. (We buy ours in bulk from IKEA.) They use a fraction of the energy of a traditional bulb, yet last years longer. In addition to saving money on your power bills, you can also get rebates and tax breaks on the installation of energy-efficient appliances and fixtures. Want your local electricity company to pay you? Try installing solar panels. With the numerous rebates that exist for the installation of such devices, it has never been cheaper to install solar panels on your home or business. Even large companies like Google have found that there are many benefits to solar energy for their business.

I heard on the radio a while back that we could solve the nation’s gas crisis if everyone could drive 3,000 feet less a day. I’m making up for 5 other people by only driving my car one day a week. On the other 6 days, I walk to get everything I need. Other great ideas for your business include purchasing a "company bicycle" to have available for your employees to run errands around town, and using bike messengers to deliver your goods. This way, you’re not only helping the environment – you’re also promoting a company culture of living a healthy lifestyle which reduces stress, decreases the number of sick days, and reduces health care costs! For those not within walking distance, the Commuter Check program offers tax breaks to employers and transportation savings to employees for using public transportation. If you really must have company cars, hybrids and electric cars have been known to pay for themselves with fuel savings, considering the current cost of gasoline today.

Purchase Green Products and Offer More Choices

In addition to purchasing recycled paper products and landscaping products like Terracycle, you can change your buying habits to be greener in small ways. For example, try using eco-friendly cleaners in your facilities like Method. Purchase larger containers of drinks for your company fridge and have reusable cup available instead of offering individual plastic bottles. Have inexpensive plates and silverware available in your office kitchen, along with dish soap, instead of giving your employees a supply of paper plates, plastic utensils and styrofoam cups.

For your customers, give them the options of buying greener products from you, as well as offering reusable bags for them to take their purchases home in or ask them if they need a bag for a small number of items, instead of automatically handing out plastic bags. (As an interesting side note, one local city here has banned plastic bags in shopping centers.)

I hope this article has given you some ideas on how to get started in going green in your business. For more information, contact your local green business certification program, look at some of our additional resources below, or contact your local energy provider. If you’re anything like us, once you start going green—and seeing the benefits to your company, the environment, your employees and yourself—it is hard to stop!

Additional Resources

• 51 Things We Can Do to Save the Environment from Time Magazine
• The Case for Going Green, where Tom Friedman (with Tim Russert) makes the case for going green as a way of competing internationally (a YouTube video)
• PG&E’s Energy Management Solutions for Small Businesses
• MSNBC’s Going Green feature
• Going Green Makes Good Business Sense from the Harvard Business School
• Green Living Blogs & Websites
• Management company going green from the Orlando Business Journal
• Small Business Owners Willing to Pay More for ‘Green’ Products
• Terra Infirma – the Environmental and Sustainability Blog