Business Owners – How Can My Business Go Green?
The question that many business owners are asking themselves is: how can my business go green? There is a definite desire from the consumers to be purchasing goods from companies that are eco friendly. Even if a business is not in the green industry directly, the consumer still wants to know that the companies from whom they make purchases is a company that has the environment in mind.
So, how do businesses go green? And, possibly more importantly, how do businesses relate that to their customer base?
Printed materials
Businesses have a lot of printed materials that they use. Companies have business cards, letterhead, envelopes, brochures, and the list continues. What if these printed resources came from an eco friendly printer? Choosing an eco friendly printer can be difficult at times. A business owner or decision maker must make sure that the printer truly is eco friendly. Many printers say that they are eco friendly, but make sure you do your research. Most eco friendly printers will tell you why they’re eco friendly if you just ask.
Power source
This green tip can even save businesses money! Everybody loves saving money. Businesses consume a lot of energy, compared to the average home. This is not necessarily a bad thing, either. Lights need to be on, computers need to run, etc. Solar panels can help reduce the cost of the power. If a business can put together just a few panels, they can run certain parts of their business on solar energy. For example, the hot water heater can be run off a solar panel. If this change is made, that’s great. Then, make a second change and put the air conditioning units on the solar energy. The solar panels can be installed so that when they run out of energy, the source will automatically change back to the original source.
Relate changes to the customers
Once a business has started to make changes to their environmental impact, the customers need to know! An effective method to make sure customers know about the changes is with a promotional tote bag. Businesses can utilize imprinted green bags to show their customers the new green steps they are taking. A logo and slogan could be printed on the promotional canvas bags that says something like, “We’re going green.” Customers will feel good that they are purchasing products from a company that is helping the environment, and they will also love the new reusable shopping bag that you give them!
Remember, don’t try to do too many things at once. Going green is a great thing for the environment, but only if you’re actually doing it. Make small changes first, then, worry about the big ones later. You have to make sure that you’re still in business, and having fun doing it!
By: Brandon Glenn
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