There’s Green in Going Green

There is a whole lot of fuss lately about going “green” and what that entails.

By:  Roger Huff

There is a whole lot of fuss lately about going “green” and what that entails.  Many small business owners can easily be overwhelmed by the different intricacies of this way to operate.  It really is not all that difficult when you get down to it.  There are many different advantages to making a green business, but the added customer base is the real reason many businesses take on the challenge.  The first thing that you will need to understand is what it takes to be a “green” business.  After we understand this, we can go through some different tips and tricks to become more eco-friendly.  Once you understand what it takes though, I have no doubt that you can come up with some truly creative ways to help save the planet.   

The first thing that you will need to decide is whether putting in the extra effort and advertising is really worth it.  To do this, you need to understand the benefits.  Going green can help the environment and improve the world, but there are a lot more advantageous reasons for businesses to embark on this journey.  The first benefit is the added customer base.  There are many companies out there that offer the same product and many of them are comparable in price.  There are many consumers that will be swayed to you if they know that you are a green business.  This is evident in the fact that in Southern California, you can now be rated as a green business and display a placard similar to the health inspection grades.  These tell the potential customers that you are an eco-friendly establishment and have been very effective for many businesses.  One more benefit to using more eco practices is that it can actually lower your overhead.  By using “green” methods, you can save on printing supplies, mailings, energy costs, tax breaks, and many other things.  From a business standpoint, going green equals more sales and lower costs while being able to charge more.  The increase in profit is the biggest advantage to going green.

Once you decide to go green, you will need to know what that is.  All going green really entails is doing your best to be more environmentally friendly.  Using solar power, electronic mailings or statements, or purchasing eco-friendly office supplies is all it takes.  Whether you are in your own building or not, there are many different ways that you can be more environmentally friendly.  By trying to integrate environmentally friendly products, services, and methods, you are a green business.  There are no rating systems on a federal level for what constitutes a green business, but many metropolitan areas have devised a system to rate these businesses.  The more eco-friendly you are, the higher your ratings are, the more publicity you will receive, and the more customers you will attract.  To find the precise requirements, contact your local chamber of commerce or use internet searches for your area.

Now that you know what it means to be “green”, you are probably wondering how to do it.  This is simple.  IF you own your own building, you can invest in solar panels, new air conditioners, up to date electronics, energy star appliances, or even recycled paper goods.  Whenever you incorporate recycled products, you are doing your part.  By handling all of your business through text or e-mail messages, you are also being green.  Many of these things can reduce your operating costs as well.  This will not only lower overhead, but the “green” label will allow a slightly higher cost and still bring in customers.  The list of green practices that you can utilize is endless.  No matter what product or service that you use, there are always ways to be more earth friendly.

By becoming an eco-friendly business you can really help your sales soar. With everyone concerned about the state of the environment and how we are handing the planet to our kids, there is a very large portion of the consumer world devoted to green business.  This also creates easier access for your customers.  In the fast paced world of the internet, most of your customers want correspondence on the go and easily accessed.  That can reduce your paper use, printing costs, and time wasted printing advertisements, mailers, and any thing else that you may need to send.  There are many opportunities to become green and many more benefits that come from it.  Finding your niche in the green world takes only a little bit of thought and the desire to change your current procedures.  It is really simple and advantageous to anyone that wants to try.