How to Make Your Business Greener
– Reprinted with permission from Inc.com
Going green doesn't necessarily require a
radical makeover. A series of small steps – many of which don't cost
a dime – can add up to a new way of doing business.
1. Stop throwing away money. Go through your trash. You'll
get a new sense of how much it costs to buy, store, and dispose of stuff.
Eliminate unnecessary photocopying and reuse packaging for shipping.
2. Get an energy audit. Most local utilities offer businesses
free on-site consultations on how they can reduce usage and save money.
Among the frequent suggestions: Improve insulation, and install timers to
turn lights off automatically.
3. Go paperless. Encourage e-mailing. When paper is necessary,
photocopy on both sides and use old letterhead for scratch.
4. Consider the commute. Provide preferred parking for
carpoolers. Offer transit passes to employees who take the bus or subway
and bike racks for cyclists. Let workers telecommute.
5. Curb business travel. Teleconference instead of traveling.
For must-go trips, keep track of the miles driven and flown and buy "carbon
offsets" from a nonprofit like Carbonfund.org to make up for the greenhouse
gas emissions.
6. Buy green. Tell suppliers that you're interested in
sustainable products and set specific goals for buying recycled, refurbished,
or used. Make the environment, and not just price, a factor when purchasing.
7. Detox. Many offices have toxic substances, such as used
batteries and copier toner, on hand. Talk to suppliers about alternatives
to toxics, and make sure you properly dispose of the ones you can't avoid
using.
8. Rethink transportation. Consider the petroleum it takes
to ship and receive products. Evaluate the impact of products you buy or
sell, and find ways to mitigate those impacts.
9. Get the employees involved. Create a team to lead the
company's eco-efforts and determine where you can have the biggest impact
for the least amount of money.
10. Communicate. Inform suppliers and customers about your
efforts. And get in touch with local regulatory agencies, many of which
offer financial incentives to businesses that clean up their acts.
What d-s has done to become a “greener” role model
1) Participating in the Calgary Commuter Challenge - in 2006, the d-s team won the award for the "Highest Percent Participation" in the category "Under 25 Employees" www.calgarycommute.ca/commuterchallenge
2) Utilizing mass transit systems www.calgarytransit.com and Gruppo Torinese Trasporti
3) Increased telecommuting and working from home when possible www.greenenergychallenge.org
4) We are promoting leaders that are dedicated to health, wellness and extraordinary living and a cleaner environment ie. Carma Developers
5) Sponsoring Sustainable Alberta's CRIKit (Commuter Resource and Information Kit) www.calgarycommute.ca/crikit
6) Rebranded our entire image to reflect our hopes for a greener, cleaner, fresher future www.growyourmarket.ca
7) We walk! The members of d-s make a committment to a greener planet by walking at least 15 hours per week www.calgarycommute.ca
8) Investing in a Hybrid Vehicle for future transportation needs
9) Attending Sustainable Living conferences like EPIC www.epicvancouver.com
10) Using environmentally friendly print companies like Rhino Print Solutions www.rhinoprintsolutions.com
