Running a Green Business

Today, many companies are beginning to "think green," turning their attention toward recycling and other conservation efforts that help protect natural resources. While becoming eco-friendly is one of the fastest growing small business trends, it is also becoming a popular practice for many large corporations. What does a green business do to protect the environment? It's different for every business.

It's a common misconception that "going green" is an expensive initiative--but it doesn't have to be. Not matter what the size of your business, there are things you can do to go green--whether it's heating your building through solar power, encouraging employees to bike to work, or just recycling paper in the copy machine.

Definition: Think Green

What does it mean to "think green" as a business? Eco-friendly businesses strive to minimize their impact on the environment by reducing waste, conserving natural resources and striving to work in harmony with the natural environment.

Environmentally Friendly Business Practices

Running a green business doesn't have to be a costly undertaking; small businesses can start becoming greener with minimal financial impact. One of the most common programs for businesses to implement is a recycling program. Waste that can be recycled includes:
  • aluminum cans
  • glass
  • ink and toner cartridges
  • paper
  • plastic containers.

Businesses can also recycle old electronics by donating them to companies or organizations that can fix and use the equipment or sell the electronics for scrap.

In addition to recycling, a company can implement eco-friendly purchasing policies. Companies can become greener by purchasing:

  • cleaning products that have minimal impact on the environment
  • compact fluorescent light bulbs for their facilities
  • equipment that is designed to use as little energy as possible
  • packaging materials that are recyclable or contain recycled content
  • paper with recycled fibers
  • shipping boxes that contain post-consumer recycled content.
While some products that are eco-friendly are more expensive than those that are not, the growing demand for green products is beginning to lower costs across the board.

Other Simple Ways to Conserve

Another eco-friendly practice is to minimize the use of paper in a business. Instead of printing out documents, try keeping the operation as paperless as possible by either looking at documents on your computer or using emails instead of memos. Some companies opt to put a footer at the end of e-mails requesting that clients keep e-mails digital.
 
Companies can also endorse simple energy savers such as turning off computers and printers when they are not being used and turning off lights in unused rooms. Over time, these small efforts add up to lots of saved energy and money.

Companies that Think Green

You might be surprised at the number of organizations that run a green business to some degree. A few of the companies who use environmentally friendly business practices include:
  • Interface: Interface manufactures carpeting and fabrics. As part of Interface’s desire to be a green business, Interface plans to eliminate any practices that cause negative environmental impacts by 2020.

  • Patagonia: Patagonia offers clothing and gear for outdoor sports such as surfing, rock climbing and fishing. Patagonia shows its commitment to the environment in many ways. First off, the owner of Patagonia co-founded the Conservation Alliance, an organization that encourages businesses involved in outdoor industries to help protect wild land.

    Patagonia also offers grants to individuals and companies who have innovative ideas regarding the environment. In manufacturing, Patagonia "thinks green" by using organic cotton in their clothing and by using recycled polyester in some of their clothing.

  • Whole Foods Market: Specializing in organic and natural foods and products, Whole Foods Market is a leading innovator in running a green business. As part of their eco-friendly commitments, more than half of Whole Foods stores send their biodegradable wastes to compost facilities rather than landfills.

Whole Foods also purchases wind energy credits to compensate for all of the electricity used in its facilities in the United States and Canada. Similarly, when possible, Whole Foods Market uses green building practices in new building construction.

Resources

Columbia Credit Union. (n.d.) Green business practices. Retrieved March 27, 2008, from the ColumbiaCU.org Web site: http://www.columbiacu.org/green/business/.

Grist Magazine. (2007). 15 Green business founders. Retrieved March 26, 2008, from the Grist.org Web site: http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2007/09/18/bizfounders/.

Patagonia. (n.d.) Our reason for being. Retrieved March 26, 2008, from the Patagonia.com Web site: http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/patagonia.go?
assetid=2047&ln=24.