subject: Going Green Is a Must for Businesses [print this page] Going Green Is a Must for Businesses Going Green Is a Must for Businesses
They say burning fossil fuels to generate power and live with what our lifestyles are now has been contributing to the earth's global warming and change in our climate. Or maybe not as some scientists and experts claim. So a relentless debate goes on. However, no matter where you stand on this issue, there is a need for making businesses environmentally friendly as this shows good business. This simple principle for business owners is resonated as well in a book entitled Climate Capitalism which was co-authored by L. Hunter Lovins.
Ms. Lovins said, "You don't have to believe in the problem to believe in the solution,' who advises businesses, governments and civil institutions to adopt practices to use less energy, produce less waste and reduce environmental and carbon footprints.
Workshops and online tools are made available for small businesses to help them carry out green business practices. Programs such as these eventually pay for cost savings in the first year.
1. Business owners usually tell the bottom line is a higher priority right now than to go green. The
ways to eliminate waste and implementing energy-efficiency measures, engagement of employees in sustainability efforts that makes them motivated, excited and inspired, and when the brand equity of responsible business operation is encapsulated; then this is a good projection of doing the right thing in a business as well as the environment.
2. Always talk in terms of return on investment (ROI) for people tend to look at sustainability as a cost rather than an investment. This can be realized by showing them how other businesses have gotten started and what they have already achieved as knowledge where to begin can be the biggest challenge. Oftentimes, additional factors like a competitor already doing it, or a customer demanding it. Let them see and focus on the bigger picture beyond initial cost.
3. You get to win over the climate-change skeptics as long as they are willing to engage in conversation and are good business people, they dig it. It's harder to sell to believers and convince them to avail of green services specially those who may have taken a few green steps, for it's difficult to get them to do more. They have the thinking that they have done everything they can. It's a lot easier to start with people who know less about the topic.
Still, not convinced? Let's say the skeptics are right and that climate change is a hoax, and all you care about is maximizing your profits, you're doing the exact same thing like those scared to death about climate change. Trust the business people persuading you to go green, they know how to solve this type of problem at a profit and smart companies are into it. Why does Wal-Mart commit to going green? They are because they are saving money.
4. An example of a company which completed a workshop from Ms. Lovins' company is Scandic Springs, custom manufacturer of precision metal parts that uses a lot of cardboard packaging in shipping their products which is part of their major business' expense. Encouragement to look at their packaging and trying out different options to use less cardboard on each box didn't have an impact on the quality of the packaging. It turns out it will help save them $8,000 a year and almost cost them nothing to implement.
5. The action which provides the quickest returns for average business owners is to put in more efficient lighting. Probably most small businesses are throwing away money in using lighting as space heating because the old-style bulbs create more heat than they do light. Several local governments have ordinances to change out old-style fluorescents and incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescents.
6. Implementing measures to go green will bring a much higher return on investment. Other gains are improvements on employee productivity, workplace quality improvement such as lighting retrofit and better ventilation will reap high labor productivity. Normally, salaries are paid 100 times what energy is paid for. Thus if there's 1 percent increase in productivity, it minimizes all energy savings.
7. Small businesses should track trends on environment sustainability. Though it depends on where your business location is. For instance, a new law in California requires building owners to come forth with a new energy code. Since there is depletion in landfill and their costs are going up, many towns and cities are now requiring recycling. S.E.C. regulated companies must pay attention to their report on carbon footprint since the Securities on Exchange Commission passed a guidance on companies who does report on their carbon footprint. Small-businesses must focus on sustainability, if not; there is a risk of losing the company's biggest client. Look at what your competitors are doing, and admit that sustainability provides a competitive advantage. Other than cost savings, clients and customers want to do business with companies that are involved in the improvement quality of the community. An environmentally responsible business builds a better workplace atmosphere for its employees and makes them believe so and stay in the company. Having a program like this will attract or retain the best talents.
Just like Natural Capitalism Solutions' President Lovins rooted principle and idea of making a business more environmentally friendly is just good business so does True Green Energy Group (TGEG) CEO, Mr. Ronald Shane Flynn is determined to pull off in the green energy industry as it responsibly directs the Philippines' sustainability industry and internationally by becoming the leading provider of clean energy and carbon offset solutions.
