|
Created on April 25, 2013 |
Going green isn’t just good for the environment—it can be great for your business as well! Companies known for proactive environmental policies often find that their reputation as a green business allows them to better attract and retain high quality employees, improve community relations, and strengthen customer loyalty.
Learn how to “green your business” and work toward creating a cleaner, healthier environment for the community and for the planet. We’ve updated our Green Business Guide for 2013 with the latest tips on what you as a small business owner can do to protect our ecosystems and promote a sustainable, successful business.
Green Business Practices
From changing a light bulb and using recyclable products to installing energy efficient equipment and systems, every business can make simple changes that save energy costs and natural resources. Start by brainstorming a variety of options to reduce your business’s environmental footprint, then choose the most impactful and cost effective options for your business. For additional tips on ways to green your business, our partners at SCORE also offer a number of resources. If you’re interested in getting into the business of helping others get green, SBA has also produced an online training course on how your business can take advantage of these eco-trends.
Environmental Grants & Loans
There are a number of financial resources currently available that may help you to pay for energy efficient upgrades to your facilities, to finance your business’s innovative environmental products and technologies and to support your environmentally friendly business. You can search grants.gov by category to see grant applications related to energy, environmental topics, natural resources, transportation, science and technology, agriculture and disaster prevention and relief.
Additionally, many of our federal partners including the Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have funding opportunities available that are specifically designed for businesses interested in making their operations more sustainable and eco-friendly.
Green Marketing
If you’re already competitive in terms of price, quality and performance, adding sustainability and green marketing to your business strategy is one way to enhance your brand and engage with the growing numbers of environmentally-concerned consumers in your community. Before you start a green marketing campaign, be sure to check that the claims you make about the environmental attributes of your products are in keeping with the Federal Trade Commission’s guidance . You can also have your product certified by a third party. Once certified, use the ecolabels from the certifying organizations to help consumers make educated choices.
Earth Day is a great reminder of the many opportunities for small businesses to grow and innovate, while also creating a stronger and more sustainable economy. To learn more about ways to make your small business greener, click here.
Originally posted at SBA.gov
Additional Resources
» Helping Gulf Businesses Transition to Green and Sustainable Operations
Posted at 11:50 AM
Energy Efficiency
