5 Benefits of Greening Your Business
I have a confession to make. I wasn't always "green". My green journey started by accident. I was putting the recycling bin on the curb, but it was a holiday week and I wasn't sure if it was the right day or not. So, I referred to my town's Sanitation Department information booklet. Before that day, I had never read it.When I did, I was blown away.We'd been recycling for so many years but yet I didn't know that soda bottle caps were NOT recyclable. Embarrassed, I read the booklet cover to cover and found that I was clueless about recycling and garbage in general.And yeah, it was the wrong date to put out the recyclables that week.
A green business was born on Etsy
After reading the booklet, I became more aware of waste in all forms. And although I was supposed to throw out the non-recyclable bottle caps, I just couldn't do it. I was afraid they'd sit in a landfill for centuries or get incinerated, spewing toxins into the air. So, I started collecting them, thinking that I'd make something with them some day.An idea eventually came to me for the bottle caps and I decided to open an Etsy shop to sell them along with organic knitted washcloths and cleaning cloths. All because I didn't know if it was a recycling day or not, my green business was born.
And lived happily ever after...
My business has evolved since then but I continue to manage my business in an eco-friendly manner.I use existing or sustainable materials to create handmade items, pack and ship items by re-using materials from shipments (which saves me oodles of money), and work as much as I can during daylight or in a room where my family is if I have to work at night.I've even become a team leader for more than 300 Etsy eco-sellers, appropriately called, Team Eco Etsy. We support each other in managing our businesses, solving professional problems, and discussing environmental issues.But I know what you're thinking. "That's a great story Karen, but I don't sell on Etsy or have an upcycling business. Why should I 'green' my business?"Well, with the help of my eco-savvy team members on Team Eco Etsy, I'll share with you the five wonderful benefits of greening your business.
The five benefits of greening your business
1. You'll spend less.Save green by going green. Ah, is there a better reason to green your business?I wrote "9 Ways to be Green and Save Money at the Office" last year but there are still many more ways to be green and spend less, including buying vintage or second hand.In fact, a recent article on Yahoo Finance shows that wealthy and successful people are frugal (Warren Buffet is the epitome of frugal!) and they buy secondhand items to save money. Buying second hand or vintage is the ultimate in recycling. See? It is easy being green.2. You'll be one of the good guys gals.Being 'green' means being responsible for our environment and doing your share to rescue the planet we live on.When you're a green business owner, you're one of the good gals. You save electricity and water. You avoid using chemicals. You reduce or eliminate packaging and shipping materials. You put planet Earth and her well-being high on your priority list. 3. You'll increase productivity.According to Christine of Ecouturiere, "Greener choices for the business can lead to healthier environments. Getting toxins out of cleaning products, supplies and other purchases is healthier (for the workers)."Greening your business means ridding your home and workplace of toxic chemicals that affect not only your health and productivity level, but that of your family's.And that results in fewer sick days for everyone - which means greater productivity and lower health care costs.4. You'll attract more customers.Green business is big business these days - many consumers will only spend their dollars with "green" companies.Lori of OneShadeGreener states, "Consumers are becoming greener and they are looking to buy from companies who share their values."Jess of ASecondChance couldn't agree more. "Greener practices open up the business to a growing market of conscientious buyers. It also expands marketing ideas - ways to brand their company. It allows them to think outside the box and potentially reinvent a method of doing business that may have gotten stale in their program."Jennifer of recycled Parts and Linsey of ELIsBlankies point out that consumers nowadays make a conscious choice to buy from businesses that are good to the planet.So, if your company is green, that means more business for you.5. You'll be part of a growing community.Greening your business means supporting local businesses instead of outsourcing to companies in far away places. And supporting local businesses helps you build a strong relationship with your community and a circle of prosperity.Elizabeth of Yellowfinchdesigns has a firsthand experience with this, as her husband owns a restaurant. "We incorporate local produce when it's in season, we recycle, give wine bottles to a local artist to use for artwork, save wine corks for projects, etc. By being green, we are helping our community and other businesses and artists in that community."Greening your business doesn't have to be drastic. It only takes a few changes to make a big impact on the planet.
So, how are you going to green your business?