Tip: Be A Green Small Business, Part 2

I worked on many blog posts over the years with Jenny Martinez, Creative Director at MissJenny.com, when we were with the Cartfly and Sellit brands. Please enjoy Part 2 of our "recycled" Green Small Business series from back in July of 2008.
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We started with Marketing Materials and Shipping Supplies, but why stop there? Greening your office can also mean saving some cash. Part 2 of Being A Green Small Business: Your Office and Supplies.

Whether you work from your kitchen table on the weekends or have a dedicated office space with a staff, here are some tips to get you started.

1) Office Supplies

Paper
Being a designer and merchant running my own business I tend to burn through a lot of paper if I'm not careful. I've learned to get into the habit of printing on both sides for drafts, which also cuts down on my paper costs. I have a paper-only bin in my office that I toss fully used paper to (or this can be shredded to become free packing material!). And I support businesses that make recycled products by purchasing 100% post consumer recycled paper and supplies.

Toner Cartridges
Instead of throwing disposable ink cartridges into landfill, you can use refillable computer ink cartridges. Most office supply stores carry these products now, but if you need a good online source The Green Office is a great place to start.

2) Equipment & Energy

Compact Fluorescent Lighting
This is an easy thing to check off the list. Your electric bill will drop and the bulbs will last longer. Don't forget you have to dispose of these properly because they contain mercury. Home Depot recently started a CFL disposing program.

Power Strips
Another easy one. Don't plug your chargers directly into the wall, they will always drain power whether or not your device is plugged in to charge. Add them onto power strips and switch the strip off when not in use.

Energy Star Rated
You can find Energy Star fax machines, copiers, printers and more. These will use less energy, save money and have less of an impact on the environment. Dell even has a line of Energy Smart computers.

Electronics Disposal
If an older electronic is not something you can sell or give away, as a last resort there are companies that will properly dispose your toxic gadgets. I've used Green Citizen who "provides convenient, safe and accountable solutions that make it easy for individuals and organizations to help save the environment from harmful electronic waste."

Energy Audit
If you've got a dedicated office space you can find out what changes to make by getting an energy audit. Most utilities offer this service for your business at a reasonable cost. And your changes are likely to offset this initial cost.

3) Shared Kitchen Space

Water Filters On Tap
Wow, Americans spend more than $8 Billion a year on bottled water. Install a water filter that will cost pennies a gallon, instead of expensive bottled water. You won't notice a taste difference and you won't have to recycle all that plastic.

BYOM!
Bring your own mug and do away with the disposable paper and styrofoam cups. Make sure that the cups are washed with green cleaners and you're totally good. Did you know that according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency more than 3 million tons of polystyrene is made in the U S each year and almost all of it ends up in landfill? This stuff practically never goes away.

Green Coffee
Oh how the office loves it's coffee. But do we realize that most coffee is imported after being cultivated on small farms in the tropics? For the highest standards, buy coffee that bears the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal of approval. This means that this product is from farmers who pledged to control pollution, conserve natural resources and wildlife habitat, while treating their workers responsibly.

For Further Reading and Advanced Greening!
The amount of online information about eco-responsible practices is endless. In addition to the links above, here are 3 great online resources all aimed at reducing your environmental impact.

Treehugger.com

Earth911.org

Green Living Toolbox from Mashable (80+ Green Sites & Resources)

Tip: Be A Green Small Business, Part 1

I had the pleasure and opportunity to work with Jenny Martinez, Creative Director at MissJenny.com, when I worked with the Cartfly and Sellit brands. Together we helped create great customer experiences through graphic design and social media.

We worked on many blog posts over the years and I thought I would "recycle" our Green Small Business series from back in July of 2008. So enjoy!
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Branching out on your own and starting a small business can be an opportunity to establish some green business practices. Online info is endless and can be overwhelming to sort through but we are here to help! Part 1 is about your shipping resources and marketing materials.

Whether you work from your kitchen table on the weekends or have a dedicated office space with a staff, here are some tips to get you started.

1) Shipping Resources

Envelopes
By having an online shop, I've had to figure out how to package up and ship my product. I purchase eco-friendly envelopes from a company that also operates by eco-friendly standards, Action Envelope. From my research they look to be "the" online resource for eco-friendly envelopes.

Reusing Supplies
One very economic and green shipping practice is to enlist friends, neighbors and the local post office to collect previously used boxes and other supplies like bubble wrap. You can also get reused cardboard boxes from Usedcardboardboxes.com, a Co-op America approved company. While this is a great way to reuse and get free shipping materials, keep in mind that it is important to be mindful about not mixing boxes marked for particular delivery companies and services.

Packing peanuts come in two varieties: foam and cornstarch. Foam are not eco-friendly, but you can sign up to get reused foam peanuts for free through the Peanut Hotline and the Plastic Loose Fill Council. This keeps them out of landfills and re-used over and over. However, once they are out of your hands, you have no way to know what the person on the other end will do with them. If you depend on peanuts, the cornstarch variety are biodegradable.

2) Marketing

Green Printing
What I really want is soy or vegetable ink toner cartridges so I can continue to print my marketing materials, tags and inserts as I go. But that's not a reality yet. For those of you ready to print in large quantities you may want to consider a print shop that uses these friendly materials and operates in eco-responsible ways. Google 'green printing' and you find plenty of options including Greener Printer in Berkeley, CA or PsPrint in Oakland, CA. They are certified "green business" as eco-friendly printers, using soy and vegetable based inks, and recycled paper.

Co-op America Business Network
"Co-op America's Green Business Network™" is dedicated to helping socially and environmentally responsible businesses emerge and thrive to form a global green economy." Benefits of membership include: listngs in the National Green Pages™, use of the Green Business Seal of Approval, invitation to participate in Green Festivals, special discounts, access to groups, media exposure, and more. Learn more here.

1% For The Planet
1% For The Planet is a growing global movement of 924 companies that donate 1% of their sales to a network of 1,601 environmental organizations worldwide. The company states that "membership creates opportunities for companies to network, conduct business and simply associate themselves with over 700 companies that have made the same noble commitment. From a consumer standpoint, member companies re-enforce a positive perception of their brand, adding value that can result in greater customer loyalty and an increased customer base, especially among the growing number of people who recognize and appreciate the importance of environmental responsibility." Learn more here.

I hope you found these tips helpful and interesting! Check back next Thursday for Part 2: Greening Your Office and Supplies.