GREEN BUSINESS VIEWS

Posts Tagged ‘green savings’

One of the most enjoyable topics about the Green Business transition is the discovery that Going Green can save nearly any business a great deal of money.  As a Certified Green Consultant does the evaluation of a business, the initial emphasis is on improving the Green IQ.  Most of the changes involve the adoption of a variety of Green Practices, and frankly a number of the transitions are cost neutral or may require a modest investment spread out in a month-by-month program.

What we want businesses to know is that Green is very much about “Efficiencies.”  Each Certified Green Consultant is trained in something called “Zero Cost Consulting,” which means that one of the overall goals is to save the customer more money than they might spend in the Greening process.  This is not a 10-15 year return on investment, but a one or two year ROI.   The astute consultant can often identify dozens of cost-savings ideas that can be worth hundreds and thousands of dollars in savings year after year.

Let me share a few of these ideas that are novel and worth the effort.  If your company maintains a lawn or landscaping, there is a direct cost to your revenue, and any savings realized simply means that you have a fatter profit margin at the end of the year.  In these trouble economic times, I believe that the investment in a Certified Green Consultant is akin to hiring an efficiency expert years ago.

One environmental issue is the exhaust produced (including carbon dioxide) by lawnmowers.  Lawnmowers have been reported to produce as much pollutants as 4 to 6 vehicles.  Better machines are being made, but they are not subject to the same kind of standards as autos.  Therefore, there is a tremendous idea afoot that asks for those with ample mowed areas to revert a portion of the ground to a flowering field that cuts down mowing cost, reduces emissions, and adds a unique aesthetic feature to any neighborhood.  Your watering costs may go down as well.

The second idea is to gradually overseed or restart your grass with a hardier and healthier low-moisture (xeriscapic) grass.  Instead of the must touted Kentucky bluegrass, the careful blend of fescues or more native grass will produce a healthy and dense yard that frankly can survive most summers using just rainwater that falls naturally.  A mere 5000 square foot yard in Illinois will spend $300 in water costs each year, and most companies have more than 5000 square feet that they must maintain.

The good news is that there are hundreds of Green solutions that will improve the health of any business, contribute to the sustainable issues that we face in the world, and can also cut expenses out of the annual expenses.  The average person simply doesn’t know enough of these solutions or how to integrate them into their operation.  Find a Certified Green Consultant by going to the Green Business Directory.  The Green Business League offers a national recognition of “Certified Green Business” when businesses achieve a standard of Green Practices in their operation.  A business need not own the building.  Any business can participate in this certification process using an easy-to-follow plan and the assistance of a Green Consultant.