Go Green! The Green Business Program in Monterey Bay Area, California

Monterey Bay Area offers a Green Business Program which is a multimedia (soil, air and water) pollution prevention effort that makes a positive relationship between the public, business community and government. It is an incentive based program designed to encourage businesses to match or exceed environmental standards.The Green Business Program takes pride in recognizing the businesses that lead the way in the environmental field within the Monterey Bay Area. By recognizing their good work in the area it allows for other businesses to follow their example. The Green Business Program wants to show businesses that they can accomplish both being green and profitable-and good members of our communities.To be a certified "green," participating businesses need be in accordance with regulatory agencies and meet program criteria for conserving resources, preventing pollution and minimizing waste. Their program is designed to assist, recognize and promote businesses that decide to operate their businesses in a more environmentally responsible way. The Monterey Bay Area Business Program wants to encourage and pave a path for more companies to go green.The Program was first started in 2003. It currently provides aide and certification for vehicle service facilities and restaurants. In the near future, the program will set its sets on assisting and certifying printers, hotels, landscapers, dry cleaners, and wineries in the Santa Cruz area.In 2004 on Earth Day the Program Partners awarded the first Certified Green Business Awards to seven local auto shops at the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors program kick-off ceremony.Some of the local agencies that are a part of the Green Business Program Partners include the Sanitation District, Public Works Department Recycling and Solid Waste, Environmental Health Services, City of Santa Cruz, City of Scotts Valley Wastewater Treatment Plant, City of Watsonville, Soquel Creek Water District and the Pajaro Valley Water Management Agency.If your business or one that you know wants to be a part of this program, you can contact the Green Business Program of Santa Cruz, Monterey or San Benito County and they will gladly assist you in answering all of your questions and help you get started making your company a Green Business.

Harvest Green - Business Success in Harmony With Our Environment

Our ecosystem is an interrelated organization of life, where each individual aspect contributes to the grandeur of the whole. It is an elegant system of life and a source of inspiration. As Businesses and Professionals, you are in the perfect position to be creative leaders and Harvest Green. You can embrace the very same model as our ecosystem and by doing so; you can increase your prosperity, success and customer loyalty.This is a perfect time to find and convey new ways to reconnect with our dear planet, to celebrate her beauty, diversity and power and to Harvest Green. Imagine the first light of dawn glistening over the oceans. Imagine a sweeping panorama from the heights of mountains. Imagine the sweet scent of flowers or the deep fragrance of forests. Our environment lifts our hearts, while it provides the particles of our bodies, the food on our tables and the means to nurture our lives.As I share suggestions to help you expand your green horizons, think abundance ... think health ... think growth. Green for Abundance
Green is the metaphysical color for abundance. Greening your business can attract and maintain a greater flow of energy and prosperity. If you are in retail, choose fantastic recycled gift boxes, shopping bags, wrapping papers and biodegradable peanuts for packaging. Your customers can have beautiful wrapping paper and signature bags, while knowing that you are contributing to the well-being of our planet. Your store, spa and business can be a great place to increase your eco-efficiency. Make sure that you take advantage of recycling in your area. Replace the bulbs in closets and storerooms with low voltage, low energy bulbs. Using less and thus receiving more in value creates abundance.Small, in-house events are an excellent opportunity to increase your green presence and abundance. Have a "green give-away." Give-away a low voltage florescent light bulb every time someone purchases a book about the environment or purchases a natural product. Abundance flows in all directions and these are all excellent incentives to bring a full circle of abundance and support. Green for Healing
Green is a healing color. Every business has an opportunity to be a source for eco-friendly products and education. There are so many things you can do to create a healing environment for your business, staff and customers. Your Spa and Healing Center can switch to and promote organic and environmentally friendly products. A beautiful display featuring your organic and healing products will support those manufacturers and pamper your customers, while you receive the compliments and sales. Introduce a newsletter for your staff and your clients with eco-tips and thoughtful ways to reduce waste and increase energy efficiency. If you replace all of your cleaning supplies with safe, organic cleansers; use quality air and replace bottled water with filtered tap water, you will increase the environmental quality of your offices. Your clients and staff will appreciate your attention, services and products by giving you more support and sales. That is all part of the healing and greening process. Green for Growth
The color green signifies growth. You can expand and grow your business by adding green products and services. You don't have to wait until Earth Day to celebrate the environment. Your retail store can feature books about the environment. Have a rotating "Green Display" that showcases books, products and services that increase the environmental awareness of your clients and your staff. Your Spa and Healing Center can have "Green Weekends." Pamper your clients with an exclusive weekend celebration of all organic, natural and healing products and treatments. Even traditional businesses can Harvest Green. If you see clients at your office, then make sure you serve them organic teas and coffee. Replace the high sugar, high fat snacks in your vending machines or snack room with organic snacks, sodas and juices.If your clients and customers have a choice between products that are good and products that are good and eco-friendly, they will naturally purchase the green products. Buying a green product brings additional benefits. If your clients and customers know that you are paying attention to their needs and paying attention to the health of your world, you give them another great reason to do business with you.Being a little more green helps your customers, helps your staff, helps the world and it helps your customers and your staff to help the world. Make today the day to Harvest Green.Copyright 2008 Lumari. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.

Does Green Business Consider More Than Just Carbon Now?

A green business should be about environmental sustainability and include carbon footprint and energy management. A truly green business has an environmental management system like ISO 14001 (called EMS for short) is about managing the environment in a systematic way and starts by identifying all the environmental aspects of the business operation that could cause a significant impact. The next stage is to look at the risk and identify how significant that risk is before setting objectives, targets and the resources needed to reduce the risk of harm. The EMS then builds in monitoring, review and continual improvement.The two major problems with the current political approach are that firstly greenhouse gas emissions commonly referred to as "carbon" have overridden all the other environmental impacts and the other is the emphasis on financial accounting associated with these greenhouse gas emissions rather than managing and reducing them.  Climate change caused by atmospheric pollution is a very real problem and we must reduce our greenhouse emissions and do so urgently, but this is not the only environmental impact that should be considered. There is a real danger of ignoring other environmental issues as we concentrate on one thing alone.Where a business uses a systematic EMS approach to reducing their greenhouse emissions, carbon reduction can be thought of as a subset of EMS but this is becoming increasingly rare and is not included in the political framework at this stage. A systematic approach to identifying and monitoring the carbon equivalents through a business can be set up within an EMS so that the business is prepared to cope with the accounting side of the political trading scheme if they find themselves in a supply chain and need to produce figures. A criticism could have been levelled at some earlier environmental management systems including iSO 14001 was that they failed to consider energy management and greenhouse emissions a seriously as they could have. It was easy for people to become locked into their current energy use and regard this as essential where there is a more critical look at this in more recent systems as a result of the greater awareness of the problem.Unfortunately at present there is a lot of confusion and misinformation about how we, as a society and as individuals should manage our energy needs. The accounting frameworks are not yet fully established and many of the so called carbon neutral auditing schemes are less than robust.  Some in fact are almost meaningless. The embodied energy in buildings and equipment in particular are often totally omitted as inexperienced auditors focus on a limited list of easily measurable emissions.There are many examples of businesses that think that they have "gone green" in this new ideology. A typical scenario is that someone, often the Office Manager, has organised a carbon audit and the business has paid the first of many bills for offsets without changing anything in their business. They are paying to pollute although hopefully this practice will decrease as it becomes increasingly expensive; because the aim of the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme is to raise the price of this pollution as a means of providing an incentive to greenhouse gas emission reduction. Paying to pollute fails to produce any behavioural change within an organisation.Carbon offsets are traded for a wide variety of and while some of very effective in reducing greenhouse emissions, others are harder to verify and measure and can be considered as more questionable. The broad public perception of what can be traded as offsets is usually tree planting but in fact it can be much more measurable than this activity. Insulating houses is being subsidised using carbon offsets which does provide for a reduction in carbon emissions associated with heating and cooling those houses. Replacing incandescent globes with compact fluorescent (CFL) ones is another activity funded by offsets although a concern here is that the facilities for correct disposal of those CFL globes is not being provided because mercury going to landfill is not included in the trading scheme. It is a pity about that significant environmental impact. Householders having the globes changed are not being advised of the need for correct disposal now where to dispose of them. Methane capture from some landfill sites and some composting activities are also being traded for offsets.There are some serious issues that should be considered with tree schemes and these include the most appropriate use of fertile farmland, the difficulties in accurate accounting of the carbon in seedling trees, the ongoing maintenance of the plantations, the increasing risk involved with fire management and last but no means least, biodiversity issues associated with the choice of plantings. Payment to landholders to retain existing vegetation makes more sense. There are certainly some more significant environmental impacts that are being ignored in the area of tree planting.At present carbon is certainly competing with the environment for publicity and for government support but the best way for an individual business to implement a sensible carbon management plan and prepare for carbon accounting is to include careful energy management into a comprehensive environmental management system so that they are able to get real business benefits and rewards from their EMS rather than merely paying to continue polluting.   In that case, good carbon management is a subset of EMS.

Green Business in the US

What is a Green Business? It seems as if almost everyone is talking "Green." Green is everywhere around us. Bill companies are going green, grocery stores are going green, everyone is cashing in on green, but do we fully understand what it is.A green company or business is marked for its ability to decrease the impact made on the environment by waste, harmful chemicals and materials used to process or make products and services. The direct impact made from all of these products produce a gas which is referred to as carbon dioxide and is referred to as the carbon footprint. The carbon footprint therefore branches off from ecological footprint analysis, which then examines the ecological capacity required to support the consumption of products.One of the most popular examples that we see today of going green is going paperless which is what the majority of bill companies and banks try to get us to do. Instead of sending out paper and paying for stamps they want you to sign up for emails or create accounts online in which you can see your account activity and take care of your business without using or wasting paper.Green Businesses look for alternative ways to create or use products repetitively so we don't have to produce new ones such as paper, lead pencils, emails and more products which are not harmful to the environment and still function the same or at a better level and preferably with a lower cost.A company's green initiative can include conserving materials through remanufacturing, converting harmful gases into clean energy, generating green power and improving fuel economy. Designing this for the environment is a process for a green business as well as making for a sustainable business. This process aids the users into considering the potential for environmental impacts of a product and the process that is takes to make that product.In turn, weighing all of these options take time and effort which makes a business a good business because they want to get their products right in order to help the environment and therefore cut down or eliminate harmful wastes.

How to Start Your Own Green Business

Have you noticed that the green industry really seems to be booming? Even mega-stores like Wal-Mart have gotten in on the action by selling organic shirts and other eco friendly products. If you are a budding entrepreneur in search of your next business venture, a green business sounds like a winner.Sell Green, Make GreenThe first step in starting your own green business is to find the right niche. The ideal niche suits your skills and talents along with your likes and dislikes. The most successful businesses out there are run by people who are truly passionate about what they do so make sure your venture is right for you.Next, you should lead by example. Show others that you believe in what you are doing by implementing these choices into your own lifestyle. After all, nobody would trust you if they found out that you don't practice what you preach. Going green and living an eco friendly lifestyle is easy and fun and it's up to you to demonstrate that to others.After that, you will need to do even more research on green living so you can pass your knowledge on to others who are also interested. By educating others, you can help them understand the importance of energy efficiency and taking care of our planet and as a result, they will pass the information to their friends and loved ones. This chain of information leads to a base of customers who are informed, interested, and ready to buy.Finally, you will need to find a group of staff and employees who are just as passionate about green living as you are. Colleagues who share your passion will be more driven to help you and your business succeed in any way they can. This motivation is really important because remember that green businesses aren't just about making money, they are also about making a difference on this planet.

Why Your Green Business Program Needs an Environmental Officer

If your business is looking to establish a green business program then you will benefit from appointing an environmental officer to manage the process. Having one person dedicated to oversee the environmental program allows the company to appoint a person with the required skills and means the employee can make environmental issues their priority rather than having to fit it around an existing workload. A dedicated environmental officer also shows the company is committed to the process of going green. In reading this article you will see the key benefits a company gains by appointing one person to oversee the green business program.The first benefit of having a dedicated environmental officer is the company can ensure the person appointed to the role has the skill set needed to implement green business practices. An employee committed to environmental issues based outside the normal operational departments will likely see areas for improvement that are not obvious to those working in each individual department. Although you cannot have a green business program without the input of staff doing the work, an environmental officer can provide an overview of the issues while incorporating the views of others in the company. Appointing an environmental officer leads to greater capacity to get things done including more in-depth strategic planning.As well as providing the overview for the green business program, the environmental officer will be responsible for maintaining records, training staff and assisting with the communications related to environmental issues. Depending on the size of the business and the staff available, it can be difficult to ensure 1. that all staff receive the required training, 2. that the training occurs on a regular basis and 3. registers are kept to show what training has occurred. Providing regular feedback to staff on the environmental program and ensuring there are open lines of communication also take time to maintain.Further having a staff member dedicated to environmental issues guarantees they have time available to investigate all the environmental impacts of the business as well as keeping an eye on new developments within the industry that will improve environmental performance. Often the requirement for a green business program is added to the role of an existing employee whether or not they have the skills or capacity to do the job. A dedicated person (who does not have to be full time) has the advantage of the environmental issues being their primary focus so their "real" job does not get in the way. This also shows staff, customers and shareholders that the company is taking its environmental commitment seriously.A lot of companies start implementing green practices without a strategic vision of where they want to go. An environmental officer can save time by ensuring there is a step by step strategic plan which is communicated throughout the company on a regular basis. Having one person accountable for creating and maintaining environmental records and ensuring staff receive training on a regular basis provides certainty that these tasks will be done.As you can see having a dedicated environmental officer provides many benefits to the company which are unlikely to be gained if the establishment of a green business program is an addition to an existing workload.

How to Own a Certified Green Business

Most people these days are recycling and using less energy in their homes and businesses. This is done partly so that our great grand children will enjoy fresh water and have enough energy to sustain their life. But if you want to take that a step further then I will show you how to become a certified green business. There are certain requirements that you must fulfill in order to get your certification.The first step is to get in touch with your counties green business coordinator. She will explain to you about the certification process, and give you the application and everything that you need to turn you office green. She will offer to come to your office and go over all the requirements with you. The explain what steps need to be taken before you can be certified.Upon your decision to become certified, you will need to examine your policies, and determine what is required. Change your policies if you need to, in order to comply with their rules. Make sure the new policies are posted for all of the employees to see. Inspire your employees to help get your business ready for the certification process. Perhaps the people that work for you will start recycling and reusing things in their own homes as a result of the business changing.Once you have had time to go over the green standards you may go online and take their assessment test to get an understanding of how it differs from your business. While you are on that website you will see they offer green tips for your use. If you are in need of extra help think about employing a certified green consultant. They will help you get closer to taking that business test.Upon your completion of the application, it is necessary to understand and adhere to the environmental rules. Be expecting people coming to you office at any time, unannounced to make sure you are upholding the regulations on a daily basis. They expect you to continue to do this as long as you own your business. Make sure that you remind your employees to keep to the rules at all times.These type of businesses are very important to the customers, most of whom are loyal to those types of shops. Several companies are now giving classes to learn how to become certified. They provide you will all the information you need and the steps that need to be taken before you take that test. Before the government steps in and makes a law that states all businesses must use green rules, go ahead and get take the necessary steps to take and pass the test.Everyone has an answer as to why the open a business, just think about why being a certified business is important to you. After you come to a conclusion and have an answer then you can continue on the journey to make your dream business a reality. Having this kind business is an incentive to bring like minded customers into your shop and do business with your company. Your company will be recognized by other business owners in your city.At this point I have given you some general information about the green business program. It is a lot of work, but if you do the work now, the rewards will be long lasting. Customers really respond well and support green businesses. They also help market your business by telling everyone they know about your shop. You could even educate your customers on the idea of saving energy and reusing is something they can do at home.

EcoFresh "Green" Business Opportunity Review

EcoFresh is a new multilevel marketing company offering "Green" cleaning products that are all natural based and eliminates odors on contact without the inclusion of bleach, ammonia, enzymes or alcohol. EcoFresh products are not available in stores so there is a multilevel marketing opportunity with them to market their products and be compensated for your efforts. Let's take a simple look at this business opportunity.EcoFresh product development uses special chemistry and ingredients that were derived from trees, plants, fruits, grains and purified water to create these "Green" products that help clean and deodorize your home. EcoRevolution is the companies trademark for improving the quality of ones life both through using "Green" products and as an EcoFresh representative educating people about the health risks you are exposed to when using chemical based cleaners.EcoFresh is a multilevel marketing opportunity and the compensation structure is based on selling the products and recruiting others into the business opportunity. By educating others on how important it is to use "Green" products and the health issues related to not using them, you will begin to attract people to this business opportunity. The compensation will be based on your personal sales and between 3% to 10% will be your commission depending on what level you are on. There also is passive income based on the sales of the people you recruit into this multilevel business opportunity and can be as much as 48% of your down line sales. As with any business opportunity always research and understand how it is you will be compensated.EcoFresh is a legitimate business opportunity especially with our society becoming more and more health and environment conscious. As with any business opportunity your success will be determined by only you and your efforts. Learning how to harness the power of the internet and marketing techniques online you can brand yourself as a leader and help others who join your organization be successful. If you do not have these internet marketing skills you can learn them and be successful in a short period by taking massive action and learning these simple online marketing techniques with a coach or mentor showing you the road to success.

Green Business Opportunities Growing For Home Based Entrepreneurs

A whole new genre of home-based business opportunities has opened up in the past few years---those that focus on green businesses.What is a green business? It's any business that is environmentally friendly, that promotes sustainability, and that is committed to protecting the environment. It's a catch-word that is gaining popularity, but hasn't become so saturated that the general public is turned off by it. They're still intrigued and interested about the idea of a business that helps protect the environment.That doesn't mean your home business must focus on environmental activism. Going green simply means selling or supplying products that don't harm the environment. One example of a green business is affiliate marketing that focuses on promoting green products.A wide variety of environmentally-friendly products are using affiliate programs to promote their products, giving home-based entrepreneurs a way to make money while doing something that protects our world. In fact, the Internet has directories of green companies looking for affiliates.Affiliate marketing is when you promote a business, product, or service on a website that is not directly related to that service or product. One example of this would be a gardening blog that contains ads for businesses that sell environmentally-safe lawn care products. Each time someone visits that blog or website and clicks on an ad, the person who owns that website gets a small commission.Green companies use affiliate marketing because it's a cost effective way to advertise their products. In addition, they can find a target audience easily if they advertise on a website or blog that focuses on a green lifestyle. Affiliate marketing is a way for small start-up companies to advertise without breaking the bank because they only pay their affiliates when someone clicks on an ad.Multi-level marketing, also known as network marketing, is another way that green companies are distributing their products at a low cost. With network marketing, the company relies on a group of distributors who are paid a commission when they sell their product. The marketers also try to recruit others to distribute the green products and receive a commission when their recruits make a sale, as well.This way of marketing is far cheaper for new companies than traditional national distribution, which is why it is such a popular way for companies to sell their products. Several new businesses have started in the last years that giving new entrepreneurs an easy way to tap into this growing market. Typically, with network marketing start-up costs are minimal and the business owner's biggest job is marketing the website that sells the green products.These companies give entrepreneurs a win-win situation in which they are making money while helping to save the planet.

Green Innovation - Growing a Green Business - How to Find the Money

Green Innovation can be incremental, an effort to embed environmental attributes in existing products, services, or business practices. It can also be radical, developing entirely new markets based on being completely green.Either way, the process to find the opportunity and understand how to capitalize on it is the same. Start by understanding the market, look for unmet needs or emerging trends, identify solutions for problems engendered in either, test them in market, and refine/enhance them until ready for rollout.The first step is to understand the market. If your innovation is incremental, you can rely on tried and true market research methods. However, if your intent is to be radical, the process itself must be innovative. Traditional inputs plus traditional methods yields incremental results. Creative inputs plus cutting-edge methods yields transformative opportunities.Examples of creative inputs include: conducting ethnography studies in markets where your product or service is utilized very differently, and looking at different industries and how they address analogous issues.Cutting-edge insights techniques are those which get at root psychological issues, needs, and cognition. Thus, look to state of the art cognitive and behavioral psychological research techniques and apply them in business. Be careful who you employ to conduct the research to ensure the techniques are executed properly and the findings are valid.Once you have insight on unmet needs and emerging trends in your field of discovery, you are ready to define problem statements around which you will conduct creative problem-solving exercises (commonly known as ideation).Here too, traditional methods yield incremental results. Approach this with the goal of generating lists of ideas and you will have lots of marginal ideas. On the other hand, approach this as a visualization exercise with the goal of producing finished concepts and you are more likely to achieve a breakthrough.Either way, concepts must be tested for appeal, understanding, and relevance. Additionally, concept attributes will be evaluated and data gathered for understanding the target market. The data is both quantitative, such as overall appeal, and qualitative, including the comments the test audience makes about concept.Ideally, you will then offer the concept as a live product, service, or hybrid on a limited scale, i.e., a beta test or prototype. The interaction employees and customers have with a live prototype is invaluable. There are always unintended benefits and consequences.Also use the prototype to engage your customers in the innovation process by providing forums or channels for them to give you insight on their experience. Profile the prototype customers and segment their behavior with the product or service to more fully understand where the larger-scale opportunity lies.With all the learning you gain throughout the process, you are well positioned to succeed with your green innovation objectives. Additionally, you can use this process to innovate not just with customers, but also with employees and suppliers to green-up your business practices and supply chain.Green innovation can be successful in either adding green attributes to existing products or services, or developing revolutionary new green offers. Either way, there is green in green.

Green Business Cards - Good For You and the Environment

A business card is not just an ordinary card that carries information about a business or an individual. When you hand over your business card to somebody, it should at least reflect some amount of worth. Unprofessional or messy business cards instantly cast a negative impact on the business's image. Also, cards lacking enough thickness or looking unprofessional can make your potential clients drop out at the very onset.Gone are the days of ordinary looking black and white business cards that served as a mere source of your contact. In this heavily competitive professional scenario, you have to draw attention at every step. Be it a sales call, business presentation, company meeting, interview, or client interaction, a good business card can add that extra spark to stamp your impression on people's memory.A basic business card carries the card holder's name, the company address and contact information. The design of the business card should always reflect the true nature of the business. For instance, a colorful and glossy card can be a good option for a design and animation firm while it might not be that good for somebody representing a finance company.You should always get business cards printed from a good printing press. Typically, a card is printed on a kind of card stock with the pre-determined parameters as per the norms along with the desired design. The stock should ideally have a standard thickness. Determining the desired thickness of the card beforehand is very important as this plays a major role in how one perceives your card. Usually, business cards are printed on stocks of 12pt thickness.With the introduction of better technology, visually appealing business cards can be printed at an affordable price. It is worth considering a green printing press for placing your business card order. Such printing presses use sustainable printing solutions that help in conserving the environment. A professional green business card will not only prove beneficial to your career but also to the environment.

Green Business Equals Danger For Greenhorn Investors

I am not suggesting for a moment that all Green businesses are bad investments, but I am suggesting that whenever a bubble appears or to there is much enthusiasm for an idea, that a number of the businesses ideas sold to unquestioning investors will turn out to serve the middle men far more than the money men.As the investors, the business angels, we need to be on our guard.There appear to be two dangers with the current alternative or green energy fad.The first is the classic investment risk taught by Benjamin Graham and discussed in his book The Intelligent Investor. Graham, the mentor of Warren Buffett, took apart the reasons for investing in the 1950s boom industry - the airlines.His analysis has been proven to be right as Buffett now claims that in 50 years, airline investors taken as a whole still have not had a return on their money.However, Graham did spot that a large number of companies supplying the new industry did make a lot of money for investors. Airports, retailers and caterers have done well.Graham's conclusion was that it is far better to supply a growth business sector than to be a part of a great swam of investment as inevitably too much money will be invested too easily squeezing the profit margins of good ideas.The second risk is that climate change will turn out to be a Malthusian idea that solves itself as population growth, mutually assured destruction and other apocalyptic scenarios usually do.This is illustrated by the increasingly skeptical scientific community which is beginning to raise its head against the slavish commitment to all forms of greenery.I and my fellow investors are not scientists, but it is worth noting their scientific concerns as it could up-end a few business models and a lot of start up ideas.Firstly, there is a generally held view by the (admittedly few) academics that I know that if a scientist wishes to receive funding for research he is well advised to research 'the affects of climate change' and that research into 'climate change - the myth' isn't currently being funded. By making the assumption that climate change is real, researching get money, if not then not.Therefore, the scientific literature being published is already biased by the incentives of the research grant process and therefore, can needs to be viewed as biased in favour of climate change. The latest report from the IEA (International Energy Agency which made the front page of the Financial Times) might be a good example as it take it as proven that global temperatures are rising).Next, dissent is beginning to break out in normally green magazines such as the UK's Big Issue (sold on the streets by UK homeless) as well as larger circulation magazines such as The Economist.In fact, a recent letter to the Economist by Horst-Joachim Luedecke, retired professor of physics, Heidelberg set out three reasons to be skeptical of green alarmists.

There has been no discernible increase in storms, hurricanes, floods or droughts according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change.
Rises in sea levels of 1-2mm per year have been occurring for many centuries and therefore this is not evidence that sea levels are rising as a result of any climate change factors.
Mean global temperatures have actually declined since 2001 and the research scientist, Professor Mojib Latif of University of Kiel, predicts further declines over the coming decades.
Let's not enter the green / not green arguments here.Let's simply take this as a warning and a reminder that green start-up business are at greater risk of hype and hyperbole, rather like dot coms in 1999, and therefore each idea needs to be scrutinized much more closely.Or indeed, that if you are not an expert on this sector, simply do not allow yourself to be drawn into it on the promise of easy winnings.

Green Business Ideas

In today's world, many people are worried about our environment. This concern is valid with all of the things that are happening in the world around us. It is key to remember that we live in the world we create. We can make a choice to be part of the solution or become a part of the growing problem. The problem that we are talking about is environmental issues.There are two types of business. One type of business creates garbage and another type does something to improve the environmental issues. Which type of business do you want to be? Have you ever thought of starting your own business doing things that will help to reverse the harmful effects of environmental pollution? Well, perhaps it is time.There are many business ideas that you can use to create an environmentally friendly solution. First take a look at your strong points and find out what talents you have that can be used. There are so many things that can be recycled and turned into wonderful products if you start to think outside of the box.Let's take a look at an old car tire. What do you do with it when it can no longer be used on your car? Most people just throw it away or let the new tire place take care of it. However, it has other uses. You can make things from that old rubber. You could make a business by collecting types of rubber trash and reusing them.You can use this rubber to make things like bags, hats and berets, gloves, jewelry, wallets and many other handy things. Rubber is not the only thing that can be recycled. You can recycle almost anything with the same unique business idea.Here is another idea for you that could start a great business. Harvest rain water run off. They do this in places where water is not readily found. You could create a rain water storage system and sell them. Place them around the town and show people how to use them.You can use things like old wood that people throw out to create things. These created items can be put up for sale with ease. Many people love to buy stuff that looks old. Here is another one for you to consider, rebuild old bikes and toys. Take parts from one and add them to another to create a new bike or toy idea. It is just another spin on re-cycling.You do not have to throw out something like a bike just because it does not work in its current condition. You can use these other parts to mend it and get it back on the road to being useful. By starting your own green friendly business you are doing your part to help correct the environmental issues that many people want to help fix but don't know how. Think about how we are taught to throw things away. Did you ever notice that no one teaches us how to recycle? Perhaps you could with your new business. You have the opportunity to become part of the solution and not part of the problem.

Converting Your Small Business Into a Green Business

As the world moves towards a more globally accepted environmental solution, there is an increasing responsibility being placed upon individuals and businesses to adopt a 'greener' outlook.Businesses are being scrutinised more now than at any time in the past. Legislation dictates that rules and procedures are stringently adhered to in a series of areas including utility use, waste disposal and emissions.Although much of this legislation has a bigger impact on larger companies, the implications are slowly but surely trickling down to the smaller business.Compliance is vital, and failure to meet standards can results in legal action, loss of reputation and even closure.But there are many things that a small business can do to make things more environmentally friendly today.Equipment should always be turned off when not in use. This not only reduces energy use by around 25% to save costs but also has a beneficial effect on the environment. Turning computers off at night can reduce PC usage costs by over 50%.Management should encourage staff to communicate by e-mail. Not only is e-mail a greener option due to the fact that natural or recycled sources aren't being wasted, but they're free and there's plenty to be save on telephone costs if everybody complies.Fax paper can be saved by making use of fax modem facilities that are probably already on a business computer anyway. These modems allow fax copies to be sent over a computer without the need for a hard copy. If printing is absolutely necessary, printing double sided documents will shave 50% off of paper usage and costs.Taps in washrooms should be tightened thoroughly after use. Just one drip per second from a tap equates to the loss of 10,000 litres of water in a single year. If a tap needs a washer, fit one.Another washroom must is the addition of one or two plastic containers filled with stones into toilet reservoirs. The displacement caused will save around 4 litres every time a receptacle is flush, which equates to a massive yearly saving.When choosing suppliers, especially for office goods, try to find somebody with a creditable green company policy that makes good use of recycled materials in the paper or products they sell. If a supplier takes back their packaging for re-use, even better!Try to make sure these suppliers are within your local area. Having to travel further to deliver leads to more emissions from the delivery vehicles. If possible, try to send a member of staff to pick up small items. It's good for the environment and good for the employee as well!When considering buying new office equipment, stop for a moment and see whether or not your existing furniture can be refurbished. This will not only save large sums of money but also won't produce any waste.Making a small business greener needn't be expensive or time consuming. The application of a little thought, some common sense and getting everybody pulling in the same direction will usually be enough.

LEDs for a Green Business

To obtain further savings on energy, the installation of renewable energy sources can be another huge step. Use LED lights are an effective way of greening your business, whichever field you have. To run an environmentally friendly business has become more important recently, partly because environment pollution and global warming are burning issues, and also because many green solutions are basically energy-saving solutions for businesses on the long run. At the same time, eco-friendliness is a crucial PR issue for most businesses.Since greening a business is not just a way of saving the environment but also an improvement of profitability, many businesses take steps to avoid pollution completely, conserve as much energy as they can, and waste as little as possible. All these can be achieved with little steps and larger investments as well, depending on which one your business can afford at the time. LED lights are a revolutionized form of lighting, saving 90% of the energy consumed by incandescent bulbs, and the most recyclable form of light bulbs, with no hazardous materials included.The introduction of green practises could be the very first step all businesses should take. Simply paying attention to the amount of water used in cleaning, turning off lights when not in use, turning off all other equipment when not in use, using less paper by printing on both sides, reusing junk paper and disposing waste selectively - these are all small steps we can include in our daily routine. Training your employees to follow these simple rules only needs some attention and your employers to follow these simple rules only needs some attention and minimum effort from your side.The next step any business can still take is consciously searching for environmentally friendly and energy-saving products whenever equipment needs to be replaced or newly purchased. A good example for this change could be LED lights, which are the best solution for any business going green. With LEDs you can not only save even 90% of your lighting bill, they are eco-friendly and cool-running bulbs with a large variety of lighting solutions. Last but not least, LED lights are also the healthiest form of artificial lighting, better for the eye than other energy-saving solutions because they do not flicker, they don't radiate UV light, and are available in more colour temperatures more resembling natural light.solar or wind energy as main or partial source of energy in your office, and the renewable energy you gain will soon return the costs you invested in the panels for instance. Heating in the office can also be revolutionized or at least supported by adequate air circulation systems, as well as adjusting the humidity of the air within the office can help give you a warmer and fresh feeling. For additional reduction of energy consumption you can ask for an energy audit, and discuss your possibilities of energy conservation in your business in particular with an engineer.By these simple steps you can improve the rate of eco-friendliness and energy conservation in your business quickly and easily, and contribute to a more socially responsible, and sustainable future of the globe.

Three Steps To Become Rich Having Your Green Business Profits

The need to become independent and work for yourself is something you will get with green business profits. Most of the people want to make more money than they actually make. Working in the field of green energy having the right skills and motivation to work hard could be one way to riches. Are you ready to become rich out of green business profits?Starting Your Green Enterprise.Make the first step to become rich by learning and turning an expert in the field. The internet is loaded with information about major players in the green economy: solar power, wind power, landfill gas, engineering and building. If your present occupation is related to one of the fields then it will be easier to fill the gape. However, green training became more popular than in the past and is offering online and offline trading.People are straggling to find ways to cut their expenses or maybe stop paying money for their electricity, for example. This is the place your green business profits will come to help people save money and cure the environment.You probably would say: "How can I succeed in that market when so many other businesses out there working in the green Industry?" First, the market is huge, and it needs a lot of people to run the economy change. Second, if many people are building their green business profits it means that the demand is high and there is room for you too.You will need something different to make you special so that you could stand out from the crowd. Take a close look at yourself, you know your strengths and weaknesses (make a list) they are your tools to work with. Make a business plan and follow it, look and learn from related green businesses.Growing Your Green Enterprise.Now you have picked up your niche and scheduled operating your business plan. You are going to spread the word out. Basic marketing will be with a website. You probably can find free options out there, but spending some money on a domain and hosting will make you appear more serious. Once you have your website build, you want to start marketing it. This doesn't cost a lot of money, and if you know the way of web marketing so DIY. However, you could always hair someone to do the work for you. Though the internet is everywhere I would consider offline marketing as well.Sell Your Green Enterprise.At some point, your green Enterprise may develop and become so profitable that someone in the green market will want to buy your company. Now it is the time. You should carefully step back and decide. You should decide between holding to a steady stream of income you get from your green Enterprise or getting a large sum of money that will support you until your retirement days.You will have to take the final decision. However, there are many things you should consider before taking a decision. There is a good side to the story, you have succeeded becoming rich by building your green business profits.

Environmental Entrepreneurialism the New Wave of Green Business Strategy

Only when the last tree has died and the last river been poisoned and the last fish been caught will we realize we cannot eat money.
-Cree Indian Proverb2001 was when it first hit him. He was in a public rest stop on a highway in upstate New York using the men's room. While there, he noticed a big poster on the wall saying "Proud to be cleaned by Lysol".He thought to himself, "They're proud to be using Lysol? That's horrible!" [Note: Lysol has known carcinogens- chemicals quite toxic to humans.] Cleaners in public spaces should be all natural and non-toxic for all involved. Including the planet.Shortly thereafter he started Ecologic Solutions, Inc.in his apartment. Eight years later it is one of the most successful all-natural commercial cleaning supply companies in the country with 100% annual sales growth for the past three years. Rejecting a corporate buyout offer, they are wrapping up a multi-million dollar round of investment financing.The man who started the company is my baby brother, Anselm.People frequently ask me "Can a business really thrive in being 'green'?" I tell them about Anselm and several of my clients whose companies are all growing at similar rates in their "green" companies.They often also ask, "Is 'green' business just another modern-day gold rush, like the internet boom in the late '90's and the real estate boom that just collapsed?"My answer usually surprises them, "'Yes', for some. And 'no' for everyone else."Continuing I explain, "50% of the world's wetlands have been lost in the last 100 years, 50% of the world's forests have been chopped down, 70% of the world's major marine fisheries have been depleted, 100% of the world's coral reefs are at risk, and 6.3 billion people on the planet with another 3 billion coming in the next 40 years. This might be a fad for some, and for everyone else this is a permanent change we must address now. By showing businesses how to make money taking care of the planet will be the fastest way we'll reverse these trends."In order to successfully launch a new "green" product or company, the following eight steps might be helpful:1. Pick from the Top Ten Environmental Issues for one(s) you are most passionate about.2. Build your product/service around that issue. If you do not see a relationship between what you know how to do and that issue, create one. For example, you're a chiropractor and you are passionate about air pollution, find creative ways to reduce customer travel to your office, use low energy consuming equipment in the office, start or contribute to a fund for pollution control, or have your office offer discounts to those who bike to your office.3. Define your target customer. Who would be most interested in your new product/service or company? What are their demographics and psychographics (interests).4. Study your competition. What are they doing towards your chosen issue? How are you better or different? In order to avoid "greenwashing" (promoting being "green" without really being "green"), you must be authentic and accurate.5. Establish your credibility. To add to the legitimacy, show your experts on staff, credentials (licenses, degrees, etc.), testimonials from credible sources/clients, case studies of those who have used your product/service (or ones similar), and/or scientific resources backing up your research/claims.6. Determine start up costs. Do you need to finance the project? There are many government-backed financing programs starting now with the "green jobs" initiative being pushed heavily in Washington. An expert on this is Franklin Madison at Industrial and Technology Assistance Corporation here (ITAC) in NYC. Frank and ITAC have a 10 year history of working with and providing access to funding for green businesses (particularly technology-based businesses.)7. Hit the market. Make sure you present your product/service in a way your target customers are going to get it. Speak their language when explaining how it benefits both them and the planet. Use stories and examples. Masters at explaining their products are The Body Shop and Patagonia.8. Have a blast. Make sure it is what you are passionate about. You will get knocked around a lot and when you do, what will get you back up is your passion for making it happen.And by following these steps just might get you to where my brother, Anselm's, business is right now.Action Steps for the WeekAlthough green businesses started gaining traction in the early '90's, only recently has it become a really hot market. For this reason, it will take some serious focus and intention for you to catch up to the wave. Here is what you will need to do ASAP:* Determine what "floats your boat" regarding environmental issues.* Research that environmental topic until you understand the key issues.* Define your product/service new business.* Study your competition. Who is doing this already? How are you unique or better?* Integrate plan into your business.* Write up your marketing strategy.* Got expenses to start? If so, where will you raise the capital?Do not get discouraged or delay on this. The time for this is now, because in this economy and this hot market you can imagine how many people are innovating just like you.Get going and Be UnReasonable!

Green Business is Good Business - Sustainable Resources Keep Businesses Viable

We hear a lot about "green marketing" these days. Small businesses to major corporations are trying to appeal to the greater environmental consciousness of consumers. Why? There's money to be made. Research suggests that eco-minded consumers are willing to pay more money for green products, services, or even to deal with companies that demonstrate having an environmental conscience.It's Not Easy Being "Green"Being a green business can mean much more than making a quick buck because of clever marketing playing on the current social climate. Creating environmentally friendly products or running an overall eco-friendly business can involve higher overhead costs (which may or may not be fully accounted for in increased prices - either way, it takes a bite out of those profits).When a company decides to go green, they also take on a new image and social responsibility. They have to continually live up to the image they create, making sure other aspects of their business aren't counterintuitive to the environmentally friendly mission their customers come to expect. Even one bad decision can become a green PR nightmare that alienates a company's target market.Green Business can be Good BusinessIf going green is more expensive, involves launching completely new marketing campaigns, and has the potential to make or break a company's reputation with each little decision, why would companies invest so much time and money into being environmentally friendly?For some businesses, sustainable resources mean more than happy customers. They mean sustainable business - ensuring that the resources needed to create their products (especially at prices consumers are willing to pay) don't become depleted.Case Study: Faraway FurnitureFaraway Furniture is a UK-based company offering contemporary indoor and outdoor garden furniture. We use grade A Javanese teak in the development of our teak garden furniture, because it is incredibly strong and nearly maintenance-free (making it an ideal choice for customers).While the use of teak keeps customers happy, it's a natural resource, and natural resources can become depleted. If this happened, we would eventually be out of business. This is a reason we only use sustainable plantation wood - limited amounts of trees can be cut down each year, and that must be met with equal restoration. We're not only interested in appealing to our environmentally conscious customers and helping the environment. We know that doing both of those things is actually essential to our survival in business.While going green is good for our business, we also have a genuine interest in the global community and doing our part to help the environment. Because of that, we have so far planted over 2500 trees through the Billion Tree Campaign of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). We make sure our customers keep coming back, and we make sure we'll always have the resources necessary to satisfy their demand for our products. That's what it means to go beyond green marketing and be a truely green business.

New Energy Future - We Need to Turn More Green Business Ideas Into Action

The way forward lies in green investment. No, I'm not talking about dollars, though that too will follow inevitably. I'm talking about greening your small business. And the many successful entrepreneurs who have managed to build sustainable businesses without sacrificing ethics or the environment.The Obama government has set apart billions of dollars to encourage green business ideas and initiatives. Various finance sources such as tax credits, loans and grants are available to fund green buildings and energy efficient ventures at national, state and local levels. Homeowners, businesses, non-profit organizations and government organizations can take advantage of these opportunities to convert their green ideas into action.Alternative renewable energy sources harness natural resources. Solar energy, wind farms, biogas digestion, rain water, biomass briquettes, helioculture are some examples of alternative renewable energy. Solar panels and installers are being used by many businesses, schools and homes to generate heat and electricity.Top companies of various industries are taking responsibility to reduce their ecological footprint by slashing greenhouse gas emissions. Though saving money and reducing risks are the main incentives driving these initiatives, every effort is crucial in combating climate change. Green consulting agencies help businesses green their premises and inculcate green business practices amongst its employees. Energy efficient products conserve energy and reduce bills for consumers.Businesses should support green initiatives with the necessary infrastructure and processes. Energy-efficient computers, monitors, printers, fax machines, scanners, copiers and multi-function devices that automatically power down during extended inactivity save 50% energy or more. Laptops are much more energy efficient than desktops. Consider upgrading your employees to laptops.Taking business operations online reduces usage of paper and printing ink. Sending customers online receipts of sales instead of paper is another step. Online operations also improve business efficiency as data can be managed in a better way. Businesses should use recycled products wherever possible - paper, packages, toilet paper, etc. Wastage of water should be minimized by installing water saving devices in bathrooms and cafeteria. Energy efficient vending machines are equipped with refrigeration and lighting controls and save up to 30% energy. The key is to save wherever and whenever possible.Where there is a will, there is a way. Nothing rings truer when one sees the amazingly innovative small green businesses sprouting across the globe. Typical examples are BTTRventures - a 100% sustainable urban mushroom farm that utilizes recycled coffee grounds from Peet's Coffee & Tea, founded in Berkeley, CA by two 2009 grads; Turning Point Brewery - Canada's first sustainable brewery; GRID Alternatives - provides renewable energy and energy efficiency services to low-income homeowners and community members.There is never a better time than now. While businesses are doing their part to conserve the ecological system, it is also every individual's moral responsibility to build a safe and healthy future for the next generation. By respecting our environment and following green practices at home and office, we pass on the right education to our children. Reduce, reuse and recycle - this is the mantra we all need to incorporate into our lifestyles.

Green Business, Green Marketing

If you have a business of any sort, green marketing is likely to become part of your marketing plan. Consumers are becoming very savvy about realizing that they are voting in a way when they spend their money. The number of shoppers who consider environmental factors with their purchases is growing all the time.More and more shoppers filter their buying decisions through the questions of how your product could have deleterious effects on the environment or on their own health. If they have children, they may be particularly sensitized to these issues, and as a general thing, the younger shoppers take these matters more seriously. After all, they have grown up with a greater environmental awareness than older people did, and the issues are both more widespread and more widely known now.There is justifiably a lot of cynicism among consumers about whether companies are telling the truth or are just jumping on the green bandwagon. This means that you can't simply repackage your products to have green colored boxes or a jolly slogan on the front. If you don't walk your talk, people will find you out. Doing the right thing for the environment will reward you. Be clear and honest in your packaging, your promotions, and your website about what you are doing.Now in some situations, to go completely green would be so prohibitively expensive that it would put you out of business. People understand that you can't necessarily disconnect from the power grid and use solar panels to run your manufacturing plant... at least not yet! What you need to do is to evaluate what you can do and what will have the largest beneficial effect on the environment and on consumers' health. Companies that do this will be more likely to thrive.The market for green or eco-friendly products includes things like simple household cleaners without a long string of chemicals on the label, fragrance-free toiletries and cosmetics that have not been tested on animals, organically grown food, and natural fiber clothing. Recycled office paper and other products created with recycled materials are also likely to do well, provided that they are well made. People are looking more for long-term value, a trend that is likely to continue.Another aspect of green business is locality, or how close to the consumer the product was created. This is particularly true of fresh foods - not just produce but meats as well. People are becoming more aware of the fuel costs, both in money and in environmental burden, of things transported long distances. This awareness is a strong driver of the localism movement. Also, many of us are realizing that oil is not going to last forever.All of these factors can create challenges for your business - and also opportunities.

Dying the Green Way - How Green Business Practices Are Changing End of Life

Have you thought about what will happen to you after you die?As knowledge of how we impact the environment increases, many industries are considering how they can "go green". The funeral industry is no exception and the demand for green or environmentally friendly burials is growing. Funeral services offering green burials believe that aside from giving customers greater choice, they can also reduce the environmental impacts of chemicals in the soil as well as encouraging the use of biodegradable materials. This article discusses the main areas where the funeral industry is going green.More and more people are becoming concerned at the environmental impact of death and how this can be reduced. Green funeral homes provide a number of options to customers which will reduce their environmental impact after they are gone:

Not being embalmed - the choice to not be embalmed reduces the toxic chemicals leached into the land when a person is buried.
Choosing a green cemetery- some cemeteries are being returned to a natural state to provide habit for flora and fauna and reduce the use of herbicides and irrigation which are extensively used in traditional cemeteries.
Being buried in biodegradable materials such as plain wooden caskets, cardboard caskets or burial shrouds.
Although some of the options available to customers are clear, there is often misconception about embalming and whether it is legally required. Many people are not aware that embalming is only a legal requirement in certain circumstances and most often it is an individual choice as to whether the person is embalmed. This is good news for the environment as the chemicals used in embalming are toxic including a mixture of formaldehyde, methanol and ethanol. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency formaldehyde has been shown to cause cancer in animals and may cause cancer in humans. By not using these chemicals, the impact of them leaching and contaminating nearby soils is avoided. Some of the environmental impacts of burial can be avoided by choosing cremation. However cremation also impacts the environment by causing air pollution and carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels.Aside from green burial choices, there are other ways funeral services can implement green business practices. Some funeral homes are reducing their environmental impact by using recycled paper products for service cards and memorial books. Other ways to go green include choosing organic flowers grown without pesticides and chemical fertiliser and choosing local suppliers to avoid the environmental impact of transportation. In 2010 the Green Burial Council will put in place voluntary standards for burial grounds, funeral service providers, products and crematoriums.The funeral industry is one of many that are implementing green business practices. Through reducing both the environmental impacts of business operations and the impact of burial options, the industry not only reduces its environmental impact but also extends the range of choices available in the market. Consumers can support industry moves to go green by being aware of their options and choosing to support businesses that implement environmentally friendly practices.