Sustainable Business Practices

After making energy efficient upgrades, you may also want to consider taking additional steps to implement sustainable business practices that help protect the environment. The following resources provide information on green business practices for small business owners.

Green Power and Renewable Energy
After addressing energy-efficiency opportunities available in your facility, you may also want to consider renewable energy and green power. Renewable energy refers to electricity supplied from energy sources, such as wind, solar, geothermal, hydro, and biomass.

Air Pollution Prevention
Employing energy-efficient technology such as ENERGY STAR qualified products can help reduce emissions (air pollution) from power plants that produce energy. Carbon dioxide emission is a primary cause of global climate change, sulfur dioxide is a key component of acid rain, and nitrogen oxide is responsible for smog.

New Building Design
The intent of energy-efficient design for new construction and/or remodeling is to utilize efficient equipment while optimizing the use of natural energy sources. The ultimate goal is to provide increased comfort with reductions in energy costs and greenhouse gas pollution.

Using Paper
You may not think of your business' paper use as an area to save energy, but it is. Paper manufacturers in the U.S. consume a significant amount of energy each year in the production of paper - not to mention the energy spent harvesting and shipping trees, and shipping paper products to your business. There are some simple steps you can follow to optimize your use of this valuable resource that will save money, reduce waste, protect our nation's forests and reduce energy consumption!

Recycling and Waste Reduction
It does not matter what type of business you have or facility you run - there is some amount of material you use that you can reuse or recycle. Implementing a waste reduction program helps cut down the amount of waste materials put in landfills or incinerated while decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation.

Water Conservation
You may wonder what water use and saving energy have to do with each other? In most cases, electricity or gas are used to heat water, and this costs you money. In addition, your water company uses energy to purify and pump water to your business as well as in the treatment of your sewage. So part of your water and sewage bill is really an energy bill. The more water your business consumes, the more you will benefit from optimizing water use.

Small Business Trends
One thing is for sure, as a small business owner you are not alone! There are millions of small businesses across the United States traveling the same road as you each and every day. Although your business operates in its own unique fashion, the cumulative impact of the small business sector is enormous.

Produced in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration, Business Gateway and ENERGY STAR®