Supervisory in Business

“Going Green” has become the catch phrase found throughout the world today. It means being environmentally friendly in an economically sound fashion. Because it is such a well-known saying and because “environmentally friendly” usually means sustainable, it is profitable for most businesses to go green.

Why? First, because you are doing something that is popular and that is always good for marketing. People talk and they talk about the good as well as the bad. A “Green company” or product generates interest and that is important as word of mouth generates more business than all other forms of advertising.

Green is also considered healthy and environmentally friendly. This means less pollution, less regulations to worry about and, hopefully a healthier set of employees! Cutting down on toxins and government control decreases expenses and less expenses means more profits. Healthier employees are not only happier employees that lose less days due to illness but also results in cheaper Health Insurance.

So what sort of business can be created that is either environmentally friendly or can tie into the “green movement”? Obvious choices are recycling oriented businesses, get people to pay you to help clean up areas and then sell the recyclable products to some one else. This has the advantage of low start up costs (bags and transportation) as well as public visibility. There is also landscaping and even just yard work.

The athletically inclined may consider guiding or nature programs. These would either require your own land or permission to use some where else (Parks, corporate grounds,) and knowledge of what you are doing. Birdwatching is very popular and only requires binoculars and a birding book. There are also flowers, medicinal plants, and even “primitive technology” or survival skills that people will pay to learn about. This would require permits and also a First Aid training course as accidents will happen!

Larger businesses also want to be green. I worked for one company and we replaced all the Styrofoam plates and cups with paper, paper is easier to recycle and biodegradable. People could also “personalize” by bringing in their own coffee cups or glasses, contests provided social interaction by who brought in the strangest, most humorous, or from the different places. Cups were washed.

Some car dealerships can show efforts to be green by not only doing fuel efficient cars, but having alternative vehicles. Many people have never seen a “real” solar car and compression cars are just getting noticed. Bring these in, have a few for sale and explain benefits and problems; show that you are trying to cut down on oil use and carbon emissions. It will bring in clients and people will talk.

These are just a very few ideas for going green and how it can be profitable. Other ways include organic farming, using glass bottles instead of plastic (Glass is easier to recycle or re-use), selling solar or energy efficient equipment. Think, experiment, and go green, both you and the environment will profit!