Sustainable Business Practices

Business Start Up Guides

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

On-Site 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. These energy sources are considered renewable sources because they are continuously replenished.

Electricity that is generated from renewable energy sources is often referred to as "green power." Green power products can include electricity generated exclusively from renewable resources or, more frequently, electricity produced from a combination of fossil and renewable resources.

If interested in installing renewable energy equipment in your facility, incentives may be available in your state to "buy down" the cost. To learn more about incentives visit the Financing Energy Efficiency Projects section of this guide.

Of course, not every small business can install renewable energy technology at their facility. Fortunately you can buy green power for your facility directly from many utilities at a slightly higher cost than regular electricity. If your utility does not offer green power options you can still participate by purchasing renewable energy certificates. Renewable energy certificates (or green tags) document the purchase of renewable energy.

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.

Making your business more energy efficient means you will use less energy and save money, while helping the environment at the same time! Since utilities will not need to generate as much electricity, they won't burn as much fossil fuel, which means they are releasing less pollution into the atmosphere. To find out more about estimating how much money you can save by reducing your facility's energy use, please visit the calculate section of this guide.

Air Pollution links:

• EPA: Air Pollution
• AIRNow
• DOE: Clean Air, Soil and Water
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Air Pollution and Respiratory Health

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.

Design and Construction Projects

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.

Energy-efficient design and construction does not need to cost any more than standard design - so get started and realize significant energy and cost savings for your business. Let ENERGY STAR Building Design Guidance help you manage the design and construction process right from the start!

Energy-Efficiency Design and Construction Resources

• Energy Design Resources
• Whole Building Design Guide's Building Types
• DOE's Design, Construct and Renovate
• ENVIRON Design Collaborative's Solar and Energy Efficient Design

Get energy code advice from DOE: Building Energy Codes Program

Sustainable and Green Building Guidance

• EPA's Green Buildings
• BuildingGreen
• California Integrated Waste Management Board: Green Building Design and Construction
• Sustainable Buildings Industry Council
• U.S. Green Building Council

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!

• Use double-sided printing and copying
• Distribute documents electronically instead of in hard copy when feasible
• Select paper products with a high recycled content
• Recycle as much of the paper products you use as possible

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.

Most businesses can save a substantial amount of money by reducing waste. In addition to lower removal costs, waste reduction measures help cut costs on raw materials, office supplies and equipment. Further, by streamlining your operations to reduce waste, you may also be able to enhance your overall efficiency, productivity and public image.

Use the links below to learn how to become waste wise.

Get Started

• Learn the terminology
• Conduct a waste assessment of your operations
• Identify where the biggest cost savings can occur
• Check out this Small Business Waste Reduction Guide

Learn about Waste Reduction Measures

• Reduce

• Get waste reduction ideas from EPA
• Exchange, sell or give away unneeded goods for reuse
• Redesign products to use less materials
• Redesign packaging to eliminate excess material
• Work with customers to design a packaging return program
• Consider developing a product take back program
• Eliminate, reuse or recycle corrugated cardboard
• Switch to reusable transport containers
• Repair broken furniture and equipment to extend its usable life
• Buy products made from recycled materials
• Use and maintain durable equipment and supplies
• Reduce waste from building construction and demolition debris
• Reduce waste from electronics
• Use less office paper by "Going Paperless with Technology"
• Purchase environmentally preferable products
• Use office supplies and materials more efficiently:
  -- Use both sides of paper
  -- Make double sided copies
  -- Route one hard copy to several readers
  -- Use e-mail or bulletin boards for sending and receiving information
• Plan and conduct environmentally aware meetings and events

• Reuse

• Use incoming corrugated boxes for outgoing shipments
• Shred or crumple waste paper for use as packing material
• Reuse office furniture and supplies, such as interoffice envelopes and file folders
• Exchange surplus and reusable materials through a commercial materials exchange
• Repair broken equipment to extend its useful life
• Donate excess building materials to local low-income housing developers
• Ask suppliers to take back pallets or switch to more durable reusable ones
• Donate leftover food to the needy
• Donate food scraps for use as animal feed
• Donate surplus items to non-profit or reuse organizations
• Donate your old computers
• Donate your old electronics
• Remanufacture your products

• Recycle

• It does not matter what type of business you have or what type of facility you run - there is some amount of material you use that can be recycled. From aluminum cans, and glass and plastic bottles, to used oil and printer toner cartridges, recycling reduces the amount of waste materials that are put in landfills or incinerated while decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation. That's good for everybody! Ask your building management or waste handler about recycling opportunities.

  Technology Specific Recycling

  During your upgrade projects, and normal maintenance, you will likely have to deal with lighting and electronic waste. The disposal of some of this waste may be regulated, since both electronic and lighting waste may contain potentially harmful substances, and these products may need to be separated from your other garbage. The best way to dispose of this waste is to recycle it.

  To learn more about the recycling and disposal of lighting and electronic waste visit:

  • EPA: "Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) Disposal Requirements for Fluorescent Light Ballasts" Fact Sheet
  • EPA: "Electronics: A New Opportunity for Waste Prevention, Reuse, and Recycling" Fact Sheet
  • National Electrical Manufacturers Association's Lamp Recycle.org

Develop a Waste Reduction Program.

• Read the EPA Business Guide for Reducing Solid Waste
• Use the Xerox Business Guide to Waste Reduction and Recycling and the accompanying workbook

Measure Your Results

• Learn why you should measure your waste reduction efforts and how to do it

Get Recognition

• Join EPA's WasteWise Program

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. Some ways to save related to the water you use are:

• Repair leaking pipes, fixtures and seals
• Install water-efficient appliances where applicable
• Install efficient showerheads and faucets
• Install controls that turn faucets off automatically
• Put in high-efficiency urinals
• Depending on your type of business, use horizontal axis washing machines
• Practice green landscaping (greenscaping or xeriscaping) to preserve natural resources and prevent waste and pollution
• Install an insulation blanket on water heaters seven years of age or older, and insulate the first 3 feet of the heated water "out" pipe from your water heater
• Install an energy-efficient electric or gas water heater

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.

Small Business, Big impact!

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.

Small business is BIG!

• The 23 million small businesses in America account for 54% of all U.S. sales.
• Small businesses provide 55% of all jobs and 66% of all net new jobs since the 1970s.
• The 600,000 plus franchised small businesses in the U.S. account for 40% of all retail sales and provide jobs for some 8 million people.
• The small business sector in America occupies 30-50% of all commercial space, an estimated 20-34 billion square feet.

Furthermore, the small business sector is growing rapidly. While corporate America has been "downsizing", the rate of small business "start-ups" has grown, and the rate for small business failures has declined.

• The number of small businesses in the United States has increased 49% since 1982.
• Since 1990, as big business eliminated 4 million jobs, small businesses added 8 million new jobs.

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