Operations
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Make Your Business More Green

Looking for ways to make your small business more environmentally
conscious this year? It could be a smart move. You can feel good about
helping the planet and your business also benefits in customer loyalty as
buyers recognize and appreciate your efforts. Many marketing-savvy small
businesses are projecting a positive image with customers by promoting their
environmental efforts.

Now is a good time to “green” your business. The movement is expanding
and there is more business-minded information available on the practical,
profit-producing aspects of making a business more environmentally friendly.
Access to environmentally-preferable products and services is also
widening—especially for small business.

Most of what your business does, from buying office supplies to disposing of
old electronic gear, can be accomplished with “green” products and services.
For timely information, practical tools and sound advice on making a business
more environmentally conscious, GreenBiz.com is an excellent resource.

GreenBiz, a service of the Washington, DC-based Green Business Network,
offers a full range of hands-on help for small businesses that want to get more
green, from how to finance greater manufacturing efficiency to alternative
cleaning solvents and processes. The organization’s Web site is packed with
helpful information and is geared toward helping businesses take an
environmental stance that also helps the bottom line.

The GreenBiz site provides descriptions and links to nearly 100 helpful
organizations and Web sites — many of them by state. There are also
hundreds of books and reports geared to specific industries. Take time to
explore the site for a wealth of news, tools and tips on going green. Select
“Small Business” in the “Resource Wizard” pulldown menu for topics geared
specifically to small business.  

Another useful resource is the Small Business Environmental Home Page,
www.smallbiz-enviroweb.org, which helps business owners tap into pollution-
prevention assistance programs of all types nationwide.  It also offers a list of
links to State Environmental Agencies and small business programs.  

The Buy Recycled Business Alliance is a group of companies and nonprofit
organizations working to promote the market for recycled-content products.  
The “Buyers” section of the BRBA Web site lists companies that sell products
made from recycled materials — everything from floor coverings and doors to
paint, bulletin boards and plastic “lumber.” Visit www.nrc-recycle.org/brbaor.

To learn more about operating issues facing your small business, contact
SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business." SCORE is a nonprofit
organization of more than 10,500 volunteer business counselors who provide
free, confidential business counseling and training workshops to small
business owners. Go to www.scoredm.org on the web or call (515) 284-4760
between the hours of 10:00 A.M. and 3:00 P.M. Monday through Friday.