By Jennifer Kaplan
It is difficult to escape the “Green movement“. It’s all around us from hybrid cars to recycling. We are told it is the right thing to do for our children and our planet’s future. But what role does the being Green play in small business. Is it something just something politically correct or polite to support or is it an important issue to small business?
Is it a profitable issue for small business to be green? As an entrepreneur we must ask…Can we make money doing it?
My three guests that examined this issue today were:
Francois Ajenstat, Director of Environmental Sustainability at Microsoft. We discussed why does Microsoft care and what small businesses can do to go green cost effectively and profitably.
Jean Jerome Baudry, CEO at Cybernomics Corporation in Toronto, Canada discussed Green IT and how to implement Green strategies into their business plans.
Finally, Jennifer Kaplan, Author of Greening Your Small Business, (Penguin, Nov 3, 2009) discusses strategies to improve your bottom line. How do you get your employees to use less? How do you tell shareholders and customers?
What your business can do to be Green, Save Money and Make Profits:
1. Turn off your PC at night. You can save $50 a year- if everyone does it, that’s half a billion an year. (Check out power management on your PC or Microsoft’s Edision product)
2. Use LCDs instead of tube CRTs- Most of us are there.
3. Use energy efficient light bulbs.
4. Copy on both sides of paper.
5. Don’t use bottled water.
Where do you weigh in on the debate? Is Green Profitable or Just Politically correct?
[…] To listen to the radio interview click here. […]
Hi Barry,
Great question. MMMM
I added this article to my Green Franchise Directory.
Take care,
The Franchise King
Joel Libava