How to Make Your Business More Eco-Friendly

In this day and age, the community is becoming more and more concerned with protecting the environment. Whether you’re the owner of a business or an employee of one, going green could help save your business money while lowering its impact on the environment. In 2015, the federal Business Energy Investment Tax Credit (ITC) was amended, allowing businesses to deduct 30 percent of the cost of installing a solar energy system from federal taxes.

Here are a few ways to make your business more eco-friendly this year, so you can start making a contribution in the movement to “go green.”

Utilize green marketing strategies: If your business provides environmentally safe products or services, it could be beneficial to utilize ‘green’ marketing strategies. Be sure to avoid false or exaggerated claims that misrepresent a product or service. The FTC has issued “Green Guides” to help marketers ensure their claims are non-deceptive. Any endorsement by independent third parties must adhere to the FTC’s Endorsement Guides.

Manage and replace outdated electronics: Many businesses offer eco-friendly electronics and appliances. Energy Star appliances will help your office become more eco-friendly and decrease your energy bill. There are many ways you can save paper and restrict energy-use. We'll get you started with 10 ideas:

1. Change printer settings to double-sided paper.
2. Buy recycled printer paper.
3. Communicate via email, phone or online services.
4. Use biodegradable or natural cleaning products.
5. Replace all bulbs with compact-fluorescent (CFL) or LED lights.
6. Look into solar panels if your building receives a lot of natural sunlight.
7. Keep the office at a reasonable temperature.
8. Use public transportation or alternative methods like bicycles.
9. Work from a home office.
10. Start a community public garden or a compost pile for healthier soil and less waste.

Make it personal through an energy audit: What would be the most effective change your business can make to become a greener community? According to the Department of Energy,an energy audit can help your business determine how much energy it uses, where it is losing energy, and which problem areas and fixes it should prioritize. Some states even waive the fee of the assessment and might even pay for some of the repairs.

Share that you care: Whatever your business specializes in, take one aspect of it and make it greener. Next, share the changes you’ve made to help our ecosystem. Don’t be shy - market how you make a difference and use it to encourage other businesses to do the same. You want to make your business stand out to eco-conscious customers. If marketing your business with vehicle graphics -- like a vinyl wrap -- choose hybrid cars for cleaner energy, higher fuel economy, and potential tax incentives.

Embody the three R’s in the office: Reuse, reduce, and recycle. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, Americans in particular are generating so much waste that we could fill 63,000 garbage trucks every day. If lined up end-to-end for an entire year, they would stretch halfway to the moon. Of the garbage Americans throw out, half could be recycled, which is enough to fill a football stadium from top to bottom everyday. Your office should have two properly-labeled trash cans: one for trash and one for recyclables. Here’s a quick list of what can be recycled:

• Paper: Corrugated cardboard, magazines, office paper, newspaper, juice cartons, phone books, tissue boxes, paper towel/toilet paper rolls, shredded paper, books, empty coffee cups, and brown paper bags.
• Plastic: Basically all plastics number 1-7 (will say on the container if you are unsure). That includes food/beverage containers, plastic cups, milk/water/juice jugs, plastic bags, traffic cones, credit cards, soap bottles, gardening hoses, egg cartons, and the trash can itself.

No matter what you do, any positive step towards making your office more eco-friendly is a step in the right direction. For more tips you can trust -- like ways your seasonal business can avoid hibernation and how to use Facebook Live for your small business -- visit us at bbb.org/boston, like us on Facebook and Instagram and follow us on Twitter.