by Steve Strauss on May 5th, 2009
Q: Steve – I would like to make our business greener, but especially in this economy, I can’t do it if it is going to cost us money. It is, isn’t it?
Jim
A: I know you will be happy when I say, no, it isn’t. In fact, not only should “Going Green” not entail any major expense, it can actually save your small business money. After all, the whole idea is to reduce, reuse, and recycle.
There are any number of small steps any small businesses can take to help reduce their carbon footprint. Here are some of my... Read more »
by Christina Lee on December 9th, 2008
In September 2007, Georgia’s Environmental Protection Division banned most outdoor water use in the state, as it was suffering through one of the worst droughts in its history. There and then, Debbie Smith and her family had to learn quickly the basics of water conservation.
But once her family knew what to do – take shorter showers, turn off the faucet while brushing their teeth – Smith still found herself struggling to break old habits of her husband and teenage kids.
“And then it just occurred to me,” as Smith recalled, “it would have been a lot easier to learn... Read more »
by Christina Lee on December 4th, 2008
As a Carnation, Wash. dairy employee, Keith Lee’s father used to watch large metal vats of ice-cream flavoring get discarded once empty. Then one day, Lee’s father approached his boss with an idea.
“Can I take those out of the trash, and fix them up, and resell them to someone on my own?” he asked. When his boss agreed, Lee’s father took them home to be cleaned. For such a task he recruited his son, who at the time was less than 10 years old.
This early employment became Lee’s first experience with recycling. Since then, he, as president of... Read more »
by Leeia Ladipoh on September 22nd, 2008
Unless you’ve been hiding under a non-carbon based rock for the last five years, you are probably aware that there is a massive environmental movement under way. This movement is centered around the dangers posed to the planet by global warming, as caused by the actions of human beings.
Governments, businesses, and individuals are all on the green train, but there is a new worry on the horizon: will people eventually tire of being told what to do in order to save the planet?
There is a curve when it comes to marketing of any product or idea. First, the... Read more »
by Steve Strauss on May 7th, 2008
Q: I am starting a green business but lack sufficient startup capital. Are there federal grants for such a business, and if so are they realistic or even plausible?
Rachael
A: I would have to say, I get more variations on this question than any other: “Where the heck can I get some of this free government startup money?”
I’m not exactly sure where this urban myth comes from, this idea that there are government agencies out there just waiting to give out free money to start a business.
I suspect that the main culprit is Matthew Lesko. You know,... Read more »