I’ve been intrigued with what I see at NewStories for some time now. I told them I would also like to see more practical suggestions for what to do and they said to me, “Perhaps you would like to write a short blog about some of the ideas you would like to share.” I accepted the invitation and am delighted to share a few thoughts with friends of NewStories about launching eco-friendly businesses in these perplexing times. Here are some great tips and resources to help you get up and running as an entrepreneur focused on environmentally-friendly practices—in other words, an ecopreneur!
Start Learning
The more time you spend learning about sustainability, business, and your industry, the better equipped you’ll be to grow a thriving business.
- Consider attending online school and earning a bachelor’s degree in your field of choice, such as accounting or business management.
- Learn about where other businesses fall short of meeting their sustainability goals.
- You can also learn from businesses that got it right, like major restaurants that have scrapped artificial ingredients.
Work from Home
Running a home-based business will enable you to reduce your energy consumption and cut back on single-use plastics.
- Remote companies use a lot less paper, plastic, and other products that harm the environment.
- Reducing the number of people who commute to work is a great way to reduce carbon emissions.
- If you need to lease an office space, find a location close to home so you can bike or walk to work.
Reduce Your Energy Consumption
Controlling your energy consumption will benefit the planet, but also your wallet. It’s a win-win!
- Purchase energy-efficient light bulbs to illuminate your business storefront or home-based office.
- If possible, consider powering your business with solar energy!
- Sign up for a business energy audit to learn what else you can do to reduce your consumption.
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Finding ways to reduce your waste will decrease your environmental impact and can save your business money in the long run!
- Use digital recordkeeping to cut down on your use of paper and plastic.
- When you need to use paper or plastic, choose post-consumer waste (PCW) products made from recycled materials.
- Recycle all of the paper and plastics you use in your office.
- You can also keep ink and toner out of the landfill by disposing cartridges at special drop-off bins.
I believe we need more entrepreneurs who are passionate about caring for our planet, and I’m excited NewStories has allowed me to share my ideas on launching an eco-friendly business with their readers. Starting one of these types of companies is a great way to do your part in saving the planet!
