How to Run a Green Small Business Part 4

The real test of a small businessperson’s environmental values comes when the trade off is between a cheap solution now and one that will ultimately pay off in the long run.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. 

   Don’t buy an SUV unless you absolutely need one
   There used to be an obscene tax deduction granted to owners of SUV’s that weighed over 6000 lbs. It used to allow anybody who used a vehicle at least 50% of the time in business to buy the biggest possible car and write it off her taxes in just one year. Not only are those road hogs terrible for the environment, they exacerbate traffic jams and are more roll over prone than cars with lower centers of gravity.

2. 

   Buy a Hybrid
   With the recent change in Congress, take a close look at the tax incentives for buying fuel efficient hybrids. A hybrid combines an internal combustion engine and an electric motor powered by batteries. The gas engine is used only when needed, producing far better gas mileage. GM announced today that its Saturn Aura Green Line hybrid will qualify for a $1,300 tax credit, making it the cheapest hybrid for sale in the US If you have to have an SUV, GM and Ford both make them in hybrids. Yes, gas prices fluctuate, but the average price of gas today is double what it was just five years ago.

3. Put in a skylight if you can.
   A full sized skylight will admit more light to a room than a vertical window. You can install one over your desk to illuminate where it’s needed. Skylights provide full spectrum, natural lighting. On a sunny day, the light output from a ten inch, easy-to-install, tubular sky light is comparable to a 100 watt bulb.

4. 

   Install a Swamp Cooler
   If you work in a climate with low humidity, consider an evaporative cooler for your workspace instead of air conditioning. In these devices, also known as swamp coolers, a fan draws air into a box where it flows through pads soaked in water. The air sponges up the water causing its temperature to drop between 15 and 40 degrees. It’s the same effect that chills summer air next to a waterfall.
   
   Evaporative coolers cost about half as much to install as central air conditioning and use about one-quarter as much power with no refrigerant. Evaporative cooling has proven its use to you every day, in your car’s radiator.