How to Run a Green Small Business Part 5

I got a great response from my previous postings about running a green small business, so I’m providing a few more tips:

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. 

   Install Solar Power
   More and more utility companies are offering generous rebates. Governments are intervening with tax incentives. On the federal level, a business can obtain solar tax credits towards installation, better than deductions because this means a dollar for dollar reduction in your tax bill. California has recently passed the CSI, California Solar Initiative that offers $3 billion in funding to install solar. Solar is the cleanest, greenest power you can use in your business. A system will pay for itself in 8-10 years providing 15-20 additional years of useful life expectancy. However if you are in a power hungry business with a utility that charges more if you use more power, payoffs can be a lot faster.

2. 

   Sign Up for Green Power.
   Utilities are increasing their reliance on renewable energy sources such as wind or concentrated solar. Most give you the option of buying power from renewable energy only. This is a great way to encourage the development of alternative energy. Unfortunately for your bottom line, at this point the power will cost you more.

3. 

   Convert your work vehicles to bio diesel
   We seem to be on an upward trend with no end in sight when it comes to fuel prices. It’s hard to believe that even though our prices fluctuate we are now paying an average of double to run our trucks and cars compared to what we paid just five years ago. By converting your vehicles to run on bio diesel you can stabilize your fuel costs. In many cases you can literally fuel your fleet with fast food waste oil, the best use for hydrogenated oils yet conceived.

4. Make Liberal Use of Plants
   Few things perk up on office environment better than a plant. They brighten a work space atmosphere and put you in touch with the ecology of the world.
   
   If you don’t install solar, you can plant deciduous trees outside to shade your building in summer, and let the sun shine in when the leaves drop in the winter.
   
   Another option to consider, that can fit right under a bank of solar panels is a green roof of native grasses and shrubs. They save heating and cooling costs and act as a CO2 magnet.