Going green may seem to be the latest trend, but it is a trend with a variety of cost and brand benefits for businesses. Applying green processes to the workplace creates a healthy environment for employees, customers, reduces unnecessary waste and recognizes the role that businesses play in leading the way for impactful change. For the business that is thinking about going green, a variety of reasons to make the investment.

SLO County Green Business Program from One With Nature on Vimeo.

Legal and Tax Advantages

Going green has many practical advantages. States such as California have cracked down on emissions allowances, so companies such as FedEx and General Electric have incorporated green technology in order to reduce emissions and comply with state standards. Tax credit and incentives at the state level are also available. Florida, for example, allows companies that produce and sell electricity from a renewable energy facility to take a corporate income tax credit. Many states also offer businesses that are eligible for a sales tax exemption for using solar energy systems, equipment, machinery and other renewable energy technologies. The Solar Energy System Incentives Program allows states across the U.S. and their companies to take rebates, and the Renewable Energy and Energy-Efficient Technologies Grants Program provides grants for Florida companies using solar and renewable energy sources to run the business. Additionally, the IRS allows businesses that use company cars such as hybrids to take an alternative motor vehicle credit on federal taxes. The federal government also allows businesses to take a tax credit of up to 30 percent for the use of solar and wind energy.

Reduced Waste

Going green can improve the overall efficiency of a business. Reducing unnecessary waste can trim operating costs for the business, for example. Turning off lights in vacant offices can save energy, save on utility costs and increase the company’s bottom line. Printing less cuts down on paper usage, and can lower the budget spent on printing materials. Refilling ink cartridges instead of throwing them away is another money-saving practice, since it saves money on the purchase of new cartridges, and it also reduces the amount of plastic thrown away from the cartridge and packaging. Offering hybrid vehicles to company employees can also save money for companies that refund employee mileage on fuel prices.

Improved Workplace

Providing green options within a company can offer overall workplace gains. Green cleaning equipment supplies can help employees who suffer from respiratory and other health-related conditions, because green products contain fewer chemicals–such as sodium hypochlorite and nitrobenzene–that are related to physical problems. Some companies have taken going green even a step further, by converting leftover food waste from the dining cafeterias into methane to supply the building with energy.

Public Response

While public response alone is not necessarily the best motivation for going green, it might be a good side effect. With green initiatives increasing in popularity, economic studies have shown that companies utilizing green technology and selling green products are seeing an increase in profits. Companies such as Wal-Mart and Target have incorporated green changes such as composting and recycling, changing transportation routes to save gas, reducing packaging, and stocking their shelves with greener products. As a result, these companies have seen customers respond positively to the changes, with green product sales alone jumping somewhere around 20 percent as of 2010. This is the effect of brand equity that increases with environmental business practices.

Sustainability

The larger value of going green relates to help the health of the environment. Utilizing sustainable methods can prevent the waste of natural resources, helping reduce the risk of depletion on the long run. Going green can be as simple as making sure lights are turned off in unused offices–thus preventing the waste of electricity–or as elaborate as utilizing alternative forms of energy (i.e., solar or wind energy). In either case, the goal of making these changes is to preserve natural resources by using those that are sustainable, or by taking measures to reduce the amount consumed.

These business meet our requirements for being environmental conscious.

The follow business all have:

– Proper Recycling Bins & Recycling Disposal
– Compost Bins
– No Company Supplied Plastic Bottled Water
– Consumption Awareness Training

Green Business Directory

805 Aerial
Doug Swarts, LLC
Valley STD
Valley Tax Law
Moshpit Digital
Simple Tree
Coffee Maker World
Clark Simson Miller
HPV and ME
Hills Emergency Plumber
Bio Control Pest
Official Pest Pros
Valley Solar Pros
Doing Good
Grow Pod Solutions
Micro Lab Farms
Terrawatt Solar
Solar One USA
BrightSuite
BrightSuite EV
Starkehaus Inspections