Guide to Making Your Company More Green

Complete an energy audit

How much energy does your business consume and how much does it waste? An energy audit can show you everything from the amount of energy your utilities consume to the number of trash bags you use weekly.

I recommend: Visit the U.S. Government's Energy Star program for help calculating how much energy you're using per square foot of space and how much you can save by making energy upgrades. Call your electric or natural gas company and ask whether they perform energy audits for business; many do, and will even pay for a portion of any recommended upgrades.

Think

Follow the 3 "R's" for going green. Some tactics are simple: reuse paper, use outdated stationery in-house, and recycle aluminum, glass, plastic, and paper. Others take a little practice, like actively buying "green" products and refurbishing equipment.

I recommend: Visit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for lists of recycled products and a database of suppliers. Energy Star offers more than 40 categories of products that use less energy and save money while protecting the environment.

Make it green — inside and out

You don't need to start over to make your facility green. With a few adaptations to your facility, you'll get a greener building that's cleaner, healthier, and more efficient.

I recommend: Get It Done: Decrease water consumption and your business will profit. The EPA offers a tip sheet here. You can also track water usage — particularly helpful for business owners with medium or large facilities or more than one property — with the EPA's EnergyStar water tracking system. Find out how you can switch to "green" power options in your region at the U.S. Department of Energy's Green Power Web site. Make smarter vehicle and fuel decisions to build a green fleet with help from the Department of Energy's Clean Fleet Guide.