# Green Solutions for New Business Owners

- Link: https://greenlivingguy.com/2019/06/green-solutions-for-new-business-owners/
- Published: 2019-06-18T03:32:48-04:00
- Author: greenlivingguy

What better way to start a business than to start off by caring for the environment
from the very beginning? It’s quite common these days to hear about more businesses
looking to [go green in the office](https://greenlivingguy.com/2014/06/going-green-at-the-office/).
While that is certainly an accomplishment worth applauding, what if you could cut
out all the extra steps by simply going green from the very start? From the type
of building you decide to purchase to the very furniture and office equipment that
you invest in, there are plenty of options that will allow you to minimize your 
carbon footprint immediately.

To get you started, here are a few options that may be worth the investment.

### **Selecting a Commercial Property**

Before you can start your business, you’ll need a commercial property to house all
your staff, inventory, and welcome your consumer base. While you could opt to choose
a commercial property that is already established, sometimes the cost of revamping
it to make it your own (and green) can be expensive.[⌊Rhino steel framing high quality prefab buildings⌉](https://i0.wp.com/web.archive.org/web/20160518211101/http%3A//www.rhinobldg.com//srv/htdocs/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/RHINO-Framing-3.jpg?quality=52&ssl=1)

Another option that might be worth considering is investing in [high-quality prefab metal buildings](https://www.rhinobldg.com/prefabricated-steel-buildings/).
These buildings are created from environmentally friendly metals such as steel. 
The materials are durable while also being aesthetically appealing. With the right
service provider, you can customize your commercial building any way you’d like 
to accommodate your immediate needs.

### There are plenty of environmental benefits to prefab metal buildings including:

 1. Shorter construction time
 2. Lower construction costs
 3. Easy to expand
 4. Durability and weather resistance
 5. High efficiency
 6. Minimal maintenance

### **⌊Recycling green business⌉⌊Recycling green business⌉Purchasing Office Equipment and Appliances**

Office equipment such as copiers, printers, fax machines, telephones, computers,
and more can suck up a lot of energy over the course of a work day. Instead of investing
in products that consume a great deal of energy, you could invest your money into
purchasing [eco-friendly](https://greenlivingguy.com/2021/11/6-tips-to-help-you-be-more-eco-friendly/)
equipment and energy saving appliances.

Did you know that there were [eco-friendly copiers](https://www.epa.gov/greenerproducts)
that allow users to erase prints and reuse the paper?

This could save a ton of money over the course of a year. As well as and not to 
mention the amount of paper you can save. Other options include purchasing products
with Energy Star ratings. These ratings essentially mean that they consume less 
energy than traditional types. Types means equipment and appliances and can save
you money each month on your energy costs.

### **Purchasing Office Furniture**

Whether you’re looking to purchase a couch for the waiting area or an office desk
and chair for your staff. So you can go green by investing in refurbished furniture.
Now before you frown about the idea, there are plenty of second hand shops that 
have beautiful pieces of furniture that is in good condition. While you may opt 
to purchase some things brand new, investing in a few pieces of second hand furniture
can save you money. Furthermore also help the environment.

### **Paperless Challenges**

Although advancements have been made. All progress has been slowed by the limitations
of current technology and an overall reluctance to modify or relinquish traditional
paper practices. The reticence of some offices to adopt electronic document workflows
is driven in part by workers’ allegiance to the almost 50-year old fax machine. 
For example, 42.3 percent of those surveyed still send faxes ‘most of the time’ 
or ‘always’. All while only 3.9 percent ‘never’ send faxes. Similarly, 99.0 percent
of respondents still rely traditional ‘pen-and-paper’ review, with a mere 1.0 percent
choosing to adopt fully electronic review cycles, stating that they‘never’ review
printed documents.

Respondents were asked a number of questions pertaining to electronic and traditional
document sharing and reviewing. All use of productivity and collaboration software.
With the prioritization of “paperless,” recycling habits, and challenges faced with
shared document workflows. Overall sentiment towards the paperless office remains
divided. As well as  the increased adoption of and access to easy-to-use tools will
be the key driver for the growth of the movement.

### **Go Digital**

If you really want to decrease your carbon footprint, simply going digital in some
of your business endeavors can save money and the environment. For example, hiring
a team of customer service representatives that work from home can help to minimize
the amount of energy that is being consumed in your commercial property each day.
Another option would be to consider using online forms, and cloud storage systems
for collaborations and filing. This will decrease the amount of paper used on the
day to day basis.

![Energy star energy efficiency labels](https://i0.wp.com/greenlivingguy.com/wp-
content/uploads/2015/01/wpid-wp-1421844517490-e1560741520586.jpg?resize=100%2C178&
quality=52&ssl=1 "wpid-wp-1421844517490.jpg - The Green Living Guy")

These are just a few options for new business owners looking to save money while
also doing their part to protect the environment. While it may seem like investing
in these options would initially be very expensive, over time you will see a return
on investment. Not to mention the very fact that mother earth will thank you for
helping to minimize your carbon footprint. In closing it is recommended that you
evaluate each of these options based on your immediate business needs before moving
forward.

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 greenlivingguy

 The Green Living Guy, Seth Leitman is an independent power producer, a green living
expert, and Editor of the McGraw-Hill, TAB Green Guru Guides. Seth is also an Author,
Radio Host, Reporter, Writer and an Environmental Consultant on green living. The
Green Living Guy writes about green living, green lighting, the green guru guides
and more. Seth's books range from: # Build Your Own Electric Vehicle by Bob Brant
and Seth Leitman (2nd and 3rd editions) # Build Your Own Plug-in Hybrid Electric
Vehicle by Seth Leitman # Build Your Own Electric Motorcycle by Carl Vogel # Green
Lighting by Seth Leitman, Brian Clark Howard and Bill Brinsky # Solar Power For 
Your Home by David Findley # Renewable Energies For Your Home by Russel Gehrke #
Do-it-Yourself Home Energy Audits by David Findley # Build Your Own Small Wind Power
System by Brian Clark Howard and Kevin Shea # and more green living books to follow.

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