Everything to know about going Green

Did you know 61% of small businesses are going green?

Why should businesses go green?

• You will give your business a good reputation, while also gaining respect from customers

• You will be socially aware and active- and this can gain customers

• It shows you are honest and care- not just about personal success.

Practical reasons to go green

• Cost: going green can be cost-effective. It can even save businesses thousands of dollars in expenditure.

• Tax advantages: being socially aware has its perks. Depending on the state, the government has taken action on giving tax breaks to certain green companies.

• Sustainability: Being a sustainable company is effective in promoting action amongst customers and employees.

Bad habitats to STOP doing now:

1. Littering2. Not recycling3.Leaving the lights on when not in use

Stopping to do these simple yet harmful actions can harness a lot of positive change.

Easiest ways to go green:

• Switch bill statements from paper to online• Reduce carbon footprint by using a reusable

water bottle to refill your H2O • Place plants on your desk to reduce indoor

pollution • Turn off your computer at the end of the day,

when not in use

How to save money by going green

• Switch to post consumer waste products when you really need to print anything. - this includes any recycled paper.

• Use biodegradable cleaners in your office- reduce exposure to chemicals by switching to human and eco friendly products. Many products sell them in bulk

• Switch to CFL or LED lightbuls- they can save you about $200 per bulb.

What makes a product not environmentally friendly?

• Large energy use • Water pollution as a byproduct • Large number of greenhouse gas

emissions

Did you know…

It takes 1000 years for a plastic bag to fully degrade 3.5m tons of plastic bags are discarded in a year

What to know about PAPER?

• Paper is the world’s most discarded item• 54.7% of all paper used in the US is recycled • US generated 5,260,000 tons of office paper

waste • Average office worker goes through 10,000

sheets of paper a year

Most polluted cities:

• 8/10 of the most polluted cities in the US are in California

• Most polluted city in the world is Ulan Bator, Mongolia

Did you know…

• 78 million tons of waste material have been diverted from landfills are a result of recycling

• Average American produces 1,600 pounds of garbage per year

• An average American uses 80-100 gallons of water a day

• 16 billion paper cups are used in America yearly

But the good news is…

20% of small businesses are greener than last

year, and 34% are looking to green this year because….

3 BIGGEST MOTIVATORS TO GO GREEN• Concerns for the environment (76%) • Saving money (49%)• Employee encouragement and participation

(20%)Motivators

Concerns for the environmentSaving money Employee en-couragement and participation

56% of small businesses go online to learn about green products

This is a reason for your business to be green because people want to

invest with other green businesses.

Companies would want to see more green options of:

• Ink and toner• Paper products • Cleaning products

Green your Search ® at Shoplet

• Earth friendly and recycled toner

• Recycled paper for a bargain

• Green cleaning products

Going green with Shoplet

• Did you know you can go Green with Shoplet? - Items you shop for can easily be converted with an Eco Friendly item through a special software.

By Buying Recycled Products With Shoplet You Helped Save:

Sources:

• http://www.forbes.com/sites/kateharrison/2013/02/07/10-ways-to-green-your-business-and-save-money/

• http://science.time.com/2011/09/27/the-10-most-air-polluted-cities-in-the-world/

• http://www.forbes.com/pictures/mhj45hmmm/20-parkersburg-wv-tie/

• http://sustainablebusinessforum.com/index.php?q=node/80261• http://www.globalrcy.com/blog/bid/288495/Top-5-Recycling-Infogra

phics• http://www.greenvo.com.my/2012/02/infographic-go-green

-get-a-date/• Benefits of Green Schools [Infographic] : Living Green Magazine• Green Biz Trends for Earth Month [Infographic] | IMT Green

& Clean Journal• www.thegreenmechanics.com