There’s no magic to going green: it means you’re reducing your business’ impact on the environment by conserving resources and using energy-efficient and environmentally friendly technology.

Why do it:
-Green business is good business: it’ll save you money, build customer loyalty, make your business more resilient in the face of economic crises.  Oh, and you’ll feel good doing it!

To start, think about your business and what resources you use and what it produces.
How much energy, water, and toxic chemicals does it consume?  What amount of waste does it produce?  For each of these, there are easy steps you can take right away.  Here are some ideas:

Energy – Get a free NSTAR energy-audit to find out if you qualify for an upgrade in energy-efficient lighting that NSTAR will pay 70% of?  Somerville businesses are saving hundreds of dollars through this program.

Waste – Join the city of Somerville’s business recycling program and save significant amounts of trash pick-ups by diverting recyclable waste from the trash bin to the recycling bin, and save money too!

Toxics – Replace traditional toxic cleaning products by green cleaning products that do as good a job and protect the health of your cleaning staff, clients, and employees.

Water – Invest in low-flow faucet aerators and toilets to significantly reduce your water bills.  Replace your water bubbler and bottles with a tap water filter. This will save you money, and reduce the waste created by those water bottles and the carbon dioxide emitted to transport the water from its source to you!

Look for GoGreen tips of the week on our website and newsletter and email us at vanessarule@gogreensomerville.org to schedule a free site-visit to assess opportunities to green your business.

Remember: there are different shades of green and you don’t have to go deep green over night!  We’re here  to help.