| Financial Benefits of Environmental ResponsibilityUp | | | | as possible are contributing to our own sustainable |
| until approximately 6 months ago, I was of the | | | | growth: |
| impression that being conscious of the | | | | Purchase energy-efficient products for use in the |
| environment was strictly for the benefit of the | | | | office. Look for consumption ratings on products |
| environment itself, and that I would derive nothing | | | | that make use of hydro and gas. Another positive |
| from it; the ultimate beneficiary of any recycling | | | | sign that a product is energy efficient is the |
| waste reduction would be future generations, and | | | | Energy Star logo. |
| the greater effect of my efforts would occur | | | | Don't print/photocopy unless absolutely |
| long after I was gone.Thanks to Dr. Anthony | | | | necessary. I've seen many people print |
| Watanabe and my work as the web developer | | | | non-necessary documents, web pages, and even |
| for the Toronto Regional Green Building Festival | | | | personal pictures on the office printer and |
| website, I have come to the realization that there | | | | distribute them to friends and colleagues. |
| are reasons beyond the ecological benefits | | | | A good rule of thumb when it pertains to |
| mentioned above.In speaking with Anthony, I | | | | paperwork is, "if you don't need a permanent |
| noticed that he uses the word "sustainability" and | | | | record of it, don't print it." |
| the phrase "sustainable growth" quite frequently | | | | Turn off all electrical devices and adjust the |
| when describing his business. He even went so far | | | | thermostat to match the outside conditions when |
| as to conceive the Sustainable Business Resource | | | | no one is in the office. If you don't want to adjust |
| Centre (SBRC), a network of for-profit and | | | | your thermostat manually, consider investing in an |
| not-for-profit businesses whose collective mission | | | | electronic programmable thermostat. These |
| is to grow while maintaining a sense of social | | | | thermostats can be programmed within 10-15 |
| responsibility and ensuring that they use the | | | | minutes of installation and very rarely need to be |
| minimal amount of environmental resourcesIt was | | | | adjusted. |
| in speaking to the owners of the other members | | | | Choose environmentally responsible companies |
| at the SBRC launch party that I discovered the | | | | for your commercial needs. Companies such as |
| direct financial benefits of sustainable growth: | | | | Diamond + Schmitt Architects Inc. that show a |
| Lower energy/utility bills. By using | | | | commitment toward sustainable growth will help |
| energy-efficient appliances and renewable sources | | | | ensure that your needs are met while making |
| of energy (e.g. solar), consumption of energy | | | | minimal use of natural resources. |
| resources decreases and, in turn, utility costs | | | | Transmit mass-consumption documents |
| decrease. | | | | electronically where and when possible. Besides |
| Increased productivity. A cleaner office | | | | being far less expensive to do so than to mail out |
| environment will keep employees happier and | | | | said documents, paper use is also minimized. |
| consequentially more productive. | | | | Consider features for your fax line such as Call |
| Government rebates and incentives. Depending | | | | Screen and Privacy Guard. Companies such as |
| on where you live, there may be municipal, | | | | Primus offer features for any phone line that will |
| provincial/state-wide, or federal incentives | | | | allow the owner of the line to filter out and |
| designed to reward environmental responsibility. | | | | eliminate needless and unnecessary calls.In the |
| For example, Natural Resources Canada offers | | | | case of a fax line, activating filtering features will |
| an ongoing series of rebates and incentives for | | | | allow you to block known mass fax senders from |
| both homeowners and businesses.Another site | | | | tying up your fax line, shortening the lifespan of |
| worth checking out if you're interested in rebates | | | | your fax, and wasting ink and paper an on |
| and incentives is | | | | unsolicited commercial faxing. These features are |
| Lower costs on goods, both in the short and long | | | | typically minimal in cost (usually no more than |
| term. Reduced use of goods and recycling provide | | | | $5.00 per feature per month) and can be |
| an increased supply of goods as well as a | | | | considered a wise investment on the basis of |
| decreased demand for said goods. Simple | | | | avoiding unsolicited commercial materials alone. |
| economic theory teaches us that this increased | | | | |
| supply and/or decreased demand leads to lower | | | | These are just a few examples. If you examine |
| costs for goods. | | | | your own business environment, you will likely find |
| Ways To Go Green and Save MoneySome of | | | | many other ways to contribute in a positive |
| these ways may seem obvious, but bear | | | | manner to both the environment and your |
| repeating in order to ensure that as many of us | | | | company's bottom line. |