Business Sustainability Barriers Every Business Owner Needs To Know

Julie Starr • October 15, 2021



Business sustainability is increasingly becoming an essential consideration in the business world. More business owners are beginning to take steps to make their operations more sustainable. And the modern customer is starting to consider sustainability issues as a factor in choosing which businesses to patronize. While other companies seem to be making headway, others are still struggling to implement these measures. So, are you looking for ways to make your business more sustainable? Then you should know what barriers you need to overcome. 

Business location

Believe it or not, your business location can be a huge barrier to your ability to create a sustainable business. Sustainability campaigns and efforts vary from location to location, which means different levels of compliance, enforcement, and expectations. If your business is located in a region with no or insufficient policies to back your efforts, you might end up giving up at some point. That is why it is crucial to consider your location when starting a business to promote sustainability.

 

Cynicism as to whether a company wants to change

Pretending to promote sustainability to gain public attention can quickly backfire if you’re caught. Many companies have made that mistake, leading to some level of cynicism about whether businesses want to change. Unfortunately, you cannot hide your companies registered office address , so there’s nowhere to hide if you attract negative attention from the public. Overcoming cynicism will take a deliberate, conscious, and determined effort to pursue your sustainability goals.

 

Failing to rally support from your workers

Implementing sustainable changes isn’t something you can decide on a whim, even if you answer to no one. If you work with a team, you cannot afford to leave them out of the discussion and every stage of the implementation process. Your workers will be at the forefront of implementing the change you need. And whether or not they will be effective will depend on how well they understand and appreciate the need to create a sustainable business operation. Start by educating your workers about the importance of making the needed changes and how vital they are to the process. Also, ensure that you tap their opinions and keep them involved every step of the way. 

 

Failing to create a specific plan of action

There is no single definition for sustainability. And that in itself has become a massive problem for most business owners. The crippling vagueness about sustainability means that business owners need to narrow their efforts to specific areas to make them more effective. 

While carbon emissions may be receiving the most attention, soil erosion, water shortage, energy consumption, etc., are all equally essential issues under sustainability. 

 

The best thing a business owner can do is focus their sustainability goals only on the area that directly affects their businesses. Or better still, make the necessary changes on specific impacts their businesses operations have on the environment. For example, if your business operations lead to water pollution, you should narrow your efforts to ways to reduce such problems.

5 Everyday Items That Can Quietly Boost Your Brand

By Julie Starr • July 17, 2025
The best branding doesn’t always come from big campaigns or expensive graphics. Sometimes it’s the smaller stuff that leaves the biggest impression. Things people actually use, touch, or carry with them. That’s where your brand can quietly make its mark without needing to shout about it. If you’re only focusing on social media and business cards, you’re leaving a lot on the table. Here are five overlooked ways to get your name out there that feel natural, useful, and more personal. Thank-you slips If you’re already sending out orders, there’s no reason not to include a short thank-you slip. You can easily get these made through any decent online print shop , and they’re usually pretty cheap to run off in small batches. Just a simple note that says thanks, maybe with a reminder to follow you online or a cheeky discount code for next time. It’s quick, thoughtful, and makes the whole order feel more finished. Customers notice that kind of detail, especially when everything else they buy online comes with zero personality. You don’t need a complicated design either. Just something clean with your logo, a message that sounds like you, and maybe a social handle. The point is to give them a reason to come back or remember your name without it feeling forced. Branded zip pouches If you sell physical products, offer services, or run events, small zip pouches are surprisingly effective. Think of the kind you’d use for stationery, receipts, or travel bits. You can get your brand printed on the side and hand them out with purchases or include them in welcome packs. People keep them because they’re actually useful. They get tossed in handbags, school bags, or glove boxes and your logo just keeps turning up. Cleaning cloths for glasses or screens This one works brilliantly if you’re in tech, health, beauty, or anything involving screens or eyewear. A simple microfibre cloth with your branding on it can go a long way. Everyone needs one. Whether they use it for glasses, a phone screen, or their laptop, it’s something they hang onto. It’s not the kind of thing people throw away, and that means your name sticks around too. Receipt envelopes You might already use little envelopes to hand over receipts or business cards. Branding those envelopes is a small change that makes a big difference. Instead of someone getting a scruffy bit of paper in a plain sleeve, they’re handed something that feels a bit more finished. You can even add a message inside. Doesn’t need to be anything dramatic. A simple “thanks for visiting” or “see you next time” is enough to add a personal touch. Wet wipes or mini hand gels If your business is in hospitality, food, or anything hands-on, branded wet wipes or pocket-sized hand gels are surprisingly popular. People actually use them, especially at festivals, food stalls, pop-ups, or kids’ events. They end up in handbags or cars and stick around longer than you think. They don’t scream “marketing” either. They’re practical, and when done right, they make your business feel thoughtful. That’s what good branding does, it shows you’ve thought ahead.

How Student-Led ‘Energy Audits’ Are Cutting School Costs (and Lighting the Way Forward)

By Julie Starr • July 14, 2025
What happens when students stop waiting for adults to fix things and start conducting their own energy audits? Money gets saved. The lights get switched off. Data gets analyzed. And a quiet revolution in sustainability begins—inside schools that once overlooked their own inefficiencies. Across the globe, student-led energy audits are proving that change doesn't always need to come from a policy shift or a major capital budget. Sometimes, it begins with a clipboard, a spreadsheet, and a group of curious minds asking: Why are the hallway lights on at noon when sunlight floods the building? The Energy Detectives These audits aren’t science fair projects. They’re rigorous investigations, often done in collaboration with facilities staff, local environmental nonprofits, or even engineering mentors. Students go from classroom to classroom measuring electricity usage, checking for phantom loads , and identifying where heat is escaping in winter or air conditioning is leaking in summer. One high school in Ontario saved over $12,000 a year after its Grade 11 physics students ran an energy audit and suggested simple changes—LED upgrades, motion sensors in bathrooms, and smarter heating schedules. They didn’t just propose ideas. They pitched them with spreadsheets, thermal images, and payback timelines. It worked. Learning That Pays Off—Literally Unlike textbook learning, these audits blend real-world math, environmental science, economics, and persuasive communication. Students aren’t just learning about sustainability. They’re doing it. And the savings add up. From dimming overlit hallways to reprogramming HVAC systems that run all weekend for empty buildings, students are surfacing blind spots that administrators often overlook. In some districts, their findings are influencing energy policy. Elsewhere, the audits have inspired school boards to hire sustainability coordinators—often alumni of the student programs themselves. There’s something poetic about a school funding new books or laptops from money saved by students who found out the vending machines didn’t need to be plugged in 24/7. Why This Matters More Than Ever With education budgets tightening and utility costs rising, every dollar saved is a dollar that can go back into classrooms. And here’s where it gets interesting from a family finance perspective, too. If you’re a parent setting aside money for post-secondary savings, every bit of school efficiency helps. Fewer energy costs might mean more programming, better STEM facilities, or even bursaries. That raises a broader point: when families save for their children’s future, they often look into RESPs (Registered Education Savings Plans). And many wonder—is a RESP deduction available on my taxes? While contributions themselves aren’t deductible, the gains grow tax-free, and students often pay little to no tax when they withdraw the funds during school. A Movement Worth Replicating These audits aren’t just an exercise in environmentalism. They’re leadership labs. Students learn how to spot inefficiencies, speak up in board meetings, and make a business case for change. They don’t just flip switches—they shift mindsets. And they carry these habits into adulthood. The result? A generation growing up not only with climate anxiety, but also with tools to tackle it.