Business Sustainability Trends To Follow

Julie Starr • May 14, 2022



Over the past few years, people have become more and more interested in making their personal and professional lives more sustainable. Many businesses are constantly told that they aren’t doing enough to make their business model more sustainable, which is fair. Retailers are often singled out because general trash and too much packaging are two of the biggest causes of the huge landfills that pollute the world. Offices also use a lot of energy, and many of them don’t follow ways to save resources. We’ve put together a list of some sustainability trends that all businesses should be aware of to help you make your business more environmentally friendly .

Sharing Data

It’s one thing to tell your clients that you use sustainable practices and products that are good for the environment. It’s another thing to show the public that you’re keeping your word. Today, many people who work for businesses want them to be more open about how sustainable they are. This means sharing information about everything from your carbon footprint to proof that they are doing things to make up for the bad things they do to the environment. For example, they might show that they are planting trees to make up for the carbon emissions caused by their global deliveries or that the solar panels on their office or store generate more power than they use from fossil fuels.

Sustainable Packaging 

Even though this has been a problem for a long time, people are more upset than ever about how much packaging is used that can’t be recycled. Plastics are one of the biggest sources of pollution on land and in the sea, and many marine creatures get sick or die after eating plastic. As there are better, more sustainable ways to package products with recycled plastic, like eco-friendly polythene , for example, all retail businesses should try to find other ways to package their goods. And when you buy general office items and supplies, it’s important to get them from businesses that care a lot about being environmentally friendly.

  Reducing Waste

As important as it is for your business to use sustainable packaging and materials, it is just as important for your office and employees to waste less. Recycling programs should be strongly encouraged and enforced, so you can be sure you’re slashing waste as much as possible. Food waste doesn’t have to end up in landfills either. Work with businesses that are good for the environment, like those that turn this waste into biofuel, and think about sending good-condition unwanted items, like old furniture, to charity shops.

  Green Initiatives 

Green initiatives are another great idea for your business, both from an eco-friendly point of view and as a way to send a good message to the public. This can mean anything from running big campaigns to get people to recycle to changing the way your office works from top to bottom. Going paperless, using a different energy source, using programs to help you, such as Rezatec , or taking part in a global project like planting trees are all great ideas. Switching to working from home could also be a good idea because it could save you money and reduce your company’s electricity use by eliminating the need for an office.

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.