Eco-Friendly Measures Your Customers Will Love

Julie Starr • July 9, 2020



More and more businesses are making an effort to go green in a bid to protect the planet. While adopting eco-friendly measures is beneficial for the environment, there are also several changes you can make that will impress your clients and improve the customer experience. If you’re looking for ways to contribute to the global effort to protect the environment and you’re keen to make your customers happy, here are some measures that achieve both objectives. 

Online ordering
 Online shopping has become increasingly popular in recent years, but figures show that people are spending more time online than ever before. The Coronavirus crisis has triggered a spike in web and app usage, making this a brilliant time for businesses to capitalize on the reach of the Internet and the opportunities it offers to connect with customers and provide a convenient, safe and enjoyable experience. If you don’t offer online shopping and the chance to click and collect, now is the time to explore new ways of working and serving customers. Shopping online is an extremely appealing option for buyers who are being advised to stay at home, and it has benefits for the environment. By catering to this growing market, you can contribute to a reduced carbon footprint while also enhancing safety and enforcing social distancing measures. 

Mobile payments and digital invoicing
 In days gone by, if you wanted to buy something, you’d have to get in the car or take a cab or a bus to a store, hand over your card, and be presented with a receipt as proof of purchase. Today, shopping is very different. You can order a product in a matter of seconds using a tablet, laptop or phone, you can receive a confirmation via a digital invoice sent over email and you can make payments virtually. Modern ways of ordering and paying for items reduce the use of paper and they enable people to shop at home, meaning that they don’t have to use gas or take public transport to get what they need. 

Eco-friendly gifts
 Every consumer loves to receive a freebie or a promotional gift when they make a purchase. As a business owner looking to do their bit for the planet, it’s a great idea to look into eco-friendly giveaways. Promotions can drum up interest and drive sales, and if you choose the right items, you can also spread the word about going green. Reusable cups, bags for life, and water bottles are great examples. 

Supporting environmental initiatives
 Did you know that 63% of consumers prefer to buy from brands that stand for or support a cause ? If you’re looking to push sales and enhance your brand image at the same time as backing causes that matter to you, it’s an excellent idea to look into initiatives or organizations you can donate to or work with. You could donate a portion of your profits to a wildlife fund or invest in a program that aims to reduce deforestation through planting, for example. 

Many forward-thinking businesses are taking steps to go green. Embracing eco-friendly ways of operating is positive news for the planet, but it can also have an incredible impact on customer experience and brand image.

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.