Eco-Friendly Office Money Savers

Julie Starr • June 16, 2021



All businesses can play their part in helping the environment. Making a number of small changes can have a large impact over the course of a year, and there’s always room to make more. And these changes can benefit your business even more if they help you save money too.

So what types of changes can your business make to save money while taking a more sustainable approach? Take a look at the following ideas for some eco-friendly office money savers.

Cut down on your energy use

Your office’s energy costs can be very high, especially if you waste a lot of energy. But taking a more proactive approach to cutting down your energy use could see those costs decline. Work out where your biggest energy consumption comes from and find ways of bringing it down. 

When replacing old equipment, make sure you replace it with equipment with lower energy consumption. Technology is constantly evolving, with manufacturers aiming to develop new ways of bringing down energy use from their products.

Encourage employees to think about their own energy use at work

While there are some fundamental changes you can make to your office energy use, there a lot of changes your employees can make that will not only help them think about their behavior at work but at home too. 

Some of the company-wide green policies you can implement are:

  • Avoid charging equipment during peak office hours – if items need charging, they can be done overnight when energy tends to be cheaper.
  • Encourage employees to turn things off at the mains when equipment isn’t in use, and when they leave the office.
  • Try to open windows and let natural air circulate instead of relying on the A/C constantly. 

Close the office at a set time

Setting a closing time for your office can bring a lot of benefits to your business. Not only can it stop your employees from working excessive hours, but you could also benefit from reduced operating costs. If you’re worried about changing business functions or a drop-in service, there are ways around this. Having a live call answering service can mean you can continue to take calls from customers and clients, even without a team based in the office. You could even consider finishing up early on Fridays (especially during the summer) to give your employees a reward, while also cutting down on some of your running costs.

Adopt energy-efficient and smart lighting

Office lighting is essential, but it doesn’t have to come at a high price. By adopting energy-efficient or smart lighting, you can save a lot of money over time, while also making sure you run a more sustainable office space.

You should also assess the lighting in your building – there could be areas where the amount of lighting is unnecessary due to being unused or near large window areas. 

Phase-out single-use plastic

You’ll have read about a lot of companies phasing out single use plastic , and if large corporations can do it, so can yours. Making a commitment to go plastic-free shows that your business is taking things seriously, making you accountable to your pledge. And it can start in your office.

From plastic cups and straws to finding alternatives to plastic packaging, there are different ways you can say goodbye to plastic for good. Learn lessons from other businesses to discover the innovative ways your business can get rid of single-use plastic.

Cut down on your travel

In light of COVID-19, more and more businesses have had to get on board with remote working. Even as things start getting back to normal, could you continue practices such as video conferencing to avoid meeting travel? It will reduce your costs significantly, and help you reduce your carbon footprint too.

You could also consider moving to a smaller office space if more of your employees will be working remotely – there’s no point maintaining a large space with heating, electricity, etc. if you’re not going to be at full capacity.

Becoming a more sustainable, eco-friendly business should be high on your priorities list. And if it saves you money at the same time, then that’s a fantastic bonus. Begin by making small changes to see how they can fit into your business, over time you can make even further changes that can help your company become one of the leaders for sustainability in your industry.

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.