Entrepreneurs: Here Are 5 Ways Going Green Will Save you Money

Julie Starr • December 8, 2021



Climate change is becoming a problem and continues to have a significant impact on how businesses are run. Many companies are now becoming aware of the effects of climate change and are implementing strategies to go green. Therefore, your business will significantly benefit from going green; you can save money and have less clutter in your office.

Here are ways you can save money by going green.

Going paperless

Going paperless can save you a lot of money. Consider scanning and storing all your paperwork digitally to lower the amount of paper your business uses. Also, you can inspire your workers to share documents online instead of printing them out. That way, you can eliminate an enormous portion of expenditures incurred from document management and printing papers. Also, instead of using traditional marketing methods where you will have to print magazines and newspapers, you can consider getting the help of a digital marketing company .

Low operating cost

Overhead costs are usually an enormous financial burden for any business. And as your business grows, overhead costs can turn it into one that is spending more money than it is making.  Reducing overhead costs will therefore allow your business to generate incredible results. And what other way can you achieve that than embracing green technology?

So, instead of depending on charges set by electricity companies, you can use an alternative source of energy and lower energy costs. You can also avoid inflation costs that are connected to the cost of electricity.

Tax credits

A tax credit is usually the amount of money you can remove from taxes you owe your government. When it comes to your business, tax credits can be used to improve your local environment. They can be taken from solar energy, energy efficiency, reduced carbon emission, and other strategies for going green.

Telecommuting

Is there a need for all your employees to be in the office if you have a cloud network? Thanks to technological advancements, employees can be more productive even at home. Screen sharing, video conference calls, and collaboration between employees can improve productivity and morale.

Having some of your workers working from home will allow you to save money as most of them will be using their equipment and utilities. This will then help lower your utility costs. Have your workers turn off everything that uses electricity before working from home.

Water dispensing systems

Most businesses give their customers bottled water as a courtesy. However, not all plastic bottles are bio-degradable. It is also vital to note that most bottled water is accessed from the local water supply. Typically, it is just filled with tap water. Therefore, instead of going the extra mile and using your businesses’ money on bottled water, try installing a water dispenser that your customers, as well as employees, can use. That way, you will save money, reduce waste, and save the ecosystem.

Summing Up

Your business can significantly benefit from going green. And in most cases, you can make your brand look like it is transforming the industry via improved green standards, greener offices, green technology, and lowered operation costs. Going green can also help you keep and attract more customers because an increasing number of people are willing to support socially responsible and eco-friendly businesses.

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.