How Technology And Automation Makes Businesses More Eco-Friendly

Julie Starr • October 13, 2021



Companies throughout the world are increasingly focusing on developing sustainable business models, as they strive to become more environmentally aware. Consider how the “Greta Thunberg Effect” is inspiring both consumers and businesses to make more environmentally friendly buying decisions, and how it impacts the way companies do business. 

Business branding can help companies show their commitment to the environment. Corporate value is being built by going green. Resources are being conserved so future generations can still enjoy these resources. Automating the accounts payable department, for example, will lead to a decrease in paper use, thereby helping the environment.

Making A Business Model That Is Environmentally Friendly

As global markets adhere to environmental protection guidelines, companies have to cultivate a sustainable business model. In a recent statement, the European Parliament emphasized the urgency of fighting climate change. Companies need to incorporate going green into their overall business objectives, with the rise of environmental awareness around the globe. Thinking outside the box can go a long way towards protecting the earth’s precious resources, such as automating AP processes and Microservices to create a paperless environment. 

Going green and showing your commitment to this international cause can be achieved by reducing the use of resources. Be prepared to deal with obstacles and imperfections as you pursue environmental awareness. To show the community that your efforts are worthwhile, share your struggles and victories with them. Make going green an integral part of your company’s marketing and PR campaigns. Benchmark your company’s performance against industry benchmarks. Mention ways your company has reduced the amount of paper collected and stored, and how this has had a positive impact on the environment. Read More about other technologies that can help to achieve this. 

Developing Your Green Business Branding

Consistently and subtly communicating to consumers that your company’s mission is to conserve and protect our natural resources is one way to tell them your company is environmentally responsible. Showing that your business is environmentally conscious can be as simple as participating and sponsoring local cleanup campaigns and finding industry-specific ways to conserve resources. With automation, no paperwork is needed, no storage space is needed, and no staff is needed to manage these processes.

A Competitive Advantage 

Modern businesses face intense competition, which makes staying current crucial. In order to understand how consumer behaviors and perceptions are affected by global concerns, companies need to keep up with current events. Staying on top of global trends gives companies a competitive edge . A compelling cause in the world is environmental conservation. Being environmentally and socially responsible shows that a company cares more than its competitors. 

It is now so common for big international companies to promote a world-class green image that it has become more than just a buzzword. As consumers expect companies to be environmentally conscious of their operations, going green helps companies to increase their value today and into the future. In order to transform traditional companies into green enterprises, it is important to invest in and implement cutting-edge technologies such as AP automation, microservices, and information systems.

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.