How To Make Your Sustainable Business More Profitable

Julie Starr • March 24, 2022



While the attention on green or eco-friendly initiatives may seem like a passing trend, concerns over global warming, water consumption, population, and other extensive problems show a need for such initiatives. According to a recent Forbes report, 88% of consumers want to make a difference by using sustainable products. With many entrepreneurs venturing into creating a sustainability business , it can be useful to consider these tips to make your business more profitable. 

Be creative

Sustainability tackles a vast scope. There is no one-size-fits-all approach to implementing a plan, and performance indicators aren’t always set in stone. Going green can save you money in various ways, from using eco-friendly office furniture to paperless solutions, which are cheaper. You can also consider minimizing your waste output, as it helps you reduce the cost of waste management while protecting the environment.

Strive for a circular economy in your product or service life cycle. Repurposing or fixing outdated models can help you extend the life of your product while also saving money and resources.

Have a solid framework  

Like any other business objective, it is vital to create specific and measurable profitable and sustainable goals for your business to benefit from this strategy. This is especially important as the issue of sustainability, and you can easily be overwhelmed if you do not focus on one particular aspect of it. Therefore, it is advisable to select an area your business is interested in and create a solid framework of policies and goals to help you accomplish it. For example, if you are interested in water consumption, you can ensure your workplace uses eco-friendly toilets, automatic taps, or encourages employees to be mindful of their water usage.

Utilize long-term solutions for a competitive edge

With everybody shifting their focus to sustainable behaviors and products , you may not be the only business winning over customers with your eco-friendly strategies. However, some businesses may not be paying attention to this initiative entirely. In both cases, you can gain a competitive urge. Be sure to create a unique, sustainable culture from others within the industry. This can be done by researching your competitors, and also using your available data should assist you in determining which areas you can save and make the most impact. Doing this would help you develop long-term solutions, which makes you stand out and adds a competitive edge— which is advantageous.

Take the low-tech route  

Unlike corporations that frequently strive to mitigate environmental damage through expensive retrofits or subsidizing breakthrough technology development, many developing market enterprises start small. They begin by making a series of tiny tweaks to their operations to conserve their most limited resource. Businesses can expand conservation efforts to other operations sections as low-cost movements yield larger benefits. Savings can eventually accumulate to the point where you can use them to cover the purchase of expensive technology the business may have begun with.

Prioritize integration   

It matters little whether you are a large or small business. It would help if you integrated sustainability into your business’s basic strategy to be effective. This may require beginning with executive discussions and ensuring priorities filter down to the ground level. Experts suggest that sustainability should begin with a vision due to the significant industries’ influence on the environment. This can likewise assist you in sourcing more sustainable materials, using less water, and adopting greener technology depending on the nature of your business. Irrespective of your approach, keep an open mind while using extensive and unbiased data. 

Focus on the big picture  

As impressive as the cost savings are, extending your sustainability efforts to their customers’ activities is even more intriguing. Companies are constructing one-of-a-kind business models by increasing customers’ purchasing power and, in doing so, creating interdependencies that are tough for competitors to replicate. Likewise, it can be useful to consider practical measures such as patents to protect your particular business model or ideas to ensure profitability. 

After creating a long-term sustainability plan, you can use your original data as a benchmark to track your progress. It can be useful to make the successes and shortcomings you encounter on your path to sustainability known to the public. The effort to improve your business can position you as a leader in sustainability and your particular area. Regularly distribute press releases, blogs, or white papers to highlight your accomplishments and future goals for improvement. Although this may take time, it can help your brand attract similar businesses, partners, and perhaps like-minded customers. 

Sustainability is great for your business and the environment. By following these tips, you can enjoy the perks of running a sustainable business.

 

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.