How & Why Sustainable Energy Should Power Your Business

Julie Starr • June 16, 2021



We have an incredible shift in the consumer culture of our countries. Lately, the wave of eco-consciousness has overtaken every part of our society. It’s been a long time coming and finally, governments and regulators are paying attention to how consumers are changing. Customers nowadays will be happy to pay more for sustainable natural products rather than cheap and polluting products. The eco-friendly movement has swept into the corporate side of the business too. One of the main focuses is to power businesses, using green energy instead of the methods of old. Here are some of the ways which are gathering pace.

Old but new

Crude oil and natural gas are the two most popular energy types for businesses. Although they are going to be made obsolete by electric methods, they are still very much needed. For one thing, they are cheap and their pollution can be controlled. Modern sustainable oil and gas energy services seem to have cracked the code. This company produces oil and gas using greener methods, which has helped them to stay ahead of the competition. They now supply 5 billion cubic feet a day, to over 700 industrial clients. If you need oil for your business assets such as cargo ships or other types of freight, make sure it’s sourced sustainably. This will allow you to market your business in a more eco-friendly light, which could help to retain customers. 

 

Manufacturing and solar energy

It will come as no surprise to you that manufacturing uses a lot of energy. The main power for manufacturing plants is electricity. However, this electricity is made by oil and gas plants. Rather than wait for other companies to become eco-friendly, you should try to install a hybrid energy approach. Solar PV panels on the roof of your manufacturing plant could help to cut costs, and make your business far more sustainable. By the end of 2016 , solar power officially became the cheapest energy source in the world. In fact, Tesla’s new gigafactory will be powered completely by solar power , such has the technology advanced so quickly. Nowadays, there is no excuse why large flat surfaces on industrial facilities do not have solar panels.

Wind power

If your business is located in rural parts of the country, wind power is never far away. Wind power is a very common energy source for many rural business types, such as those in agriculture, manufacturing, warehouses, and product test sites. You should find out if wind power is being offered near your premises by checking the renewable energy map of your country. It’s quite common for wind power to be one of the first energy options offered to businesses in rural parts, because of its location. Wind power may be stored for city use and may not be used as readily as gas or oil. So as a business, you get priority of wind energy supply.

You need to invest

There’s no other way to get eco-friendly energy off the floor and around the world unless businesses that need energy invest in it. Businesses cannot expect to wait around and hope the government will get their act together and fund green energy projects. This is why Tesla and other major companies are taking on the challenge by themselves. This way, they get multiple advantages such as:

  • They own the IP of new sustainable energy. If you create a brilliant new solar panel to power your business, other businesses will want that tech. Why not sell it to them while owning the rights to the tech itself? This is a great return on investment.
  • You also avoid penalties that governments will impose on polluting businesses. Not to mention, since you are not asking the public purse to be opened for your energy needs, you also get a favorable seat at the government’s table. 
  • The bottom line is, if your business becomes energy self-sufficient, you protect yourself from all sorts of harm. Volatile market prices in oil and gas won’t affect you. You will not have to rely on another energy business to power your business. You’re less likely to be at the mercy of power cuts, etc.

There is no excuse why you cannot utilize green energy for your business needs. Whether you’re in manufacturing or just have offices, you should seek to find out what type of eco-friendly power options you have. The sooner you invest in green energy, the sooner you can make the transition from ‘old’ unclean power to future-proof energy.

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.