Mindset, Metrics, and Reflection: Making a Sustainable Factory Operation

Julie Starr • April 5, 2022



Sustainable manufacturing is a hard thing to achieve right now because of the variety of issues posed by the industry; namely the fact that the entire industry needs altering from the top down, but there are things that we can all do on our own merits in our own factory operations, including the following. 

Focusing on Making the Sustainability Shift Accessible

There are opportunities for changes to be made in every sector along the supply chain, and this is why we have to make the shift more accessible by incorporating the following: 

Working with organizations that have the same mindset

It’s important for you to address your carbon profile as a starting point, but you also need to look at the organizations you work with to see if they have the same approach. It’s important to ensure that, whether it’s industrial cleaning services or suppliers, they need to have a similar outlook to you. It’s not something that we should take for granted, because not every organization has a sustainability mindset. In fact, many will only want to keep themselves afloat. Therefore, we need to recognize that sustainability is something that may take a long time to implement properly, but starting with a solid baseline for ourselves is one of the best practices. 

Because when we need to provide proof to clients that we are sustainable this means that we will invariably find similar companies with the same sort of outlook. 

Incorporating better execution

Developing sustainability initiatives and incorporating new roles within the organization may be essential. When you are trying to determine the best traits that the company can deliver, as far as sustainability is concerned, you can capitalize on any new capabilities. In the manufacturing industry, there will be a need to bring other partners together. From regulators to third-party providers, everybody will need to increase their sustainability approaches. It’s vital that we measure the metrics on a regular basis which can then provide proof to other providers that we are serious about sustainability. 

A Clear Period for Reflection

Many manufacturers can do more than just measure their sustainability metrics; there are opportunities to create a solid narrative about what they are working towards. Because sustainability is not just about doing it for the sake of sustainability anymore, but it’s for the benefit of third-party providers and clients, ensuring that you can provide a great story around the positive impacts on sustainability so consumers and investors will align with your business is so important. Because it’s not just about ensuring you have a sustainable power supply or a practice that is going to help the planet; the fact is that if you are going to maintain your business you’ve got to show everybody else that you are doing something different. Profit is still important in the world of sustainability. When we are focused on developing a sustainable factory operation, we’ve got to be in it for the long haul. It’s not an easy thing, but through mindset, metrics, and a solid approach to reflection we can get there.

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.