This Is How To Reduce Your Business’s Carbon Emissions In 2021

Julie Starr • May 21, 2021



If you want your business to survive the long haul, then minimizing the carbon emissions it produces is vital. The reason? Well, apart from it being the morally right choice, consumers now expect greener practices from their businesses, it can save you money and it’s great PR. The good news is you can find out all about how to reduce your business’s carbon emissions in the post below. Read on to find out more. 

Make sustainability an operational value for your business 

Operational values are a commitment to run your business in a certain way. The idea is that such values should guide everything you do, from the most significant decisions to the choices you make when ordering office supplies . By ensuring that sustainability in the form of reduced C02 emissions is woven into the fabric of your business, you have the best chance of affecting real change. 

Use renewable fuels 

One of the most straightforward ways for any business to reduce their C02 emissions is to use renewable fuels instead of fossil fuels. The good news is there are many different types of renewable fuels to consider. The first of these is solar energy generated by collecting the rays of the sun. Then there is wind energy which is generated by harnessing the power of the wind with specially designed mills. 

Alternatively, biomass fuels are also becoming very popular. Indeed, Geoff Hirson , a renewable field expert, suggests that [they will] offer [the] opportunity to reach [a]‘carbon neutral’ Future. Something that means opting to use fuels converted from biomass could be the perfect way to ensure your business reduces its carbon emissions. 

Swap to a fleet of electric vehicles 

Many businesses need a fleet of vehicles to run, from company cars that allow sales reps to travel the country, to vans that bring resources and deliver their products. Indeed, even businesses that do not have their own fleet often outsource this task to a professional logistics firm. Of course, the problem here is that vehicles traditionally pump a great deal of C02, out and into the atmosphere. However, some solutions can help here. 

The first is to opt to use a carbon-neutral logistics firm for the needs of your business. While the second is to invest in your very own fleet of electric vehicles (EVs). After all, EVs have much lower direct emissions and are also being manufactured with fewer emissions all the time. However, it is also wise to remember that even when using EVs, choosing local and carbon-neutral suppliers wherever possible will also help to make a big difference here. 

Reuse and recycle 

Finally, you can also reduce your business’s carbon footprint by reusing and recycling as many of your resources as possible. Indeed, recycling is vital to any business looking to reduce their C02 emissions. This is because every time you reuse an item rather than pick up a new one, you save vast amounts of energy that would have been used in the production process. Add that up over the year and it can make a huge difference in C02 emissions. 

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.