What Does It Really Take to Make a New Business As Sustainable As Possible?

Julie Starr • November 17, 2022



The toughest thing about starting a business in the modern world is how we can approach it from a sustainable mindset. Because we are at the tipping point of irreversible climate change, we must consider the impact of the right business that has an eco-friendly and sustainable approach. But when we are starting an eco-friendly business, what do we really need to bear in mind? 

Follow the Templates of Successful Organizations

There are some fantastic companies out there that are operating eco-friendly. For example, IKEA has introduced several initiatives to be more eco-friendly, including a buy-back scheme. When you start to think about the overall goals an organization has, you can, in effect, use their template. If you are in the process of finding the right business framework, even web pages like Franchise Direct have organizations already in existence that you can buy into, and utilize their eco-friendly templates.  If you are in the process of finding the right business framework, even web pages like Franchise Direct have organizations already in existence that you can buy into through Business Brokers , and utilize their eco-friendly templates. 

Think About Working Arrangements

If you want to make a more eco-friendly business, you’ve got to look at the bigger picture regarding those carbon footprints. You may think that you need to get people back into the office, but this is the quickest way to increase your business’s carbon footprint. From transportation to using computers in an office, and everything in-between, it can have a detrimental impact on your overall carbon footprint. This is why you may want to consider flexible or hybrid working. Remote working is the best way to achieve a lower carbon footprint, but you can also cut your business expenses in so many different ways. 

Partnering With Sustainable Companies

The business world will always rely on its reputation. Consumers are far savvier now in who they purchase from, and this is why you’ve got to present a united front and find sustainable partners that will help you to realize your vision. Because there are so many aspects of the supply chain that can have a detrimental impact on our carbon footprint, working with those supply chain partners that have the same mindset can make a massive difference to the quality of your organization going forward. You could use products made from recycled material and work with suppliers of those materials. 

Purchasing Reused Items

Naturally, one of the fundamentals of an eco-friendly business is reusing where possible. The fact is if you need to set up a business office, you can easily make some concessions in the furniture you purchase. Second-hand furniture is easily found because you just need to search on social media or in your local newspaper. There will be times when you cannot get completely second-hand furniture, but this is where going back to the suppliers can ensure that you are doing what you can to minimize your carbon footprint. 

When it comes to starting an environmentally friendly business, it’s not just about the type of business, but about how you conduct your practices. There’s a lot that you can do to make your business more eco-friendly throughout its entirety and make it the best business it can be.

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.