Why Should Your Business Care About Sustainability?

Julie Starr • March 18, 2022



There are major environmental and sustainability challenges in the world today. Trash is piling up on our planet as a result of our throwaway lifestyle, especially when it comes to energy use and plastic pollution. However, if businesses were to become a part of the solution, it might make a big difference in the way things are done. Sustainability and environmental policies can have a significant impact on your business, your customers, and the environment. Read on to find out why your business should care about sustainability. 

Cost Saving 

There are many benefits for both your business and the greater good when you try to improve your company’s environmental sustainability. One of them is that your new rules may save you money . There are several ways to save money, such as not purchasing plastic cups for the vending machine. Instead, choose mugs that aren’t disposed of after only one use. Use real silverware instead of disposable products, and you’ll save money in the long run since you won’t need to purchase them time and again.

In addition to saving money, switching to energy-efficient light bulbs can also reduce your carbon footprint. Even though they cost more upfront, these bulbs will save you money in the long run since they don’t need to be changed as often as regular bulbs. Reusing waste paper is an option that you may want to consider. Instead of wasting paper due to printing errors or a blunder, save it for scrap and note-taking purposes. There will be less waste going to landfills and more money saved.

  More Customers 

As long as you can prove that you’re doing all you can to minimize your impact on the environment, you’ll be sure to attract new clients. Even if customers have to drive a considerable distance to your business, pay more for your products or services, or wait longer for their orders to arrive, those who care about the environment will still use your green firm.

  In order to make sure that everyone understands how serious you believe the problem is, you might leverage your environmental credentials in your marketing. Greener operations will bring in new clients, and existing ones won’t be put off by your efforts.

Your Reputation 

As entrepreneurs such as Krissy Jones can attest, the reputation of a firm is what determines whether it succeeds or fails. The most outstanding products and services in the world aren’t enough to keep clients from going elsewhere if your reputation is bad. As a result, establishing a solid reputation is exceptionally beneficial, and being environmentally friendly is one certain method to accomplish this. People who are satisfied with your service will tell their friends and family about it, and word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool.

You can do even more to protect the environment if your company has a favorable public image. If you’re willing to be a leader, you can teach others and even other businesses how to be environmentally friendly and sustainable for the long-term health of the planet. 

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.
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.