Going Green to Save Some Green

It's clear that going "green" is not just some impulse that will pass like so many fads of days gone by. Consumers are paying attention (and dollars)to those companies that are making concerted efforts to help (or at least minimize their affect on), the environment. It's no surprise that some of the largest and well known companies and brands are taking significant steps to improve their behavior toward the environment in recognition of the green trend. Some are even beginning to advertise their "green" initiatives to the world. One of the best at this I have seen is the Starbucks Coffee Company. Their Shared Planet initiative is both well thought out and well communicated. A commendable brand, Frito Lay's Sun Chips, are set to launch a fully biodegradable chip bag next year - Wow!

If you have examined a green approach for your business you know that, in general, the costs associated with most of the steps you need to take are not small. In fact, in many areas, despite the obvious benefits to our planet (and possible upside of gaining some press or socially conscious consumers) going green oftentimes means taking on some serious "red." Many companies are struggling with the decisions associated with going green. Whether it's building a LEED certified building or upgrading a current one, using post-consumer waste recycled paper and eco-friendly inks, or purchasing only renewable energy, the decisions are not coming easy. In fact, some are being shelved because of the economic impact on a company's bottom line.

But what if going green could be easy, save you some green, and allow you to decrease your carbon footprint? In fact, what if we got really outlandish and suggested a green approach could add to your bottom line? We did a case study for a major U.S. food service chain, and the results we found were staggering. By using TeslaVision signage to replace two traditional neon or box-light signs in their 12,000 locations, they could greatly decrease their annual electricity consumption while saving over $500,000 a year in energy costs. In addition, when comparing shipping and delivery methods, and including the impact of vast energy savings, we could also reduce their carbon footprint by over 7,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide annually. Green can be good for the environment and good for business too.

Calculate your carbon footprint here.