| Green is truly the new black on the American | | | | rapidly excluded from the going green efforts. This |
| business balance sheet. We read almost daily | | | | group, arguably the most important in the US, |
| announcements citing Fortune 500 companies and | | | | composing over 90% of active business entities and, |
| small, but well funded, start-ups engaging in new | | | | according to the US Census Bureau's 2005 data, |
| green initiatives, all speaking of exciting technologies | | | | employing over 58 million people, is mistakenly being |
| and strategies rapidly becoming a part of daily life. | | | | led to believe that Green requires green. |
| Fueled by the ever-increasing consumer demand for | | | | What these companies do not realize is that they |
| sustainable products, companies are seeking to | | | | can initiate small-scale and far less expensive changes |
| couple environmental and social responsibility with an | | | | to their own business practices, while still realizing |
| enhanced bottom line. Recent surveys by | | | | financial savings and increased profits through |
| Intellitrends, LOHAS, Bentley College, and even Sun | | | | becoming community leaders in environmental |
| Microsystems share the consensus that going green | | | | sustainability. We have all read how a homeowner |
| is not a fad, but a new trend in business. While it | | | | can make a simple change from incandescent to CFL |
| may seem everyone is going green, the truth is only | | | | bulbs that will save thousands of watt/hours per |
| a fraction of small and medium size companies are | | | | household, and provide a long term savings return on |
| actually participating. The question is, with all the | | | | the initial investment. Such an example of a |
| survey evidence and news coverage, why wouldn't a | | | | transitional change also has indirect benefits: the CO2 |
| company just jump in and go green? | | | | reductions due to lower power requirements as well |
| The answer is two-fold: Cost and Education. While | | | | as a waste stream reduction (CFL's last 5-10 times |
| we all read about industry giants including GE, | | | | longer than incandescent bulbs). Now imagine this |
| CitiBank, and Clorox investing billions in major projects | | | | homeowner passing on that knowledge to their |
| and initiatives, the same numbers are simply far out | | | | friends and family. Small investment = large returns. |
| of the reach of even the most well established small | | | | In coming articles we will provide ideas that small to |
| to medium size businesses. Such extreme proposed | | | | medium size companies may embrace to affordably |
| investments are also made more difficult during a | | | | journey towards becoming models of environmental |
| slow economy. Watching the industry giants build | | | | leadership. Readers can expect to learn about various |
| new LEED certified buildings, construct wind farm | | | | strategies covering methods of capitalizing on the |
| installations, or invest in Bio-Fuel research and | | | | emerging green marketplace. We will also examine |
| technologies, while impressive, creates an uninspiring | | | | the "dark side" of the new green industry, now called |
| mood for smaller entrepreneurs, and helps to widen | | | | "greenwashing", and some tips on how to recognize |
| the gap between "the big boys and the little boys". | | | | the specter of false promises and keep your |
| As a result, a huge market segment is becoming | | | | company's image truly green. |