What is a Green Business?

What is a Green Business?

Many enterprises profess that they are green, but how true is this? What qualifies an enterprise to be termed green? A clear definition of what constitutes a green business is key to identifying enterprises that have a true environment-friendly mindset.

A green enterprise chooses earth-friendly operations as their core way of doing business. They create products that are safe for the environment and/or ensure that their policies, principles, and practices are eco-friendly. They aim to create smaller environmental footprints.

A Green Enterprise Produces A Green Product

Green enterprises have altered their manufacturing operations to make eco-friendly products. The triple bottom line, a concept coined in 1994 by John Elkington, often features as a benchmark that measures how far an enterprise has adopted environmentally friendly sound practices and policies.

In essence, the triple bottom line places prominence on serious social and ecological performances, building it through a three-part model of organization that functions in three axis; planet, people, and profit. This means that instead of mere profit making as a measure of success, the requirements of triple bottom line call on the enterprises to think beyond profit to its environmental and social impact as well.

This means a truly green enterprise should take into consideration a number of environmental and societal strategies.

Conservation of Water: A green enterprise understands that fresh water supplies are limited and therefore careful usage is important. As such, not only should every stage in its manufacturing and product distribution process, reduce the amount of water consumed, but also the product should consume less water during its lifespan.

Conservation of Energy: Conservation of water goes hand in hand with energy conservation where green enterprises feature. A sustainable business must recognize climate change has a profound effect on the world; including business success. By building energy conservation into its long-term plans, a green enterprise minimizes the risks and impact of rising energy costs and saves money. It also demonstrates to and garners support from its stakeholders and affected populations that it takes a serious interest in climate change. For a manufacturer, this means making factory-floor energy savings and emphasizing on making products that need less energy.

Solid Waste Recycling and Reduction: The amount of waste coming out of a start-to-finish product production process calls for limitation. A production process that minimizes waste through the entire process while having in place waste re-usage and recycling procedures needs to be a cornerstone of a green business. In addition, the finished product must reduce waste emissions.

Prevention of Pollution: A truly green business will have pollution prevention operations as part of its practices. Many manufacturing businesses tend to use toxic ingredients or spew toxic waste and effluent into its environment, resulting in either ground, water, or air pollution. Green enterprises are those working to reduce toxins that go into their products, lessen toxins in their production processes, and make products that function toxin free too.

A truly green enterprise may decide to go above and beyond through giving back to the environment. It can come up with products and processes that will actually help in making the environment better, e.g., high efficiency solar panels or new water filtration processes that have a less negative environmental impact.

Green Enterprises Conduct Environmental Friendly Operations

Supposing the company does not manufacturer directly. How would such a company be described as green? In general, a green enterprise that operates within an office or distribution center needs to apply similar principles outlined above although with slightly different applications as outlined below.

Conservation of Energy: Green office buildings need a construction that minimizes how much energy occupants consume. Such buildings should incorporate efficient cooling and heating systems, natural or low energy lighting. Having policies that ensure energy efficient appliances and electronics are purchased and used also defines a green enterprise. For such, energy efficiency also spreads to corporate fleets through the purchase of fuel-efficient vehicles.

Solid Recycling and Waste Reduction: A truly green business will use resource reduction strategies, including minimizing the waste that comes out of operations. This means a reduction in wasteful packaging or making orders in bulk. It also means having policies that reduce waste and encourage proper waste handling. Employees should be encouraged to conserve the environment through strategies such as using fewer disposables and less paper. In addition, comprehensive recycling programs must be put in place.

Conservation of Water: Any green business will be keen on how it utilizes water with the aim of cutting back consumption and wastage. This means putting measures in place to conserve water; from the washroom fixtures to their cleaning practices.

Prevention of Pollution: Green enterprises will endeavor to reduce pollution through eco-friendly practices in landscaping methods, the use of green janitorial provisions, and even going much further and purchasing carbon offsets that mitigate greenhouse gas pollution created.

Two Green Enterprise Profiles

Below are two examples of enterprises whose eco-friendly practices are making a difference on the planet.

Charles Thibeau wished to make his own version of colonial-style furniture created using old-fashioned techniques and therefore opted to go for milk paint. By devising a formula made of clay, lime, earth pigments, and milk, all readily available and natural ingredients, he created a product applicable on furniture and wall interiors and exteriors.

He consequently incorporated the Old-Fashioned Milk Paint Company once he realized he could make a business venture out of the high demand for his creations. The products are made with renewable and sustainable ingredients. This is in contrast to conventional paints, which are often made of non-renewable petroleum by-products. They have no volatile organic compounds, chemical preservatives, fungicides, and pigments, all of which are toxic ingredients contained in conventional paints. This truly green business is making truly green products.

In recognition of the millions of toothbrushes disposed of in American homes yearly, Eric Hudson decided to build Recycline, a company making eco-friendly products such as the Preserve Toothbrush. This toothbrush is green as its handle is made of purely recycled plastic and practical as well.

Every product from their production line, including Preserve Toothbrushes, is recyclable from waste plastics. That, right there, is a perfect example of the triple bottom line in real life.