3 Great Ways To Make Your Business More Sustainable

Julie Starr • October 9, 2023

Quite a few entrepreneurs overlook sustainability when they’re running their companies. That’s despite the fact that more and more customers are focusing on it. You’ll have to make your business more sustainable if you want to appeal to them. That’s where many people could struggle.


It should be far less complicated than you’d think, and you shouldn’t need to overhaul your company. If you want to future-proof your business, stop harming the environment, and bring in new customers, it’s worth diving into a few strategies you can use.


Make Your Business More Sustainable: 3 Great Picks


1. Use Sustainable Packaging

If you run a product-focused business, then you’ll have packaging for your products. You shouldn’t settle for plastic and similar materials, however. Instead, it’s better worth going for a much more sustainable option. The likes of recycled wood and similar options can be better recommended, as they shouldn’t harm the environment.

It’s also worth making sure you use as little packaging as possible. The less material you use, the less of an impact you’ll have on the environment. Try to design your packaging in a way that you don’t need to use much packaging when you’re sending your products out for delivery.


2. Partner With The Right Suppliers

You mightn’t have realized it, but the suppliers you work with make a significant difference in how sustainable your business is. It’s worth making sure they’re also focused on being as sustainable as possible. Whether you’re using outsourced marketing specialists or a logistics company, put some effort into this.

While that could mean spending a little more when you’re working with them, it could be a much better option so you can be more sustainable. You can even use this in your marketing materials, so you could get more business because of it. It’ll end up being worth the investment you put into it.


3. Buy Second-Hand Office Furniture

You’ll naturally have a decent amount of furniture in your office. Desks and chairs are the most obvious part of this. It’s worth taking a good look at these when you want to make your business more sustainable. Second-hand options could be better worth it than you’d think.


Not only will they be more sustainable - since no more trees need to be cut down - but they could offer other benefits. They’ll be more affordable than new options, and they might even look just as good. At worse, they could simply need to be sanded and repainted, and you’re good to go.


Make Your Business More Sustainable: Wrapping Up


You’ll have to make your business more sustainable if you want to appeal to particular demographics. Thankfully, you wouldn’t need to completely overhaul your company if you want to get that done. It’s simply a matter of implementing a few changes, and you should be good to go.


Some of the changes could be relatively small, but they’ll have more of an impact than you could’ve thought. Starting off with them is recommended, and it’s worth concentrating on the larger ones after that.

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.