Hello Green Energy: 5 Strategies to Support Renewable Energy

Julie Starr • January 3, 2024

It's undeniable that jumping onto the sustainability train isn't an easy feat. After all, you'll have to completely remodel your entire business model, from your sourcing policies to production of products.


However, becoming a sustainable business can be achieved. With the right strategies, you can transform your business model into one that positively impacts the environment.


And you can start by updating your energy sources.


In this post, you'll explore how you can support renewable energy sources as a step to embrace sustainability.


1. Invest in solar power

Did you know that one of the most accessible sources of renewable energy is solar energy? After all, the sun shines everyday, regardless of the weather condition!


So, you should consider investing in solar energy. You can install solar panels on different places in your workplace, from roofs to parking lots, to even fields. 


Through solar energy, your business can significantly reduce your carbon footprint and reduce energy expenses. Plus, you can be eligible for incentives and tax credits from the government and utility companies!


2. Purchase Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)

Let's face it— not every business can generate their own renewable energy. However, you can still support the cause by having Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs)!


But, what are RECs?


These certificates represent the environmental attributes of renewable energy generation. By purchasing RECs, you can indirectly support renewable energy projects, demonstrating your commitment to sustainability.


Plus, RECs can be used to offset a portion or even all of your business' electricity consumption!


3. Implement strategies for energy efficiency

Before you can adopt renewable energy sources for your business, you must first optimize your energy use.


So, it's essential that you invest in energy-efficient technology for your business, from equipment to your office appliances. You can also conduct energy audits to identify areas of improvement that can be made to your facilities, whether it be your lighting systems or HVAC equipment.


When you use energy-efficient technology, you can reduce your overall energy consumption as well as carbon emissions.


4. Support wind energy

If you're operating in a windy area, why not support wind energy for your business as well? After all, it's accessible and always there just like the sun!


When you resort to wind energy for your business, you can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. You can also reduce your reliance on fossil fuels for your energy consumption. Plus, it's cost-effective and won't break your bank!


5. Adopt sustainable operating processes

Regardless of your business operation, it's important that you adopt sustainable practices to support renewable energy sources. For example, you can see what Energy Innovation Capital is doing in this area to help the cause. They are always seeking new opportunities to invest in companies working in the energy and digital technology sector.


The question is how?


You can start off by reducing your waste and recycling materials used for your operations. You can also streamline your processes to minimize your energy consumption. And for your materials, why not consider partnering with suppliers that can source your materials sustainably? For example, you can source your Kunkle valve with manufacturers who're environmentally-conscious.


By doing this, you can express your commitment to sustainability and lower your operational costs!


Aligning your business goals with sustainability may lead to making adjustments to your business model, but it's definitely attainable. In short, your business can be sustainable and profitable at the same time. By starting with the right strategies and initiatives, you can fully commit to making a positive impact to the environment, paving the way for the future generations.

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.