How to Be a More Sustainable Business and Save Money As Well

Julie Starr • May 3, 2022



Being a sustainable business doesn’t have to mean making sacrifices. In fact, you can save money while becoming more environmentally friendly! Here are some tips on how to reduce your environmental impact and save some cash.

1) Use energy-efficient lighting

This is an easy way to save money on your energy bill while also reducing your carbon footprint. CFL or LED lights use less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs and can last up to 25 times longer.

You can also take advantage of natural lighting by installing skylights or solar tubes. Not only will you save energy, but you’ll also get some free Vitamin D! Solar energy is a renewable resource that can help offset your electric bill. In some cases, you may even be able to sell excess power back to the grid.

If you’re not ready for solar panels, there are other ways to use renewable energy. For example, you can install a small wind turbine or sign up for a green power plan through your utility company. Utilizing renewable energy is not only good for the environment, but it can also save you money in the long run.

2) Implement a recycling program

This is another easy way to save money and reduce your environmental impact. Many businesses pay to have their waste hauled away, but did you know that you can often get paid for recycling certain materials?

For example, aluminum cans are recycled at a rate of over 60%, which means there are plenty of opportunities to collect and sell them. Paper and cardboard can also be recycled, and many companies will even pay you for these materials.

In addition to saving money, recycling can also help you reduce the amount of waste your business produces. This is good for the environment and can even help you earn LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) credits.

3) Use green office supplies

There are a number of ways to make your office more sustainable, but one of the easiest is to use green office supplies. For example, you can switch to recycled paper or purchase recycled printer cartridges. You can also look for office furniture made from sustainable materials like bamboo or FSC-certified wood.

Using green supplies like uv curable adhesives from Permabond is a great way to reduce your environmental impact without making any major changes to your business. Plus, it’s often easy to find products that are just as good (if not better) than their traditional counterparts.

4) Reduce water consumption

Water is a crucial resource, so it’s important to use it wisely. There are a number of ways to reduce your business’s water consumption , such as installing low-flow fixtures or using drought-tolerant landscaping. You can also collect rainwater to use for irrigation. In many cases, reducing your water consumption can also save you money on your water bill. So, it’s a win-win!

Saving money and being more sustainable doesn’t have to be difficult. By making a few small changes, you can make a big difference for the environment (and your bottom line). Try implementing some of these tips and see how easy it is to be green! 

 

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.