How to Start Pushing Your Industry Towards Sustainability

Julie Starr • December 4, 2023

No matter what industry your business is in, chances are, it’s far from perfect, and to some degree, it has some type of impact on the environment. Whether you’re in the logistics and warehouse industry, filming, art, you name it, every industry, to a degree, has an impact on the environment. It’s not just about ethics or making your brand look good; honestly, this is something that’s undoubtedly a necessity. 


Whether you're an entrepreneur, professional, or passionate advocate, influencing positive change within your industry can have a lasting impact. Honestly, it doesn’t matter how big or small your business is or even how many followers you have online. Even if you can make an impact on what you believe in, your voice can. So, here’s how you can start pushing your industry towards sustainability!


Educate and Raise Awareness

So, the first step when it comes to sustainability is going to be educating those in your industry and just bringing awareness to everyone. You might want to host workshops, webinars, or informational sessions to highlight the environmental challenges faced by your industry and the potential benefits of sustainable practices. But if you lack the funds or time for this, then posting on social media, specifically LinkedIn, could help, even YouTube as well. Also, if you’re attending conferences, you can try informing people there too. But in general, it’s vital to raise awareness among those in your industry, and educating them through different platforms is the best way to do so.


Collaborate

You can collaborate with those in your industry or maybe even those who have a strong connection with your industry. But in general, networking around is going to help a lot. For example, if you’re a brewery and want to help make the beer and brewery industry more sustainable, then you can collaborate with a brand that has an affinity with the industry (like a supplier), such as North Industrial Chemicals for example. 


But why collaborate? Well, if you’re networking and collaborating, you’re essentially establishing a network of sustainability advocates who can amplify your impact and create a united front for positive change.


Practice What You Preach

The last thing you want to do is pull a greenwashing stunt in your industry; you want to be trusted, and you want others to know that you’re ethical and can be trusted. So, if you want to make sustainable changes within your industry, then you absolutely need to lead by example; it’s that simple. So go ahead and implement green initiatives in your workspace, reduce waste, incorporate environmentally friendly products and services, and be transparent about all of it.


Support Green Certification

Nowadays, slowly but surely, this is becoming one of the best ways for industries to take sustainability more seriously. So, why not go ahead and propose and support the adoption of green certification programs? These are fabulous marketing tools, but in a way, it’s a nice indicator of what businesses within the industry are actively trying to make a different.

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.