It's A Golden Age To Go Green With Your Self-Storage Business, And Here's How

Julie Starr • July 12, 2024

We live in an age where two-thirds of consumers are willing to pay more for eco-conscious products. As environmentally friendly operations go, self-storage facilities at least seem like they’ve got it right. After all, this is a business model quite literally founded on the idea of reducing waste. Without self-storage units, it’s certainly safe to say there’d be a lot more waste in landfills right now! 


Unfortunately, when you look at self-storage businesses through a green gaze, it’s also plain to see that there are flaws in traditional models. Self-storage units are typically accessible 24/7, for instance, and are responsible for burning a significant amount of energy. Then there are the levels of waste these companies typically produce, as well as the need for things like always-on heating.


But all is not lost. Self-storage companies that already have an eco upper hand can easily turn to methods that will create a more sustainable business. In this article, we’ll consider how your self-storage company can go green for good. 


A Focus on Building Design

The majority of self-storage companies operate from within intrinsically green commercial steel buildings, which can be easily removed and recycled, at a moment’s notice. This is great news from a sustainability standpoint, but it’s possible to take that even further.


This is especially true from an insulation standpoint, when in-built insulation methods can reduce the need for HVAC systems that are always on full power. Equally, making the most of natural lighting with large windows can reduce the need for bright strip lighting throughout the day. These may seem like simple steps, but thinking about them from the moment you decide to pursue a self-storage setup can lead to significant financial savings and, more importantly, truly sustainable operations. 


Automated Energy Savings

Self-storage units tend to operate on 24/7 self-serve models as standard, meaning that strip lights may be on all night. Equally, most competitive self-storage companies offer continual heating services to keep client belongings in top condition. 


These are crucial offerings in the industry, but they come at a steep environmental cost. Luckily, that’s a cost you can easily overcome by using automated energy functions. Something as simple as sensor-led LED lighting can slash energy outputs overnight. Equally, HVAC systems that automatically turn off once individual units reach a certain temperature can make a world of difference to heating bills and usage, thus creating a more sustainable business and reducing costs.


Waste-Reduction Initiatives

Self-storage units that often provide packing materials to their clients can be guilty of wasteful practices. The use of fully recycled cardboard is the most obvious way around this, as are recycling programs and composting initiatives. 

Many self-storage companies also find it beneficial to introduce a ‘box-for-life’ strategy, which means that any broken client boxes are immediately replaced with recycled options on-site. This minimizes the risk of poorly-sourced, brand new boxes company-wide. 


Takeaway

Self-storage operations seem sustainable, but most companies in this area could do better. Lead that change by putting these green self-storage go-tos into action.

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.