What Is Eco-Friendly Business Financing, And How Does It Work?

Julie Starr • May 21, 2024

Eco-friendly business financing is a sustainable approach to company money, enabling firms to go beyond their operations to protect the planet. Despite being new, a surprisingly large number of companies use it to spearhead their efforts for a greener and more productive world. 


What Types Of Eco-Friendly Financing Are Out There? 


It turns out that there are several types of eco-friendly financing available to businesses, all with different emphases. 


For example, impact investments are looking for projects that will directly improve the environment. For example, venture capitalists might put money into carbon removal projects to reduce global temperatures by the end of the century, or use funds to plant new ecosystems or re-wild natural landscapes. 


Grants are another form of eco-friendly financing, usually from governments or NGOs. These go toward implementing sustainable projects and don’t usually have repayment horizons. However, firms must prove they will use the financing wisely before receiving them. 


Finally, some banks and lenders offer green loans. These are special loans where the money comes from sustainable sources or has requirements attached to ensure the money goes into specific projects. 


What Are The Benefits Of Using Sustainable Financing? 

The benefits of using sustainable financing are considerable. In many cases, they offer better economic returns for entrepreneurs than conventional banks and other lenders. 


For example, using green financing demonstrates your commitment to your customers’ values. Eco-friendly financing shows them that you’re serious about protecting the planet and reducing the impact of your enterprise on the community. You can prove you’re not “greenwashing” your business and be more authentic. 


You can also get money at a lower cost than usual. Many eco-friendly loans come with favorable terms, with some available as grants, making them more accessible to businesses. You may not have to pay interest or make any repayments at all, as long as you fulfill various qualifying criteria. 


Finally, using green finance can reduce your firm’s environmental impact. You can make your business more sustainable in the long term to customers and investors. You protect the planet, the local environment, and other aspects of your operation. 


Are You Eligible For Eco-Financing? 

Of course, you might not be eligible for eco-financing. You’ll want to research credit unions, lenders, and others for green loan programs. 


Credit card processing company North is still helpful for things like accepting payments. But what most eco-friendly audiences want to see is where the money came from originally. Being bankrolled by coal companies isn’t the best idea. 


When checking out financing options, explore the criteria for each. Check you qualify based on the size of your business and the environmental impact you want to generate. Ensure any projects fall under the acceptable category so you don’t waste time on applications that won’t go anywhere. 


Finally, put together a project plan showing lenders where you’ll invest the money. Giving them a clear picture of what you want to do with it gives them confidence and improves the likelihood of receiving a loan. Use data and statistics to show the positive impact your scheme will have. 

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.