Business Green

Can anyone really explain to me, or the rest of our fellow Blog participants, the following terms and expressions:  LEED, Going Green, Life Cycle Analysis, Cradle to Cradle, Cradle to Grave, Gate to Gate, Carbon Neutral, Carbon Footprint, etc., etc., etc? 

I think we need a new term that we all can understand in order to make sense about this issue.  I want to submit a term to you that I have coined, “Business Green”.

“Business Green” defines the approach that an enlightened business takes towards being a good steward of the earth’s resources.  It is centered on the economic model of doing what is in the best financial interest of a business and if the business is properly informed, many times the financial interest of the business and good stewardship of resources are aligned.

Now, this approach may not sit well with some green advocates.  They are determined to be on the side of conserving resources, no matter the economic cost.   Good business people cannot do that.  They are stewards of not only the earth’s natural resources, but also stewards of their respective company’s financial resources.

These goals do not have to be mutually exclusive.

Let me give you some examples of what I mean by “Business Green”:

1. Conserve Energy – Technology has been developed that can turn off computers, printers, etc. automatically when not in use.  When you consider how many computers and printers even a medium size company has running 24/7, this move could save a lot of electrical energy and a lot of money.
2. Cloud Computing – This IT strategy basically moves software from your PC Desktop or Server to the Internet.  This can allow you to reduce the number of servers required in your business as well as shifting from personal computers at each work station to simpler units that cost less.  This move would not only save the plastics, silicone chips and all of the other resources required to make servers and computers, but would also reduce direct energy use for the hardware and reduce the energy to cool the units that are no longer needed.

These are just two examples in the IT field where “Business Green” makes sense both for the environment and also for the financial strength of the businesses that employ these measures.  There are many other possibilities to be considered beyond IT where the same type of approach can be “Business Green”.

So, let’s be realistic.  With the pressures of the current market, no business is going to spend significant amounts of money that do not have a financial return.  The market will not allow it.  However, business people are not unsympathetic to the needs of the environment; they just are required to be good stewards of both the environment and their specific financial resources.

The key is to find ways that save resources and have a resultant financial reward.  That is how we can obtain real and lasting environmental gain.   We should all be looking for ways to develop these mutually beneficial ideas, so let’s publicize our combined accomplishments for our mutual benefit.

Tool of the Week – www.phase3it.com – Phase3IT is a Miller Clapperton company that works with other small businesses to make their Information Technology (IT) more effective and reliable.  They can also help make your IT more “Business Green”.  Feel free to contact Keith Denner (keith.denner@phase3it.com or 678-217-0306) if you would like to discuss your IT needs.

That is it for this week.  Post your comments on the Blog and let us stimulate the discussion.

Thanks, 

Ted S. Miller 

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