With so much buzz about “green”, “eco-friendly”, “sustainability”, “energy efficiency”, “source reduction”, etc., it’s understandably easy to get overwhelmed! If you walk into any green expo, you’ll see a multitude of solar panel distributors/installers, water purification systems, green pest control, energy efficient windows, you name it. Where does one start? How do you decide what is most important or makes the most sense for your home or business to implement first? Taking a few steps back and developing a comprehensive sustainability plan will help you navigate through all the hype and provide you with a clear path for greening your home or company.
So, how do you go about putting together a sustainability plan? You can start by asking yourself some important questions.
Mission and Vision: Why do you, in your home or company, want to go green? Are you looking to save money? Are you looking to eliminate the use of harmful chemicals in your home or office? Or, are you faced with mandates or regulations that you are being forced to address? What do you see as the end result of greening up your home or office?
Resources: Are you a stay at home mom and have time to plan and manage the greening of your home while the kids are napping or are in school? Does your office have a green/sustainability team or sustainability officer or is there a need for securing outside expertise?
Budget: What is your budget? Are you looking to spend little to no money and start implementing some of the low or no cost items that are every bit as important and the larger projects? Or, do you have some funds allocated to install solar panels or switch over to all energy efficient lighting?
How did you answer the questions above? How do you think the next 20 people that read this article will answer those same questions? You got it! They’ll all be different… and that is why you need to have a sustainability plan that is tailored to your home or business.
At my company, Green Impact Solutions (greenimpactsolutions.com), and on behalf of the Green Business League (greenbusinessleague.com), I work as a Certified Green Consultant to help people develop sustainability plans for their homes and offices. Putting this plan together is one of the single most important steps I encourage home owners and business owners to take before diving right in to any “greening” projects.
For more information on developing a sustainability plan for your company or home, visit greenbusinessleague.com, greenhomesleague.com or email me at heather@greenimpactsolutions.com.
