How to Build a Fully Functional Green Business
​by David Dixon

Building a green-based business is relatively easy to do these days with the increased focus worldwide on environmental affairs. So if you are starting from scratch or transforming your business into a more environmentally friendly one, here are some tips from FUNEL Business Management Group on how to build a fully functioning green business today.

Deciding on a Niche Green Business Idea

If you are considering starting a green business, there are many options, including energy consulting, gardening and landscaping, composting, upcycling, selling second-hand clothing, making organic and all-natural products, to mention a few. The list is very much endless in terms of possibilities; it's really all about seeing how you can provide a solution to pollution.

Reducing Your Carbon Footprint

We are now beginning to see the collective impact of everyone's carbon footprint on the environment with the devastating effect of climate change being felt in all four corners of the planet. In particular, businesses worldwide have had to make drastic changes to their operations to reduce their carbon emissions. One of the most effective ways to do this is to reduce energy usage in business, as this is one of the main contributors to carbon emissions.

Of course, there are other things you can do to reduce your carbon footprint. This starts with establishing what your carbon footprint is by using a footprint calculator to identify those areas that need to be addressed. From a business perspective, you could incorporate the following changes: working from home as often as possible, changing to more energy-efficient sources such as solar power, upgrading or upcycling your office base, and using the cloud to store documents so that you go through less paper.

Solar energy is appearing to many as a more and more appealing investment. There's a price range, but in many places it is down to around $1.00 per watt, and overall wattage will impact the solar panel's price. There are many factors that contribute to the total cost of a solar system, including its size, materials, and whether it is connected to the main power grid. Online research can offer many resources as well as local companies that can perform an installation.

Developing a Green Business Plan

One of the first things you need to do in starting a business is compile a business plan to help direct the way you should be going in. Apart from creating a standard plan that details the main aspects to be covered in building a business from scratch, there will have to be additional elements to make it a green business plan. Here, you will have to highlight three principles, namely how your sustainable business will impact the people, the planet, and your profits. Moreover, this is a chance to sell your business idea to the public and other environmental organizations, as they will be watching to see how your business achieves its sustainability objectives.

Your business’s location will be a part of its plan, and that can also have eco-friendly effects. Locating your business in an area with a high walk score means that both your employees and your customers will have the ability to reach your business on foot. Lowering vehicular traffic is a great way to reduce carbon emissions, so be sure to research an area’s walkability when determining where you will set up shop.

A Worthwhile Expense

Building an environmental business is probably going to entail a higher investment (at the beginning at least) to make it more sustainable. Obtaining funding for the launch of your green business should be relatively easy to do with the help of accelerators and special business loans and grants from those who believe in growing this sector of the economy.
Although these eco-friendly options can be more expensive, you can work with FUNEL Business Management Group to identify ways to cut business expenses and be more efficient without compromising your green initiatives.

Marketing Your Sustainability Objectives

To be known as a credible sustainable company, you must market your business accordingly. A beautifully designed website that lets your company's sustainability objectives shine is one way to do this.

Suppose you have multiple images that you want to highlight on your website to help showcase what makes your sustainable business different from the rest. You could communicate these changes on your PDF documents by making changes on the documents themselves using drawings, sticky notes, and text where applicable, instead of having to send multiple emails to communicate all the changes you want made.

Inspiring Ecopreneurs that are Making a Difference

If you want to be inspired by ecopreneurs that are making a difference in the world, then you won't find inspiration hard to come by. Just take a look at Page Beuning or Miguel Munoz to see what awesome changes they have made in their industries using the environment as their main source of inspiration.

Indeed, going green is definitely trending these days. So now is the time to take the chance to make your business more environmentally friendly. Although it might cost a little more money up front, you will save money - and the planet - in the long run. Plus, more people are committing to shopping green, so your investments will likely pay off for your business, too. Look into ways to decrease your carbon footprint, like solar panels and work-from-home days, and promote your business and green initiatives in your marketing for overall success.