Small business owners are busy juggling the slow/mixed economy, staying competitive and marketing and selling their products and services. Blog Action Day is a reminder that we must add to our to-do lists: making a contribution to the welfare of the environment.
We all know we need to do more to help the planet and lessen the impacts of climate change in our own small and big ways. The challenge for me (and you?) is what more can we do? If we’re already driving less (more calls), working to go paperless in our offices, following all recycling rules…
What are other small businesses doing? Here in California, the State has a program awarding small businesses with outstanding contributions to being green.
Nomad Cafe won an award for actually, proactively eliminating waste. They also waste reduction programs save the business over $12,000 (green dollars) per year. How cool green is that?! BTW: Nomad is a small cafe in Oakland, CA offering fair trade coffee and locally sourced food. Christopher Waters, owner, has been green since opening in 2003.
Christopher Waters, Nomad Cafe, Image: CoolCalifornia.org
CLIF Bar was founded by a guy on a bike ride that bit into an energy bar and said “I can do better.” And did. Now the company practices clean transportation—see their case study here.
Here are CLIF’s sustainability blog posts. Green actions CLIF Bar & company has taken to earn their award:
- The trucks that transport its products between the bakery and distribution center have run on pure biodiesel since 2006.
- Also in 06 Launched a program called Cool Commute to help employees purchase clean-burning biodiesel cars. Employees who participate can receive a $6500 cash incentive to apply towards the purchase of a biodiesel or high-mileage hybrid vehicle.
- Employees can receive up to $500 for the purchase of a commuter bicycle. And incentives are offered for employees that use public transportation, carpool, or walk or bike to work.
Pacific Motor Service is a “Certified Green Business” that has been around since 1947. To qualify for the award Pacific Motor reduced environmental pollution:
- They were assessed and then implemented changes in order to reduce/eliminate pollution
- They trained employees in pollution
- Scored at least 100 points on the Model Shop Pollution Prevention Checklist.
Find more California small business cases studies about helping climate change by driving less, recycling, using green energy, saving water and more here.
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