Even a down economy hasn’t slowed the spread of green through corporate culture. In fact, many businesses are counting on their environmental initiatives to grow their green reputation and their greenbacks. Ranging from increased recycling campaigns to save on the cost of office supplies to installing solar panels on the roof to cut energy spending; companies across the country are greening up.
A few of the recent arrivals to the green scene include BP, Wal-Mart and DuPont; all of whom are promoting solar energy and the reduction of carbon emissions. Hewlett Packard offers customers the ability to recycle components and toners by sending them back to HP. In doing so, they earn a profit on the shipping and receiving costs and can sometimes recycle materials in the returned components.
Much smaller companies are making daily decisions on much smaller scales to make changes like discontinuing their staff room paper cup and plate orders in favor of a set of dish ware and utensils that can be washed and reused. Others are lowering their energy bill by requesting employees turn off their computers and other electronic devices when not in use. Recycled paper is the norm in the office copy room now.
The push to go paperless is present in most companies as we digitize more and more information every day. The tag line, “Do you really need to print me?” crops up at the bottom of some email signature lines.
We’ve even coined a phrase for employees working in environmentally friendly organizations; Green-collar workers. The green industry promises growth in the years to come.
