Ecomomy

Green Business Certification. Why?

At GreenSmartNow.org, our mission is to foster environmental awareness among businesses and promote business practices that are both environmentally responsible and commercially beneficial. Our Green Certification Partner The Green Business Bureau  has designed a cutting-edge web-based and tool and program that provides businesses the road map they need to implement eco-friendly practices in the work place that will have a real impact on the environment and your business. 

Why Going Green Makes Business Sense  

1 Gain a Marketing Edge

By going “Green” you can differentiate yourself from your competitors and tailor your business to a growing base of green consumers. 

2 Gain New Customers

Eco-friendly is customer-friendly because your customers want to feel good about who they do business with. 

3 Bring Employees Together 

Creating a sustainable business will keep employees happy and excited about their workplace. People value working in a socially-conscious environment. 

4 Help Reduce Costs 

Protecting the environment means protecting your bottom line. You can reduce costs and grow revenue by following the simple green business solutions offered by the GBB. 

5 Protect the Environment 

With so many corporations irresponsibly wasting resources and dumping contaminants into our air and water supply, the planet needs a hero. It doesn’t matter if your business is Mighty Mouse or the Hulk. By doing your part to save the earth, you give society someone to look up to. 

Please click here or use the Green Biz Certification link above to learn more about this valuable step in greening your business

Companies Increasingly Turn to Environmental Actions to Cut Costs

Fom Blog: gbb.org

While this recession has broken the mold in many ways, one surprising outcome is that corporate environmental activity has survived, even thrived during as companies increasingly turn to environmental actions to cut costs, comply with customer demands, and remain competitive, according to the annual “State of Green Business” report produced by GreenBiz.com

You may be inclined to think that the difficult economy of the past two years may have caused companies to put their green initiatives on hold. But, in a recent survey of CEO’s conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, more than 60 percent of CEOs said their companies are moving forward with green initiatives and believe those efforts will improve their company’s reputation. Overall, the recession had little impact on the green momentum: 61 percent of companies with green initiatives saw no effect of the recession on their strategies and 17 percent raised such investment each year.

These companies recognize that consumers’ concern for the environment has morphed into behaviors that are at least somewhat recession-resistant. When public relations firm Edelman surveyed 6,000 global consumers, they found that 87 percent believed it was their “duty” to contribute to a better environment and that even in a recession, 55 percent would pay more for a brand if it supported a cause in which they believed. Plus, as is the case with most corporate priorities, going for green makes sense in financial terms.

When it comes to your invoice, bill or statement, some simple and smart green initiatives can also provide meaningful financial benefits to your company. You can “get green (money) by going green”. Here are some tips:

• Consider changing the layout of your customer document from landscape to portrait. This will reduce the page count and potentially reduce mailing costs.
• Aim to maximize every sheet. Put some thought into your design and layout and consider options such as duplex printing. Again you will reduce production and delivery costs.
• Turn your invoice, bill or statement into a valuable marketing tool. It is the only “must read” document your customer receives from you. You have a captive audience…what are you telling them? Are you taking full opportunity of your upsell and cross sell opportunities? Done right, you can significantly increase your revenues while eliminating the costs associated with direct mail marketing campaigns and other, less effective, sales initiatives. You may even be able to eliminate certain bill inserts, by using effective messaging on the bill, or statement.
• What about converting more customers to electronic documents? This is the ultimate in cutting paper usage, as well as saving on supplies and postage.

These are just a few of the many “go green” opportunities that can translate into cold hard cash for your company. So go ahead…be green!

How to Green your Business

Here at GreenSmartNow.com we are always on the lookout for informative articles on Going Green and Greening our economy for a better world. We are particularly devoted to helping others start Green Businesses. Please click and read the article below.

How to Green your Business | Bukisa.com#.

What is Hubze? Who is Hubze?

By MGJack: www.hubze.mgjack.com

Just imagine this. Would it not be great to have only ONE place you had to go online to be social? Right now many of us have to perform the overwhelming task of signing onto and posting to all our social networking sites. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, FriendFinder, Ning and all these other social networks…and the truth is…it is a lot of work. I mean should social networking not be fun and easy to do so we in fact do it. Add to that the fact that many of us use social networking as a business application promoting our business and building are brands.

How do we fix this? Enter Hubze. Hubze plans to simplify your life by giving you a platform where you only have to go to ONE place to enter any content. One place to blog, update, share, chat, email, market and search. One place to simplify your online life.

Hubze is not going to be just another social network. Hubze is not going to be just another online marketing system. Hubze is going to be the ONE STOP SHOP you need! And at Hubze simplifying your online life is only the beginning.

Hubze is all about what it’s founders call “Elegant Organization” This concept allows you to bring all of your social interactions into one place. Twitter, Facebook, Direct Matches, Linkedin, BetterNetworker, Myspace, etc. and post to all of them at the push of a button from one single platform. The Hubze MeCard is only the tip of the iceburg here and will be the first of many other services to come. Recently Hubze let out of the bag that they will provide a service that will allow anyone to customize the look and feel of there Facebook page similar to the customization folks enjoy in MySpace. The HubzeCard will always be a free service for all who sign up. For more information on Hubze and to get the HubzeCard service free go to: www.hubze.mgjack.com  for full details. You must be invited by another Hubze member like me so Click and join for FREE.

Companies Increasingly Turn to Environmental Actions to Cut Costs

Reposted from : gbb.org

While this recession has broken the mold in many ways, one surprising outcome is that corporate environmental activity has survived, even thrived during as companies increasingly turn to environmental actions to cut costs, comply with customer demands, and remain competitive, according to the annual “State of Green Business” report produced by GreenBiz.com

You may be inclined to think that the difficult economy of the past two years may have caused companies to put their green initiatives on hold. But, in a recent survey of CEO’s conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers, more than 60 percent of CEOs said their companies are moving forward with green initiatives and believe those efforts will improve their company’s reputation. Overall, the recession had little impact on the green momentum: 61 percent of companies with green initiatives saw no effect of the recession on their strategies and 17 percent raised such investment each year.

These companies recognize that consumers’ concern for the environment has morphed into behaviors that are at least somewhat recession-resistant. When public relations firm Edelman surveyed 6,000 global consumers, they found that 87 percent believed it was their “duty” to contribute to a better environment and that even in a recession, 55 percent would pay more for a brand if it supported a cause in which they believed. Plus, as is the case with most corporate priorities, going for green makes sense in financial terms. Read more…

How To Start A Green Business For Free

Reposted from: GreenBizPlan

1.  Make a short plan using these guidelines; 

* What do you want to do?

Make sure its something you love or is a good fit for your personality or unique talents. Never do it just for the money.

* Who are your customers?  

 Why do they need or want you? How much can they afford to spend? Where can you find them to market your product or service?  How often will they buy your product? How long will they want your product or service? (for example; teens may only be your customer for 5 years or less) How likely are they to tell others about your product?

After you figure out your profit decide how many customers you need or want each week.  Start small and build this number over 1 year. Realistic goals are critical here! Read more…

Start a Green Business

by: Amanda C. Kooser

Even Wal-Mart sells organic cotton T-shirts these days, but you definitely don’t have to be a retailing behemoth to take your business in a green or organic direction. In fact, entrepreneurs have an advantage when it comes to reaching customers who care about the cause as well as the products.

“It’s a highly underrated opportunity for small business,” says Dr. Karel J. Samsom, a specialist in environmental and sustainable entrepreneurship and author of Spirit of Entrepreneurship. A study by the Organic Trade Association shows that nonfood organic product sales reached $744 million in U.S. consumer sales in 2005, with supplements, personal care and household products leading the charge. For green entrepreneurs, passion is key, says Samsom: “People who are imbued with this kind of spirit have an incredible imagination to rebuild the value chain and inspire their customers in the process.” Read more…

Top 15 Green Blogs

Reposted from: GBB.org

There are over 6,000 blogs related to the environment on Technorati, and countless more news feeds, and webzines.. There are hundreds of high-quality, well-written green blogs, so it’s very difficult to limit the list to just 15. This list seeks to balance depth with breadth and rankings popularity with diversity. These blogs represent many different topics, from general interest to news to lifestyle to tech.

1. Treehugger - Launched in 2004 by serial entrepreneur and designer Graham Hill, Treehugger defined a new online green space and quickly ascended to the ranks of the web’s top blogs. With radio, forums, video, television, its own social bookmarking network, and more than 30,000 posts, Treehugger is a comprehensive resource for sustainable modern living. Treehugger publishes posts by over 30 writers around the world updating 24/7. Discovery recently bought Treehugger and the site is now partnered to Planet Green. It’s not hard to see why: with over 2 million unique visitors per month and a Technorati rank of 19, Treehugger is by far the biggest green blog online today. The content is focused on green news, products, and events. Read more…

Where Are the Green Jobs?

by chris santiago

If, like me and millions of other Americans, you’ve recently lost your job due to Economageddon, you may be wondering where these Green Jobs are that everyone keeps talking about. News reports say green is the fastest sector of the jobs market; the White House says it’s creating more and more green jobs. Well, where are these jobs, and how do you get one?

I could give a quick, snide answer and tell you to use something called a search engine. Or I could be a little more helpful and point you in the direction of a couple of good job boards, like Greenjobs, or the Green Jobs board at TreeHugger.com.

But what if you’re not a scientist, architect, or engineer?

What if you don’t have the skill set to start developing biofuels or teaching environmental science? As a recently laid-off print editor, for example, I’d love to jump into a growing (as opposed to a terminally ill) job sector, but how do I leverage the skills and experiences I already have and get a green job?

The good news is that most green companies—solar, wind, and biofuel outfits, for example—have plenty of non-technical positions that need to be filled, just like any other company. A green collar economy calls for an army of green accountants, green marketers, green PR flaks, green human resources reps, and so forth.

The even better news is that, just like your high school basketball coach told you, it’s the fundamentals that count. Networking (including meeting, greeting, and going to conferences on green subjects that matter to you) is much more likely to get you your next green job than sending out blind emails. Research and creative thinking won’t hurt either.

And of course there’s always that possibility of going back to school to get more green schools, although some would argue that you don’t necessarily need it.

Here’s my last piece of advice (and take it with a big, fat grain of salt, since I’m still looking for my next full-time gig myself): If none of these answers satisfies you, be an entrepreneur. Start your own green business, based on your own skills or inclinations. After all, as Gandhi said, if you want change in the world, you’ve got to be that change.

Photo Credit: Hillary Birch Vanaria

Obama: US spending necessary to create ‘green’ industry jobs

By Tom Raum

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

WASHINGTON — President Obama is promoting new U.S. spending to create tens of thousands of clean-technology jobs.

He outlined the initiative Friday after a weak government jobs report raised new questions about the sustainability of the recovery.

“Building a robust clean energy sector is how we will create the jobs of the future, jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced,” Obama said.

Obama announced $2.3 billion in tax credits — to be paid for from last year’s $787 stimulus package — that he said would create some 17,000 “green” jobs. The money will go to projects including solar, wind and energy management.

He said more than 180 projects in over 40 states — including six projects in Arizona — would receive the tax credits.

He also called for an additional $5 billion in spending for clean energy manufacturing, an idea being promoted by Vice President Joe Biden.

Such initiatives are “an important step toward meeting the goal I’ve set of doubling the amount of renewable power we use in the next three years with wind turbines and solar panels built right here in the U.S. of A.,” Obama said.

Obama spoke after the Labor Department said the U.S. jobless rate was unchanged at 10 percent in December, following a decline the previous month. But the government’s broader measure of unemployment — which includes people who have stopped looking for work or can’t find full-time jobs — ticked up 0.1 percentage point to 17.3 percent.

That, plus the larger-than-expected loss of 85,000 jobs in December, put new pressure on the administration to step up job creation.

“The road to recovery is never straight,” Obama said, although he added that the trend is pointing toward an improving jobs picture.

House Republican Leader John Boehner of Ohio ridiculed Obama’s effort.

“Instead of wildly pivoting from one issue to the next, the Obama administration needs to listen to American families asking ‘where are the jobs?’ and employers calling on Washington to scrap … policies that are already costing jobs,” Boehner said.

After generating 23 million new jobs during the 1990s, the economy is coming off a lost decade, with no net increase in jobs. Even so, losses have been moderating substantially since mid-2009 as the U.S. economy slowly recovers from its worst recession in decades.