The ultimate resource for small business owners who want to go green without going broke. Greening Your Small Business is the definitive resource for those who want their small businesses to be cutting- edge, competitive, profitable, and eco-conscious. Filled with stories from small business owners of all stripes, Greening Your Small Business addresses every aspect of going green, from basics such as recycling, reducing waste, energy efficiency, and reducing the IT footprint, to more in-depth concerns such as green marketing and communications, green business travel, and green employee benefits. For companies too small to hire consultants to draft and implement green policies and practices, this guide is designed for easy use, featuring: ? Simple ways to make the workplace greener ? Two plans of action for going green (divided into two levels) ? Definitions for green terminology and jargon

Grow an eco-friendly business that creates limitless profit potential From organic groceries to fuel-efficient cars and toxicity-free dry cleaning, the opportunities to profit from a business that builds local communities, heals the environment, and feeds the growing green demand are almost endless. As an entrepreneur who has developed successful eco-friendly businesses, Scott Cooney gives you expert advice and guidance on starting, building, and growing a green business--and then delivers a gold mine of business ideas for every kind of product and service. Grow a Green Small Business also gives you: Green Entrepreneur Rules that will get you started on the right foot Marketing, advertising, and networking techniques that build a loyal customer base Valuable resources, including green franchises, contacts, and web links for more information Whether you're a novice or a veteran business developer, Cooney points the way to productivity and profit strategies you can build into any small business model.

"Green entrepreneur and scientist Dr. Glenn Croston outlines green business essentials and helps you uncover eco-friendly opportunities, build a sustainable business plan, and gain the competitive advantage in today's environmentally mindful market."--Publisher description.

The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Greening Your Business provides the most up-to-date concrete, practical steps to take to make money by going green. Setting practical, achievable goals for the right green initiative. Streamlining operations. Innovative staffing strategies to save commuting time and office overhead. Cutting fuel and energy costs. Understanding carbon credits and their value. Making your products greener. Green manufacturing, packaging, and shipping initiatives. Paperless marketing programs, precision-targeted to get more from less. Businesses are always looking to increase their profitability and market share. With rising fossil-fuel costs, consumers searching for environmentally responsible companies, and mounting need for green or greener products, business has jumped on the green initiative and reaped the financial benefits.

Do you have a go green or go home attitude? If so, you’ve got the right outlook for today’s business world. Discover how to establish your business as a green business—starting at the ground level, and starting now! From helping you explore environmentally-friendly opportunities to choosing eco-friendly means of production, our experts take you step by step, and show you how to protect our planet while building your business. Learn business basics with a green twist including financing, office setup, day-to-day operations and so much more! • Discover your business and your green competitive edge • Create a sustainable business model—no matter what business you choose • Get funding from green lenders • Manage your company’s carbon footprint • Incorporate practical and innovative, earth-friendly solutions at every stage • Establish an environmentally responsible business culture • Use effective marketing to capture customers and keep them coming back • And more Plus, gain innovative insights, ideas, and concepts from 22 successful green businesses! Take the high road to success—start your green business today!

Today, many companies are flourishing by delivering high-quality products while pursuing policies that leave the world a cleaner, better place. Those policies can help retain customers, energize employees, and serve as brand-building tools. This book shows managers practical steps to make their companies environmentally responsible while staying profitable and efficient. Environmentalist and businesswoman Kim Carlson shows managers how to green company operations by moving to a paperless office, recycling at work, setting up employee carpools, developing eco-friendly packaging, using green building products, and more. She explains in detail topics ranging from green marketing to setting up a carbon footprint assessment for the company. With this book at their side, managers can turn green into profits.

Make your computer a green machine and live greener at home and at work Get on board the green machine! Green home computing means making the right technology choice for the environment, whether it be a Windows-based or Mac-based computer and all the peripherals. In addition, it means learning how to properly and safely dispose of those items and how to use your computer to create a greener life at home and at work. Computer expert Woody Leonhard and green living guru Katherine Murray introduce you to the many green products that exist in the world of technology, including eco-friendly desktops, laptops, and servers; energy-efficient peripherals; and the numerous Web sites that offer advice on how to go green in nearly every aspect of your life. Bestselling author Woody Leonhard and green living guru Katherine Murray show you how to make your computer more eco-friendly Discusses buying a green computer and choosing eco-friendly peripherals Discover ways to manage your power with software and servers Provides helpful explanations that decipher how to understand your computer's power consumption With this invaluable insight, you'll discover that it actually is easy being green!

For 21st-century entrepreneurs, this book provides the practical guidance they need to overcome the often intimidating challenges of starting, organizing, and running a new business effectively and efficiently. The economic downturn has many individuals considering going into business for themselves, rather than relying on an employer for their income. Unfortunately, according to data from the Small Business Administration, the odds of long-term success are against them: 69 percent of businesses do not last past seven years and 56 percent fail in less than four. This book provides entrepreneurs with a comprehensive guide to the resources they need or will likely want to consult when starting a small business—and in order to stay profitable over the long run. The Entrepreneur's Information Sourcebook: Charting the Path to Small Business Success, Second Edition provides the expert guidance and up-to-date print and web resources an entrepreneur may need to make his business thrive and grow, from inception and information gathering, to raising capital, to marketing methods and human resource concerns. Nearly half of the resources in this newly updated book are new, and the essays have also been updated to reflect current business practices. This book is an essential tool that provides quick and easy access to the information every small business owner needs.

This three-volume encyclopedia explores the evolution of green ideology and eco-friendly practices in contemporary American culture, ranging from the creation of regional and national guidelines for green living to the publication of an increasing number of environmental blogs written from the layperson's perspective. Evidence of humanity's detrimental impact on the environment is mounting. As Americans, we are confronted daily with news stories, blogs, and social media commentary about the necessity of practicing green behaviors to offset environmental damage. This essential reference is a fascinating review of the issues surrounding green living, including the impact of this lifestyle on Americans' time and money, the information needed to adhere to green principles in the 21st century, and case studies and examples of successful implementation. America Goes Green: An Encyclopedia of Eco-Friendly Culture in the United States examines this gripping topic through 3 volumes organized by A–Z entries across 11 themes; state-by-state essays grouped by region; and references including primary source documents, bibliography, glossary, and green resources. This timely encyclopedia explores the development of an eco-friendly culture in America, and entries present the debates, viewpoints, and challenges of green living.

For too long, marketers of sustainable goods and services have targeted "deep green" consumers to promote their products – and they have little to show for their efforts. In this innovative book, Jacquelyn Ottman shows how the green market has moved beyond such niche marketing, and how marketers will find greater success promoting the inherent superior value of their offerings. Greener products are now available within every industry and are a part of our everyday lives. But they didn't get to be so ubiquitous just because they are better for the planet. Whether they were promoted as such or not, sales of green products have grown so fast because of the added value they provide: health, superior performance, good taste, cost-effectiveness, or simply convenience. This central emphasis on primary benefits – the new rules – is critical to winning over the mainstream consumer and to driving overall organizational growth. The New Rules of Green Marketing helps readers understand why value-based sustainability marketing has become a critical organizational capacity, and how readers can adopt this approach in their own organizations. Illustrated by examples from both international mainstream and the more niche "deep green" leaders who are showing everyone else the way, the book provides practical strategies, tools and inspiration for building every aspect of a credible value-based green marketing strategy, including:How to use a proactive approach to sustainability to spur innovationHow to frame environment-related benefits with relevance to mainstream brandsHow to communicate with credibility and impact – and avoid "greenwashing"How to team up with stakeholders to maximize outreach to consumersHow to use a life cycle orientation to ensure the integrity of one's offeringsHow to best take advantage of recent technological advances in social mediaDrawing on the latest data from leading researchers and reflecting on learnings from Ottman's corporate clients and other pioneers including GE, Nike, HSBC, Method, Starbucks, Timberland, HP, NatureWorks, Philips, Procter & Gamble, Stonyfield Farm and Wal-Mart, this book shows how market leaders are edging out the competition using effective value-first marketing strategies. This book captures the best of the author's previous groundbreaking books on green marketing and takes the content into the 21st century. Whereas earlier works focused on readers who were less familiar with green initiatives, this work squarely focuses on a new generation of marketers who likely themselves grew up with an appreciation of sustainability and who want and need to know how to connect effectively with mainstream consumers.