EPA/180/B-09/001 

September 2009 

www.epa.gov 
Disclaimer: Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, 

manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring 

by the United States Government. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or 

reflect those of the United States Government, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes. 
contents 

1. Introduction & Overview .............................................................................................................1 

Benefits of Greening........................................................................................................................................1

What Makes a Company Sustainable? ..............................................................................................................2

Green Premium? .............................................................................................................................................2

Guide Overview..............................................................................................................................................4

2. Steps to Sustainability.................................................................................................................7 

Step 1. Get Ready ...........................................................................................................................................8

Step 2. Get Started..........................................................................................................................................9

Step 3. Set Goals ..........................................................................................................................................22

Step 4. Go Green .........................................................................................................................................27

Step 5. Ensure Continual Improvement............................................................................................................28

3. Opportunities ............................................................................................................................31 

Waste: Prevention, Reduction and Recycling...................................................................................................31

Purchasing: Environmental Choices & Products.............................................................................................38

Water: Protection, Conservation and Reuse ...................................................................................................44

Energy: Efficiency, Conservation and Renewables...........................................................................................46

Transportation: Alternative Options and Vehicles.........................................................................................53

Communicating Your Efforts....................................................................................................................58

Appendix A....................................................................................................................................64 

Definitions ....................................................................................................................................................64

Appendix B....................................................................................................................................66 

Resources .....................................................................................................................................................66

References ....................................................................................................................................................70

TABlE Of COnTEnTS i 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 
EPA’s Office of Small Business Programs 

congratulates you on picking up this guide. 

The fact that you are considering moving 

your business past environmental compliance 

and into sustainability says much about 

your core values and forward thinking. We 

hope this guide will help you build a successful 

sustainable business. 

ii SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
intro 

introduction & overview 

The Benefits of Greening Your Business 

Environmentally-friendly business practices can yield enormous rewards, both for the environment and the business. 

Being green can: 

m Save money from reduced waste and increased efficiency. 

m Bring peace of mind from reduced concerns about health and safety liability. 

m Improve public relations. 

m Improve employee pride and morale. 

m Attract green consumers. 

m Attract motivated employees. 

m Differentiate your business from competitors. 

m Provide flexibility in uncertain times. 

m Minimize risk, financial and otherwise, from the impacts of climate change. 

m Demonstrate leadership and commitment. 

A number of prominent corporations, driven by consumer awareness and environmental realities, are embracing 

the business value of going green. Canon U.S.A., Inc. and Anheuser-Busch have partnered with the EPA Wastewise 

Program and significantly reduced their waste. 3M, Caterpillar Inc. and Pfizer Inc. have all joined EPA’s Climate 

leaders Program and committed to reducing their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. These firms, and small companies 

like Pictura Graphics and HARBEC Plastics Inc., realize that business success today means not just a healthy bottom 

line, but a healthy triple bottom line that takes financial, social, and environ-mental performance into consideration— 

the essence of sustainability. Many businesses also believe that they have a responsibility to help their community and 

make a positive contribution to the world. The issues and opportunities motivating these corporations can also affect 

your business success. 

Consider consumer demand. Consumers are increasingly concerned about environmental issues, and the marketplace 

for sustainable products and practices continues to grow. As consumers learn more about environmental and health 

threats from hazardous chemicals and climate change, they seek companies that reflect their concerns. An increasing 

segment of American consumers are highly motivated, well-informed, and concerned about environmental and health 

issues. Environmentally aware businesses that have reduced their environmental footprint are better positioned to meet 

this market demand. 

1

section 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

InTRODUCTIOn & OVERVIEW 1 
environmental stats 

73 percent of consumers consider 

it important that 

companies have 

good environmental 

records1 

Environmental realities are also driving corporate sustainability efforts. There is little 

doubt that environmental issues, particularly climate change, are going to alter the 

regulatory and market landscape in the near future. Energy-efficient companies will 

be better able to navigate these regulatory changes and be better positioned to 

weather negative events like energy price spikes. 

Consumers are shying away from more toxic products, concerned by media reports of 

dangers like chemical compounds leaching from plastic baby bottles. Companies that 

have reduced their use of toxic chemicals will enjoy better public relations and be more 

likely to thrive over time as such issues continue to drive media reports and public 

concerns. These companies can also reduce their potential regulatory costs and liability 

as laws focused on hazardous material do not apply to non-hazardous substitutes. 

Climate change and toxic chemicals are just two concerns that will affect businesses 

in the near future. Other issues, such as unpredictable energy costs, drought and 

depleted natural resources, may also significantly impact business success. However, 

these challenges offer small business leaders a historic opportunity to make a difference and turn a profit. 

What Makes a Company Sustainable? 

The characteristics of a greener, more sustainable business include: 

m	Incorporates “green thinking” into the company culture. 

m	Eliminates inefficiencies. 

m	Minimizes its impact on the environment. 

m	Streamlines its processes. 

m	Thinks long-term. 

m	Evolves and adapts to new information in a changing world. 

m	Seeks continual improvement. 

Green Premium? 

Greening has become mainstream. Historical barriers to becoming more sustainable, 

like higher costs and low consumer demand, have largely been removed or significantly diminished. Today, for example, the federal government offers incentives for 

renewable energy and hybrid vehicles; organic product sales continue to grow about 

20 percent annually; and green product sales are expected to double over the next two 

years. 

Greening your 

business can be a way 

to conserve both the 

environment and your 

financial resources. 

2 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
Don’t tell the folks at AJ’s Auto Repair in Salem, Oregon 

that auto repair can’t be green. for the past thirty years AJ’s 

has worked to reduce the environmental impact of almost 

every aspect of their operations. Co-founder Robert Anderson 

is AJ’s leading environmental voice. He believes in the importance of environmental protection because “we all have a dog 

in this fight.” 

Mr. Anderson knew that any green steps had to be profitable 

and feasible. In 1994, AJ’s switched to burning used oil for 

heat instead of sending it out for disposal. This not only reduces 

waste, but saves the company up to $10,000 a year. To keep the 

solution from creating problems, the company incorporated the 

used oil tanks into workbenches to save valuable floor space and 

modified the shop floor for spill containment to prevent possible 

leaks from getting into the environment. 

looking out for the environment is part of AJ’s corporate culture. 

new employees read AJ’s environmental handbook and sign a 

statement confirming their agreement with AJ’s environmental 

effort. According to Mr. Anderson, employees “green up” quickly 

and are key to finding new environmentally friendly approaches. 

for instance, an employee suggested charging the AC systems 

with industrial dry nitrogen, a safe gas, rather than releasing 

environmentally harmful and expensive freon during leak testing. 

This change saves AJ’s hundreds of dollars a year and reduces 

the negative affect of releasing an ozone-depleting chemical. 

Employee buy-in also means that new greening ideas from management are welcomed and can be tested on the floor to ensure 

feasibility. 

Although hazardous materials may seem synonymous with auto 

repair, AJ’s has significantly reduced their use of toxic materials. 

AJ’s employees use water-based parts washers and biodegradable detergent instead of the hazardous solvents commonly used 

in parts washers. This is better for the environment, healthier 

for employees, and does not generate a hazardous waste that 

requires special handling. A “bird bath” brake washer eliminated 

the use of chlorinated solvent brake spray cans and reduced employee exposure to asbestos. Other instances where alternatives 

replaced hazardous materials include innovative uses of common 

products like vegetable spray as a lubricant and Milk of Magnesia as an anti-seizing compound. 

real success: 

a profile of AJ’s Auto Repair 

Another element of AJ’s success is to work cooperatively with 

other organizations. As president of the northwest Automotive 

Trade Association, Mr. Anderson helps green the automotive 

industry as a whole and is active with the Portland Pollution 

Prevention Outreach Team, a collaborative effort of non-profits, 

and state and local government, that certifies Eco-logical 

Businesses. In conjunction with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ), AJ’s piloted a free program to remove 

switches for trunk lights that contain mercury. Since the program 

began, AJ’s has replaced over 2,500 mercury switches with 

a non-toxic ball bearing alternative. The program helps ensure 

proper disposal of the toxic mercury and is now a mandatory 

pollution prevention program statewide in Oregon and Idaho. 

AJ’s is careful to avoid greenwashing, making sure they don’t 

overstate their environmental record. The company web site and 

marketing material focus instead on their core repair work. However, the free publicity from their numerous awards such as the 

DEQ Certificate of Excellence, the Governor’s Award for Toxics 

Use Reduction, the Marion County Recycler of the year Award, 

and the Small Business Environmental Stewardship Award broadens AJ’s exposure and brings in additional customers. 

So what’s the benefit from all this greening? One benefit is 

money. An independent evaluation of AJ’s environmental efforts 

found that over a ten-year period greening had saved the company over $200,000 from cost savings and increased business 

revenue. An intangible but important benefit is that a strong environmental record appeals to top employees, and the innovative 

and cooperative work atmosphere improves productivity. Being 

a greener company has also helped AJ’s attract new customers. 

The first 90 people who came in for the new non-toxic switches 

went on to spend over $26,000 in repair services. Bob Anderson estimates that 18 to 20 percent of new customers choose 

AJ’s because of the company’s commitment to the environment. 

Greening works for AJ’s and for AJ’s customers. As one customer 

put it, “Over the years you guys have done a great job and we 

really appreciate it.” 

for more information on AJ’s, visit www.ajsautorepair.com. 

Disclaimer: EPA does not endorse any commercial company, their products or services 

in any way. By including specific companies, EPA is simply providing information. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

InTRODUCTIOn & OVERVIEW 3 
Small business owners who have been implementing sustainable strategies for decades are seeing these changes 

firsthand. Roger Telschow of EcoPrint has noticed an increased awareness of environmental issues in his customers. 

Bob Bechtold of HARBEC Plastics Inc. finds that getting a loan for renewable energy projects is much easier now than 

it was years ago. Many companies are finding that when the payback from greening initiatives is taken into account, 

there is no “green premium.” 

While many of the businesses profiled in this guide are benefiting from the growing consumer demand for environmentally-friendly business practices, they are also experiencing intangible advantages, like free marketing and positive 

public perception. fit ‘n furry’s greening initiatives were highlighted on a San francisco television news show, and AJ’s 

Auto has been featured in numerous articles. The sustained success of these green small businesses and many others 

like them is evidence that greening can and does bring in dollars. 

Guide Overview 

Smart Steps to Sustainability provides small business owners and managers with practical advice and tools to implement 

sustainable and environmentally-preferable business practices that go beyond compliance. The guide offers a framework to strategically green your business and presents realistic opportunities to improve environmental performance. 

To get your business on track to sustainability, Smart Steps will help you: 

m	Understand the impact your business has on the environment. 

m	Develop and implement a strategy to minimize this impact. 

m	Explore opportunities to become more sustainable. 

m	Share your sustainability efforts with your customers. 

m	Continually strive for improvement. 

Section 2 presents a five step greening strategy. Optional Charts can help tailor your approach to fit your business. 

Section 3 discusses opportunities for improving your environmental performance by area of environmental impact and 

offers guidance on communicating your greening efforts to the public. 

Definitions of terms you may be unfamiliar with are in Appendix A. 

Appendix B lists additional resources. 

The journey to sustainability is unique for every business, but lessons can be learned from those who have already 

forged a greener profitable path. Throughout this guide, real world greening stories from small businesses in a variety 

of industries, including automotive, pet care, dental care and more, are highlighted. 

4 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
Steps to Sustainability 

Step 1 

Get Ready 

Assess Your 

Compliance 

Engage Your 

Employees 

Find Support 

Build Your 

Knowledge 

Plan 

Appropriately 

Step 2 

Get Started 

Define Your Green 

Vision 

Choose Your 

Approach 

Assess Your 

Impact 

Step 3 

Set Goals 

Select and 

Prioritize Goals 

Plan 

Implementation 

Step 4 

Go Green 

Turn Your 

Strategy into 

Action Step 5 

Ensure 

Continual 

Improvement 

Measure Progress 

Communication 

Update Goals 

and Activities 

Moving Forward 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

InTRODUCTIOn & OVERVIEW 5 
Creating a greener business means establishing 

an awareness of your company’s impact on 

the environment and fostering a culture that 

minimizes this impact. A strategic approach 

to greening puts your business on the path 

to sustainability and provides the flexibility to 

thrive in the long term. 

6 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
2

section 

ste

t o s u s t a i ps n a b i l i t y 

This section presents a five-step strategy to help you create a more environmentally-responsible company and lay the 

foundation for a sustainable future. 

After completing the five step strategy to sustainability, how can you be sure you’ve achieved success and are a more 

sustainable business? When: 

m	“Green thinking” is part of your company culture. 

m	Minimization of environmental impact is just the way business is done. 

m	Green is routine. 

m	you are committed to seeking a better way. 

Here’s a quick overview of the five steps: 

Step 1. Get Ready helps you lay the groundwork for success. 

Step 2. Get Started helps you decide how green you want your business to be, select the best approach to get there, 

and assess the impact your business has on the environment. The Emerging Issues and Motivations Charts will help 

identify issues and motivators that influence these choices, and the Environmental Impact Assessment Chart captures 

your business’ impacts on the environment. 

Step 3. Set Goals helps you choose your greening goals and identify the actions to achieve them. Use the Goals Charts 

to help identify and prioritize goals. 

Step 4. Go Green presents a discussion on what to keep in mind as you move forward. 

Step 5. Ensure Continual Improvement discusses how to make sure your company continues to reduce its environmental impact and flourish at the same time. This final step includes ideas for measuring progress and updating goals. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 7 
Step 1. Get Ready 

Step 1 will help you: 

m	Assess your compliance. 

m	Engage your employees. 

m	find support. 

m	Build your environmental knowledge. 

m	Plan appropriately. 

Assess Your Compliance 

your first step would be to identify and meet any regulatory requirements. How embarassing to say you are a green 

company and then be hit with an environmental violation. Knowing your regulatory requirements can also help you 

identify your environmental impact and set goals that reduce the impact and regulatory liability. 

Engage Your Employees 

Employee buy-in is critical for success. It is your employees who will be responsible for implementing more sustainable 

practices. Sustainability may require a cultural shift for your company and that can only happen with the support of your 

employees. Share your vision of what you want your business to become with your employees, involve them upfront, 

and ask for suggestions on how to green their activities. 

Employees may have great ideas on how to reduce environmental impacts and implement your vision. They may 

recognize where waste and inefficiencies occur better than upper management. for instance, the employees responsible for trash are probably the best source for ideas on establishing a recycling program. you may find that some 

of your employees are already familiar with greening strategies and even practice them at home or have experience 

from a previous job. 

There are many ways to encourage employee participation. Depending on the size of your business, consider creating 

a green team to head up sustainability initiatives. Provide rewards for good ideas and incentives for environmentallyfriendly behavior. Perhaps most important, as the owner or manager, it is vital that you “walk the talk” and demonstrate 

green behavior as an example to your employees. 

Find Support 

There are many sustainable business organizations that can provide information on environmental practices, partner 

to strengthen lobbying efforts, and create a network of green product and service providers. If one does not exist in your 

area, consider partnering with other small businesses that are going green and support each other with discounts and 

advertising. Environmental committees and workgroups in trade associations and other business organizations can also 

be helpful, and many local and state regulatory agencies have initiatives to help small businesses go green. 

8 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
Build Your Knowledge 

Being familiar with environmental issues will help you understand the environmental impact of your businesses and make better decisions for the future. you 

can start with the resources in this guide and then build your knowledge by reading some of the many books, articles, and web sites on environmental issues. 

your interests may range from environmental philosophy to technical information 

to finding out more about business and the environment. The more informed 

you are, the easier it is to develop a successful strategy and stay motivated. 

Plan Appropriately 

like any business decision, careful planning can help you gain maximum success. If your employees don’t share your vision or if you decide to roll out your 

greening plan during your busiest time of the year, it’s going to be difficult to 

make progress. Be sure to allocate sufficient resources to ensure success and 

include greening initiatives in your budget planning. 

Step 2. Get Started 

Step 2 will help you: 

m	Create a long-term vision of your sustainable business. 

m	Choose your approach to greening. 

m	Identify the environmental impacts of your business. 

This step includes several forms that will help you plan strategically. Check the 

EPA web site at www.epa.gov/osbp/greening.htm to download forms that can 

be filled out electronically. If you print charts from this guide, make sure that you 

don’t print out the entire document by mistake. 

Define Your Green Vision 

A clearly defined vision of what you want your business to become will help 

you set goals, motivate employees, and gain support from customers. What 

does sustainability mean to you? What does an environmentally-friendly version 

of your business look like? you may not know the answers to these questions 

yet, but Step 2 will help your sustainable business vision become a little clearer. 

You are not alone! 

sustainable business support 

The EPA offers a variety of voluntary 

programs to assist individuals, schools 

and businesses reduce their consumption 

of resources and environmental impacts. 

The Office of Small Business Programs 

provides a comprehensive list of EPA 

sustainability programs that can help save 

resources and reduce utility costs. for 

the list, click on the OSBP Greening your 

Business, Partnership Programs site at 

www.epa.gov/osbp/greening.htm. 

National Sustainability Groups 

There are many national groups devoted 

to sustainable business; some are focused 

on small businesses and others on specific 

sectors. Conduct a web search for groups 

that fit your business and interests. 

State and Local Groups 

There are many state and local sustainability groups with small business members. 

There are also an increasing number of 

small business development centers and 

local Chambers of Commerce that provide 

free assistance on greening. Conduct 

a web search or contact your state business 

association for groups near you. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 9 
look at the Environmental Performance Ruler that follows and think about where you want to position your business. 

Do you want to pollute less and use fewer resources than companies in the same sector? This will make you a greener 

than average company. Maybe you want to be truly sustainable and move towards using only renewable resources, 

producing zero waste, and advocating for greening your community. Use the Environmental Performance Ruler to help 

guide your vision. 

As you define your vision, consider how outside environmental issues, like regulatory changes, will affect your business. 

for instance, if you are a dry cleaner, is your state likely to follow California and phase-out perchloroethylene (PERC)? 

Is your local government getting serious about enforcing storm water rules? Also, think about marketplace trends. 

Are your customers interested in greener companies or your corporate clients looking to green their supply chain? 

Awareness of these issues will better inform your greening decisions. The Environmental and Regulatory Issues Chart 

that follows will help you identify relevant outside issues. 

Environmental Performance Ruler 

•No or limited environmental 

liabilities 

•High public perception on 

environment and 

sustainability 

•Lower carbon footprint, 

sustainable natural 

resource use, low waste, 

low pollution releases 

Worse Than 

Average Average 

Greener Than 

Average 

Sustainable 

•Higher energy costs 

•Serious compliance and 

safety issues 

•High environmental 

liabilities 

•Poor public perception 

on environment and 

sustainability 

•May be involved in 

litigation 

•Big carbon footprint, 

non-sustainable natural 

resource use, high waste, 

and pollution releases 

•High energy costs 

•Some compliance and 

safety issues 

•Potential environmental 

liabilities 

•Neutral to poor public 

perception on environment 

and sustainability 

•Big carbon footprint, nonsustainable natural 

resource use, high waste, 

and pollution releases 

•Low energy costs 

•Few compliance and safety 

issues 

•Renewable energy 

•Minimal compliance 

and safety issues 

•No environmental liabilities 

•Viewed as a sustainability 

leader 

•Carbon neutral, primarily 

sustainable natural 

resource use, zero waste, 

no pollution releases 

10 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
A dry cleaner may fill the chart out like this: 

Example Environmental and Regulatory Issues Chart 

Environmental and 

Regulatory Issues 

Potential Impact on 

Your Company Positive or Negative Level of Concern/ Likelihood Time Period 

Climate change Not sure, depends on 

regulations 

Don’t know Low/high Short for regs; long term 

for env. changes 

High Energy Prices Higher costs Neg. Medium/medium Not sure 

new regulations (including GHG regulations) 

PERC phase out would 

require new machines/ 

approaches 

Neg. – high initial cost 

Positive – levels playing 

field, reduces env. liability, 

compliance & safety 

issues 

High/not sure Need to find out more 

about possible state 

or federal regulations 

and timing. Research 

alternatives 

Market pressures Greener consumers Depends on our response High/medium Current? Need to research 

trends & look at 

response of competition 

Here is a chart for you to fill out: 

Environmental and Regulatory Issues Chart 

Environmental and 

Regulatory Issues 

Potential Impact on 

Your Company Positive or Negative Level of Concern/ Likelihood Time Period 

Climate change 

High Energy Prices 

new regulations (including GHG regulations) 

Market pressures 

now consider your motivations. What are the top reasons you want to go green? Knowing what is driving your efforts will 

help you select goals, set priorities and communicate your vision. Perhaps most importantly, understanding your underlying 

motivations will help you know when you have achieved your goals. Use the Motivations Chart on the next page to identify 

your most important motivators and the level of importance. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 11 
Motivations Chart 

Motivators for Going Green Importance (low, medium, high) 

Personal convictions 

Increased profit 

Image 

longevity of company 

Customer demand 

Employee satisfaction 

Add value to the community 

Desire to be a leader 

Expand customer base 

Keep up with the competition 

Inspire innovation 

Cost of Compliance 

Environmental Constraints—water shortage 

Energy costs 

Regulatory concerns 

After listing outside environmental issues and identifying motivators, go back to the Environmental Performance Ruler 

to see if you want to adjust your desired location on the bar. Then fill out the final Putting It All Together Chart that follows 

to summarize your objectives, outside environmental issues, and motivators. If you want to formalize your vision, use this 

chart to help write an environmental commitment statement or sustainability policy. you can refer back to this Chart when 

setting specific goals and actions. 

12 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
Putting It All Together Chart 

Vision (where you want to be on the 

Environmental Performance Ruler) 

Top Environmental and Regulatory Issues 

of Concern (in order of priority) 

Motivators with highest importance 

Write a sentence or two describing your 

vision of sustainability and long-term 

objectives for the business. 

Approach 

formal EMS (ISO 14001 style) 

Other formal approach ______________________ 

Greening Guide steps (this publication) 

Ad hoc 

Other ______________________________ 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 13 
you should now have a good idea of where you want to see your company in the long term, the environmental 

issues that are likely to affect your company, and the internal values driving your effort. 

Choose Your Approach 

A successful approach to greening can be simple or complex. larger organizations may benefit from a formal 

approach, while a smaller company can make major improvements with informal policies or an ad hoc style. 

There are many approaches in between. What is important is to select the approach that will help you reach your 

long-term objectives. 

The Environmental Management System (EMS) is a widely used approach that provides a formalized structure for 

planning and implementing a comprehensive environmental management program. Many companies, particularly 

large multi-nationals, certify their EMS with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Certification 

provides credibility, and some companies require their suppliers to be ISO14001 certified. for more information on 

EMS and ISO14001 visit www.epa.gov/OW-OWM.html/iso14001/index.htm. An EMS, even an ISO-certified EMS, 

does not automatically make your company green or sustainable. It is just a tool to help you get there. 

There are other formalized approaches to greening. for example, EPA Region 9 used elements of The natural Step 

framework to help identify and rank the environmental impacts of their office. Greening can also be a part of another 

management approach such as lean, a business methodology that streamlines manufacturing to eliminate wast and 

reduce cost (www.epa.gov/lean). you may prefer a less formal approach. The steps in this guide provide the same 

focus on strategic planning and continual improvement as an EMS, but are simpler and less formal. If you decide to 

go with a formal EMS, you can still use the steps presented here to help identify your impacts, objecties and targets. 

Assess Your Impact 

Once you know where you want to go, you need to understand the impact your business has on the environment 

so that you can identify the actions with the greatest benefit for the environment. Don’t be intimidated by this exercise. 

nobody knows your business as well as you, and you probably already have a good understanding of your largest 

impacts. Environmental permits or regulations that apply to your business usually indicate areas of environmental impact. for example, an air permit means that you are releasing air pollution. Use the Environmental Impact Assessment 

Chart below to identify the environmental impacts of your business, and evaluate the relative contribution of all your 

business activities to your overall environmental impact. 

Environmental Impact Assessment Chart—Instructions 

This Chart will help you identify the specific environmental impacts of your company. It already includes information 

on impacts for common business functions. you need to customize it to reflect your company’s unique situation. 

The individual columns are described below. 

1. Activity Area – The Chart is organized by functional area—transportation, office, warehouse, manufacturing, 

business processes, and building and grounds. Business process refers to non-manufacturing processes that are specific 

to your business like food preparation in a restaurant, the working area of an auto repair shop, or a retail store’s sales 

operations. you will need to customize the rows under Business Process to fit your business. 

14 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
—

-

-

-

Environmental Impact

quick reference 

Air pollution—The release of harmful matter like particulates, and gases 

like sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, and volatile organic 

compounds into the air. Ozone, a harmful air pollutant, is created by sunlight 

interacting with other air pollutants. 

Erosion—The wearing away of soil. The increased flow of stormwater from 

impervious surfaces like rooftops and pavement erodes land, scours stream 

banks, adds silt that carries contaminants to water bodies and degrades habitat. 

GHG emissions—The release of heat-trapping gases such as carbon 

dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide into the air. Greenhouse gases keep the 

earth warm, but increased concentrations contribute to climate change. 

Water pollution—Sewage, fertilizers, pesticides, oil, silt, and other pollutants 

that are discharged, spilled or washed into water, including contaminants from 

air pollution that settle onto land and are washed into water bodies. 

Habitat loss loss and degradation of the natural conditions that animals 

and plants need to survive. Caused by activities like development, deforestation, 

and contamination from stormwater runoff and other pollution. It can occur 

directly from activities like road building, or indirectly, for example contamina 

tion from vehicle exhaust. 

Toxics—Chemicals which pose a severe health risk such as chlorine, formalde 

hyde, and dioxins. Toxics can be poisonous, cause cancer, and harm reproduc 

tive systems, and may be present in pollution, manufacturing by-products, and 

chemical products like cleaning solvents. 

Resource use—Using, extracting or harvesting natural and manufactured 

resources can deplete ecosystems and destroy habitat. Associated activities 

like transportation and processing can cause air and water pollution. Excessive 

withdrawal of water from lakes and rivers, or aquifers can damage habitats 

by drying wetlands, creating low flow rivers, and stopping natural springs. 

Hazardous waste—Waste that is considered toxic or flammable. Because 

it is strictly regulated, there are formal regulatory definitions of hazardous waste. 

Waste disposal—Removing and eliminating discarded materials. Disposal 

of non-toxic waste material has environmental impacts from transportation, 

landfill space requirements and leaching, or incineration. 

Energy use—The production and use of energy from fossil fuels like coal 

and petroleum creates air pollution (carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, 

and toxics like mercury and benzene) and hazardous solid waste (from coal) 

and destroys habitat. 

The links under Sector-specific Resources 

can help identify impacts from your specific 

industry. 

2. Environmental Impacts: This column 

captures how each activity area can impact 

the environment. Air and water pollution, 

waste, toxics, habitat loss, use of natural resources, and GHGs are typical environmental impacts. Impacts can be direct, such as 

emissions from the tailpipe of your delivery 

van or indirect, such as GHG emissions from 

the power plant that produces your electricity 

or toxics released during the manufacturing 

of the bleached white paper you purchase. 

3. Impacts of Your Company: Describe, 

or if possible quantify, each activity’s impact 

at your company. for example, under Paper 

use, list the main uses for paper in your 

company and how much you use. you might 

enter “printing reports and invoices, two 

reams a day.” Alternatively, under Delivery 

services, you might record “two gas-powered 

company vans that drive about 100 miles a 

week with an average mileage of 20 miles 

per gallon (MPG).” Permits or other regulatory requirements will tell you about some of 

these impacts. If possible, include costs. This 

information will help you set and evaluate 

goals so be as detailed as possible. 

4. Impact Contribution: What is the 

relative contribution of each activity area 

to the overall environmental impact of your 

company? you may want to have a short 

description for the contribution and then 

rate it as: very low, low, medium, high or 

very high. Consider factors such as: 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 15 
m	Volume or size (e.g., amount of trash generated, or number of miles driven by company vehicles). 

m	Toxicity (a very hazardous chemical versus a non-hazardous chemical). 

m	Direct releases to the environment (e.g., delivery truck exhaust, releases of an ozone depleting substance, 

or discharge of industrial wastewater to the sewer). 

m	The potential for harm, either to employees or the environment (the high possibility of gasoline spills 

from refueling a lawn mower, or asthma from air pollution from diesel trucks). 

m	Indirect harm to the environment (air pollution from the generation of electricity or the loss of habitat 

from road building). 

m	frequency of an activity (e.g., pesticide applications probably occur infrequently, business travel may occur 

frequently, and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) use occurs very frequently). 

Environmental Impact Assessment Chart 

1. Activity Area 2. Environmental Impacts 3. Impacts of your 

company 4. Impact Contribution 

TRANSPORTATION 

Employee commuting Air pollution 

Energy use 

GHG emissions 

Habitat loss 

Water pollution 

Business travel Air pollution 

GHG emissions 

Energy use 

Habitat loss 

Water pollution 

Shipping/receiving Air pollution 

GHG emissions 

Energy use 

Resource use 

Waste disposal 

Water pollution 

16 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
1. Activity Area 2. Environmental Impacts 3. Impacts of your 

company 4. Impact Contribution 

Delivery services/fleets Air pollution 

GHG emissions 

Energy use 

Habitat loss 

Water pollution 

OFFICE AREA 

Paper use Air pollution 

GHG emissions 

Habitat loss 

Resource use 

Toxics 

Waste disposal 

Water pollution 

Water use 

Solid waste Air pollution 

Energy use 

GHG emissions 

Waste disposal 

Water pollution 

lighting Air pollution 

Energy use 

GHG emissions 

Habitat loss 

Toxics 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 17 
1. Activity Area 2. Environmental Impacts 3. Impacts of your 

company 4. Impact Contribution 

HVAC Air pollution 

Energy use 

GHG emissions 

Toxics 

Water pollution 

Water use 

Other equipment 

(copiers, computers, etc.) 

Air pollution 

Energy use 

GHG emissions 

Habitat loss 

Toxics 

Water pollution 

Water use Habitat loss 

Resource use 

Water pollution 

Purchasing Air pollution 

Resource use 

Toxics 

Waste disposal 

Water pollution 

Cleaning Air pollution 

Resource use 

Toxics 

Waste disposal 

Water pollution 

Water use 

18 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
1. Activity Area 2. Environmental Impacts 3. Impacts of your 

company 4. Impact Contribution 

MANUFACTURING 

Paper use Air pollution 

GHG emissions 

Habitat loss 

Resource use 

Toxics 

Waste disposal 

Water pollution 

Water use 

Solid waste Air pollution 

Energy use 

GHG emissions 

Waste disposal 

Water pollution 

Hazardous waste Air pollution 

Toxics 

Waste disposal 

Water pollution 

lighting Air pollution 

Energy use 

GHG emissions 

Habitat loss 

Toxics 

HVAC Air pollution 

Energy use 

GHG emissions 

Toxics 

Waste disposal 

Water use 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 19 
1. Activity Area 2. Environmental Impacts 3. Impacts of your 

company 4. Impact Contribution 

Water use Habitat loss 

Resource use 

Water pollution 

Raw material Air pollution 

GHG emissions 

Resource use 

Waste disposal 

Toxics 

Water pollution 

Releases Air pollution 

GHG emissions 

Habitat loss 

Water pollution 

BUSINESS PROCESS 

Meetings Energy use 

GHG emissions 

Resource use 

Waste disposal 

Other 

BUILDING AND GROUNDS 

Water use Habitat loss 

Resource use 

Water pollution 

20 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
1. Activity Area 2. Environmental Impacts 3. Impacts of your 

company 4. Impact Contribution 

Mowing, leaf blowing, etc. Air pollution 

Energy use 

GHG emissions 

Storm water run off – roof Erosion 

Habitat loss 

Water pollution 

Storm water run off – paved 

areas 

Erosion 

Habitat loss 

Water pollution 

Pest control Habitat loss 

Water pollution 

Toxics 

Section 3, Opportunities, also gives an overview of common environmental impacts from business practices in the introduction of each topic area. 

The government develops environmental regulations to ensure that the most significant environmental impacts are 

monitored, controlled and minimized. If any of your business activities require a permit, these activities most likely have 

a significant impact on the environment. Explore EPA’s online compliance assistance resources for small businesses at 

www.epa.gov/compliance/incentives/smallbusiness/index.html to better understand the regulations that affect your industry, 

to make sure you are not violating any regulations, and to identify impacts from your business. 

There are industry-specific resources that will help you identify impacts. The web-based Compliance Assistance Centers that 

EPA developed in partnership with third parties have information on specific sectors such as construction, healthcare, and 

transportation (www.epa.gov/compliance/assistance/centers/) and pollution prevention resources often include information 

on environmental impacts (www.epa.gov/p2/pubs/p2rx.html). you can also check with your local or state regulatory agency 

or trade association. Some voluntary environmental programs, like EPA’s WasteWise, also provide tools and information to 

help identify environmental impacts. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 21 
With a better understanding of the impacts of your business on the environment, you may wish to review the Charts 

from Step. 2 Get Started to see if you want to make any changes to your green vision. 

Step 3. Set Goals 

Step 3 will help you: 

m	Identify SMART goals.

m	Select and prioritize goals that will help you reach your objectives.

m	Define responsibilities.

A clear set of goals can turn the vision you developed in Step 2 into reality. The right goals will help determine the 

future direction of your company, and motivate your employees. So how do you choose the right goals? for starters, 

make sure your goals are SMART: specific, measurable, actionable, relevant, and time-bound. 

Specific. Perhaps you envision a carbon neutral company. This is a specific long-term goal. To reach it, you will also 

need to set specific short-term goals. An initial short-term goal could be to measure your GHG emissions to determine 

a starting point, and a subsequent goal might be to reduce the company’s carbon footprint by 10% a year. 

Measurable. If you can’t measure your goal, it is hard to know when it has been reached or how to evaluate your 

efforts. Consider the difference between a goal to be a green company and a goal to use 100% renewable energy. 

Without a precise definition, it is hard to measure “greenness,” but the source of your energy is easy to measure. 

Attainable. your goals need to be ambitious enough to make a difference but not impossible to achieve. The right 

balance will motivate your employees without discouraging them. you may want to be a zero-emissions company within 

one year, but it is probably impractical. A more realistic goal is to cut emissions by 20 percent in the first year with zeroemissions as a long-term goal. 

Relevant. your goals need to relate to what you are trying to achieve. Make sure that your goals will meaningfully 

reduce your environmental impact and align with your vision. 

Time-bound. Goals need to have a defined timeframe. A deadline provides incentive to take action and move 

forward. Choose realistic timelines for your goals, and include milestones and periodic assessments to measure your 

progress and stay motivated. 

Select and Prioritize Goals 

1. Review Your Long-term Business Objectives 

Where do you want your business to be in five or ten years? Before deciding on your goals, identify long-term business 

objectives to ensure that your goals will help you achieve your vision. Review the Putting It All Together Chart from Step 

2 and then write several long-term objectives in the space provided below. Be sure the objectives are specific and clear 

enough for others to understand. 

22 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
long-term Business Objectives 

2. List Goals and Activities 

Taking your long-term objectives into account, list all the sustainability goals you can think of on a separate piece 

of paper, you will prioritize the goals in the next step. you may want to first read through Section 3, Opportunities for 

ideas. Also discuss the goals with your employees and review them against the SMART list to make sure you have goals 

that will take you where you want to be. 

Once you have identified goals, list the activities needed to reach the goal. The Environmental Impact Assessment 

Chart from Step 2 can help with this. for example, if your goal is to reduce electricity use by 25 percent, you can use 

the Chart to identify where you can get that savings—from lighting, changing a business process to use less energy, 

or replacing old inefficient appliances. 

3. Prioritize 

After listing sustainability goals and activities, focus on the ones that will help achieve your vision for the future, that 

are based on your most significant environmental impacts, and that will make the most sense for your business. Choose 

the goals that will address the greatest impacts (see impacts from the Environmental Impact Assessment Chart) and 

where you can make the biggest strides. for example, 

m	Do you run a retail store with piles of cardboard packing boxes leftover after a shipment arrives? 

your goals may include working with vendors to find alternatives to cardboard packing boxes, such as reusable 

wooden crates, and asking vendors to minimize empty truck moves and transportation of empty crates. 

m	Is your dry cleaning store using toxic chemicals? 

your goals may include exploring options to become a green cleaner or minimize the amount used. 

m	Does your restaurant throw away large amounts of food waste daily? 

your goals may include donating or composting food waste. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 23 
like any business decision, you need to consider the costs and benefits of your goals – financial and environmental. 

Evaluate your goals based on feasibility, payback period, financial return on investment, and social return on investment. 

Think about how much money you are willing to invest in sustainability measures, what changes you can afford to make, 

and the effort that will be required from your employees. While it may not be easy to put an exact dollar value on environmental benefits, it might help to think about prioritizing goals in terms of the following grid: 

you can use the benefit axis to consider benefits to your company or to the environment. Obviously, a project that is low 

cost and high benefit for your company or the environment is a good one to choose. But what about a project that is high 

cost and has a high benefit for the environment, but a lower benefit for the company? This project may take more thought 

before making a decision. Don’t automatically dismiss a goal because of the initial cost and be sure to consider intangible 

benefits like customer perceptions and employee pride. Analyze the costs over time and factor in all the components, including the intangibles, before making a final decision. 

When setting priorities, consider which of the possible goals: 

m	Will make you the most competitive.

m	Includes low-hanging fruit, like reducing or recycling office paper, that is important and easy.

m	Will have the biggest impact on the environment or on your bottom line, like installing an on-site wind turbine.

24 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
m	Contributes to the growth or longevity of your business. 

m	Has other benefits, like toxics reduction that also improves worker safety and reduces compliance issues. 

m	Relate to your vision and long-term objectives. 

Based on your priorities, select the goals that you want to focus on and enter them in the Environmental Goals chart below. 

Environmental Goals Chart 

Goal 1 

Timeframe Who Metric 

Activities for Goal 1 Timeframe Who Metric 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

Goal 2 

Timeframe Who Metric 

Activities for Goal 2 Timeframe Who Metric 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 25 
Goal 3 

Timeframe Who Metric 

Activities for Goal 3 Timeframe Who Metric 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

Goal 4 

Timeframe Who Metric 

Activities for Goal 4 Timeframe Who Metric 

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

Goal 5 

Timeframe Who Metric 

Activities for Goal 5 Timeframe Who Metric 

1. 

2. 

26 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
3. 

4. 

5. 

Plan Implementation 

Once you know your goals, think about the activities that are needed to achieve the goals. Then enter the activities 

in the Environmental Goal Chart. The chart also has space for the timeframe /milestones for each activity, who will 

be responsible for implementation, and how it will be measured. Clearly defining this information will help ensure that 

your goals are achieved. Identifying employee responsibilities for implementing the actions is particularly important. 

Consider including environmental performance in employee appraisals. Employees are more likely to make sustainability a priority if management makes it a priority and performance reviews communicate this clearly. 

Step 4. Go Green 

Step 4 will help you: 

m	Implement your greening strategy. 

Turn Your Strategy into Action 

At this point, you are ready to turn your greening strategy into action. It’s your business, and you and your employees 

know best how to make a strategy work. Steps 2 and 3 helped you develop a vision and a plan, and now you just have 

to bring that plan to life. 

Check to make sure your company goals are clearly translated into specific activities, that the activities are reasonable, 

and that each employee understands their responsibilities. Employees should also understand the company’s vision for 

sustainability, be aware of the company’s greening goals, and be assigned responsibility for specific goals. 

leadership and communication are key to success. If greening your business means major changes to the company 

culture, much of your success depends on managerial skill. As you know, managers have to communicate effectively, 

“walk the talk,” and set a positive example. 

It’s important to reinforce responsibilities and green thinking on a regular basis. Educate your employees on why greening is important, e-mail relevant online articles, leave environmental magazines in the lunchroom, and talk about the 

underlying issues. Send out regular e-mails or post signs reminding your team of the company’s green goals and vision 

for sustainability. It is important to communicate progress toward goals so everyone can see how their actions make 

a difference. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 27 
Motivate your employees. Remind them that the company’s sustainability success relies on teamwork. Recognize good 

performance and thank employees for their efforts. Consider friendly competitions between offices or different employee 

groups. Maybe the group that reduces energy the most or uses the least paper wins a bagel breakfast or movie tickets. 

As you move forward, remember to stay focused on the results. Step 5 will help you measure your progress and create 

a system for continual improvement. 

Step 5. Ensure Continual Improvement 

Step 5 will help you: 

m	Measure progress. 

m	Develop a strategy for updating your goals. 

m	Become more sustainable over time. 

Sustainability is an on-going commitment to reduce environmental impacts for the benefit of future generations. 

The goal of Step 5 is to help your company continue to make progress towards sustainability. This step will give you 

strategies for keeping your commitment going and making your company greener every year. 

Measure Progress 

Step 4 helped put your greening strategy into place. Step 5 checks to see if the strategy is working. Good measures 

will tell you if you’re moving along the Environmental Performance Ruler in the right direction and are on track to reach 

your goals. Measures will also help you evaluate your efforts so that you can keep doing what works and change what 

is not effective. Seeing results will also help motivate you and your employees. 

There are different approaches to measurement. If you plan to participate in a program that requires reporting to an 

external organization, it is important to have detailed information and reliable metrics. If you don’t plan on external 

reporting, you still will want to know how you are doing; you just don’t need to be as rigorous. 

In selecting measures, focus on the outcomes of your initiatives, not just your activities. If you have started a recycling 

program, measure the increase in materials recycled rather than number of recycling bins. If energy efficiency is your 

focus, track the change in kilowatt-hours rather than incandescent light bulbs replaced. 

Stick to the milestones for activities you identified along with your goals in Step 3. By tracking progress along the way, 

you can make changes to correct your course early on. This is particularly important for more ambitious goals such as 

reducing GHG emissions. By breaking down a large goal into manageable pieces, you can periodically measure your 

progress, assess what’s working and what’s not, and make needed adjustments. 

28 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
Communication 

Communication, both top-down and bottom-up, is important for keeping momentum and ensuring continual improvement. It is useful to get feedback from your employees. Ask them about the impact of new environmental initiatives on 

their day-to-day work, whether new initiatives are burdensome and if “green thinking” is being integrated into their daily 

routine. 

Asking for this information and providing employees with feedback on their environmental performance also communicates management’s interest and commitment to sustainability. Communicating your Efforts in Section 3 provides more 

ideas on communication. 

Update Goals and Activities 

Periodically reevaluate your goals and activities. If goals are being met or exceeded, consider setting more stringent 

goals (and don’t forget to recognize your employees for getting you there). If your team is not meeting the stated goals, 

try to determine the root cause. It may be that your implementation strategy is not clear, staff responsibilities need to be 

redefined, or perhaps the goals themselves are not realistic. 

Over time, greening activities should become part of every day work responsibilities. When this integration occurs, 

greening activities should be included in your Best Management Practices (BMPs) and standard operating procedures 

or work instructions. you can then move on to create new greening activities. 

Moving Forward 

leadership and management support will remain crucial to the on-going success of your sustainability initiatives. 

Continue to educate yourself and your employees about environmental issues. Revisit your vision at least annually, 

and update your goals as your business grows or changes. Encourage and empower your employees to always look 

for environmentally-friendly ways to accomplish their jobs. Join voluntary programs to develop and strengthen your 

greening efforts. Celebrate your efforts; plan an Earth Day event at your business or get involved in local events. 

Remember to include greening in all decisions and try to anticipate the environmental impact of any new activities 

or decisions. Continual improvement means being proactive, not reactive. Periodically refer back to Steps 1 and 2 

and ask: 

m	Have we learned more? 

m	Has our vision changed? 

m	Are we satisfied with our progress along the Green Performance Ruler? 

m	Are we celebrating our greening successes? 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 29 
As green thinking becomes part of your company 

culture, you and your employees will begin to 

recognize countless opportunities to improve 

your business’ environmental performance. A 

good place to start taking advantage of these 

opportunities is to consider how your business 

manages waste, purchasing, water, energy, and 

transportation. 

30 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
3

section 

opportunities 

This section describes opportunities for improving environmental performance by area of impact. Multiple options 

are presented, allowing you to determine how ambitious you want to be based on your resources and your unique 

business. Each topic area is arranged as follows: 

m	The Issue: an introduction to the impacts of business on the environment. 

m	Real Success: a profile of small business greening successes. 

m	Resources: select online resources. 

m	What you Can Do: a description of the options and opportunities to eliminate or reduce the environmental impacts 

of your business. 

Waste 

Prevention, Reduction, and Recycling 

The Issue 

There are many reasons to reduce waste. Business-wise, the main reason is to save money. Waste is a loss. It represents 

inefficiencies in the system and ineffective or unnecessary use of resources. While some waste may be unavoidable, 

streamlining your business to prevent waste will boost your bottom line. The Seydel Companies, a textile chemical 

manufacturer and member of EPA’s WasteWise program, increased revenues by more than $518,000 through waste 

reduction. How much could you save? 

from an environmental perspective, there are many reasons to reduce waste. Waste from virgin material extraction, 

industrial processes and manufacturing represent depleted natural resources, damaged wildlife habitat, and pollution. 

Improperly managed waste can lead to litter and toxins contaminating the environment, which can negatively affect 

water, soil, air, and wildlife, as well as human health. landfills take up space, can release harmful gases including 

greenhouse gases, and can pollute water. Waste incineration uses energy and can release toxic air pollution. Toxic 

components in electronic wastes (e-wastes) have become environmental, human health, and human rights problems 

as these wastes are often shipped to developing countries with few regulations and poor working conditions. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

OPPORTUnITIES 31 
-

Some commercial waste, like manufacturing by-products, cleaning fluids, 

and pesticides, are legally considered hazardous wastes. In addition to being 

dangerous to human health and the environment, hazardous waste disposal is 

expensive and can lead to compliance issues with environmental regulations. 

There are also management costs associated with the storage and transportation 

of hazardous waste and potentially significant financial penalties for non-compliance with hazardous waste regulations. Reducing or eliminating hazardous 

waste can avoid the cost of hazardous waste management and reduce potential 

noncompliance liabilities. 

The Pollution Prevention (P2) hierarchy of reduce, reuse, and recycle is more 

applicable today than ever. While not creating waste in the first place is the best 

approach, waste reduction through recycling or reuse is easy and can save money. Have you considered that your waste may be someone else’s raw material? 

Whether you have an office-based business that generates mostly paper waste, 

a dry cleaner that generates hazardous waste, or a restaurant that generates 

food waste, your business will benefit from waste reduction. no matter what kind 

of waste, this guide will help you reduce it, reuse it, or recycle it. 

What You Can Do 

Get to Know Your Waste 

Do you know what kind and how much waste your business generates? The first 

step, whether you want to implement a comprehensive program or make specific 

changes, is to look at the waste generated by your company. for example: 

m	How much waste is produced every week or month? 

m	How much does waste management and disposal cost you? 

m	Does your waste stream contain toxic components? 

In addition to direct disposal costs, consider the cost of storage, regulatory compliance, and other related expenses. If possible, weigh the waste components – 

paper, food waste, plastics, etc. – to determine the composition. Once you know 

your waste, you can make changes to get the most bang for your buck, both in 

savings and in environmental protection. Understanding your waste generation 

will also help you measure improvements. Tracking waste reduction is necessary 

for communicating results, and when applying for awards and certifications. 

The WasteWise program provides a waste assessment form at 

www.epa.gov/epawaste/partnerships/wastewise/measure-progress.htm 

to help you characterize your waste management practices and quantify 

waste generation. 

resources 

WasteWise 

www.epa.gov/epawaste/partner 

ships/wastewise/index.htm 

One of the best waste reduction resources is EPA’s WasteWise program. 

WasteWise is a voluntary partnership 

program for businesses, local governments, non-profit organizations and all 

industry sectors. The program helps partners reduce municipal solid waste such 

as corrugated containers, office paper, 

yard trimmings, packaging, wood pallets, and select industrial waste. WasteWise provides partners with tools to 

design waste reduction programs 

and offers free technical assistance 

and opportunities for publicity. 

Hazardous Waste 

www.epa.gov/osw/hazard/ 

index.htm 

Hazardous wastes are divided into 

types: listed, characteristic, universal, 

and mixed. EPA provides specific guidance on waste identification to help 

determine if your waste is hazardous. 

Pollution Prevention (P2) 

www.epa.gov/p2 

EPA supports an extensive P2 program 

to help reduce waste at the source. A P2 

guide for small businesses is available 

from www.epa.gov/p2/pubs/ 

assist/sbg.htm. 

A nationwide network of P2 Technical 

Assistance Programs provides help with 

source reduction and environmental 

management: www.epa.gov/oppt/ 

p2home/pubs/assist/index.htm. 

32 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
Pictura Graphics is a large-format digital graphics company in 

Minneapolis, Minnesota and the first “Sustainable Green Printer” 

certified by the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGPP). 

Pictura produces custom finishing and digital imaging services 

for banners and signage, wall murals, trade show displays, 

building and vehicle wraps, window treatments, and floor 

graphic treatments. After 30 years in business, Pictura took its 

first steps towards sustainability in 2007 by introducing ecoIMAGESTM, a product line created using environmentally-friendly 

components. Initially motivated by customer demand, environmental stewardship and sustainability are now an integral part 

of Pictura’s business practices. 

Company President Paul lilienthal says that Pictura has taken 

a proactive approach to reducing the company’s environmental 

footprint and it’s paying off. Pictura’s sustainability initiatives 

have expanded the company’s client base to include more 

environmentally-aware customers, and have provided more 

revenue and increased cost savings. Waste management and 

recycling have proven particularly successful, saving the company 

an estimated $20,000 each year. By increasing the recycling 

of cardboard, aluminum, plastics, acrylics, styrene, general office 

paper, and manufacturing by-products, Pictura reduced their 

dumpster pick-ups by a factor of four – from eight to two pickups per week. The costs of recycling are more than covered by 

savings from waste reduction. 

Pictura’s waste reduction efforts extend through the life cycle 

of its products in the ecoIMAGES line. EcoIMAGES products are 

manufactured using recyclable, re-pulpable, or biodegradable 

components and printed with ultra-violet (UV) water-based inks 

that are low in volatile organic compounds (VOC). EcoIMAGES 

fabrics and textiles are manufactured from recycled yarns and 

natural cotton fibers. The line includes ecofABRICS, ecoTEXTIlES, 

ecoVInylS and ecoBOARDS. Since these products are made 

from natural and recycled materials, and the products themselves 

can be recycled, waste is significantly reduced from their creation 

to the end of their lives. 

Mr. lilienthal believes that taking a good look at waste reduction 

improves the overall quality and efficiency of business. He points 

out that if employees are trying hard to avoid creating waste 

while producing products, they will make an extra effort to “do it 

right” the first time. 

Pictura is striving for continual improvement, measuring progress 

along the way, and seeking new ways to become more sustainable. The company has partnered with suppliers who share the 

same environmental values, creating a network of companies 

in the graphics industry who seek sustainable options that extend 

to water and energy efficiency. 

While Mr. lilienthal encourages other small businesses to go 

green simply because it makes good business sense, he says, 

“you have to believe in what you’re doing. Sustainability is a 

journey and you have to be in it for the long term.” 

for more information about Pictura Graphics, 

visit www.picturagraphics.com. 

real success: 

a profile of Pictura Graphics 

Disclaimer: EPA does not endorse any commercial company, their products or services 

in any way. By including specific companies, EPA is simply providing information. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

OPPORTUnITIES 33 
Source Reduction 

Source reduction is waste prevention. Source reduction starts before designing 

a product or process, using a material, or purchasing an item. It is the practice 

of identifying how changing processes, materials, or methodologies can reduce 

waste. The key is to include waste considerations in all aspects of your business. 

Upfront decisions that decrease materials that may end up as waste in all stages 

of a product’s life cycle will reduce the total amount of waste. Reducing the 

toxicity of a specific product or the use of toxic products can decrease disposal 

costs, environmental impacts, and incidences of noncompliance. 

To reduce waste at the source, ask: 

m	Is this material or product vital to the success of my business? 

m	Can I redesign this product, packaging, or process to use less material? 

m	Can I buy this product in bulk to avoid extra packaging? 

m	Have I asked my vendor to reduce packaging? 

m	Do I really need to print this document? 

Reuse 

Unfortunately, we commonly dispose of products after a single use and have 

come to expect disposable plates and utensils at business and social gatherings. 

What a waste! Reuse is a simple but effective and often overlooked waste reduction tool. Reuse also saves money. Once you’ve purchased a reusable product, 

you create less waste and spend less money on disposable products. Environmentally speaking, reuse is preferred over recycling because less energy and 

natural resources are used. 

Any business can implement reuse policies as standard practice, no matter how 

big or small and no matter what type of business. In the office kitchen, consider 

providing ceramic mugs and plates in place of paper cups and plates. Instead 

of single serving sugar and salt packets, provide a refillable container and buy 

sugar and salt in bulk. In a restaurant, offer reusable cups, plates, and silverware. If your business sells drinks, provide incentives for clients to bring their 

own travel mugs or bottles. Many businesses reuse cardboard boxes and packing material for shipping, and used paper for note taking. 

Some companies sell waste items. Waste exchanges are markets to sell or buy 

reusable materials. They can be managed by non-profits or state and local 

governments, and match your byproducts and wastes with potential users, often 

through Web page listings. Check with your local or state agency for waste 

exchanges in your area. 

environmental stats 

101 

12.5 

4.62 

2.62 

tons of solid waste 

are produced by 

businesses every 

year in the United 

States. 

percent of all Municipal Solid Waste 

consists of food 

scraps. 

pounds of waste 

were generated per 

person per day in 

2007. 

pounds of waste 

were generated per 

person per day in 

1960.2 

34 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
To reduce paper waste, take the following steps: 

m	 Avoid printing and printed materials to the extent possible. In 

today’s digital age, documents can be read and shared electronically. 

m	 Print double-sided. format your print options and printer for 

automatic double-sided printing. 

m	 Print multiple pages per sheet. format your print options so 

that documents are automatically printed with multiple pages per 

sheet. 

m	 Optimize for fewer pages with smaller margins and more 

effective use of white space. 

m	 Reuse scrap paper for note taking. 

m	 Don’t keep multiple copies of a document. Use a central 

file for required hard copies, or go electronic. 

m	 Receive pdfs or scanned copies instead of paper. 

m	 Edit and review on-screen rather than on a printed page. 

m	 Use electronic billing and invoicing instead of hard copy. 

Did you know that paper and 

packaging make up almost one-third of 

the municipal solid waste in a landfill? 

To reduce waste through reuse, 

question every disposable product 

you use and every product you put 

in the trash. Ask: 

m	Can this product be reused? 

m	Is there a good reason to use 

this disposable product? 

m	Is there another use for this 

product? 

m	Could this material be listed 

on a waste exchange? 

Cradle to Cradle 

Most production and waste management programs are based on a “cradle to grave” philosophy where waste 

is managed from the beginning of 

the product’s life until disposal. This 

view is being replaced with a “cradle 

to cradle” approach that considers the entire life cycle of a product, 

including how a product can become 

a new product rather than waste 

at the end of its life. The focus is on 

using less materials, reducing toxics 

and recovering more of the materials 

at the end of the product’s life. The 

U.S. Post Office focused on developing greener shipping packages and 

in 2007 received Cradle to Cradle 

certification for their Express Mail 

and Priority Mail packaging. The certification from MBDC (McDonough 

Braungart Design Chemistry) considers 39 criteria for human and environmental health, including toxicity, 

renewable energy, water stewardship, 

recyclability and other manufacturing 

attributes. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

OPPORTUnITIES 35 
Does your business produce waste that may be “up-cycled” to create another useful product? An innovator in 

California figured out how to turn an unwanted waste product – human hair – into cash. The organization weaves 

hair clippings from salons into mats that are used to absorb oil from oil spills. Another company in florida creates 

mats from discarded hair to use as plant growth material. 

Recycle 

Recycling reduces energy use and saves natural resources. It also reduces landfill use and waste incineration. Recycling 

also saves money by reducing trash pickup costs. In many areas, it is the law to recycle certain materials. We are most 

familiar with the recycling of paper, aluminum, cardboard, plastics, and glass, but other materials such as cloth, rubber, 

leather, wood, yard trimmings, and steel can also be recycled. 

Depending on your area, local government or private companies may provide weekly collections or drop off recycling 

centers. If you generate a lot of material, you might be able to contract with a recycling company for pickups. In some 

cases, they may pay you for the material. If your county or city does not have a strong recycling program, encourage 

them to start one. In this situation, membership in a local business group can make the push for a better recycling 

program more effective. Some small businesses have found success building recycling programs through partnerships 

with local schools, universities, and large businesses. 

EPA’s Business Guide to Recycling can be found at epa.gov/epawaste/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/bus-guid.htm. 

To reduce waste through recycling, ask:

m	Can this product be recycled?

m	If not, can we purchase a similar product that can be recycled?

m	Do we have a good recycling program?

Composting 

Composting is a type of recycling that uses bacteria to break down organic waste into compost, which is then used 

to fertilize and improve soil. Composting waste saves room in landfills and, as a side benefit, helps decrease pests in 

dumpsters. food scraps, coffee grounds, tea bags, wood chips, leaves, and other organics are easily composted. you 

can set up composting indoors or outdoors using a compost pile or bin. To manage compost, all you have to do is 

add moisture and turn the pile regularly. your composted organic waste becomes a useful material in two to five weeks. 

If you don’t have the space to compost material, consider giving it to someone who does. A market can give scrap 

produce to farmers, and coffee shops can donate used grounds to customers. Keep in mind that plant-based plates, 

cups, and utensils made from materials like sugarcane and cornstarch can go right into your compost pile. The same 

is true for some types of packing peanuts. 

EPA has information about composting at www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/rrr/composting/by_compost.htm. 

36 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
environmental stats 

75 

66 

percent of recently 

polled consumers 

said companies 

should provide 

information on 

their environmental 

impact. 

percent of recently 

polled consumers 

said companies 

should offer green 

products.3 

To reduce waste through composting, ask: 

m	Is this an organic material that can be composted? 

m	If I must buy disposables, can I buy ones that are compostable? 

m	Can we compost on-site? 

m	Is there someone else who will take and compost the material? 

Donate 

Donating unwanted equipment and products reduces waste and also helps 

your community. In addition, you may be able to get a tax deduction. Surplus 

office and kitchen equipment, clothing, and furniture can be donated to charitable organizations. There are also home improvement thrift stores in many 

communities that accept used or surplus construction material. Community 

educational programs and county operations may accept excess paints. Many 

charities will pick-up the items so that you don’t have to transport them. 

Surplus food can be donated to food banks and scraps unfit for people can 

be donated to farms for animals. EPA offers guidance on surplus food at 

www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/organics/pubs/food-guide.pdf. 

To reduce waste through donation, ask: 

m	Could someone else use this? 

Electronic Waste 

frequent upgrades of computers, cell phones, and other electronic equipment 

are causing a growing volume of e-waste. This waste poses a particular challenge because many electronic products contain carcinogens and other toxic 

substances, such as lead and cadmium. E-waste is also a global issue when 

exported to nations with questionable environmental and safety regulations. 

If possible, donate usable equipment for re-use or for educational programs. 

Otherwise, look for environmentally-friendly disposal options. Some state and 

local governments, electronics retailers, and manufacturers offer electronics 

take-back, reuse, and recycling programs. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

OPPORTUnITIES 37 
Green purchasing is 

mindful purchasing.

EPA has created an online tool to help you find a program in your area at 

www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/donate.htm. 

for more information on electronic waste and recycling, visit EPA’s eCycling 

web site at www.epa.gov/epawaste/conserve/materials/ecycling/index.htm. 

Zero Waste 

It is possible to be a zero waste business and to host zero or near-zero waste 

conferences and meetings. The lowell folk festival in lowell, Massachusetts 

hosts over 200,000 people for their annual event. Through operational changes 

(vendors and concessionaires are prohibited from dispensing nonrecyclable 

items like polystyrene food containers), recycling, and composting, the festival 

has achieved a waste diversion rate of 95 percent (www.epa.gov/waste/conserve/rrr/rogo/documents/lowell.pdf). Challenge your employees to bring your 

business as close to zero waste as possible. 

To move toward zero waste: 

m	Design products and packaging for reuse or recycling. 

m	Create products and packaging using reclaimed or recycled materials. 

m	Use the least amount of raw materials or toxic materials possible. 

m	Do away with packaging entirely. 

m	Buy in bulk or buy products with reduced packaging. 

m	Buy products or materials that can be reused, reclaimed, or recycled. 

Purchasing

Environmentally Preferable Choices and Products 

The Issue 

Green purchasing is mindful purchasing. By choosing environmentally-preferable 

products, you can save money, reduce environmental impacts, and create a 

healthier work environment. The manufacturing, use, and disposal of consumer 

and industrial products have a significant impact on the environment. Each stage 

of a product’s life cycle can contribute to habitat loss, natural resource depletion, and pollution. Product processing, manufacturing, transportation, develop38 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
-

ment and disposal require energy and water, and cause air and water pollution, 

GHG emission, ozone depleting substances, and solid and hazardous waste. 

These impacts ultimately lead to environmental degradation and the loss of 

biodiversity. Additionally, some products are potentially harmful to employees, 

and difficult and expensive to handle and dispose of correctly. Other products 

even “off-gas” hazardous chemicals just sitting on the shelf. Green purchasing 

is the first step to minimizing these negative impacts. 

Green purchasing means buying: 

m	Recycled-content products. 

m	Environmentally-preferable products and services. 

m	Biobased products. 

m	Energy- and water-efficient products. 

m	fuel efficient vehicles and vehicles that operate with alternative fuels. 

m	Products manufactured using renewable energy. 

m	Alternatives to hazardous or toxic chemicals. 

The market for green products has expanded dramatically in recent years. 

In addition to meeting the growing demand for green products by the public, 

federal and state governments are using their enormous purchasing power 

to give a boost to the green marketplace. federal agencies are implementing 

environmental purchasing programs to meet requirements like the federal 

Executive Order 13423 Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, 

and Transportation Management. This order requires that agencies purchase 

environmentally sustainable goods and services, including products that are 

environmentally-preferable, biobased, energy efficient, water efficient, and 

made of recycled-content materials. Many state and local governments have 

similar green purchasing rules. As a result, product quality and availability have 

increased, and many green purchasing resources are now available. Private 

organizations and government agencies like EPA and Department of Energy 

(DOE) have developed product evaluation criteria and guidance for purchasing 

environmentally friendly products. 

Buying Green: EPA guidance 

EPA’s Comprehensive Procurement 

Guideline program provides guidance on buying recycled-content 

products at www.epa.gov/ 

waste/conserve/tools/cpg/ 

index.htm. 

EPA maintains a database on the 

environmental attributes of over 

600 products and services at 

yosemite1.epa.gov/oppt/epp 

stand2.nsf. 

There are EPA Energy Star qualified products in more than 60 

categories that use less energy, 

save money, and help protect the 

environment. look for products at 

www.energystar.gov/index. 

cfm?fuseaction=find_a_prod 

uct. 

The WaterSense program at EPA 

has information on water-efficient 

products at www.epa.gov/ 

watersense/pp/lists.htm. 

resources 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

OPPORTUnITIES 39 
Since employees will be responsible for implementing the procedures that will make your green purchasing program 

a success, their buy-in is critical. Whether business purchases are made by a department or just one individual, it is 

important to provide support as they change old purchasing practices to green purchasing practices. 

Buying green helps: 

m	Reduce waste at the source since green products are reusable, recyclable, and have less packaging. 

m	Reduce toxic pollution since green products are made from less toxic or non-toxic materials. 

m	Conserve energy and water since green products are made from recycled materials. 

m	Put companies in a stronger position to market to green consumers, as well as federal, state, and local 

governments. 

m	Improve employee health since green products are made with less toxic materials. 

m	Save money from increased energy and water efficiency, avoided tipping fees, buying in bulk, and reduced 

regulatory costs. 

m	Reduce greenhouse gas emissions since green products use less fuel and cleaner fuel. 

What You Can Do 

Seek Out Green Characteristics 

Recycled Content: Choose products made from recycled, reclaimed or recovered materials. look for the highest 

percentage of post-consumer recycled content. Common products are paper products like printer paper and 

cardboard, but you can also find recycled-content plastic and construction products. find information on paper 

products at www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/paper/resources/buy_recycled.htm. 

Biobased: Biobased products are made from biological materials and are usually recyclable or biodegradable. 

The USDA lists biobased products at www.biopreferred.gov. Common products are compostable sugar cane 

products like tableware, biodegradable hydraulic fluids and other lubricants, corn-based plastic conference 

badge holders, and biodegradable natural absorbents. 

Organic: Organic products are made from plants and animals produced without pesticides, fertilizers, growth 

hormones, genetic modification or antibiotics. Organic farming improves the health of the land and does not add 

toxic pesticides to the air and water. In addition to food and beverages, fabrics can also be organic. 

Energy-efficient: Some products use significantly less energy than others in their class. EPA’s Energy Star label 

indicates that the product has been evaluated by an energy performance rating system (www.energystar.gov). 

Water-efficient: look for products that use less water such as high efficiency urinals and dual-flush toilets. 

EPA’s WaterSense program certifies products that are 20 percent more water-efficient than similar products 

(www.epa.gov/watersense/). 

40 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
Clients of Dr. fred Pockrass and his wife Ina Pockrass may feel 

more like they’re in a spa than a dentist when they visit Transcendentist in Berkeley, CA. The Pockrass’ have rethought every aspect 

of general dentistry since opening their business in 2003 to make 

their practice reflect their values, and maximize patients’ wellness 

and comfort while minimizing environmental impact. As founders 

of the EcoDentistry AssociationTM (EDA), the Pockrass’ are green 

pioneers in an industry that still uses toxins such as mercury and 

many wasteful disposable products. Their commitment to environmentally friendly dentistry led them, by necessity, to a second 

business enterprise-- a line of greener dental products. Clearly 

the Pockrass’ approach is working; Transcendentist gets 30 to 40 

new clients every month with limited marketing. 

from organic toothpaste to wallpaper made from reclaimed pulp, 

the Pockrass’ have worked hard to ensure every product in their 

office is environmentally friendly. frustrated by the waste generated in a traditional dentist office where paper infection control 

products are thrown away after one use, the Pockrass’ created a 

line of reusable infection control products. They created 100% 

cotton cloth headrests to replace paper headrests and specialized fabrics to wrap sterilized instruments instead of paper or 

plastic. The cloth products are washed in an energy efficient 

washer with a sterilization cycle. A former OSHA inspector works 

with the Pockrass’ to ensure that the highest health standards are 

maintained. According to Susan Beck, EDA director and chief 

operating officer for Transcendentist, the reusable products save 

thousands of dollars a year. 

Transcendentist’s environmentally friendly products extend to a 

line of oral care products. The Eco-toothbrush and Eco-tongue 

scraper are both made from recycled yogurt cups, and they 

have a line of consumer and professional tooth care products in 

development, such as organic polishing paste. Created out of 

necessity, the Pockrass’ now sell their products to other dentists 

throughout the US who also want to be green. 

Green purchasing even extends to high-tech equipment at Transcendentist: the digital imaging machine uses 75 to 90 percent 

less radiation and requires no toxic chemicals, compared to a 

traditional x-ray machine. And of course the practice’s traditional 

office products are also green. Much of the office furniture is 

made from recycled wood and covered in natural materials. Staff 

clean with environmentally friendly cleaning products and sterilize 

instruments using steam, rather than chemicals. The flooring is 

made from natural materials and the carpeting is untreated wool. 

Transcendentist has received numerous awards and garnered 

media attention for their greening and wellness initiatives. It is the 

first dental office to be certified as a green business by the Bay 

Area Green Business Program and is winner of the Acterra Environmental Award: The Suzanne G. Wilson Award for Pollution 

Prevention and Resource Conservation. The practice has been 

featured in popular magazines and Dr. fred has been interviewed 

on television and radio. But perhaps most rewarding is the fact 

that 90 percent of the Pockrass’ clients come from referrals, and 

in post-appointment surveys, nearly every patient responds that 

they would be likely refer the practice to family and friends 

The Pockrass’ continue to set the standard for green dentistry. 

They consult with other dentists and work with dental and hygiene 

schools through the EcoDentistry AssociationTM. The EDA’s 

“GREEndoc” program provides the only national standard of 

certification for green dental practices. They believe that their approach represents the next generation of dentistry because more 

and more clients recognize and desire whole-health, eco-friendly 

dentistry. Their experience shows that doing business according to 

their values brings rewards three-fold: happier clients, healthier 

environment, and higher profits. 

for more information on Transcendentist, 

visit www.transcendentist.com. 

real success: 

a profile of Transcendentist 

Disclaimer: EPA does not endorse any commercial company, their products or services 

in any way. By including specific companies, EPA is simply providing information. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

OPPORTUnITIES 41 
fuel efficient and alternative fuel vehicles: Choose vehicles with high fuel efficiency or consider vehicles powered 

by alternative fuels. These non-petroleum fuels include biodiesel, which is made from vegetable oils, animal fats 

or recycled restaurant grease. Also included are hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, which use gasoline 

and rechargeable electric power. The Transportation Section below has more details about these options. 

Renewable energy: Purchase products manufactured using renewable energy such as solar, wind, biomass, and 

geothermal. Talk to your utility company about purchasing electricity from renewable sources, or consider creating 

your own renewable energy on-site. The energy section below has more information on renewable energy. 

Alternatives to hazardous or toxic chemicals: Avoid products that have caution, warning or danger on the label, a tip 

off that the contents are harmful. Also check Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) to find out about hazards associated 

with a product or constituent. Avoid products that contain or release: 

m	Toxic chemicals such as EPA designated toxic air pollutants like benzene, perchloroethylene, and methylene 

chloride. 

m	Ozone depleting substances such as chlorofluorocarbons (CfCs), hydrochlorfluorocarbons (HCfCs), halons, 

and methyl bromide. 

Produced locally: Products manufactured locally with local raw materials are usually environmentally preferable to 

similar products produced far away because of transportation-related impacts like carbon emissions and fuel use. 

Sustainable Companies: Purchase goods and services from companies that strive to be sustainable and conduct their 

business in an environmentally-friendly way. 

for example: 

m	look for a printing company that uses recycled paper, nontoxic inks, and renewable energy.

m	Hold your next meeting in a green meeting facility or hotel.

m	Seek out vendors that supply environmentally-preferable products.

m	Conduct business lunches at a green restaurant.

m	Use a delivery service with alternative fueled vehicles.

less Packaging or better packaging: Purchase products with less packaging or with recycled-content or biobased packaging. Work with your vendors to reduce excess packaging. 

Buy Certified 

you don’t have to analyze the impacts of every single product life cycle 

yourself to make informed green purchasing decisions. look for products 

42 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
that are certified as environmentally preferable by a reputable organization. 

By using certified products, you can avoid the appearance of greenwashing. 

Consider Product Life Cycle 

If certifications are not available and you want to make your own green 

determination, consider the four stages of a product’s life cycle before making 

a purchase. The four stages are: 

m	Raw material acquisition. 

m	Manufacturing. 

m	Use, reuse, and maintenance. 

m	Disposal. 

Energy and raw materials are inputs at each stage, while air emissions, solid 

and waterborne wastes, and other releases are outputs. you can use this list 

of questions to consider the environmental impacts at each life cycle stage: 

m	Is the product made from a natural, renewable, organic, or biobased 

resource? 

m	Does the product contain toxic chemicals? 

m	Are the product and its packaging made from recycled or reclaimed 

materials? 

m	Is it biodegradable or compostable? 

m	Is the product produced locally? 

Before you make your purchase, also consider: 

m	Can the product be reused or recycled? 

m	Can we buy the product in bulk? 

m	Do we really need to purchase this product? 

resources 

EPA provides extensive information 

on water-related issues and 

resources including sustainability 

and efficiency. 

www.epa.gov/water 

Many water resources are local so 

check with your state or local environmental agencies or utilities. DOE 

has collected links to resources on 

water best management practices at 

www.eere.energy.gov/. 

EPA offers water-efficient practices 

and tips specifically for businesses. 

www.epa.gov/watersense/ 

tips/ 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

OPPORTUnITIES 43 
environmental stats 

1 

3,000 

100 

percent of the 

world’s water 

supply is available for human 

consumption 

gallons of water 

are wasted each 

year from a faucet leaking one 

drip per second 

gallons of water 

are used by each 

American on 

average every 

day4 

WATER 

Protection, Conservation and Reuse 

The Issue 

Clean water is relatively cheap and available in many parts of the US. However, 

some areas have experienced droughts and water shortages in recent years, 

and the demand for water is rising as the population grows. This means that 

water-related issues are expected to increase in the future. In addition, water 

pollution problems persist, and the collection and treatment of water is a significant expense for local communities and uses energy. 

There are many sources of water pollution, which can affect human health, 

and harm wildlife and ecosystems. Storm water runoff carries contaminates like 

pesticides, lead, arsenic, and other toxic chemicals from land into streams and 

lakes. This includes contaminates like mercury from air pollution that settle out 

onto the ground. Some companies discharge waste directly into water. Wastewater treatment plants are not designed to remove many of the chemicals put down 

drains, and as a result, hormones and pharmaceuticals are now found in rivers 

and lakes. 

The best way to protect water is to reduce air and water pollution, and reduce 

the potential for contaminated run-off from facilities. In addition, storm water 

control can reduce compliance costs and negative impacts like erosion. 

Businesses can implement water conservation in manufacturing processes, 

plumbing, and irrigation. This helps protect water quality and can also save 

money. The less water you use, the less you have to pay for. It’s as simple as 

that. less water consumption also lowers energy costs from reduced treating, 

pumping, and heating requirements. 

What You Can Do 

Install Water-efficient Products 

Products with the WaterSense label will save water and you know they will 

perform. All WaterSense labeled products are third party tested to meet EPA’s 

criteria for water efficiency and performance. look for the WaterSense label on 

toilets, faucets, and other water-using products. 

Stop Leaks 

Conduct a water audit of your building and facilities to identify and repair leaking or older pipes. Reinforce seals to prevent leaks in the future. 

44 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
Create Catchments, Rain Gardens, and Green Roofs 

A catchment system, or rainwater harvesting, is the collection of rainwater that would otherwise runoff from the roof 

onto the ground. Collected rainwater can be used for irrigation, vehicle washing, and even for flushing toilets and other 

indoor non-potable uses. Rainwater use indoors may require a permit and, if you want to drink the water, a filtration 

system. Water harvesting is not legal in all areas because of water allocation regulations, so check with your local or 

state government. In addition to providing water for other uses, a catchment system helps slow the flow of storm water 

and prevent erosion. 

A rain garden is a garden designed to catch runoff from impervious surfaces such as parking lots, driveways, and roofs. 

Rain gardens help to control flooding, reduce erosion, and minimize irrigation. 

A green roof is a specialized roof that is planted with vegetation. Depending on the type of roof, this vegetation can 

range from grasses to actual trees. The green roof slows storm water runoff, helps cool the building which saves energy, 

and reduces the urban heat island effect. It also prolongs the life of the underlying conventional roof and turns the 

unused roof into an aesthetically pleasing amenity. A green roof can make your building distinctive and memorable, 

which differentiates you from the rest of the market. 

Appropriate Landscaping 

If your business has a landscaped area, consider planting regionally appropriate or native species that can thrive 

in local conditions with less watering or excessive maintenance. Replace lawns with plants that don’t require frequent 

mowing or clipping. The benefits of appropriate landscaping include reduced water, pesticide, and fertilizer use, 

reduced maintenance, reduced air pollution from mowers and blowers, and reduced water pollution. If you have 

an irrigation system, have it audited by a WaterSense Irrigation Partner (www.epa.gov/watersense/pp/irrprof.htm) 

who can identify and repair leaks and ensure that the system is running efficiently. 

Reduce the amount of pavement and other impervious surfaces. for example, if you have to create a parking lot or 

sidewalk consider using a pervious surface that allows storm water to pass through. This includes material like pervious 

concrete or asphalt, or permeable paver systems. 

Protect your Drains 

Don’t put chemicals down the drain. Post signs above sinks and drains in your business to ensure that employees 

and patrons do not dump chemicals in the wastewater system. 

To protect water quality and reduce water use, ask: 

m	Are we using water as efficiently as possible? 

m	Have we installed water-efficient products like WaterSense labeled products? 

m	Have we checked for and stopped all water leaks at our facilities? 

m	Have we explored ways to use storm water like irrigation? 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

OPPORTUnITIES 45 
environmental stats 

75 

45 

50 

percent less to 

operate and last 

about 10 times 

longer than 

incandescent 

bulbs 

percent of 

energy used by 

conventional 

models 

percent of electricity consumption.5 

m	Is a rain garden or green roof a possibility? 

m	What steps are we taking to reduce water use for landscaping? 

m	What steps have we taken to protect our drains? 

ENERGY 

Efficiency, Conservation, and Renewables 

The Issue 

Perhaps more than any other issue, energy has serious environmental consequences and financial impacts on your business. The vast majority of energy 

used in the United States comes from fossil fuels - petroleum, coal, and natural 

gas. fossil fuel extraction, processing, and transportation damages ecosystems 

and depletes a non-renewable resource. fossil fuel use releases greenhouse 

gases that are largely responsible for climate change, contributes to local toxic 

air pollution such as mercury and smog, and is a major cause of ecosystem 

damage around the world. 

Energy costs are also expensive and unpredictable. Energy is the largest operating expense for commercial buildings and Energy Star estimates that up to one 

third of the energy in a typical office building is wasted. With increasing fuel 

prices and unreliable energy supplies, poor energy management is a liability 

for your company. Can you compete with more efficient businesses if you are 

wasting money on energy? 

While climate change and pollution are reason enough for good corporate 

citizens to reduce energy use, there is also a strong business case for efficiency. 

Energy-efficient businesses can save significant money and maintain steady 

operating costs when energy costs are increasing. Sealing and insulating a 

drafty building, for example, can shave up to 20% off heating and cooling bills. 

Energy-efficient businesses are also better prepared for possible GHG regulations and reduced emissions can reduce compliance issues. 

A company with top energy performance can: 

m	Save money. 

m	Prepare for greenhouse gas regulation. 

m	Reduce compliance costs. 

m	Buffer increasing energy costs. 

Compact 

fluorescent light 

bulbs cost about 

Energy-efficient 

refrigerators 

and freezers 

can save over 

lighting 

accounts for 

20 to 

46 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
fit ‘n furry is a state of the art pet care facility in Petaluma, 

California that offers boarding, grooming, and training in the 

city’s first certified “All Green Commercial Building.” Because 

fit ‘n furry owners Grant and Marci Garl share “a passion for 

pets and planet,” they integrated sustainability into their business 

plan from square one. By implementing more environmentallyfriendly operations, including innovative ways to conserve water 

and choosing a sustainable design for their facility, the Garls are 

proving that green pet care equals business success. 

With the support of the City of Petaluma and the Petaluma 

Chamber of Commerce, the Garls renovated a 17,000 square 

foot green indoor facility with 153 rooms and suites for dogs, 

16 cat condos, and three play areas. To avoid the environmental 

impacts associated with new construction, the Garls retrofitted 

an existing building. They used salvaged materials as much as 

possible, including constructing play area floors from recycled 

tires. The lighting system and appliances are certified energy 

efficient and the walls contain double insulation. low VOC 

paint means fit ‘n furry’s animal guests are not exposed to 

harmful off-gassed chemicals during their stay. 

Pet care facilities typically use a lot of water to clean up after 

the animals go about their “business.” However, wise water use

 is critical for a business located in a drought prone state, such 

as California. At fit ‘n furry, floors are scrubbed using a unique 

wet and dry vacuum that “mops and scoops” simultaneously. 

This method uses ten times less water than traditional mopping. 

All faucets and sinks are fitted with low-flow devices. The use 

of biodegradable, environmentally-friendly cleaning solutions 

reduces the cleaning chemicals put down the drain. Even the 

dogs are bathed more efficiently at fit ‘n furry. The dog tub is 

fitted with a spa pump that re-circulates water to keep it from 

continuously running down the drain. 

The Garls estimate that the green design added about five 

percent to the cost of the retrofit but that the water and energyefficiency measures will save money on an ongoing basis. Plus, 

recognition as a sustainable business attracts customers who 

are concerned about the environment. As a strategic business 

decision, going green is a way to differentiate fit ‘n furry from 

competitors and fill a need in the local pet care market. Since 

fit ‘n furry’s doors opened two years ago, the steady stream 

of four-legged guests confirms that the Garls’ choice to be a 

sustainable business was a wise one. 

While greening is paying off financially, Mr. Garl believes that 

it is also the right thing to do ethically. Beyond the financial 

and market benefits, he is proud that fit ‘n furry is a safe place 

for pets and people that provides goodwill in the community. 

“long-term, we are all better off saving resources like water and 

fossil fuels. Would I encourage other business owners to go 

green? Sure!” 

for a virtual tour and more information about fit ‘n furry, visit 

www.fitnfurry.com. 

real success: 

a profile of fit ‘n furry 

Disclaimer: EPA does not endorse any commercial company, their products or services 

in any way. By including specific companies, EPA is simply providing information. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

OPPORTUnITIES 47 
-

- -

fortunately, there are many cost-effective ways to reduce energy use. Opportunities range from switching to energy-efficient light bulbs to complex alternative energy projects. The payback period for energy initiatives can range from 

months to years. Government and utility programs may help pay for energy improvements or provide tax incentives, which shortens the payback period. These 

opportunities change over time so check with your local government or utility. 

What You Can Do 

There are many actions you can take to reduce energy use, from simple behavioral changes like turning out lights, to major capital projects like installing 

alternative energy projects. An energy audit can help identify where to start 

and where to get the best return on investment. Some of the many alternatives 

are described below. 

Conduct an Energy Audit 

The best first step is to perform an energy audit on your facility. Utilities, state 

energy offices and private companies can help you find a trained professional 

to conduct an audit. However, comprehensive, affordable, competent energy 

audits are not available everywhere in the country for small businesses. If this 

is the case in your area, EnERGy STAR provides free online tools and information to achieve energy savings, basic guidance for self-assessments can be 

found at www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=assess_performance.conduct_ 

assessments. 

you can also use EnERGy STAR’s Portfolio Manager software to benchmark 

and track energy use, costs, and greenhouse gas emissions. Portfolio Manager also has the option to track water use, solid waste reuse/recycling and 

renewable energy credits. your small business can generate a Statement of 

Energy Performance which includes an energy use intensity calculation, associated greenhouse gas emissions and a national average for similar building 

types. for information on Portfolio Manager visit www.energystar.gov/index. 

cfm?c=evaluate_performance.bus_portfoliomanager. 

To strategically manage your business’ energy use, ask: 

m	Have I considered conducting an energy audit, or using a program like 

Portfolio Manager? 

m	Are there opportunities for improved energy efficiency that are not being 

realized? 

m	Are there incentive programs for improved energy efficiency? 

resources 

Energy Star 

Energy Star promotes energy-efficient products 

and practices, and provides information specifically for small businesses. 

www.energystar.gov/smallbiz 

Energy Star’s guide, Putting Energy into 

Profits: Energy Star Guide for Small Business, 

helps small businesses find funding for 

energy-saving projects. 

www.energystar.gov/smallbizguide 

Energy Star also provides free online training 

on energy efficiency. 

www.energystar.gov/training 

Business.gov 

Business.gov, the US Government’s official web 

site for small businesses, offers guidance on 

energy efficiency with information on financing 

energy projects and resources to help calculate 

the rate of return from energy upgrades. 

www.business.gov/expand/green-busi 

ness/energy efficiency/get started/ 

Department of Energy 

The Department of Energy (DOE) has financial 

opportunities for energy efficiency and renewable 

energy. www1.eere.energy.gov/financing 

DOE also has information on federal tax breaks 

for energy projects. www.energy.gov/ 

additionaltaxbreaks.htm 

48 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
HARBEC Plastics Inc., a custom-injection molder in new york, 

is an extraordinary example of how, with persistence and a commitment to overcoming challenges, any type of business can 

be sustainable. HARBEC manufactures highly-toleranced tooling, 

machined components, and quality injection-molded parts for the 

automotive, medical, aerospace, and communications industries. 

Since 1977, before “sustainability” became a household term, 

HARBEC’s founder, Bob Bechtold, was committed to minimizing 

HARBEC’s environmental footprint. According to Bechtold, innovative energy solutions and early adoption of new technologies 

have been important components of HARBEC’s green success. 

Injection molding is not an easy industry to green and HARBEC’s 

energy needs are significant. The company’s complex melting 

and freezing processes require approximately three million kWh 

of power per year. To meet this demand through green solutions, 

Bechtold combined renewable energy generation with an innovative energy management system. In 2002, he installed a 250 kW 

wind turbine at HARBEC that supplies approximately 25 percent 

of HARBEC’s electricity. In line with the company goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2016, Bechtold is considering installing 

an additional wind turbine to supply 1500 kW of clean, renewable wind power. 

HARBEC is one of the first companies in the world to successfully 

use a co-generation or combined heat and power (CHP) system 

powered completely by micro-turbines. Heat energy that would 

otherwise be wasted is used for space heating and air conditioning. HARBEC’s CHP system uses natural gas to power microturbine generators that create electricity. The hot exhaust from 

the electric generators goes to a heat exchanger that transfers 

the heat to water. The heated water then warms the building 

through a radiant in-floor heating system in winter. During summer, the hot water goes to an absorptive chiller to provide airconditioning. This system saves two to three times more energy 

than a conventional system. HARBEC’s energy use can be viewed 

in real time on the company web site. 

HARBEC also uses more conventional approaches to saving 

energy such as high efficiency lighting fixtures, motion sensor 

activated lighting, natural lighting, and double insulation. The 

company’s energy-efficiency measures extend to its vehicle fleet, 

which consists of electric, hybrid, and alternative fuel vehicles. 

Driven by a strong belief that the wise use of resources makes 

for better business, Bechtold believes that inefficiency and pollution are wastes that negatively impact profitability. While intrigued 

by the potential for renewable energy, he realized that environmentally responsible investments still required positive returns. 

By positioning HARBEC to withstand unpredictable energy prices 

and be prepared for greenhouse gas regulations, this potential 

is being realized. 

HARBEC’s energy solutions have garnered numerous awards 

and public recognition for the company. Energy efficiency improvements continue to save money and put HARBEC ahead of 

its competitors. Bechtold’s long-term thinking and triple bottom 

line philosophy have been in HARBEC’s best economic interest, 

and have also created a better work environment for employees 

through improved air quality and reduced noise in the workplace. 

A better work environment leads to improved quality, service, and 

overall value for its customers. 

Bob Bechtold believes perceived barriers to greening are a 

“cop out” in today’s world and that “it’s in your best economic 

interest....to do more with less.” He concludes: “sustainability 

is absolutely critical to [any business’] future success.” 

for more information about HARBEC Plastics Inc., 

visit www.harbec.com. 

real success: 

a profile of HARBEC Plastics Inc. 

Disclaimer: EPA does not endorse any commercial company, their products or services 

in any way. By including specific companies, EPA is simply providing information. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

OPPORTUnITIES 49 
Control the Temperature of Your Building 

Heating and cooling account for 40 to 60 percent of energy use in commercial buildings. Even minor changes, such 

as installing programmable thermostats and caulking drafty windows, can significantly improve energy efficiency. Don’t 

waste energy heating or cooling an empty building, set the thermostat to 78°f in summer and 68°f in winter an hour 

before occupancy and 10-15 degrees cooler when the building is unoccupied. 

Improve efficiency by sealing thermal leaks. Many leaks, such as those from drafty windows or poorly connected 

ducts, can be sealed at little cost. Other fixes, like repairing older windows or concealed ducts, may be costly upfront 

but can save money over the long term. Also, if it’s time to replace old windows, be sure the replacement windows 

are highly efficient. 

Routine maintenance on your HVAC system will ensure efficient functioning. Make sure your furnace, heat-pump, 

and air-conditioner filters are cleaned or replaced according to the manufacturer’s schedule. Operating an HVAC 

system with a dirty filter is comparable to driving a car up a hill with the brakes on. If your HVAC system is ten years 

or older, does not maintain a comfortable temperature, or constantly cycles on and off, it may need to be serviced, 

or even replaced with a more efficient system. 

To optimize energy conservation from building management, ask: 

m	Are programmable thermostats installed and set correctly?

m	Are all leaks and drafts sealed?

m	Have we taken all opportunities to minimize the use of the HVAC system? 

Insulation 

Properly installed insulation in walls, ceilings, and floors can significantly improve energy efficiency by preventing 

winter heat loss and summer heat gain. Common types of insulation include fiberglass, rigid foam board, spray foam, 

cellulose, and reflective insulation. The best insulation for your needs depends on multiple factors, including where 

the insulation will be placed, how much is needed, and the accessibility of the insulated space. Insulation should also 

extend to hot water pipes and ducts that run through unheated areas. 

look for insulation with a high “R-value,” or thermal resistance. The higher the R-value, the better the insulation will 

withstand heat flow. 

To increase efficiency from insulation, ask: 

m	Are buildings insulated properly?

m	Are pipes and ducts insulated properly?

m	Is there an opportunity to increase the amount of insulation?

50 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
Lighting 

lighting can account for 20 to 50 percent of your energy bill, and is one area where saving energy is easy and inexpensive. Start by replacing traditional incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps (Cfls) or light-emitting 

diodes (lEDs). Cfls may be more expensive than incandescent lamps up front, but they use 75 percent less energy than 

incandescent, last up to ten times longer, and can save about $30 over the life of the bulb, not including maintenance 

costs for bulb replacement. for existing tube fluorescent lamps, upgrading the tubes, installing reflectors, and changing 

diffusers all save energy. There are an increasing number of lED light options. lEDs use 50 percent less energy than 

fluorescent lights and last even longer, which also saves on maintenance costs. 

There are also ways to reduce your artificial lighting requirements. Consider better use of free natural daylight, which 

has been shown to improve employee morale and productivity. Skylights and light tubes bring light but not heat into 

interior spaces. Motion sensors and timers are a good option for areas like restrooms and closets, and for security 

lighting. 

Many buildings have more fixtures than necessary, meaning that some fluorescent tubes can be removed without 

affecting light quality. A light meter used during an audit can measure light intensity to show if delamping is an option. 

To reduce energy use from lighting, ask: 

m	Are lights turned off consistently when not needed or are motion sensors or timers installed? 

m	Are incandescent bulbs replaced with more efficient Cfls or lEDs? 

m	Are energy savings optimized by using the lowest wattage bulbs necessary? 

m	Is natural daylight used when possible? 

Unplug 

Adapters, chargers, and appliances with digital displays draw energy even when “off.” Make it company policy to unplug and switch off chargers and appliances when not in use. Power strips make it easy to turn off everything at once 

at the end of the day and some can sense when appliances are not in use and shut down automatically. 

To save energy from appliances, ask: 

m	Is it necessary to leave this appliance turned on or plugged in? 

m	Would a smarter power strip make sense to turn off appliances when not in use? 

Use Energy-efficient Appliances, Electronics, and Devices 

The replacement of older appliances and electronics with certified energy-efficient appliances, such as Energy Star 

qualified products, can lead to significant savings. While efficient appliances may have higher upfront costs, the payback from energy savings may be short. Energy Star estimates that the payback for new commercial freezers is a little 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

OPPORTUnITIES 51 
over a year. In many areas, rebates or tax credits are available for the purchase of more efficient appliances or retrofit 

of existing ones. 

Some products, such as computers and monitors, require enabling of their energy-saving features. follow the instructions for enabling energy-savings features and ask your employees to do the same. 

There are also special devices that can save energy. low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators reduce hot water 

use and therefore the energy required to heat the water. Anti-sweat heater controls on glass-fronted refrigerators and 

“vendor misers” that power-down vending machines when no one is around can save significant energy. 

Another energy-saving option is to turn down the temperature of your water heater to 120°f. for basic office and 

bathroom uses, your employees and clients have the same comfort but your business will be saving energy. 

To save energy from appliances and electronics, ask: 

m	Are my business’ appliances and electronics energy efficient?

m	Are energy-saving features enabled?

m	What is the savings from replacing old appliances with certified energy efficient ones?

m	Can existing appliances be retrofitted with controls to be more efficient?

Switch to Renewables 

Renewable energy, or green power, is energy created from resources other than fossil fuels and includes solar, wind, 

geothermal, and biomass. Opportunities for small businesses to adopt renewable energy technologies are more widely 

available and realistic than ever before. While there are up-front costs when installing renewable technologies, they can 

ensure your energy costs remain constant and predictable in volatile times. The national Renewable Energy laboratory 

provides information on renewable energy for small businesses at www.nrel.gov/learning/small_business.html. 

There are many ways to harness energy from the sun. Active solar technologies like photovoltaic cells convert sunlight 

into electricity and can put a useless space like your roof to work. In some areas, power utilities must buy back energy 

from customers so you may be able to get paid for your excess energy. Passive solar technologies include solar hot 

water heaters that use the sun to heat water as it passes through flat-plate collectors. Passive solar design is a building 

design strategy that optimizes exposure to the sun’s warmth. Most of these technologies can be retrofitted into existing 

buildings. 

A small wind system that uses turbines to convert wind energy to electricity may be an option for your business. The 

ability to power your business with an on-site wind turbine will depend on the wind potential at your location, available 

space to install the tower, and local zoning regulations. 

Other renewable technology options include geothermal energy and biomass. Geothermal heat pumps utilize the 

constant temperature below the ground and are far more energy efficient than traditional heating systems. A heat 

52 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
exchanger moves heat from the ground into the indoor air system during the winter and reverses this process in the 

summer. Biomass refers to plants or plant materials like wood, corn, or algae that can be used as an energy source, 

or “bio-fuel.” Biomass can be used to create petroleum substitutes like biodiesel, or to power generators through 

gasification or anaerobic digestion. 

you can support the growth of the renewable energy sector and offset your energy use with renewable energy 

certificates (RECs) or green tags. This is not the same as carbon offsets. An REC is created when renewable energy 

is generated. When you purchase an REC, you are, in effect, purchasing the green energy. EPA’s Guide to Purchasing 

Green Power has information on RECs at www.epa.gov/greenpower/buygp/guide.htm. 

To improve energy efficiency through use of renewable energy technologies, ask: 

m	How will unpredictable energy prices affect my business? 

m	Could my business benefit from renewable energy production? 

m	What is the potential for renewable energy production on-site? 

Transportation

Alternative Options and Vehicles 

The Issue 

Vehicles impact the environment and our health throughout their life cycle. from production to disposal, cars and 

trucks release pollution that contributes to climate change and toxic air pollution. Most vehicle pollution occurs during 

driving. Vehicles burn fuel and release CO2, the most prevalent GHG, and pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (nOx), 

sulfur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and fine airborne particles called 

particulate matter (PM). Vehicle emissions also contribute to smog (ground level ozone). These air pollutants can cause 

cancer and contribute to other health problems such as stroke, lung disease, and heart disease, in addition to negative 

environmental effects. Additionally, long driving commutes can have negative health impacts on employees, including 

sleep disorders, weight gain, and exposure to air pollution. 

Automobile manufacturing requires raw materials such as steel, aluminum, copper, and plastic (which is derived from 

petroleum). Once manufactured, vehicles require gasoline and diesel fuel to operate. Manufacturing, and fuel production and distribution consume vast amounts of energy and release significant pollution into the environment. 

Transportation includes business activities like deliveries, shipping, employee travel, and employee commuting. Increasing and fluctuating fuel costs makes budgeting difficult and can turn a profitable year red. Green solutions range from 

replacing current vehicles with more efficient or alternative fuel vehicles, to evaluating your transportation needs to 

make your business processes more efficient (e.g., shipping by train rather than truck or using electronic technology 

as an alternative to traveling and commuting). 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

OPPORTUnITIES 53 
resources 

EPA and DOE have teamed 

up to provide consumers with 

information on fuel economy, 

transportation environmental 

impacts, fuel use calculations, 

and more. 

www.fueleconomy.gov 

EPA’s Green Vehicle Guide 

allows users to compare environmental performance across 

vehicle classes. www.epa. 

gov/greenvehicles 

The Alternative fuels and 

Advanced Vehicles Data Center 

is a clearinghouse sponsored 

by the DOE with information 

on fuels, vehicles, and transportation laws and incentives. 

www.afdc.energy.gov/ 

afdc/about.html 

fuel savings can come from simple changes, like slowing down. EPA’s Smartway 

program estimates a seven percent reduction in fuel use and GHG emissions 

for every five miles per hour reduction of highway speed. Stop idling. A report 

from the Argonne national laboratory estimated that the 13 million light- and 

medium-duty trucks in the U.S. waste more than 600 million gallons of fuel per 

year when idling. Drive smart. Better driving can increase fuel economy by ten 

percent. 

Do you have a good understanding of the transportation habits and needs of 

your business so that you can increase efficiency and reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT)? Is every single pick-up, delivery, and business trip absolutely 

necessary? Can trips be avoided, combined, or eliminated? Small companies 

can rack up big savings with improved efficiency and a more efficient company 

is a more competitive company. 

What You Can Do 

Reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) 

Perhaps the cheapest way to reduce the environmental impact of transportation 

is to drive less. fewer miles equals less pollution and lower costs for you. Good 

planning, optimization of trips, taking public transportation, and always asking 

“Is this trip necessary” can all reduce your VMT. 

Reduce Employee Commuting 

Every vehicle mile not traveled saves money, prevents vehicle wear and tear, 

reduces pollution, and improves employee health. Encourage your employees 

to use public transportation for commuting and business trips. Public transportation also reduces stress and allows for time to read, relax, or work. If possible, 

locate your business near public transportation or provide a shuttle to and from 

rail or bus stations. 

To encourage public transportaton you may want to help cover employees’ fares 

or have a monthly raffle where employees enter their ticket stubs into a prize 

drawing. Make it a contest – at the end of every month, tally the financial and 

GHG emissions savings from avoided miles driven. Some areas have before-tax 

accounts for commuting costs and other incentives to help employers encourage 

employees to use public transit. 

54 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
Encourage employees to bike or walk to work. The exercise will improve health and make a more productive workforce. 

Provide bike racks, showers or changing facilities, or even bikes to encourage employees to avoid commuting by car. 

Car and vanpooling are also good options. Sharing the commute reduces the number of vehicles on the road which 

saves energy and money, reduces air 

pollution, and reduces congestion. There are many resources for how to design 

incentives to encourage carpooling or your local government may provide 

incentives. Ride-sharing programs help commuters connect online to organize carpools. There are several national sites 

or search the web for a local site that covers your community. 

Telecommuting 

More and more companies are using telecommuting to reduce costs, improve morale, and provide a low-cost 

employee benefit that helps attract and retain employees. Telecommuting also prevents interruptions to work caused 

by winter weather or the need to stay home with sick children. And of course, telecommuting employees don’t contribute to VMT. Obviously, some jobs, like auto mechanic, don’t qualify for telecommuting, but employees in many jobs 

can successfully telecommute one or more days each week. Some companies have telecommuting employees share 

desks to reduce office space, which reduces energy and overhead costs. 

To reduce environmental impacts from commuting, ask: 

m	Have I helped my employees reduce their commuting VMT? 

m	What are the public transportation options? 

m	How can I encourage employees to use public transportation? 

m	How can I promote walking or biking to work? 

m	What are the possibilities that staff can carpool together? 

m	Is telecommuting an option for my business? 

Reduce Business Travel 

Business travel, especially air travel, is costly to the environment and the bottom line. Make sure that business trips are 

necessary, take public transportation or car pool, don’t send more staff than needed, and cluster trips when possible. 

Consider virtual meetings instead of face-to-face meetings. Everyone is familiar with conference calls, but now you can 

also use web conferencing or webinars to share information while you talk. Teleconferencing with video is also possible, 

although it requires an investment in video-conferencing equipment. Virtual meetings save energy and prevent harmful 

emissions, while saving time and money on transportation, accommodations, and food. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

OPPORTUnITIES 55 
environmental stats 

30 

75 

1/3 

MPG vehicles can 

save $513 a year 

over vehicles that get 

20 MPG6 

percent more carbon 

dioxide emissions are 

reduced with B100 

biodiesel compared 

with petroleum diesel7 

of energy-related 

greenhouse gas emissions in the US come 

from transportation8 

To reduce environmental impacts from business travel, ask: 

m	Is this trip absolutely necessary? 

m	Can trips be combined? 

m	What are the options for holding virtual meetings? 

Improve Transportation Efficiency and Reduce Petroleum 

Consumption 

Right-size Your Vehicles 

Do you really need that truck for visiting clients? Often businesses have larger 

or more powerful vehicles than are needed to accomplish their business purposes, which wastes fuel and money. In addition to higher fuel needs, larger vehicles 

often have greater upfront and insurance costs. Don’t get a truck or an SUV 

if a car will work. Don’t go for a vehicle with a six-cylinder engine when a fourcylinder is sufficient. Getting the right vehicle and the most fuel-efficient vehicle 

in the class you need can reduce environmental impact and save you money. 

Switch to Alternative Fuel Vehicles 

If you operate a vehicle fleet, consider alternative fuel vehicles (AfVs). AfVs 

can run on fuels other than petroleum such as biodiesel, compressed natural 

gas (CnG), liquid petroleum gas (lPG), and electricity. 

Consider switching to hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), which are powered by 

a conventional gasoline engine combined with a rechargeable battery-powered 

electric motor. Electric vehicles reduce fossil fuel consumption and are cleaner 

than traditional gasoline powered vehicles. 

The federal government provides incentives to promote the purchase of greener 

vehicles. The DOE lists government incentives at www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/ 

incentives_laws.html. Some states and local governments also offer incentives, 

such as Illinois which offers rebates through their Green fleets program. 

Maintain Your Vehicles 

Proper maintenance can prolong the life of your vehicles and reduce the 

release of pollutants. A properly tuned engine and appropriate tire pressure 

help a vehicle run more efficiently and save many gallons of fuel over time 

Reduce Idling 

Institute a no idling policy for your vehicle fleet and other delivery trucks at your 

facility. Many communities are passing no idling regulations so this may become 

a legal requirement in your area. 

56 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
RainTube of Jacksonville, Oregon started with a simple concept: 

preventing damage from gutters is good for homeowners and 

the environment. Every year non-working gutters overflow and 

flood, causing as much damage to houses as two or three big 

natural disasters. This costs homeowners millions of dollars in 

repairs. There is also an environmental cost incurred through 

the use of new materials and energy for making the replacement 

gutters. This problem led to the development of a simple product 

- RainTubes. Co-founders Steve Spratt and Bill Savage decided 

that a green product required a green company, so they designed 

RainTube from product design to transportation strategies around 

transparency and eco-friendliness. 

The RainTube product starts with a simple material with a 

complicated name: High-Density PolyEthylene (HDPE). This 

familiar plastic, which is used to make milk jugs and detergent 

bottles, will last 3,000 years or more in a landfill. When recycled 

as the main component of a RainTube, however, waste HDPE 

is put to good use protecting houses. RainTube’s Gold Tier Cradle-To-Cradle Certification from MBDC reflects the company’s 

commitment to sustainability. This rigorous certification looks 

at production elements such as environmentally safe and healthy 

materials, design for reutilization (e.g., recycling or composting), 

renewable energy use, energy and water efficiency, plus company 

strategies for social responsibility. RainTube is one of fewer than 

20 companies worldwide with a Gold certification level product. 

RainTube has a positive impact on the environment by taking a 

material out of the waste stream and helping protect homes. The 

company also works to reduce its negative environmental impacts. To minimize pollution and energy use from transportation, 

RainTube located its main plant close to recycling centers, the 

source for the main component material of RainTubes, and runs 

company vehicles on biodiesel. This left the biggest transportation 

issue: shipping the products to installers and retail stores. 

To avoid impacts from shipping large quantities of finished product, RainTube partnered with factories across the country. When 

RainTube has a large order, they ship the product molds rather 

real success: 

a profile of RainTube 

than the product to a partner factory. The factory uses the molds 

to manufacture RainTubes with the same specifications as the 

main plant. By manufacturing and distributing RainTubes close 

to the end user, the environmental impact of transportation 

is greatly reduced and the company saves significant money in 

shipping costs. 

Sustainability does not stop with manufacturing and transportation; it is part of every aspect of RainTube and is even documented in company policy. The company reduced storm water runoff 

at their office by eliminating pavement around the building, and 

catching rainwater to water the lawn (future plans are to use the 

rain water for flushing toilets). RainTube’s success demonstrates 

how creativity, like the solution to implement product shipping, 

can reduce environmental impacts and benefit the company. 

for more information on RainTube visit www.raintube.com. 

Disclaimer: EPA does not endorse any commercial company, their products or services 

in any way. By including specific companies, EPA is simply providing information. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

OPPORTUnITIES 57 
Choose Green Shippers 

If possible, work with shipping companies that are greener than average, like members of EPA’s SmartWay program 

(www.epa.gov/otaq/smartway). Companies that participate in SmartWay Transport programs save money, reduce fuel 

consumption and are recognized for their social responsibility and leadership. Ship by rail, as railroads can be three 

times more fuel efficient than trucks. 

To reduce your business’ environmental impact from transportation, ask: 

m	Do I really need to make this trip or can I optimize it? 

m	Have I chosen the most efficient vehicle? 

m	Have I chosen the most efficient route? 

m	What is the greenest vehicle that will meet my business needs? 

Communicating

your efforts 

The Issue 

Communicating your environmental successes can yield multiple benefits, both externally and internally. External 

benefits to marketing the environmental performance of your business include establishing credibility, demonstrating 

leadership in the community and in your sector, and possibly motivating other companies (and individuals) to go green. 

Reporting externally also demonstrates transparency, an important element of corporate social responsibility. 

Internally reporting your business’ environmental performance can encourage continual improvement. It helps to ensure 

staff members understand the importance of greening and how they can personally contribute to improving greening 

efforts. Evaluating results and highlighting successes provides incentives to maintain momentum and keep up the good 

work. Regular communication about the company’s environmental programs also demonstrates management’s commitment to sustainability. 

What You Can Do 

Understand Your Environmental Performance 

Good communication requires good data. you must measure your results in order to report on them. Many performance-based and certification programs require documentation, and quantitative data makes your reports more 

compelling and protects you from charges of greenwashing. If you don’t measure, you can’t evaluate your efforts to 

know what to continue doing, and what to change. you may already track Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), such as 

the number of new customers each month or product quality, to evaluate progress towards other financial or business 

goals. If you haven’t done so already, include environmental metrics in your core KPIs. When selecting measures, focus 

on outcomes. you can count how many light bulbs you replace but the real measure is how much energy is saved. 

58 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
Avoid Greenwashing 

Greenwashing is a new term for an old issue - companies making claims that are exaggerated or untrue. Many consumers are skeptical from hearing extravagant claims, like companies proclaiming they have gone carbon negative 

(actually absorbing more carbon than their activities release). Don’t over-state your progress. If you’ve increased the 

recycled content of your product from four to six percent, tell you customers it has increased by two percent rather than 

by a third. Measuring your results, not over-claiming the benefits, and opting for third party evaluations are all ways 

to avoid the greenwashing label. This is important so that you and your industry don’t lose the trust of customers and 

the benefit of marketing to the environmentally aware. 

Reporting 

There are many ways to communicate your efforts. formal reports, informal marketing material, articles, certifications, 

and membership in performance-based organizations are all ways to get the word out about your greening initiatives. 

The best approach depends on your size, goals, and industry, and will likely be a mix. Before making a decision on 

how to communicate your performance, look at what other companies are doing. Then ask: 

m	Who am I trying to reach (customers, employees, investors, or other stakeholders)? 

m	What do I want them to know about my company’s greening efforts? 

m	What are my goals (promote the company, motivate performance, or attract a specific customer)? 

m	What approach will best help me reach my goals? 

Informal Reporting 

you can cost effectively communicate your greening efforts informally through brochures, newsletters, web sites, and 

other marketing materials. Informal materials are appealing to the public and retail customers who generally don’t 

want to wade through long, detailed reports. Pictura Graphics provides information on the environmental benefits 

of the company’s “eco” line of products on their web site. Informal summaries can complement more detailed formal 

reports. Informal material is also a good way to provide feedback and recognition for employees. 

Formal Reporting 

Many companies, mostly larger corporations, publish a formal environmental or sustainability report. There is no one 

reporting standard, although several organizations publish guidelines. A well-documented formal report provides strong 

evidence for your environmental claims and communicates that you are serious about your environmental performance. 

formal reports are often targeted towards investors, corporate clients, and government agencies, and may be too 

detailed or technical to appeal to the public, community, or employees. 

On the downside, comprehensive reports can be expensive to produce and can hurt your credibility if you don’t meet 

your environmental goals, or don’t have much to report. Some companies avoid these issues by producing an environmental report every other year. It is also important to report on real results and not cover weak data with flowery 

language or confusing data. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

OPPORTUnITIES 59 
Environmental reports focus on environmental impacts while sustainability reports include the triple bottom line elements: people, economy, and the environment. The goal of sustainability reporting is to provide the same transparency 

for sustainability metrics as in financial statements. There is no required standard for sustainability reports, but organizations like the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) have developed widely used reporting frameworks (www.epa.gov/p2/ 

pubs/resources/p2meas_gri.htm). Using an accepted framework gives your report credibility. 

If you are considering an environmental or sustainability report: 

m	Have you looked at reports from other companies? (A report that you like from a similar type and size 

of company can be a template for your report.) 

m	Do you know your target audience for the report? (This will drive the content and complexity of the report.) 

m	What are your goals for the report? 

m	Do you collect the data required for the report? 

Certification Programs 

A certification is an independent third-party assessment that a product, service, or business meets a set of criteria. 

Certifications range significantly in scope and rigorousness. Some have different levels, like silver, gold, and 

platinum. Certifying organizations vary widely in the cost, credibility, and visibility of their certification process. 

Some purchasers, like the federal government, require certification to support claims of environmentally-preferable 

products. Companies looking to “green their supply chain” may also require their suppliers to obtain certifications. 

The decision to obtain certifications and the type of certification depends on your goals and your clients’ needs. 

Generally, the more rigorous the certification, and the better known and respected the organization, the more valuable 

the certification. A credible certification can prevent the perception of greenwashing. However, if your goal is to market 

to the public and help promote sustainability, certification as a green business from a local non-profit may be the right 

choice. fit ‘n furry chose to stay local and is certified as a green building by the city of Petaluma, California, rather 

than by the U.S. Green Building Council. If you are considering certifications, you should: 

m	Determine your goals (required by clients, marketing to the public). 

m	Ask your clients what certifications they require or respect. 

m	Research certifying organizations. 

60 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
As sister-in-laws, Jan Byrnes and Colleen Byrnes share more than 

family, they both care deeply about the environment and they 

both wanted to make a difference. So in 2007, Jan and Colleen 

founded A World Of Green llCTM a florida certified Minority 

Women Owned Business that is a member of GreenAmerica. The 

company began as a supplier of green cleaning products. However, Jan and Colleen soon found that customers really wanted 

a supply of green information. As a result, they restructured the 

business into a consulting company that helps organizations integrate environmental stewardship into their operations. 

To overcome the common perception that going green is expensive, A World Of Green’s signature seminar, “Save Money 

by Going Green,” focuses on low and no cost ways to green 

an organization and save money. for example, a company with 

20 employees can save $1,400 a year from a small behavior 

change: turning off computers every night. The seminar covers 

a wide range of topics like energy, purchasing, and waste. Jan 

and Colleen offer customized seminars for different industries 

like food service or bowling (and yes—you can recycle bowling 

balls!). 

A World Of Green also works with local governments to help 

them implement sustainability strategies and get recognition for 

their environmental leadership. In South Daytona, the city fleet 

manager, partnering with A World Of Green, found a low-cost 

solution to truck idling during maintenance stops. To operate 

flashing safety lights, staff routinely left trucks running. The fleet 

manager and A World Of Green found inexpensive strobe lights 

with rechargeable batteries, that fit in traffic cones. The crews still 

have safety lights, they don’t have to breathe diesel exhaust, and 

the city saves thousands of dollars annually. 

real success: 

a profile of A World of Green 

Implementing sustainable solutions can bring recognition. Cities 

and counties in florida that practice environmental stewardship 

can apply for The florida Green Building Coalition Green local 

Government certification. To qualify, the government must document a comprehensive list of criteria. A World Of Green helps with 

this process by evaluating departments, making recommendations, 

and conducting the certification assessment. A World Of Green 

helps governments get greener faster and more comprehensively, 

which translates into more efficient operations and, is increasingly, 

a condition of local government grants. 

Jan and Colleen are currently designing a webinar on green jobs 

for women. Talk of green jobs has centered on tool belt jobs like 

construction. The A World Of Green webinar will explore how 

green jobs are broader and encompass areas like green purchasing. They believe that training in greening can provide women 

with the job skills to take advantage of this new marketplace. 

Where does this drive to make a difference come from? Jan Byrnes 

and Colleen Byrnes both credit their parents for their appreciation of the environment. Every summer, Colleen’s family traveled 

around the country, camping along the way. Jan’s family also 

camped and enjoyed nature; she was six months old on her first 

fishing trip. She recalls her father stopping at every roadside geological and historical marker. These experiences gave both women 

an understanding of the environment and the desire to protect it. 

A mission that is evident in A World of Green. for more information about A World of Green, visit www.aworldofgreen.com. 

Disclaimer: EPA does not endorse any commercial company, their products or services 

in any way. By including specific companies, EPA is simply providing information. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

OPPORTUnITIES 61 
Performance-based Membership Organizations 

There are membership programs offered by government (federal, state, or local) 

and private organizations to recognize superior environmental performance. 

Membership requirements typically include a set of criteria and often require 

ongoing performance evaluations. for example, EPA Climate leaders members 

must commit to measuring, tracking, and reducing their GHG emissions and 

reporting annually on their progress. Programs sponsored by regulatory agencies 

typically stress compliance with environmental laws. like certifications, the programs vary widely so you need to consider your goals and the credibility 

of the organization. 

Most programs provide free publicity. They list participants on their web site, 

send out press releases, and supply plaques and certificates to post at your 

business. Some membership organizations include members in green directories 

or web sites. Government programs may also provide regulatory benefits such 

as reduced cost permits. 

If you are thinking of a performance-based program, have you: 

m	Determined your goals (regulatory issues, marketing to the public)? 

m	Asked your clients what programs they require or respect? 

m	Researched organizations and programs? 

Be a Leader 

One of the best ways to promote your environmental performance is to take a 

leadership role in promoting green businesses. Bob Anderson from AJ’s Auto 

Repair benefited from free publicity after participating in pilot programs with the 

regulatory agency. Bob Bechtold and his company HARBEC Plastics are regularly profiled in industry publications and Bob is frequently invited to speak at 

conferences. Being a leader is often rewarded with awards, articles, and press 

releases. While being a leader is good for business, the best reward is promoting ideals that you believe in. 

performance programs 

Check with your state environmental regulatory agency for performance programs in 

your area. 

Government programs can be sector specific, 

like Vermont’s Green Hotel Program (www. 

vtgreenhotels.org). Member hotels adopt 

a set of core environmental standards and 

to qualify for the top level the hotel must 

meet additional standards and create an 

environmental management plan. 

certification resources 

There are certification organizations for 

specific sectors and products such as the 

U.S. Green Building Council with a focus 

on buildings, the forest Stewardship Council 

for wood products, and Green Seal which 

sets standards for a wide variety of products. 

for more information and links, visit www. 

business.gov/expand/green-business/green-marketing/green-certification.html. 

62 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
We hope that this guide will help you achieve your vision and 

turn your business green. The process of becoming sustainable 

may not always be easy or the decisions clear, but your efforts 

are important. You will give consumers a greener option and 

lead other businesses toward sustainability. As the case studies 

in this guide show, sustainability can also make your business 

more profitable and secure. 

Don’t forget to: 

• Include sustainability in all of your decisions and actions. 

• Communicate your efforts. 

• Be a leader in your industry and community. 

• Always strive for improvement. 

Good luck on your efforts to make your business more 

sustainable. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

COnClUSIOn 63 
Definitions 

Alternative fuels – non-petroleum fuels, defined by the Energy Policy Act of 1992 to include biodiesel, 

electricity, ethanol, hydrogen, methanol, natural gas, and propane. They may or may not be considered renewable 

(see Renewable energy below). for example, biodiesel and ethanol are renewable fuels, while propane and natural 

gas are non-renewable. 

Beyond compliance – Achieving above the minimum results required by environmental law. 

Biodiesel – Renewable fuel made from agricultural resources such as vegetable oils, including soybean oil, canola 

oil, and sunflower oil. Biodiesel is also made from recycled cooking oils and animal fats. 

Carbon footprint – The sum total of an entity’s greenhouse gas emissions, usually given in carbon dioxide 

equivalents (CO2e). Usually calculated from a greenhouse gas inventory, which is a quantitative estimate of an 

organization’s greenhouse gas emissions and sinks. 

Climate change – The significant change from one climatic condition, such as temperature or precipitation, 

to another that lasts for an extended period of time (decades or longer). Climate change can result from natural 

factors, such as changes in the sun’s intensity and ocean circulation, or human activities, such as burning fossil fuels 

and deforestation. 

Environmental footprint – The total environmental impact of an organization’s or individual’s activities. 

Environmental Management Systems (EMS) – A structured set of processes used by an organization 

to systematically improve environmental performance. 

appendix A

64 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
Environmentally-preferable purchasing (EPP) – Purchasing decisions that include environmental considerations, 

also known as green purchasing. 

Global warming – An average increase in temperature near the Earth’s surface, possibly leading to changes 

in global climate patterns. Global warming is commonly attributed to emissions of greenhouse gases from human 

activities. 

Green purchasing – Purchasing decisions that include environmental considerations, also known as environmentallypreferable purchasing. 

Greenhouse gas (GHG) – A gas with heat-trapping ability that can contribute to climate change. The six main 

greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, hydrofluorocarbons, and 

perfluorocarbons. 

Greenwashing – Misrepresenting or making unsubstantiated or irrelevant claims about the environmental attributes 

of a product, service or organization. 

Life cycle analysis – Analysis of the environmental impacts of all stages of a product’s existence including resource 

extraction, production, transportation, marketing, use, and disposal. 

Particulate matter (PM) – A regulated air pollutant composed of tiny particles from a variety of sources. 

Post-consumer content – The amount of material that was diverted from the waste stream after use as a consumer 

product. 

Recycled-content – The amount of material in a product that was diverted from the waste stream. 

Renewable energy – Energy resources such as wind energy, solar energy, biomass, hydropower, and geothermal 

energy that renew or replenish naturally in a relatively short period of time. 

Sustainability – Balancing environmental protection, economic growth, and social responsibility to ensure an 

improved quality of life in the present and in the future. 

Triple bottom line – A measure of business success that considers environmental and social performance in addition 

to financial performance. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

APPEnDIX A 65 
appendix 1

Resources 

Regulatory Compliance 

The Small Business Environmental Home Page 

www.smallbiz-enviroweb.org/ 

Resource funded by EPA Small Business Ombudsman with information on a wide range of environmental 

topics for small businesses and assistance providers. 

EPA Small Business Compliance and Enforcement 

www.epa.gov/compliance/incentives/smallbusiness/ 

Resources and links to promote environmental compliance among small businesses. 

Energy 

US Department of Energy (DOE) 

www.energy.gov 

DOE has information on renewable energy, energy efficiency, emissions reductions, environmental impacts 

from energy use, long-term energy trends and data, and more. 

Energy Star 

www.energystar.gov 

EPA and DOE’s Energy Star program provides information and guidance on energy-efficient products and 

practices. 

General Business 

Environmental Management Systems (EMS) 

www.epa.gov/OW-OWM.html/iso14001/index.htm 

EPA’s guidance on environmental management systems. 

appendix B

66 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
EPA for Businesses and Non-profits 

www.epa.gov/epahome/business.htm 

EPA resources and links for businesses and non-profit organizations. 

Good Jobs, Safe Jobs, Green Jobs 

www.dol.gov/dol/green 

Department of labor website with information about green jobs. 

Go Green: GSA Environmental Initiatives 

www.gsa.gov/Portal/gsa/ep/contentView.do?contentType=GSA_OVERVIEW&contentId=28460 

U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) website with information on areas such as buying green 

with GSA and green facilities. 

Green Purchasing 

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Database 

yosemite1.epa.gov/oppt/eppstand2.nsf 

EPA maintains a database on the environmental attributes of over 600 products and services. 

Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Tools 

www.epa.gov/epp/ 

EPA’s EPP page has information on general and product-specific purchasing tools, guidance for federal 

purchasers, information for vendors, and information on finding and evaluating green products. 

Product Certifications 

BioPreferred 

www.biopreferred.gov 

USDA catalog of biobased products that are made in whole or in part from biological products, forestry 

materials, or renewable domestic agricultural materials, including plant, animal, or marine materials. 

Design for the Environment (DfE) 

www.epa.gov/opptintr/dfe/pubs/projects/formulat/formpart.htm 

DfE is an EPA program that recognizes business partners that demonstrate leadership in designing 

products that are safe and environmentally friendly. 

EcoLogo 

www.energystar.gov/products 

Ecologo is a certification program for environmentally-preferable products developed by the Canadian 

government for 120 categories of products. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

APPEnDIX B 67 
business.gov 

www.business.gov/expand/green-business/green-marketing/green-certification.html 

Provides information and links on green certification and ecolabeling. 

EPA - Environmentally Preferable Purchasing (EPP) 

www.epa.gov/epp/pubs/otherepp.htm 

links to national and international organizations committed to developing environmentally preferable 

purchasing standards and products, and/or promoting environmentally preferable purchasing practices. 

USDA Organic 

www.usda.gov 

The US Department of Agriculture certifies organic goods made from plants and animals produced 

without using traditional pesticides, fertilizers, growth hormones, genetic modification, or antibiotics. 

Sector-specific 

EPA National Clean Diesel Campaign’s Clean Construction USA 

www.epa.gov/otaq/diesel/construction/index.htm 

Clean Construction USA, part of the national Clean Diesel Campaign (nCDC), is an innovative program designed to promote the reduction of diesel emissions from construction equipment and vehicles. 

Protect the Environment: At Work 

www.epa.gov/epahome/workplac.htm 

EPA’s guide offers environmentally-friendly practices for the office workplace. 

Retail Industry Portal 

www.epa.gov/retailindustry 

EPA’s online source for information on environmental compliance and sustainability for retailers. 

Lean 

www.epa.gov/lean/ 

Guidance on methods for reducing waste for the manufacturing sector. 

68 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 
Transportation 

Fueleconomy.Gov 

www.fueleconomy.gov 

EPA and DOE provides information on fuel economy, fuel saving tips, transportation environmental 

impacts, fuel use calculations, and more. 

Green Vehicle Guide 

www.epa.gov/greenvehicles 

Interactive online tool to compare environmental performance across vehicle classes. 

Alternative Fuels and Advanced Vehicles Data Center 

www.afdc.energy.gov/afdc/about.html 

Clearinghouse of transportation publications, tools, data, and related information sponsored by the 

DOE. 

SmartWay Transport Partnership 

www.epa.gov/smartway/index.htm 

EPA’s SmartWay brand identifies products and services that reduce transportation-related emissions. 

Waste 

Waste 

epa.gov/epawaste/ 

EPA’s comprehensive source for information on waste reduction and recycling. 

WasteWise 

www.epa.gov/epawaste/partnerships/wastewise/index.htm 

EPA’s voluntary municipal solid waste reduction partnership program for businesses, local governments, 

and non-profit organizations. 

Pollution Prevention (P2) 

www.epa.gov/p2 

EPA’s P2 program helps reduce waste at the source; information on pollution prevention strategies such 

as modifying production processes, conservation, non-toxic chemicals, and re-use. 

www.epa.gov/osbp/ 

APPEnDIX B 69 
Water 

Water 

www.epa.gov/water 

EPA provides information on water-related issues and resources including sustainability and efficiency. 

WaterSense 

www.epa.gov/watersense 

EPA’s WaterSense Program promotes water-efficient products through the WaterSense label and partners 

with businesses and non-profit organizations to bring water-efficient products to market. 

References 

1

 Manget, Joe, Catherine Roche, and Felix Munnich. January 2008. Capturing the Green Advantage for Consumer Companies. The 

Boston 

Consulting Group, Inc. www.bcg.com/impact_expertise/publications/files/Capturing_Green_Advantage_Consumer_Companies_Jan_2009.pdf 

2

 Municipal Solid Waste in the United States. 2007 Facts and Figures. U. S. EPA. Office of Solid Waste. EPA530-R-08-010. November 2008. 

3

 Manget, Joe, Catherine Roche, and Felix Munnich. January 2008. Capturing the Green Advantage for Consumer Companies. The 

Boston 

Consulting Group, Inc. www.bcg.com/impact_expertise/publications/files/Capturing_Green_Advantage_Consumer_Companies_Jan_2009.pdf 

4

 EPA web site www.epa.gov/water 

5

 Putting Energy Into Profits: Energy Star Small Business Online Guide. 2007 

www.energystar.gov/ia/business/small_business/sb_guidebook/smallbizguide.pdf 

6 www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/choosing.shtml 

70 SMART STEPS TO SUSTAInABIlITy 

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