Sustainability Consultants Royal Oak MI

Growing up near a coal-burning plant in Chicago, Marilyn Jones says she was often sickened by the polluted air. So when she started a commercial printing company in 1973, she decided to go green, replacing traditional petroleum-heavy ink with vegetable-based options.

"I wasn’t a rich woman, but it was the right thing to do," Jones says.

She later moved Consolidated Printing into a sunlit space and refitted it with formaldehyde-free insulation, recycled ceiling tiles and carpet. The paint she used was free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). For Jones, going green was a commitment to her employees’ health – but it has also had tangible side benefits.

"We save 40 percent every year in energy costs," Jones says, "and spend a fraction of what we used to pay in production."

Increasingly, companies are realizing that energy-efficient products, waste reduction and water conversion aren’t just better for the environment, but also the bottom line.

State and federal tax credits and utilities rebates largely offset the expense. Energy costs drop, productivity rises and public image improves, experts say.

A ‘Green Light’ for Your Company’s Image

Going green is a good marketing strategy for small businesses to differentiate themselves from greedy, profit-driven corporate America, says Mary Ann Lazarus, design director at HOK, a pioneering green architecture firm in Toronto.

Author: Emily Schmall

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