According to Ernest Beck's article in the Summer 2006 issue of BusinessWeek's SmallBiz, that's a big maybe. The market for organic and non-toxic products has ballooned over the past few years, swiftly overtaking the "treehugger" image of decades past. As consumers have become more aware of organic options and reasons to go green, their call for green products has gotten louder.
Consumers don't just want to eat produce minus the pesticides and use fuel-efficient vehicles that will save them cash at the pumps. They also expect companies and organizations to become more efficient in their shipping and manufacturing processes. Corporations like Wal-Mart are asking suppliers not to ship products in boxes within a box (hey, every little bit counts) and organizations the world over are delving into green energy options.
What benefit do you, the small or home-based business owner, have over these corporate giants? After all, you say, they can afford to make system-wide changes based on a changing tide of consumer influence, but you can't. Or can you?
I say you can. As Beck mentions in his article, it's all about baby steps. Do you recycle your soda cans at home? Then why on earth are you throwing everything in the trash at the office or in your brick-and-mortar store? Get your staff separating their trash and encourage them to go brown-bag with a twist: reward team members with insulated lunch bags for toting their Nalgene water bottles and organic lunches in! Remind them that they'll save cash themselves, in addition to helping the company save the environment.
Don't forget that businesses create a lot of paperwork. Shred documents and use the final product for packaging shipped products when you fulfill orders. You don't have to offer an organic product to benefit from the good PR that going green can bring...you just have to show your customers and staff that you're making an effort. If you do sell products, versus services, consider changing out some or all of the ingredients to organic or non-toxic ones where possible.
Who knows? It may mean a boost in business, or a whole new business, for you!
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