Essentials Magazine | Vol. 73 No. 4 | Page 5

GO GREEN five tips to make TO GET your store more GREEN environmentally & financially healthy 1 CLEAN WITH GREEN Switch to less-toxic products or make your own by using a combination of water and distilled vinegar that will give you a home-made cleaning spray. STOCK GREEN PRODUCTS 2 Purchase products made from renewable resources whenever available. Take a look at where goods are made, too. If possible, switch to products made closer to your store to reduce the environmental costs of transportation. MAKE BAGS & RECEIPTS OPTIONAL 3 4 5 Substitute plastic bags with reusable or recycled paper bags. Ask your customers if you can email the receipt, it helps the environment while capturing information for further marketing efforts. TURN IT OFF Don’t leave cash registers, computers and other devices on day and night. Instead, shut everything off each night. BE THE EXAMPLE Show your customers how it’s done. Stock and use green products whenever possible. Also, set your window display to preview and promote eco-friendly products. BUSINESS IN FIVE Terms to help you purchase and sell products with the world in mind. BIODEGRADABLE materials that are capable of decomposing in nature within a certain period of time. COMPOST materials that are able to be composted or that will deteriorate in certain conditions with oxygen & bacteria over a period of time. ENERGY EFFICIENT materials/products that use less energy. RECYCLABLE products that can be collected and sorted to be used in manufacturing other products. SUSTAINABILITY products or practices that don’t harm the environment. source: entreprenuer.com essentials | WWW.NSSEA.ORG 5