BUSINESS
FIVE TIPS
For Successful, Green Business
H
ere are five strategies to help you meet the challenges of starting and running a successful business that is ecologically responsible.
Get past denial. Few newlyweds think they have a 50% chance of divorcing, but those are
the odds for marriage. Whether it is the odds of divorce, the risk of lung cancer from smoking, or the chances of severe consequences for climate change, we tend to assume that
the odds don’t apply to us. Similarly, 50% of startups fail within the first five years, yet according to statistics 100 million businesses still start up every year. People start businesses because
they believe they have a great idea and that they will succeed. Whatever your initiative, I
recommend you go in with maximum clarity, including an understanding of as many variables as possible. Study the competitive landscape, know your customers and build a step
by step action plan within your business with milestones and accountability measures.
Broaden your vision. It takes about five years to understand how your business really works.
In many cases, startups will burn through resources very quickly without really knowing how
or why. They will take natural resources and energy for granted, assuming they will always
be available and affordable, and likely don’t factor them into their cost equation.
Think about how many office buildings leave their lights on at night, consuming energy and
killing birds. Few seem concerned about the cost and impact of this practice. In this way,
many businesses are selective in how they track their work. So the take-away here is to put
in stringent cost accounting practices that take into account all aspects of the work, including environmental impact.
Convince your audience. Sometimes the big picture is just too big for people to grasp. We
respond to the image of a single polar bear on an ice floe far more than we respond to a
broader discussion about the plight of all polar bears in the Arctic. People who may not feel
prepared to boycott an oil company or stop driving a gasoline-fueled car were ready to hold
Lego’s feet to the fire for their deal with Shell. Compelling stories that touch close to home are
what makes the difference. Wh [