Many startups find that the competition for attention on the web is fierce. And these companies are discovering that by going green, they are showing their corporate responsibility, but they are also discovering that there are financial benefits to going green. So how does a new business go green responsibly? Start by doing a little research on the web and list the ways a business can go green. If a company claims to be green, it must have consistency in all aspects of the business model. If your business claims to be green, then you must practice what you preach.

Top Ten Ways for New Businesses to Go Green:

1. Comply with all environmental regulations that are relevant to your industry. Compliance not only reduces your company’s environmental footprint, it also protects the company from legal action or government fines.
2. Develop an environmental plan for the entire company. Developing a robust environmental plan will help define corporate culture and drive your company’s energy efficiency to minimize its footprint. The plan should clearly spell out the company’s green strategy and encourage divisions throughout the company to follow greener business practices that help shape the overall green goals of the company.
3. Build green. If your business is opening a new office or expanding locations, now is a good time to include as many energy efficient features as possible. You may be looking to install energy efficient heating and air conditioning systems, as well as appliances, equipment, and lighting.
4. Buy green products and services. When purchasing necessary supplies or producing service providers for the business, it is important to think green. Business owners should consider filling supply closets with products made from recycled or recyclable materials, bio-based, and non-toxic. Look for office equipment that has an energy efficiency rating, such as Energy Star.
5. Choose a green web host. Many business owners have decided to go green with their website to be more consistent with their green action plan. Choose a web host that is carbon neutral and offers wind or solar powered web hosting that is environmentally friendly. Moving a website to another web host is not a difficult task, and many web servers even offer a free site migration service.
6. Adopt energy efficiency practices. Using more energy efficient office equipment and implementing energy reduction practices in the office will help save the environment and your bottom line. Employers should emphasize to employees that they are prudent and conservative with their energy use and provide tips for saving energy.
7. Reduce, reuse, recycle the waste generated. Streamlining business operations can reduce waste and lead to substantial savings and increased productivity. To save money and reduce waste, small businesses should use post-consumer recycled products and reduce excess product packaging.
8. Conserve water. A water efficiency program not only reduces your company’s pressure on our nation’s water supply, it also reduces your company’s water purchase, heating, treatment, and disposal costs. Small businesses can reduce water waste by implementing water saving equipment services and should always try to minimize discharges to sewers.
9. Adopt a company-wide pollution reduction plan. All businesses generate waste, but it’s the way you handle it that separates you from the pack. Take steps to minimize waste, whether it be paper, dirty water, or hazardous or toxic waste that requires special handling or disposal.
10. Create a green marketing strategy. Spread the word about your green business by incorporating “green” claims into your marketing strategy to boost your brand image. Check back for tip # 5. Many green web hosts offer an emblem or certification program for webmasters who want to use their website to show the “green” green status of the business.

One final tip. Join industry association and management programs to help you stay on top of the latest developments in green processes and equipment, but also help build relationships with other green business owners in the industry.

As demonstrated, there are numerous shades of green, so going green can amount to a lot of different things. If choosing a green business-wide plan is important to you or your organization, take a closer look at your business plan to find out what green practices exist in the plan and what changes need to be made. Consider, for example, the day-to-day practices you plan to implement and your company policy on green practices such as “reduce, reuse, and recycle.”