Sustainable Business & Greenwashing

Greenwashing is becoming absurd. Since it is a viable issue today I have researched what is means to be a green business (with the help of my nationally certified sustainable building advisor partner). I think we all need to be responsible consumers and take the time to learn about the products we are buying and the company practices to create these products. This is the most important step we can take to eliminate green washing.

I have used The Natural Step, see www.thenaturalstep.org to learn about how to create a sustainable business. I have adopted the following practices;

1. Created a sustainable section in my business plan
2. Defined sustainable
3. How am I am meeting this definition?
4. How am I not meeting this definition?
5. What are my goals to meet?

It's more than the little stuff like recycling and buying green products. It's about a adopting new strategies and sustainability principals with an emphasis on success.

A "Framework is based on systems thinking; recognizing that what happens in one part of a system affects every other part." (TNS)

This does not discount profit, which is what government and the media wants us all to believe. I wish I could find an article I read online about how much it was going to cost to implement sustainable governmental practices. Well, I guess a change in governmental practices would cost us, but if the big picture is greater efficiency and less cost to tax payer then sign me on.

It's important to me that my clients are aware of sustainable business practices and are willing to implement, if they are not already, the first step toward a sustainable business. I plan on making this a part if my sustainable business plan.

The research indicates that organizations that implement systems such as The Natural Step (TNS) are cutting costs, increasing profits and creating better business infrastructures and relationships. Once you do the research and look at company's like Nike, who have been using this system for decades, its clear that sustainability creates an improved and more profitable business.

There are a few sites that give status of sustainable practices of businesses such as Trucost http://www.trucost.com/index.html but this is geared toward large corporations. The small business owner will have to educate their customers about sustainable practices implemented and provide details on sustainable goals. I think there will be culpability if we as consumers demand this. It's up to us to ask the green questions;

What natural resources were consumed during the development of product

Is the product reclyeable? If its plastic, it stops there.

Were recycled products used in the creation?

How is the business green?

Does the business educate customers on being green?

Does the company have a sustainable business plan?

Let's turn green from trendy to policy.