So much in business is about the bottom line: what is the return on investment, how will this bring money in the door, and what’s in it for us? No one ever said, however, that you could not satisfy the bottom line while still benefiting your customer base (or even expanding it) and doing your part to help the environment.

Going green is more than just a recent fad or trend, commercial businesses across the country are investing in solar panels and other green initiatives that are benefiting their companies in big ways. Learn how your business could benefit from going green.

Waste Not, Want Not: Save Money While Saving the Planet

When you think of going green, you may envision having to make a large investment that will pay off over time, and while that is true of some green options, not all of them take time to show their return—some are immediate. The number one way you can immediately start saving while helping out Mother Nature is by preventing waste, according to USA Today. The article explains that a waste of any kind is not only bad for the environment, it is bad for your wallet because it is money being thrown out the window.

Think of it like this: when energy is being used wastefully in your business you are footing the cost of this misuse on your monthly energy bill, but this is also taking a toll on the environment. By setting in place ways to be more efficient and not waste resources, you will save yourself money while still going green.

Remember Your R’s

We all learned it in school: reduce, reuse, recycle, but why is this not something we take advantage of within our businesses? Making a real effort to recycle as much as possible can lead to many marketing opportunities that can bring in a new customer base that you may never have reached before. Also there are so many recycling options that pay in return like ink cartridges, according to Office Depot. Put in place recycling initiatives within your business, encourage employees to participate and then leverage this dedication through your marketing efforts and see how wonderful you get of a return.

Invest Now, Get Big Returns Later

Of course, as was previously mentioned, there are some types of green initiatives that call for a more substantial investment now, but lead to a greater payoff down the line. For commercial properties, solar panels are one such investment. Not only will they help to lower your energy costs and give you the same ‘green’ bragging rights in your marketing, but it will also increase the value of your property if you own the building, making it a resale value dream.

Going green can be as little or big a project as you are willing to make it. Realizing the benefits of being able to get a return while still helping the environment and garnering new business is the most important step. So get smart and go green.

Featured image license: Creative Commons image source

By Lauren Wainwright, a blogger with a love for the environment and trying to maintain the quality of our environment. Follow her on Twitter!