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Summary of the Smart Steps Guide to sustainability for small business.
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SMART STEPS TO SUSTAINABILITY
A Guide to Greening Your Small Business
Five steps to greening your Small Business from Smart Steps to Sustainability
Step 1. Get Ready
• Assess your compliance• Engage your employees• Find support • Build your environmental knowledge • Plan appropriately
Step 1. Get Ready
Step 2. Get Started
This step includes worksheets to help you plan strategically. Visit www.epa.gov/osbp/greening.htm to download the worksheets.
• Create a long-term vision of your sustainable business
• Choose your approach to greening• Identify the environmental impact of your
business
Step 2. Get Started
Define your green vision Step 2. Get Started
Environmental and regulatory issues
Environmental and Regulatory
Issues
Potential Impact on
Your Company
Positive or
Negative
Level of Concern/
Likelihood
Time Period
Climate change
High Energy Prices
New regulations (including GHG regulations
Other issues
This chart will help you identify outside issues that may affect your company.
Step 2. Get Started
Identify your motivation
Increased profit
Image
Company longevity
Customer demand
Employee satisfaction
Add value to the community
Desire to be a leader
Expand customer base
Keep up with the competition
Inspire innovation
Cost of Compliance
Environmental Constraints
Energy costs
Regulatory concerns
Step 2. Get Started
Personal convictions
Put It all Together
•Define your vision (where you want to be on the Environmental Performance Ruler)• Identify top environmental and regulatory issues• Identify motivators with highest importance•Describe your vision and long-term objectives• Plan your approach (formal EMS, other formal approach, Greening Guide steps, ad hoc, other)
Step 2. Get Started
Step 2. Get Started
Transportation Impacts
air pollution water pollution
GHG emissions erosion habitat loss energy use
Employee commutingBusiness travelShipping/receivingDelivery services/fleets
Assess your impact
Paper and suppliesSolid wasteLighting and HVACEquipmentWater usePurchasingCleaning
Step 2. Get Started
Office Area Impacts
air pollution water pollution GHG emissions
toxics resource use energy use
waste
Assess your impact
Assess Your Impact
Step 2. Get Started
Building and Grounds Impacts Water use
MowingLeaf blowingStorm waterPest controlFertilizers
air pollution water pollution GHG emissions toxics
erosion energy use waste
Paper Raw materialSolid and hazardous wasteToxicsLighting and HVACWater useMachinery
Step 2. Get Started
Manufacturing and Business
Process
air pollution water pollution
GHG emissions toxics resource use energy use
waste habitat loss
Assess your impact
Step 3. Set Goals
Step 3. Set Goals
• Identify SMART goals•Select and prioritize goals•Define responsibilities
SpecificMeasurableAttainableRelevantTime-bound
Step 4. Go Green
Step 4. Go Green
TURN YOUR STRATEGY
INTO ACTION
Step 5. Continual Improvement Step 5. Improvement
•Measure progress•Develop a strategy for updating your goals•Become more sustainable over time
As green thinking becomes part of your company culture, you and your employees will begin to recognize countless opportunities to improve your business’ environmental performance.
Don’t forget to:
• Include sustainability in all of your decisions and actions •Communicate your efforts •Be a leader in your industry and community •Always strive for improvement
Copies of the Smart Steps guide and worksheets can be downloaded at:
www.epa.gov/osbp/green-pubs.htm
For more information contact:Tiffin [email protected]
