BusinessUSA: Going Green is Good Business

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We’re big believers in green businesses and the notion that making money and being eco-conscious are not mutually exclusive.
In honor of the upcoming Earth Day on April 22, we’d like to outline some great ideas to “green” your business – ranging from ways to lessen your company’s carbon footprint to dealing with EPA regulations. These tips underscore the idea that going green is a great business strategy.
For starters, make sure your facility is as energy-efficient as possible, something that benefits you and the environment. Once you’ve done that, you may also want to consider renewable energy.

solar panels

Design a Greener Building

Are you building a new office or workspace, or updating an existing one?  Check out this list of green strategies from the General Services Administration (GSA) applicable to a range of projects.  Other GSA tips include looking at material lifecycles, and establishing a solid waste reduction plan. At the same time, look into Net Zero Energy, which means that a building balances its energy needs with energy produced from renewable, zero-emission sources. 
Lastly, make sure you are factoring in the long-term impacts of climate change into your business plan.
business

 EPA Regulations

Business has a large role to play in environmental protection, and most U.S. business sectors are affected by a number of critical environmental statutes and regulations. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) provides compliance assistance on a sector-by-sector basis in order to efficiently reach facilities with similar operations, processes or practices. Explore EPA regulatory information bysector or by topic.
Green Technologies
Learn About the Latest Green Technologies
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE) partners with industry and researchers to develop, manufacture and install renewable and sustainable energy solutions.
Learn how these benefit your business when it comes to residential and commercialbuildings, transportation and manufacturing.
opportunity

Find Green Opportunities

Is your business focused on renewable energy or sustainability? This step-by-step questionnaire from BusinessUSA will assist you in finding funding and other opportunities from the federal government to help you expand your green business. 
water

Water Businesses Expand into Developing Markets 

Water is one of the earth’s most valuable resources, supporting agriculture, sanitation and life itself. To help highlight some of the opportunities for businesses in the water sector to expand into developing markets overseas, Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. Government’s development finance institution, is joining with The Water Council to present an Expanding Horizons Seminar on April 28th in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The seminar will outline the tools OPIC can provide to support water-related businesses looking to go global.
earth

There’s No Place Like Home!

Lastly, we thought we’d share something fun our friends at NASA are doing this Earth Day to celebrate our amazing planet in which your customers and your business may want to participate. 
NASA is asking people post to share videos and photos of their favorite places on the planet – parks, vacation spots, scenic locations, whatever -- and post them to social media-- Twitter, Vine, Instagram, Facebook and elsewhere-- using the hashtag #NoPlaceLikeHome.
Is there a beautiful park, view or natural landmark near your business? Have your employees or customers taken amazing photos or videos? Share them with the world! NASA says they "will be sharing NASA’s views of Earth – from our satellites, from our research aircraft, and even from our scientists themselves at work in the field." 
NASA be rounding up some of the best posts to use in a video. For more details, check out this page that explains the project in full.
See you on social media, and have a great Earth Day!

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