For Earth Day, I want to talk a little about 2Checkout’s “Green Initiative”. We have made becoming a “greener” company an important focus this year. Not only is this good for the environment, it is also good business as many of the small steps a company can take will ultimately reduce costs and make the business more efficient.

“Adopting environmentally-friendly and energy efficient business practices provides numerous benefits to new business owners looking to control costs, attract customers, and become socially responsible.” -business.gov

Most of the steps we have taken since January have been rather small changes, but a series of small steps can make a huge difference. Some of the changes for our ‘Green Initiative” are:

• Replacing disposable dishes in the break room with reusable plates, mugs, and bowls
• Using recycled office supplies
• Collecting recyclable materials throughout the office
• Weekly messages on our internal news blog that provide environmental facts and suggestions to use at home
• Looking for ways to go paperless on check distribution, etc.
• Encouraging only electronic submission of documents
• Installing water filtration systems throughout the building to eliminate bottled water
• Using sleep mode for idle copy machines
• Individual departments are implementing their own ideas for reusable paper vs. waste, electronic call tracking, etc.
• Encouraging car pooling

“Most businesses can save a substantial amount of money by reducing waste. In addition to lower removal costs, waste reduction measures help cut costs on raw materials, office supplies and equipment. Furthermore, by streamlining your operations to reduce waste, you may also be able to enhance your overall efficiency, productivity and public image. “ -business.gov

2Checkout believes that we can all make a positive impact on the world we share. Our Green Initiative along with our Social Responsibility Task Force are ways we are trying to use the power of business to achieve a goal of a better world for all of us. If you have any suggestions or wish to share ways you or your business has changed to be more earth-friendly let us know!

Here are some ways to help your business Go Green:

• Green Business
• Business Standards
• U.S. Government Green Business Guide