Going Green at Work: Good for Business, Employees and the Earth

A 2012 tracking poll by Office Depot found that 61 percent of small businesses were adopting green business practices, with 70 percent of the remainder saying they would do so by 2014. Some companies go green because it helps their bottom lines, while others want the peripheral benefits of more eco-friendly policies.

Good for the Environment, Good for Morale

Researchers at the University of Louisville and Florida International University found that psychological workplace climate had a significant impact on employees' personal accomplishments and engagement. In other words happy, healthy employees are more productive. This leads to higher profits and retention of good people.

Apple Rubber, an engineering firm specializing in gaskets and seals, built an eco-friendly employee wellness area. They used no paints or stains, and the roof is made of a special rubber that will extend its life twice as long as a regular roof. The lack of paints means no environmental contamination, while the roof will produce far less landfill waste when it does need to be replaced. Employees take their breaks, eat lunch and even attend training in the gazebo, and it's a stress-free place to retreat to during a busy work day. The company hopes that employees will eat slower in the gazebo, leading to better digestion and overall health, and employees appreciate having their own place to relax and replenish.

It Only Makes Cents (and Dollars)

Aspen Skiing Company owns four high-end resorts in Colorado. Its restaurants and lodges are open year-round and offer mountain biking, hiking and other activities in the summer. Auden Schendler, the vice president of sustainability for the company, told CNBC that is was only right for the company to give back to the environment that allows the business to even exist. The first action Schendler took when he joined the company in 1999 was to replace all incandescent light bulbs in all of its facilities with fluorescent bulbs. The undertaking cost $23,000 at the time, but has saved the company $10,000 per year in energy costs.

The company then invested in solar energy in 2004 and replaced all of its inefficient boilers and furnaces. These investments have saved the company another $5,000 per year in heating costs.

Ideas for Your Company

Whether your goal is increased profits or helping the environment, there are many subtle actions businesses can take to reduce their carbon footprints. Go paperless whenever possible. If you must use paper, use post-consumer waste paper, which is made of 100 percent recycled material. You can also use both sides of paper to reduce the total amount utilized.

Other ideas include:

• Use biodegradable cleaning products—not only are they better for the people around them, but they also reduce the chance of harsh chemicals being introduced to the environment.
• Offer employees incentives to carpool, use public transportation and/or ride their bikes. This demonstrates your company's commitment to reducing its carbon footprint, and it could also save money in many subtle ways the long run.
• Replace old refrigerators, stoves, etc. with Energy Star-rated appliances—doing so saves energy, and there are tax benefits, too.
• Before your employees leave for the day, ask them to unplug all electronic devices. It may seem small, but it could make a big difference in the grand scheme of things.