Going Green on the Job

Patrick O’Grady
Phoenix Business Journal
 Finding opportunities
• Green businesses are everywhere
• Companies are using green as a
competitive advantage
• Opportunities to market green
initiatives
• Must beware of greenwashing
 Green Business
• Consulting for energy
• Construction expertise
• LEED certification
• Energy efficiency
• Nice markets for food and drink with
organic products
• Marketing/public relations for green
• Food Service
 Green business
• New business face the same
challenges of others plus other
factors in funding, establishment
• Positive factors include growing
community of supporters
• More government contracts available
looking for green solutions
 Traditional Businesses
• Green isn’t restricted to new
businesses
• Most business are going green in
some form
• Recent examples of green business
including printing companies, auto
service and laundry service.
• All take the “triple bottom line”
approach: people, planet, profit
 Keys to Green Business
• Starting a green business is no
different than any other.
• Decide your niche, and how far you
want to take your greenness.
• Network within the green community
and learn what the industry does
• See ways to take an existing
business in a greener direction.