ISO 14001 is an internationally recognised standard with guidance for environmental management. ISO 14001 is intended to provide the elements of an Environmental Management System (EMS) for achieving environmental and economic goals. The standard is applicable to all types of organisations. The overall aim of ISO 14001 is to ensure environmental protection and prevention of pollution – in balance with socio-economic needs. In this article I provide an overview of the scope of ISO 14001 as well as outline the key elements covered in an EMS. (image: Kookkai_nak)
Green fleet management and fleet GPS tracking 
Wind Generated Electrical Power – Pros and Cons 
Automatic power shutdown 
Top 5 ways to save energy in your business 
What is an ISO 14001 Environmental Management System?
ISO 14001 is an internationally recognised standard with guidance for environmental management. ISO 14001 is intended to provide the elements of an Environmental Management System (EMS) for achieving environmental and economic goals. The standard is applicable to all types of organisations. The overall aim of ISO 14001 is to ensure environmental protection and prevention of pollution – in balance with socio-economic needs. In this article I provide an overview of the scope of ISO 14001 as well as outline the key elements covered in an EMS. (image: Kookkai_nak)
How to reduce your gas heating bill and save on your electric bill?
Heating can be a very expensive operational cost. In fact, it can account for up to 60% of a building’s energy costs. Most companies have large heating bills as they over-heat their offices or have inefficient processes to heat spaces. In this article I discuss 5 easy tips that a company can take to reduce its gas bill and save on your electric bill. (image attribution: FreeDigitalPhotos.net)
Green fleet management and fleet GPS tracking
Companies with vehicle fleets can benefit a lot from implementing fleet management solutions. Typically these solutions result in cost savings from reducing fuel consumption, optimising route planning and improving vehicle maintenance. Not surprisingly, things that are good for business are typically good for the environment – this is where green fleet management comes in. Green fleet management practices involve three types of solution categories that have financial and environmental benefits for a company. In this article I discuss each solution category – fleet planning, driver efficiency and vehicle efficiency – and outline particular solutions under each category. (image: David Castillo Dominici)
25 going green tips for the office
Going green is good for business and good for the environment. Going green doesn’t necessarily mean spending lots of money. In fact, going green can actually save you money. Below I have outlined 25 low cost going green tips for the office. Where relevant I have added links to the going green tips to articles which provide more detailed information. (image attribution: ponsulak)
Wind Generated Electrical Power – Pros and Cons
Here’s a great guest blog by Charles A Juopperi on wind generated electrical power. In the article Charles discusses the pros and cons of the technology.
Introduction
Wind generated electrical power exists through harnessing wind-power energy with turbines. To fully understand wind generated electrical power, one must understand how wind powered electricity is made; resources needed to utilize wind power; types and sizes of wind turbines; building a wind turbine; potential positive and negative impacts of the technology; where wind powered electricity can be effectively generated; and, offsetting the costs of wind powered electrical technology. (image attribution: Dan)
Is the paperless office ever going to be a reality?
The paperless office has been a topic of debate for over 20 years. But look around the average office and one still sees loads of paper being printed and aimlessly filed. Is the paperless office merely a myth or is there some credence to the claim that offices will soon be paperless? In this short article I discuss some of the key trends affecting paper use and analyse data that may hold some insight into the future of the paperless office. (image attribution: nuttakit)
Cost Effective Waste Management and Recycling Services
Here’s an interesting article on waste management and recycling by guest blogger Felipe Bazon. After reading this you should check out this little guide on going paperless at work.
Recycling commences at the waste disposal level with segregation and containment of individual waste streams. Segregation, containment, transportation and processing of waste streams are parts of waste management. Each part of the waste management and recycling process requires adequate equipment to optimise the whole process making it even more profitable. (image attribution: akeeris)
Voltage Management – it’s all in the Site Survey…
The Carbon Trust helpfully published late last year its clear explanation of the benefits of Voltage Management, how it works, and prescribed a methodology on how Site Surveys should be conducted. This has developed a minimum standard for the industry and has really helped potential customers understand what Voltage Management is all about and how it is, or is not, applicable to their needs. (image attribution: dan)
Environmental Management Systems (EMS) – What It Means and Why It Is Worth the Cost and Effort?
Here’s an interesting article on Environmental Management Systems (EMS) by guest blogger Eric Monson.
Increasing public awareness of environmental issues and responsibilities is fueling the need for the wider business community to demonstrate their green credentials and manage their business activities in an environmentally friendly and cost efficient manner, without adversely affecting profitability.
Finding the starting point and establishing how a business actually goes about implementing an EMS can often be a daunting prospect. This article is intended to provide a little practical guidance and advice to business managers who may have been given the task of implementing an EMS.
Top 5 office water saving tips and devices
Water is an extremely abundant resource. Over 70% of the surface of the planet is water. The problem is that most of it is sea water and therefore very difficult / expensive to extract and use for consumptive purposes. As the global population continues to grow and get wealthier, more and more people are becoming connected to the water / sewerage grid, leading to an exponential growth in demand for clean water. This, coupled with the unprecedented increase in droughts caused by climate change, has meant that consumptive water is fast becoming a scarce resource. (image attribution: Danilo Rizzuti)
As a sustainable business taking action to reduce water consumption is a great way to improve your environmental performance. This article outlines my top 5 office water saving tips and devices that any business can quickly and effectively implement to reduce consumption and save on water bills.
Hi. My name is Mark and I'm the guy behind the Sustainable Business Toolkit. As a sustainability and environmental consultant I have worked with hundreds of businesses to help reduce energy costs, improve environmental performance and drive bottom and top-line benefits. I started this website to provide businesses with a hub of free practical environmental information and resources.
Best of luck in greening your business,
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