Dig Deeper: Helping Workers Control Commuting Costs
9. Allow Employees to Telecommute
Telecommuting is spreading like wild fire through small businesses around the country. A study conducted last year by Fort Lauderdale-based Citrix found nearly a fourth of American workers and 41 percent of small-business owners regularly work remotely. In the same survey, business owners considered telecommuting a more significant employee perk than stock options or workplace childcare. When David Nilssen went searching for ways to cut down on office space at his Bellevue, Washington, financial services company, Guidant Financial Group, he decided to send some of his 110 employees home. The company's 15-person Web publishing team works remotely, bringing the total number of telecommuters at the company to 20. Nilssen will supply these employees with laptops and Internet connections -- costs he would incur even if they worked in the office. Guidant has also begun testing out four-day, 40-hour weeks for some administrative employees. The workers will have rotating schedules and share desks to cut back on the need for space.
Kate Lister of the Telework Research Network, a San Diego-based research firm, points out that if 40 percent of the work force worked remotely just half the time, that there would be $200 billion in productivity gains by American companies, $190 billion in savings from reduced real estate expenses, electricity bills, absenteeism, and employee turnover, 100 hours saved per person not spent commuting, 50 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions cut, 276 million barrels of oil saved, or roughly 32 percent of oil imports from the Middle East, and $700 billion total estimated savings to American businesses, all annually.
Dig Deeper: The Case, and the Plan, for the Virtual Company
10. Cash in on Government Incentives
In the spirit of saving the best for last, it doesn't hurt to make a little money on your path to sustainability. Recent stimulus bills created and extended tax incentives for green initiatives. But the Feds aren't alone in attempting to green the economy. In some states, the combined incentives can defray 80 percent of the initial cost of installing rooftop solar panels.
- Federal incentives: These include a 30 percent investment tax credit (or production tax credit, or grant) for renewable-energy systems, including micro wind turbines and solar and fuel cells. There's a tax deduction of up to $1.80 per square foot for buildings that meet a 50 percent energy savings target in HVAC, hot water, and interior lighting systems. In addition, there's accelerated depreciation for smart meters and grid equipment, as well as for renewable technologies. (For more information, visit the Department of Energy.)
- State and local incentives: These vary widely by state and include tax credits, rebates, grants, and loans. Some programs are far more generous than their federal counterparts -- the solar credit in Arizona reaches $50,000 per company per year. For a list of offerings by state, see the Database of State Incentives for Renewables & Efficiency (dsireusa.org).
- Utility incentives: There are rebates for installing renewable-energy and energy-efficient systems; low-interest loans and grants to finance energy efficiency and renewable projects; and production incentives that purchase renewable energy, particularly electricity from rooftop solar panels. Utilities offer incentives in 42 states. For a complete list, go to dsireusa.org.
Additional Earth Day Tips:
- Tell suppliers that you're interested in sustainable products and set specific goals for buying recycled, refurbished, or used. Make the environment, and not just price, a factor when purchasing.
- Many offices have toxic substances, such as used batteries and copier toner, on hand. Talk to suppliers about alternatives to toxics, and make sure you properly dispose of the ones you can't avoid using. Enlist the services of companies that will recycle your used computers and cell phones.
- Consider the petroleum it takes to ship and receive products. Evaluate the impact of products you buy or sell, and find ways to mitigate those impacts.
- Create a team to lead the company's eco-efforts and determine where you can have the biggest impact for the least amount of money.
- Inform customers about your efforts. And get in touch with local regulatory agencies, many of which offer financial incentives to businesses that clean up their acts.
Marking Earth Day: Additional Resources
The DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (eere.doe.gov ) provides guidance to businesses on industrial technologies.
The EPA's Energy Star site (energystar.gov ) keeps a register of green service and product providers. Its Building Upgrade Manual is a thorough guide to retrofitting.
The U.S. Green Building Council has devised the leading standards for sustainable buildings and has accredited 101,000 design and construction professionals. Find one at usgbc.org .
The American Institute of Architects ' Architect Finder (architectfinder.aia.org ) allows you to search for members who practice sustainable building design.
--Additional reporting by Nicole Marie Richardson, John Borland, Michelle V. Rafter, Leigh Buchanan, Dimitra Kessenides, Andrea Peiro, Gary Erickson, Phaedra Hise, Darren Dahl, Max Chafkin
