February 27th, 2009 
Tushar Mathur 
Many companies and individuals want to integrate green practices into their daily lifestyle or business operations, but knowing where and when to start can be overwhelming, especially in today’s economy. Adopting green practices can actually help you weather an economic storm while also lessening your impact on the environment. But in order to start, you have to get a handle on where you currently fall on the green spectrum and where you want to be.
Green consultants and many green-focused organizations provide tools to help you gauge how green you are so that you can measure any future progress and set realistic goals for new actions. Through this process you might even find that you are doing more for the environment than you knew you were- which can inspire you to easily take additional actions.
Here are steps to consider for the initiating the “getting green” process (Green Living Consulting uses the term “getting green” to describe the process of businesses and households adopting eco-practices into their daily operations or lifestyles. We view it as a state of being that is constantly evolving, rather than an end point):
1. Get an eco-assessment for your home or business from a green consultant
2. Use the results of the assessment to identify key areas for improvement (e.g. increase energy efficiency, develop comprehensive recycling program, switch to green cleaning supplies)
3. Develop a green action plan, or green strategy that identifies what “green” means to you and what you hope to achieve through your efforts. For example, if you are a business, are you more concerned with greening your operation to lower costs, or to appeal to your customers. If you are an individual, are you more focused on green practices that can save money on utilities and other expenses, or do you look at green living as a lifestyle choice that will help you be healthier and live more sustainably.
4. Target 3-5 green actions that easily integrate into your daily lifestyle or business operations. Once you achieve those, you can set new goals.
The key is not too shoot for the moon to start. It’s not likely that any of will ever live 100% green, but if we all make small steps to integrate green practices that work for us, together we’ll have the impact that is needed to keep ourselves and our planet healthy!
For more information on eco-assessments for homes and businesses, email: info@greenlivingconsulting.com.
Related Articles:
Posted in 
