| I was amazed when the auditor showed up to | | | | orders? If you do have to print, are you printing with |
| provide me with an overview of the green business | | | | recycled or re-manufactured laser and/or copier toner |
| program in our county. It was a 24 page document | | | | cartridges and are you printing on recycled content |
| packed full of so much information I practically gave | | | | paper? |
| up. But once I studied it, I was already feeling better | | | | 5) Consider your shipping supplies. |
| that I was doing a lot of it. But there were a few | | | | They cost a bit more but recycled content boxes |
| things that really made me realize that I can be doing | | | | and packaging materials are available. The typical |
| a better job. If you're a gift basket company owner, | | | | packaging peanut has been reborn into an |
| I think you'll appreciate the following tips. | | | | environmentally friendly version. Talk to your local |
| 1) Tight inventory management reduces the need for | | | | packaging supplier about all of their eco-friendly |
| overnight shipping for supply shortages. Often times, | | | | options including packaging tape, boxes, paper, etc. |
| we found ourselves running out of inventory either | | | | 6) Plan your delivery routes efficiently. |
| from day to day orders or after shipping a large | | | | Even better yet - use eco-friendly vehicles for |
| order for multiple baskets. Our first phone call was to | | | | deliveries! Plan the delivery routes to ensure the |
| our suppliers frantically asking them to ship product | | | | shortest, most efficient route as possible. Use GPS |
| overnight. Not only did this mean they had to put | | | | systems to obtain the most efficient route and avoid |
| product on a plane to fly it to us but it was | | | | printing maps. |
| extremely expensive. The consequences were tough | | | | 7) Recycle, recycle, recycle. |
| though - if we were out of supplies, it was just as | | | | If you live in a city that provides containers for |
| difficult. | | | | recycled goods, you might want to ask for two |
| Implement an inventory management system that | | | | extra. Just about all of our left over supplies can be |
| pays attention to your "lower limit control". LLC | | | | recycled. Cellophane scraps, ribbon trims, extra shred |
| refers to the inventory quantity that will flag you to | | | | - all of it can be recycled and you'll be surprised how |
| re-order. For example, we use 1,000 packages of | | | | much excess you have if you start filling up |
| dried fruit per week and it takes 2 weeks for us to | | | | containers. It might even make you be more |
| get our order in. We hold 6 weeks of inventory (or | | | | considerate of the amount of ribbon you're pulling off |
| 6,000 packages). When we get down to 4,000 | | | | the spool. |
| packages, we know its time to re-order so we don't | | | | 8) Cancel your phone book - the internet is a |
| run out. | | | | powerful tool. Ask your suppliers to email you their |
| 2) Use local vendors. | | | | marketing materials and to put their catalog on their |
| If you can "will call" your orders or have them ship | | | | website. Download articles, e-magazines, product |
| from a local vendor instead of clear across the United | | | | sheets, etc. to your computer instead of receiving it |
| States, you'll help reduce carbon emissions. | | | | via email or printing it out. Go to to reduce the |
| 3) Absolutely support other green businesses. Ask | | | | amount of junk mail you receive. Use online banking |
| your suppliers if they are a certified eco-friendly | | | | to pay your bills, receive your bank statements, etc. |
| company. We do an annual survey of our suppliers | | | | instead of hard copies that are mailed to you. |
| and support those who are either certified or going | | | | 9) Use eco-friendly cleaning equipment to clean your |
| through the certification. Part of being a eco-friendly | | | | shop and equipment. |
| company is to encourage others to do the same. | | | | 10) Watch your energy usage. Turn off all appliances, |
| 4) How green is your process? | | | | computers, printers, scanners, heat sealers, scales, |
| From the time an order comes in to the time its | | | | monitors, lights and any other appliances when not in |
| been shipped, how green are you? Are you using | | | | use. Use Energy Star compliant products as much as |
| electronic methods to take, invoice and receipt | | | | possible. |