JK: Can you talk a bit about the business case for getting green done: What are the benefits? What kind of investment it involved? Impact on business?

AS: This question has been answered ad nauseum by consultants and green business boosters, but I’m happy to recap. When you implement a sustainability agenda, you get all kinds of benefits, most of them complimentary. Some of the benefits included dollar savings from energy efficiency, free press coverage, better reputation in the community, better management because you can better track waste, employee retention and attraction. I list about a dozen benefits in my book. But this is old hat. The point I make in the book is that these lists are usually coupled with the thought: “Why WOULDN’T you do this? (Subtext: “You simple, simple person!”) In fact, there are lots of reasons why businesses might not implement sustainable business practices.

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1. Sustainable practices are proving to make business sense—but ethics also have to play a role. We all know that sustainable business, is good business. For example, a recent Aberdeen Group study of green practices among retailers found that green mandates were “essential cost control and customer service practices.” On average, best-in-class retailers achieved a 20% decrease in energy costs, an 8% decrease in their overall logistics and transport costs, and a 5% decrease in merchandise costs through their green initiatives. But, Schendler says, ROI is not enough:

“Ethics have to play a role…an economic pitch in a vacuum may not make sense to managers if there’s no context, no broader environmental mission within the company.”

His point is that it may be easier to “sell” sustainability when you start by getting everyone at the table to agree/admit that businesses have a responsibility to help protect the environment.

2. Do a sexy project. Schendler’s advice is to start the greening process with things that you will find fun to implement. Things that interest you. Things that are sexy. This will get everyone engaged.

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What would happen if we reframed the issue: ask not what the country can do to green you; ask what you can do to green the country?

We all know that in order to be a green business we have to walk the walk, as well as talk the talk.  And, walking the walk needs to be more than greening your individual business. Changing your business practices is only one piece of the greening puzzle. Just because you can’t afford to install solar panels right now, doesn’t mean you can’t make a big difference. In fact, the time you invest in making a difference may be as valuable to environmental progress as installing CFLs. What if every small business owner in America got involved?  Joined a green business organization? Strengthened their green requirements for suppliers? Provided customers with greener alternatives?

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Schendler, a charismatic, hunky guy, politely suggested that talking about greening business operations was a distraction from the real issue. Helping small businesses implement recycling programs and change their CFLs let businesses off the hook for doing the tough stuff: effecting public policy change. My book would be insignificant. Ouch!

After further discussion, Schendler begrudgingly conceded that greening your business was necessary and also essential for lending yourself credibility.  His bigger point, however, was that greening should be done concurrently with higher order activities.  He wants to make sure that before we discuss how to green your business, we discuss how to effect public policy or how to green all your customer’s activities.  In other words, since we can’t all afford to install solar panels, we all need to make climate change policy our business. In fact, it seems like Schendler believes that your time may be as valuable to environmental progress as your CFLs.

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