SUSTAINABILITY + SMALL BUSINESS

By Dru Anne Neil, Neil Strategy Group

It’s tough being a small business—like, a really small business with only one to five employees. But most of us wouldn’t have it any other way. When it comes to sustainability, I admit I struggle—it’s difficult to invest the money, and the time, into bigger things like huge recycling efforts and composting, and big employee volunteer projects, well, those just aren’t reality. 

So I’ve done a few things that allow me to be more sustainable, and work toward sustainability goals, as a one- to two-person office. First, as a business practice, I am selective about the companies with whom my business associates. I love working with nonprofits and B-corps and small businesses. It especially has been a great pleasure to work with organizations that are working so hard to educate and preserve our natural resources. From Alaska to Pennsylvania, I’ve been fortunate enough to learn from experts in the industry, and that has gone a long way in my effort for business and personal effort to expand my sustainability knowledge and practices. 

Second, I believe in the old saying that, “every little bit helps.” I’ve embraced the effort to reduce single-use plastic consumption—no more bottled water, no straws at restaurants, no plastic cups. When I must use “fake” plates for some reason, I make sure they are made of recycled or easily recyclable paper—never, ever plastic. 

Third, and this has been a challenge—I’m trying to reduce my impact when it comes to printing. As much as I appreciate, use and embrace technology, I still like to hold things in my hand. The editor in me likes to mark things on paper. And, while I don’t print nearly as much as I used to, when I started to work with New Leaf Paper, I will admit that I didn’t know what post-consumer recycled fiber was. But l learned. And now when I print, I use New Leaf Paper, and I know that I’m being as kind as I can to trees—things I love!—while still meeting my business needs. Being a small business, with not a lot of extra income, office products can be expensive. But by cutting down on some printing tasks, I can invest in a few reams of New Leaf Paper, so it’s always around when I need to print for presentations or for my own sanity. 

I believe in the clients with whom I work, and I learn from each of them. That combination helps even me work toward sustainability goals. Start small. Find little ways to have a big impact. If we all do a little, we can achieve a lot.