Big Savings Come in Small Packages

Blog by Julie Urlaub, Founder and Managing Partner at Taiga Company
Nov 10, 2010 2:55 PM ET

Taiga Company Blog by Julie Urlaub, Founder and Managing Partner at Taiga Compa…

How many eco actions need to be taken for them to count?   According to the post, Does Size Matter for Ideas?, "the basic logic we use is the bigger the idea, the bigger the value, but often that's not true. There's a myth at work here: the assumption that big results only come from radical changes." 

As it appears in our sustainability consulting, that same misconception of ideas applies to eco action and sustainable business practices.  Some falsely believe that to significantly reduce environmental impacts, it requires massive effort.  As the post suggest, "rather than worrying about the size of an idea, which most people do, it's more productive to think about the possible leverage an idea has. To do this requires thinking not only about the idea itself, but how it will be used. An idea can have a different amount of leverage depending on where, when and how carefully it is applied."
 
Consider how leveraging small eco actions regarding energy efficiency add up.  IBM saved $26.8 million in energy expenses in 2009 as a result of company wide conservation efforts that surpassed corporate targets.  How did they do it?  Last year, 1,900 energy conservation projects at 270 IBM facilities around the world helped deliver savings in energy consumption that were equivalent to 5.4 percent of the company's total energy use.
 
Granted, your business may not be an IBM with worldwide facilities, but, at a minimum, your business occupies office space.  There are numerous opportunities for your small business to capitalize on company conservation efforts delivering benefits to both the bottom line and the environment.   In fact, more and more leading companies are becoming increasing aware of the cost savings and long-term benefits associated with implementing sustainable changes in their organization.  Managing and planning a company’s operations to reduce environmental impacts can result in reductions in resource consumption, emissions, and waste streams.  Click here to continue reading.
 

Home to one third of the earth's trees, the Taiga is the largest land-based biosphere and encircles the globe. Its immense oxygen production literally changes the atmosphere and refreshes the planet. It is this continuous renewal that has shaped Taiga Company's vision to drive similar change in the business world. Taiga Company seeks to be the "oxygen for your business".

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