The Green Decision

There is no doubt that today "green" initiatives are becoming more and more common in the marketplace. Consumers are becoming more aware of their impact on the earth, and are making decisions based on this knowledge. So it is wise to consider "greening" your company prior to startup.

There are many different steps that you can take in every business to be more environmentally conscious. By starting green steps in the beginning you can cut down on waste and expenses of implementing these steps later, and your business and assets will be worth more in the long run.

The easiest green step for any business to take is recycling. Don't just do it though, incorporate it into your company's culture. Starting now with minimal employees it is very easy to make recycling a part of your normal process. Then take it a step further. Most offices these days locate paper recycling bins near printers and copiers, but what about plastic, aluminum, wood, etc.

Houston has a stark lack of residential recycling pickup, so how about including employees by encouraging them to bring in household recyclables as a weekly contest. For the small cost of transport you can often get paid for what you drop off and that can be added to your bottom line, not to mention the increased employee morale when they feel like their company is making a difference.

The green location is another step. When you are choosing an office it is wise to start your search with locations that use sustainable technologies. Often time these places cost more in rent or initial investment but the utilities are less and could pay off in a matter of years.

The trick here is to use educated professionals that can advise you in the best decisions. Try using an EcoBroker or a LEED AP in your real estate search. These professionals can advise you and educate you on what properties and what investments will pay off more in the long run. Or if you already own the property hire a green consultant that can advise you of changes you can make that have the best payoff and shortest payback period.

Build it green. When searching for materials to furnish your office or build your location search for reclaimed materials first. Often times you can find used office furniture, flooring, fixtures, etc. Using materials that would otherwise end up in landfill reduces waste. With a little elbow grease you and your employees can make the old look new again and add more savings to the bottom line.

Also ask that the office be painted with Low or No VOC paints, stains, or finishes, these cost the same as normal products and improve air quality which earns you points with EH&S.

Doing these few things will give your company a competitive edge. You can include this in your advertising and sales pitches, and it will increase your valuation should you choose to sell your company at a future date. Environmental initiatives are becoming more commonplace and are bound to become mandatory in the future. Be ahead of the curve and go green now.

Dealing With Recession

Whether or not you have felt the effects, there is no denying that these are tough times, financially speaking. Many fingers have been pointed all across the US as to who is to blame for the downfall. Many look at the mortgage industry, Mark-to-Market, FIFO accounting practices, and even you the consumer.

The answer is all are to blame, but in my opinion credit use is public enemy no.1. America has been a broken financial system for some time now, just teetering on the edge waiting for the gust of wind to blow it over. America has been living on the literal borrowed dime for way too long. From consumers to businesses, credit use has gotten out of control. The average consumer has over $12k in credit card debt and the average car loan is over $25k, which is not to mention mortgages, student loans, home equity etc. On average consumers have at least 13 debt obligations on record at a credit bureau.

Today the BLS said that unemployment rate had risen to 6.5% the highest it has been in 14 years, which signals to me that we need to buckle down and prepare for the worst. It is likely to get worse before it gets better. So you may be asking what you should do to help the economy, and many pundits and advisors have answered save or invest, some even say spend. I however, have a different answer...pay off your debt.

Leveraging your debt is the only thing credit is good for and it is only useful if you can earn a rate higher than the interest on the debt itself, and I think we can all agree that you would be hard-pressed to find that these days.

I am not saying you should cut your spending in half across the board, but limit yourself to "reasonable for you" amounts in the categories you spend your money in. Use that extra money from not buying the latest cell phone, iPod, car, or clothing and put it to good use, paying for what you already have.

Not only will you recession-proof your life, but you will turn the tables and your money will start working for you. You can then save and invest, and make future purchases in cash, thereby feeling that immediate gratification of complete ownership and pride in the fact that your money is now your slave rather than being slave to your money.

Update and Announcement

Wow, what a past couple of weeks it has been. First, Hurricane Ike, which we survived intact. Though, with almost 2 weeks without power and water, it was a mess.

I have a much greater sense of respect for those that lived before the introduction of running water and electricity. However I do realize that they were set up to cope with this, not shoveling water from bathtub to toilet or taking baths with bottled water. They had outhouses, bathing tubs next to well pumps, and a breezeway built into the house to cool off. I would have killed for any of these after a couple of days.

The money lost in the way of spoiled food, and money spent on things like generators, ice and batteries, had budget conscious poeple like me near panic attack mode. Then listening to the radio like the old days I began to realize why they had such active imaginations, your mind gets used to filling in the visual blanks to compensate.

As you sit there thinking how life could be worse than being hot and sticky with 2 complaining children and a shrinking bank account, you hear the announcer on the news radio station tell you that an economic crisis has begun. Banks and insurance companies are failing, and you feel the urge to run to the bank and withdraw your money to be safe, but you remember that banks cannot operate without electricity.

I have been glued to the news channels ever since our electricity came back on. Watching the stock markets plummet and the government inaction (not a typo). Then the dreaded came, I went to check our investment accounts, 1/3 of our retirement savings gone and this is just the beginning.

Needless to say my entrepreneurial desires have been put on hold. I have to get my family back to that secure place before natural and economic disasters insue. So I have been pondering what to do with my blog, and have decided that I will fill the void with my expertise and give some financial insight into the economy and maybe a little advice from time to time.

I hope this will suffice for those that came looking for starting a business advice. I hope that all of you are safe and that you were able to cope with these difficult times. Here is to hoping for a speedy job search!

Hurricane Coming

For those of you who don't know I am in the Houston area. I will not be posting anything for the next couple of days due to Hurricane Ike.

I have been watching the news since last night and the track for the storm has shifted so the eye of the storm will be coming directly over my house. My family and I have taken precautions to be safe.

I will let you know any updates on conditions here from my house, right now we are just waiting and watching the news stations for updates. For those of you reading in the Houston area also, please be safe. I know alot of people here still have Rita in their minds, but this is different. We will be taking a direct hit this time, and hurricanes are very dangerous. Please pray for all of us here in Houston.

-Rebecca