ISO 14000 can bring in Green Grants for Business

Green seems to be the new buzzword, unfortunately overuse may do more harm than good and some of the frustration is spilling on ISO 14000. In the current economic climate business owners are looking for a balance between being a good environmental citizen and the bottom line.

They do not need to be beat over the head about their energy consumption or what their company generates. Business owners are people who are well aware of their responsibilities and the impact on themselves and their families. However they are also aware of the immediate impact on themselves and their employees if they go out of business trying to protect the environment.

One of the Benefits of ISO 14000 – Business Grants

The ultimate goal of ISO 14000 is to reduce the consumption of materials and energy, and reduce or eliminate the generation of pollution. If the company can make the same product with less materials and/or energy then there will be a positive impact on the bottom line. Therefore, the proper implementation of ISO 14000 ends up being a good business decision.

The first step in ISO 14000 is to benchmark current consumption. The second step is to identify how to reduce this consumption and/or carbon footprint. The third step is to implement this reduction. This is where companies can run into capital problems. It is not unusual for the requirement of a large influx of capital in order to make a positive change in the company’s environmental impact. Here are some sites to look at for grant information:

http://www.actonenergy.com/for-my-business/business-incentive-programs/small-business-online-store/

http://www.dsireusa.org/incentives/index.cfm?re=1&ee=1&spv=0&st=0&srp=1&state=IL

http://www.business.gov/manage/green-business/energy-efficiency/get-started/tax-credits.html

Business Grants to Go Green  – ISO 14000 Can Help

You may qualify for a grant of up to $5000 without first having to identify what your current consumption rate through Commonwealth Edison. Most of these grants deal with changing out to compact fluorescent lighting or the use of LEDs and exit signs. Check with on website www. AC TONENERGY.com for more details on these grants.

All other grants will require the company to identify their current consumption. This is where IS0 14000 becomes a benefit to the company. ISO 14000 implementation set up systems to that mark our current consumption and waste. This documentation gives a company an advantage when applying for grants. For this reason alone, ISO 14000 becomes a smart business decision as well as going green.