From Dell committing itself to carbon neutrality to IBM’s new eco-consulting service major business has made the move to go green. This shift is not only for the big boys. Green IT solutions can also bring cost savings to small business while reducing their environmental impact. The No. 1 green IT practice is the paperless office. A paperless office is also the easiest Green IT solution to implement, and offers the greatest cost savings. The two best examples of a paperless office in action are electronic correspondence and online marketing. Both can be accomplished with your existing email client and Internet browser. The use of email to handle both in-house and client correspondence is the least expensive and easiest form of paperless communication to implement. Not only is email the fastest way to deliver written communication it also the most customizable supporting full color, images and formatting for specific forms such as proposals and invoices. The use of online email marketing campaigns is another excellent form of paperless communication. Most small businesses rely on bulk mail for advertising. With bulk mail there is significant expense in design, printing and postage with low success rates. Most online marketing campaigns require a minimal monthly fee. They offer free templates designed to generate a high response rate, no postage and no printing. These are just two of the many ways your small business can go green reducing both your bottom line and your environmental footprint.
