Opportunities For Greening Your Business

Emergency Burn Ban In Effect 10/26/24 - An emergency burn ban is now in effect for all Connecticut State Parks, Forests, and Wildlife Management areas, prohibiting the use of all outdoor grills, firepits, and campfires, and the kindling and use of flame outdoors. DEEP and local agencies are working to contain several active fires across the state. Please avoid all affected State Parks and Forests, as well as the blue-blazed Mattabesett Trail. The Enduro Trail in Voluntown and portions of North Stonington within the Pachaug State Forest are closed at this time. Please note that today's forest fire danger report remains at an 'extreme' level. More information about the current fire danger, burn ban and recommended safety measures can be found here

There's room for sustainability in every aspect of your business from purchasing environmentally preferable office supplies to reducing operating costs with energy efficient equipment and everything in between. Below you will find opportunities to green your business, save money and even reduce environmental regulatory requirements.

Getting Started	Water
Pollution Prevention (P2)	Green Office
Energy Conservation and Renewables	Measuring Your Success
Purchasing	Marketing Your Success
Green Building	Other Tool and Resources
Transportation	Grants & Financial Assistance
Waste and Recycling	DEEP Contacts
Permitting and Compliance Assistance Do you know what environmental permits you need? Do you need to know how to stay in compliance with environmental regulations? DEEP staff can provide guidance about regulations, but we can also provide information about reducing your environmental compliance responsibilities - and operating costs - by suggesting, where appropriate, pollution prevention strategies.

Getting Started CBIA has surveyed CT businesses and many businesses are already going green. Take a look at some of these resources for ideas and inspiration.
Resources	Are you unsure about what words like greenhouse gases and sustainability really mean? Check out this glossary of environmental terms. Smarts Steps to Sustainability is EPA's comprehensive guide to greening your business. Learn from Your Peers! Read sustainability success stories from CT businesses.
Pollution Prevention (P2) Pollution Prevention or P2 means eliminating or reducing the amount and toxicity of potentially harmful substances at their sources, prior to generation, treatment, off-site recycling or disposal. It emphasizes preventing or minimizing pollution, rather than controlling it once it is generated.
Fact Sheets	General information about pollution prevention resources for business and hospitals. Basic regulatory requirements and best management practices for dry cleaners. Basic regulatory requirements and best management practices for the vehicle services industry. Resources and case studies for greening the hospitality industry. Sustainable practices and resources for the landscaping and lawn care industry.
Climate Change	Learn about initiatives that can help your business address the risks and leverage the opportunities of climate change.
Continuous Improvement	EPA's The Lean and Environment Toolkit offers practical techniques and strategies that can help "deliver environmentally protective Lean decisions as a routine task.." Learn how DEEP is using Lean principles to improve the way we do business.
Green Chemistry	Green Chemistry is the design of chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances. (EPA) Read why green chemistry is good for business.
Mercury	Mercury information, including safe disposal of lamps
Toxics in Packaging	Toxics in Packaging prohibits the use of cadmium, hexavalent chromium, lead and mercury in packaging, including packaged products, sold or offered for promotional purposes in the state.
Energy Conservation and Renewables Energy Star estimates that up to 1/3 of the energy in a typical commercial building is wasted. In addition, most energy used comes from fossil fuels, which release greenhouse gases and damages our environment. Fortunately, small changes in energy use can add up to big savings for your business and lessen the impact your business has on the environment.
Efficiency	Learn about energy consumption, conservation, energy efficiency and climate change. Read energy efficiency case studies for commercial, manufacturing, retail and warehouse spaces. EnergizeCT is a great resource for businesses.
Energy and Water Assessment Tool	Portfolio Manager is an online, interactive energy management tool that allows you to track and assess energy and water consumption.
Renewable Energy	Learn about wind, solar and geothermal power. Biomass is renewable organic material (e.g. plant materials, animal waste, landfill methane gas, sewage and solid waste) that can be used as a fuel or energy source. Learn about Clean Energy Finance and Investment Authority (CEFIA) programs and funding opportunities for businesses interested in clean energy sources.
Purchasing Each phase of a product from acquiring raw materials, processing and disposal can cause pollution of our air, land and water and can have potential health impacts. Green products can minimize these effects. Purchasing environmentally preferable products (EPPs) can save money and natural resources, reduce environmental impacts and create a healthier work place.
Greening The Supply Chain	Greening the supply chain means that as a purchaser, you demand a level of environmental responsibility in supplier and vendor business practices. Read more about how to green your supply chain. Greening the supply chain for reducing cost and environmental improvement You need to be aware of REACH (European community regulation on chemicals) if your business ships products or chemicals into the European Economic Area (EEA) or if you have other operations in the EEA.
Independent Product Certifications	EPA's Design for the Environment (DfE) helps purchasers make better choices by identifying safe and effective products. Green Seal develops life cycle-based sustainability standards for products, services and companies and offers third-party certification. Ecologo provides the public, corporations and consumers with assurance that the products and services bearing the logo meet certain standards of environmental leadership. Underwriters Laboratory (UL) offers independent green claims validation, product certification, training, advisory services and standards development.
Environmentally Preferable Products	Resources for environmentally preferable products Metafore helps businesses to evaluate, select and manufacture environmentally preferable wood and paper products. Their Environmental Paper Assessment Tool (EPAT) allows buyers and sellers of paper products to evaluate environmental performance data along the paper supply chain.
Food	Do you offer food service to you employees? Encourage your food service vendor to buy local, CT-grown food.
Green Building A green building is one where the indoor and outdoor environmental qualities (buildings and landscape setting) have been considered and protected during its design, construction, maintenance and use.
LEED Certification	The CT Green Building Council (CTGBC) promotes intelligently designed and constructed high performance energy efficient buildings. They hold workshops on green building topics, networking opportunities and CT based LEED™ training. EPA's Green Building Gateway and green building standards has information on environmentally preferable building materials and specifications, improving air quality and more. There is also information specific to commercial buildings.
Transportation Vehicles of all types have a huge impact on our environment. These " mobile sources" burn fuels, release CO2 and many pollutants into our air and can cause health problems. Businesses can save money and reduce pollution by being more efficient with vehicle use, buying more fuel efficient vehicles and if possible, using telecommuting to keep more vehicles off the road.
Anti-Idling	Turn off that engine while waiting! Make it clear to your employees that idling vehicles - your or theirs - gets zero miles per gallon, pollutes our air and wastes money!
Fuels	Everything you want to know about fuels . Biodiesel is an alternative fuel, produced from either virgin vegetable oils (such as soy, canola) or from waste greases or other renewable resources.
Efficient Vehicles	When purchasing new vehicles, consider "green vehicles" that get better gas mileage and produce less emissions. Check the Green Car Institute for information on alternative and clean fuel vehicles. EPA's Smart Way^TM Program shows you how to save fuel and money and reduce the impact of your freight operations and vehicles.
Reduce Vehicle Miles Travelled (VMT)	Encourage employees to avoid single passenger car travel. Here are some options: CT Rides has information on vanpools, buses, trains and other commuting options, including carpooling along with a rewards program. Bus information and schedules can also be found at CT Transit. Employees who live close enough to their work place might consider walking or biking. For more information visit Bike Walk CT.
Business Travel	Do you travel for business in large cities? You may benefit by joining ZipCar, or Car Sharing if your staff does a lot of traveling in major cities in the U.S. or abroad. Look for a certified green hotel when you travel and encourage your business visitors to stay in a DEEP certified green hotel. (Look for the CT Green Lodging logo.)
Telecommuting	Can you offer telecommuting to some of your employees? You may be able to cut some office-related expenses and reduce pollution from commuting. Telecommute CT offers free assistance to help you set up a program.
Waste and Recycling Managing and disposing of all the wastes your business produces takes staff time and is a very large expense for a business. Learn strategies to reduce, reuse and recycle and cut disposal costs.
Waste Reduction	Business Guide To Reducing Solid Waste (EPA) Provides an overview for developing and implementing a waste reduction program. It includes a series of worksheets designed for conducting a waste audit and developing a program tailored for your company's specific goals.
Recycling	Visit the Business Recycling Assistance gateway page to information and resources for reducing, reusing and recycling.
Electronic Waste	E-waste is the fastest growing part of our waste stream. From mining of the raw materials to the recycling or disposal of our electronic products, electronics have a significant impact on the environment.
Reuse	DEEP resources for material exchanges and reuse centers
Donation	Do you offer a food service for your employees? Cut down on waste and find ways to recover or donate what you cannot use.
Water We are fortunate in CT to have a plentiful supply of clean water. However, water is a precious resource and we should make every effort to conserve it and keep it clean. Businesses can protect water in their manufacturing processes as well as conserving water in plumbing, landscaping and storm water management.
Efficient Products	WaterSense is an EPA-sponsored partnership program that protects our nation's water supply by promoting water efficiency and efficient products, programs and practices. More water efficiency ideas for business.
Water Conservation Tracking Tool	Manage energy and water consumption for all your buildings using EPA's Portfolio Manager Tool.
Green Roofs	A green roof is planted with vegetation. It slows water run-off and keeps the building cooler, which helps save energy. They also can be beautiful and add to the architectural interest of your building.
Landscaping	Does your business have plantings and gardens? Consider having a rain garden. A rain garden is a depressed garden bed filled with water and drought resistant native plants. It collects water run-off from impervious surfaces so it can more easily infiltrate the ground. Read more about rain gardens in the P2 View Newsletter, "You've Got Free Rain". Learn about the Green Capitols Project which incorporates rain gardens, pervious concrete and porous asphalt and a green roof. Does your business maintain grounds? Reduce the use of synthetic fertilizers and toxics pesticides using organic land care and sustainable landscaping and lawn care practices.
Protecting Water Resources	Learn how to prevent ground water pollution. Coastal NonPoint Source Pollution Control Program Nonpoint Source Pollution (NPS) Management Aquifer protection information for business and industry
Green Office Recycling, eliminating disposables, double-siding copies--these are just a few things you can do to green your office operations.
Getting Started	Need some inspiration? Here's how we are greening our offices at 79 Elm. Materials from the DEEP workshop, Going Green Makes Sen$e will help you start a green team, increase recycling, reduce waste and save money.
Green Meetings	Every business has meetings, conferences or trainings to set up. Find out how to reduce the environmental impacts of your meetings.
Measuring Your Success How do you know if your greening efforts are successful? Learn how to measure your success and calculate the benefits to the environment.
Waste Tracking	Learn about the EPA's WasteWise program to track waste and calculate the environmental benefits of reducing waste.
Green House Gas Reductions	EPA's Warm Model helps you to calculate your green house gas reductions.
Marketing your Success Share your success and market your green accomplishments by applying for an award from DEEP, EPA or other organizations. Make sure your customers are aware of what you've accomplished.
DEEP Certifications	If you manage a large hotel or even a small B & B, a DEEP CT Green Lodging Certification will let your guests know that you care about the environment.
Climate Change Awards	EPA's Climate Leaders Awards program recognizes businesses that have taken action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other actions aimed at reducing the affects of climate change.
EPA Recognition	EPA, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Center for Resource Solutions (CRS) co-sponsors the Green Power Leadership Awards to recognize actions of organizations, programs, and individuals that advance the development of green power sources. WasteWise (EPA) recognizes achievements of their partners in with their annual award program. A free WasteWise membership offers many other benefits as well.
Health Care Industry Awards	Practice GreenHealth Awards are available to members of their organization who are in the health care field or businesses that support health care.
Stay Informed	Learn more about DEEP publications, newsletters and our calendar, including Your Business and the Environment. Follow the DEEP on Facebook and Twitter Find out about advisory groups that meet regularly at the DEEP. Connecticut Building and Industry Association Environmental Policies Council (EPC) Keep up-to-date on the latest environmental compliance requirements and assist CBIA in developing and advocating policy positions on environmental issues. E2 Business Center Environmental Leader GreenBiz
Other Tools and Resources
Green Jobs	CT Green Jobs workforce Report by the Green Jobs Partnership CT Climate and Jobs Roundtable
State Resources	Business and Industry Development, CT Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) CT Economic Resource Center (CERC) CT Brownfields Redevelopment Authority (CBRA) CT Licensing Info Center
EPA Support for Small Business	EPA Small Business Gateway EPA Small Business Innovation Research
Technical	CONNStep Business consulting services
Other	Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) Business encourages environmental innovation by challenging companies to "make green business the new business as usual." Green Blue "stimulates the creative redesign of industry and develops practical solutions, resources and opportunities for implementing sustainability" and includes the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, and CleanGredient.

Disclaimer: The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) maintains the content on this web page to enhance public access to information and facilitate understanding of environmental issues. The DEEP is not recommending these resources over any others and recognizes these represent only a partial listing of resources on this subject.

Content last updated October 2019

Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection