Three Secrets of Green Business: Unlocking Competitive Advantage in a Low Carbon Economy / Edition 1

by Gareth Kane

Overview

Business is coming under increasing pressure from government, customers and campaigning groups to improve its environmental performance. Soaring utility and compliance costs are hitting companies where it hurts - on their bottom line. But there is another way of looking at the green agenda - as an opportunity rather than a threat. Written by renowned green business expert Gareth Kane, this practical 'how-to' guide contains everything you need to know about making your business green and increasing profits. Key features include: ' The Three Secrets of Green Business Success. ' Preparing To Go Green - change management, indicators, communication and marketing. ' Small Steps - the easy actions that will cut waste of materials, water and energy and save you money. ' Huge Leaps - the really big changes that will make your business truly green by changing your processes, products and business models. ' Hundreds of handy hints and tips. ' Checklists and a brainstorming tool Packed with examples, this book provides a highly accessible, practical guide to those who want to introduce sustainability into their business or organization quickly and effectively.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781844078745
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	12/09/2009
Edition description:	1
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.70(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Gareth Kane, an environmental consultant, has worked with hundreds of organisations to improve their environmental performance. He has appeared as a media pundit on sustainability issues on the BBC Six O'Clock News, Countryfile and The Politics Show. In 2008 The Journal newspaper named Gareth as a 'Rising Star, Future Leader' for his work on sustainability.

Table of Contents

List of Figures, Tables and Boxes ix

About the Author xi

Acknowledgements xiii

List of Acronyms and Abbreviations xv

Introduction xvii

Chapter 1 Setting the Scene 1

The big picture 2

A sustainable future 4

Business and the environment 8

Chapter 2 The Three Secrets of Green Business Success 13

Secret No 1: Understand the business case 14

Secret No 2: What to do 20

Secret No 3: How to do it 27

Chapter 3 Preparing To Go Green 31

The essentials of change 32

Creating a culture for change 35

Environmental management systems 45

Measuring performance 50

Creating a strategy 56

External communication 61

Chapter 4 Small Steps 75

Doing things right 76

Pollution incident prevention 78

Waste minimization and recycling 81

Energy efficiency 87

Water conservation 91

Greening your supply chain 94

Transport 99

Carbon offsetting 104

Chapter 5 Huge Leaps 109

Doing the right thing 110

Cleaner production 112

Renewable energy 117

Green buildings 124

Industrial Symbiosis 130

Eco-design 135

Product service systems 146

Exploiting synergies 150

Conclusion 153

Final Thoughts 154

Appendix 1 Sources of Help 157

Appendix 2 Checklists 165

Appendix 3 Brainstorming Tool 185

Notes 189

Index 195

Editorial Reviews

'Brilliant! The most comprehensive and practical business guide I have ever read about environmental issues.' Jo Bennison, Director, Daxi Environmental 'Written in a clear language that unravels sustainability and the methodology of green business ... The author's extensive experience reinforces the credibility of his approach to achieve the competitive advantage in a low carbon economy.' Quality World 'If you‘re part of a small business in the UK and want an easy to read yet comprehensive guide to green business, go no further ... this is it. Gareth‘s tone and content are perfect for many time poor managers pushed into dealing with today‘s growing green pressures, and usually with little previous experience of environmental management.' David Connor, Coethica 'A must read for enterprise managers that want to move towards sustainability, but believe they can't or don't know how. With all the down-to-earth guidance available in the book, that excuse can no longer stand in the way of action.' Dr John Ehrenfeld, Chief Executive, Industrial Society for Industrial Ecology 'Provides business, whether large or small, with all the information necessary to be at the forefront of sustainability. This publication is more than a handbook, it will lead to a change in philosophy for any company that takes the time to read it and implement its ideas.' Prof Graham Street, Emeritus Professor of Environmental Technology 'Forthright and practical, Gareth Kane provides the nuggets of really helpful advice which managers and small business owners need to prioritise which environmental improvements to make and how to make them. This sleeves-rolled-up approach is combined with big picture thinking about what'sustainable development really means, and why it's important.' Penny Walker, Environmental Consultant and Author of Change Management for Sustainable Development and Introduction to Environmental Awareness, Trainer's Manual 'You have very nicely encapsulate

From the Publisher