As small business owners, we all want some of the same things—satisfied customers, motivated healthy employees, reduced expenses and increased profits. As a local Green Irene Eco-Consultant you will walk through a client’s office, talk with employees, and start them on the path to greening their office and business practices. You will then present a set of recommendations and concrete steps (including a written action plan) that the business can implement at its own pace, either on its own or often with further consulting assistance.

In the Green Office Makeover, our number one priority is to help make an office a more efficient and healthy place to work. Green an office today and start helping them save money tomorrow! The Green Office Makeover includes a consultation and evaluation at the client’s office, presentation of the Green Irene findings and recommendations (during the same visit), phone and email follow-up and a three-month membership to “Ask Green Irene.” As a local Eco-Consultant, you can also make your services available to give a GO GREEN workshop to the client’s employees about greening their homes.

Show How Much Green Practices Can Save
As a Green Irene Eco-Consultant, you come armed with tools that illustrate the specific dollar savings available throughout the office by adopting green practices. Are they interested in more energy efficient lighting but concerned about the upfront cost? You can show you how quickly that investment can pay off. Wondering how much a specific device costs to run each year? Our Kill-A-Watt tool may help make better technology choices. Electrical devices are hard at work, even when employees are not, and use energy constantly. You can demonstrate tools to reduce this “phantom” energy use to make a big impact on your client’s electric bill. For example, a free software download will save up to $80 annually per PC. The savings from that one idea can pay for the whole consultation!

Energy Savings is Just the Start of our Approach to Going Green
In the United States, an estimated $60 billion a year is lost in worker productivity due to unhealthy work environments. The Green Office Makeover considers ways to reduce common workplace toxins and improve indoor air quality for your employees. Your client’s employees will appreciate the attention you are giving to their work environment. Healthy employees are more productive and this directly impacts your bottom line. We have all heard the mantra, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.” For a small business owner with an eye on the bottom line and the company’s environmental footprint, they will appreciate the value of a waste audit, a paper reduction policy, properly disposing of electronic waste and the creation of an office “reuse” center. You will offer advice on steps they can take to reduce the waste in their office. Our ideas on how to green their meetings will make participants feel like their work practices are consistent with their home values. Our Recommendations Report will also introduce products, which we offer for sale through an online catalog. You can recommend incorporating some of these to help in their efforts to green their office. As a Green Irene you will also be able to refer them to other qualified green professionals in your area as part of our Sustainable Contractors Network.

Encourage the First Steps to Go Green and Have a Plan to Keep Making Progress
A Green Office Makeover requires a relatively small commitment of time and money. In return, the business is making a strong initial commitment to itself and its employees to provide a less wasteful and healthier office environment. What a great message that sends to their customers, your community and current and future employees. While many companies want to say they are “green”, you will help the company actually taken the first steps. Green Irene will recognize this effort with a certificate and website decal.
For small businesses owners with 10 or fewer employees at one location, a two-hour Green Office Makeover is $250. Larger offices, with up to 50 employees, require a half-day consultation for which we charge $450. The Green Office Makeover includes phone and email follow up from you, a customized Green Irene Recommendation Report, and a three-month commitment from Green Irene to guide the path to sustainability with our “Ask Green Irene” membership.

Green Office Makeover Topics include:
• Energy conservation and efficiency
• Energy efficient lighting replacements
• Water conservation and water purity
• Improving indoor air quality
• Creating a toxic-free workplace
• Recycling and waste reduction strategies
• Green purchasing strategies, including electricity from renewable sources
• Sustainable travel and transportation options
• Tax credits, rebates and other financial incentives