Implement and share the results of your comprehensive water use and conservation plan quarterly

Become a completely remote company, requiring no office space or regular transportation to/from work

Purchase 50-100% of products and services from green-certified or Green Business Benchmark vendors

Use a tankless or otherwise highly efficient home hot water heater

Upgrade from older fluorescent T12, T8 and T5 lamps to LED alternatives

Purchase 25-49% of products and services from sustainability-certified or Green Business Benchmark vendors

Rent or purchase a building that is close to public transportation stops and bike paths

Compost your home food waste

Use an alternative/natural refrigerant (non-HFC) with a global warming potential less than or equal to 10 for your home refrigerators, freezers, and HVAC systems

Have a composting program for your business food waste

Implement a green procurement policy

Implement a comprehensive recycling program including education, proper sinage, and monitoring

Install faucets with controls that turn off automatically (motion sensors)

Implement a sustainability process and standard for all meetings, conferences, and events

After completing the energy audit/assessment, develop a comprehensive energy use and conservation plan

Develop a comprehensive water use and conservation plan with measurable goals to optimize water usage

Implement home performance and efficiency improvements based upon your home energy assessment

Buy home office electronics that are energy efficient, ENERGY STAR, EPEAT, ROHS, etc.

Eliminate all single-use paper, styrofoam or plastic cups, plates, and utensils in the kitchen area. Use reusable mugs, dishes, and silverware instead

Properly recycle all household waste according to your local regulations

Purchase and serve 75-100% local, organic, and fair trade food and drink

Install a programmable thermostat to automate your home HVAC or A/C system

Use chlorine-free and FSC-certified paper products

Switch to low-pressure and highly efficient showerheads and faucets

Implement a supplier code of conduct policy

Purchase all office paper products made from 50-100% recycled materials

Arrange the workspace to take advantage of areas with natural sunlight

Purchase offsets for the travel emissions and in-person work days that can’t be reduced

Purchase or lease used or recycled office equipment and furniture

Purchase ENERGY STAR qualified or similarly highly efficient appliances

Use a carbon calculator tool to measure your current carbon footprint. Reassess quarterly as you meet energy use goals

Develop an office thermostat policy that maintains internal air temperature within the recommended temperature range, and eliminates A/C and heating usage when the building is not occupied

Use washable home electrostatic furnace and air conditioning filters

Use your personal, fossil-fueled vehicle less than 75 miles a week

Grow an at-home or community food garden

Purchase produce in-season from local farmer’s markets or co-ops

Lower the max temperature of your hot water heater from 140 to 120

When working from an alternative location (not home office) walk or bike

Properly dispose of all hazardous waste materials including batteries, paint and chemicals, lightbulbs, aerosol cans, and electronics

Work with a food recovery service to donate surplus meals, stock and other edible food items to reduce waste.

Properly dispose of all household hazardous waste materials including batteries, paint and chemicals, lightbulbs, aerosol cans, and electronics

Install a filtered water tap or water bottle refill station that provide high-quality drinking water

Significantly limit the amount of physical marketing materials you produce

Complete a consumption and waste audit to help identify and quantify the items your business acquires, uses, and discards

Use environmentally-friendly, non-toxic, bio-based cleaning products

Replace regular light bulbs with LED bulbs

Establish a paperless billing program for your customers

Use concentrated cleaning products

Purchase carbon offsets to become net zero for all emissions

Buy electronics that are energy efficient, EPEAT, ROHS, etc.

Conduct an energy assessment/audit to pinpoint specific areas of home energy use and waste

Weatherize your home by ensuring all windows and doors in your home are properly installed, functioning, maintained, weather-stripped, etc.

Go completely paperless

Use concentrated home cleaning products

Purchase home trash bin liners made from 100% bio-based or 50-100% recycled materials

Use an eco-friendly home pest control service that minimizes the use of toxic pesticides

Establish company-wide local community volunteer days and create a company-wide challenge to see who can volunteer in the community at a green event the most throughout the year

Install timers on non-essential electrical appliances

Choose paperless billing with vendors, business partners, and suppliers when possible

Eliminate unnecessary paper usage as much as possible including forms, contracts, meeting agendas and materials, proofs, and drafts

Replace all traditional bulbs with LED bulbs throughout your home work space

Use eco-friendly, bio-based, non-toxic home cleaning products

Use reusable cleaning products such as sponges or towels instead of paper towels throughout your home

Stop using all single-use plastic kitchen utensils, plates, bowls, and cups

Use reusable bags instead of plastic bags when shopping

Purchase home paper towels and toilet paper made from 50-100% recycled materials

Create a company-wide challenge to use the least single-use items for a month

Use natural light throughout 75% of the day instead of overhead lights

Locate home office in room with ample windows to take advantage of daylighting

Recycle or sell your used toner cartridges

Purchase recycled or remanufactured toner cartridges

Develop a paper reduction policy that clearly defines when and how items should be printed

Reduce junk mail by removing your organization’s name from national direct marketing databases

Eliminate the use of disposable batteries and switch entirely to rechargeable

Use reusable cleaning products such as towels and sponges, eliminating paper towels

Print and copy double-sided only

Use a sustainable web hosting service

Choose bio-based, reused, recycled, recyclable, or FSC certified boxes and bags for shipping

Reuse, sell, or donate used or unneeded furniture, equipment, and office supplies

Use virtual meeting platforms to replace travel when possible

Add shades/window covering to reduce heat gain

Add shades/window covering throughout your home to reduce heat gain

Reduce vampire loads by unplugging non-essential electrical appliances when not in use

Use smart power strips throughout your house in areas of high plug loads

Opt out of receiving home junk mail

Stop purchasing single-use plastic waterbottles. Install a water filter if necessary

Use a shared or centralized printer

Purchase trash liners made from 100% bio-based materials

Minimize air conditioning usage through natural ventilation by opening windows

Assess your current vendors’ procurement practices

Purchase trash liners made from 50-100% recycled materials

Use ceiling fans in place of air conditioning when possible

Reduce “vampire loads” by unplugging appliances when not in use

Use ceiling fans and windows in place of air conditioning

Donate used clothing and furniture

Organize a sustainability committee to lead your organization’s sustainability program

Complete the GBB getting started steps

Develop a sustainability mission statement for your business and define your company’s core commitments

Populate your company’s sustainability accomplishments in your profile

Announce your commitment to GBB to all employees

Eliminate the use of disposable batteries throughout your home and switch entirely to rechargeable