How to Go Green in Your Business

It is really hard to ignore all the advertisements that coax everyone to go green at home and at work. We know that going green is great for the environment and for our future generations, but can these methods be good for a business?
Statistics show that small enterprises can save up to $30,000 every year if they start using e-paper instead of traditional paper. Looking at the current state of the economy, I believe the money saved is quite good and could be used for something valuable. Other than saving the world, going for green business methods will not only make the office environment-friendly, but also prove very cost-effective in the future.

Ways to Make Businesses Green

Green homes are slowly becoming a common phenomenon nowadays but people rarely know anything about "Green Businesses". A green business means implementing environment-friendly ways that can make a business more productive and reduce meaningless expenditure. The following methods give you a better insight about ways to go green with your business.

Reduction of Waste
Introduction of an effective waste management program is a great start. Hire a waste management team that can suggest new ways of cutting down on waste and opting for cost-effective green ways. The team can start by educating the employees on the importance of recycling and buying organic commodities.

Save Light
Opting for CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lamp) bulbs can help people save a lot of money on electricity as a CFL uses 75% less energy than an average incandescent bulb. It is the duty of every employee to make sure that unnecessary wastage of electricity is controlled as far as possible. Make it a policy to use light bulbs and fixtures which have Energy-Star ratings as they use two-thirds less energy than regular lights. Installation of timers and motion sensors which automatically shut off lights when not needed also play a big role in cutting down electricity costs. Big companies like General Electric are encouraging multinational companies to buy eco-friendly products which help preserve the environment.

Solar Panels
Even though installing a solar panel is an expensive process, it is a significant investment which should be encouraged. These panels are made from silicon which convert the sun's energy to electricity. The panels function by collecting sunlight which is passed through a semiconductor which is then converted into electricity. Solar panels save a lot of money as sunlight is free and in abundance. The panel has no moving parts, hence has no maintenance; and these panels come with a warranty of 15 years and above. The best part about installing solar panels is the federal benefits one receives. The government gives you a 30% tax credit of the total costs of installation; not only that, there are various state and local benefits for companies installing solar panels and promoting the use of green energy.

Going Paperless
Minimizing the usage of paper is the best way for a business to go green. Make sure the major paperwork is done online which includes posting important employee manuals and updates online rather than printing individual copies. Putting important documents online also makes it easy to update them.

Buy Plants
Plants not only enhance the overall look of the office, they are also instrumental in absorbing airborne pollutants while emitting oxygen. Even plant waste can be recycled and used as organic fertilizer, thereby saving a decent amount of money.

Promote Green Practices
Initiating green business ideas and practices have shown good long-term benefits. Statistics show that green practices have a positive return on investment and help businesses remain on good terms with federal, state and local environment bodies, thus making audits easy.

Going green in business is no more a choice, it is a responsibility, which is why it is important for all of us to participate in such activities. The value of going green has increased more than ever; so start now, and help build a clean planet for future generations.

By Kulbhushaan Raghuvanshi
Published: 11/22/2011

What Is a 1300 Number and How Is It Used by Businesses?

By Michael Everington
A 1300 number is essentially a 10 digit phone number used by businesses to take incoming phone calls. You cannot actually make any outbound calls on these types of services.
Why do businesses use them?
One of the main reasons that small businesses use 1300 numbers is to look credible and trustworthy.
You probably don't want to advertise your mobile phone number if you are trying to attract large business customers.
Getting a 1300 number gives your company a professional appearance.
Think of it this way.
If you saw two ads in the newspaper, one ad advertises a mobile number and the other one has a 1300 number, which one would you call first?
Having this type of number indicates to your potential customers that you want them to call you and that you are ready to take their enquiries.
Another reason that businesses use these numbers is the fact that they can control phone calls.
These services have many different call handling functions.
The most common routing function is known as call overflow. It works like the line hunt feature that is available on normal landline telephones.
When you receive a call it will skip from one answer point to another if the main phone number is engaged or not answered.
This can come in handy for small business owners who are always on the run. You could divert the 1300 number to your main office line and have it skip to your mobile if it is not answered.
Time routing is also a popular function. Calls will route to specific answer points based on a certain time period.
You could divert calls to your mobile during the day and then route it to your business partner's phone after hours.
Voice to email is also a popular feature. It essentially allows your customers to leave a recorded message for you. The message is delivered instantly to your email inbox.
You open up the file and listen to the message on your computer or even on your smart phone. As long as your device has access to email you can receive your messages from virtually anywhere in the world.
With the need to cut down on costs, fax to email has become an essential tool for small businesses. Faxes are sent and received via email.
There is no need for an actual fax machine or paper. This means you save money on maintenance costs and the frustration of paper jams.
With all the different features available on a 1300 number it means that you can run a business even from a mobile office.

As mentioned earlier 1300 numbers have features like call routing, voice to email and fax to email. When acquiring a 1300 number get one that suits your business needs.

Want a Desktop Equipment Appraisal? Ask Yourself These 6 Questions

Most equipment appraisers discourage desktop appraisals. One reason is that most folks who ask for one are making an assumption that a desktop appraisal, since it wouldn't include a physical inspection of the equipment, would be less expensive, or at least quicker, and usually, it's not.
That's not to say that a desktop equipment appraisal is never appropriate. Some situations are fine for desktop appraisals; some examples would be:

• Bankruptcy appraisal for a small pizza kitchen with limited, standard-issue restaurant equipment
• Amiable divorce appraisal for small farm with a small inventory of standard, well-maintained equipment
• Large trucking fleet appraisal of identical, nearly new vehicles with comprehensive documentation, complete with photos and maintenance records, for a collateral lending situation where a bank officer verified the physical inventory with a site visit

So what circumstances do make a desktop appraisal a good idea? Asking these 6 will help clarify the answer:

1. Is timing is very short or the equipment location is prohibitively distanced?
2. Is the equipment is fairly standard?
3. Can I get a well-detailed asset list and excellent photographs?
4. Will an authorized person familiar with the equipment be available to answer questions?
5. Who is the user of the appraisal and does the user clearly understand the limitations of a desktop appraisal?
6. Is the user or users confident that such an appraisal without an inspection/verification would be appropriate for the purpose of the appraisal?

If the answer to all of these questions is yes, then a desktop equipment appraisal could be appropriate.
It's critical, however, to be sure that the end user of the appraisal is absolutely confident that a desktop appraisal will be suitable for the use of the appraisal, and to establish that, it's important that the user--whether a lending institution, a CPA firm, a business owner, law firm, or insurance company--understand the unavoidable limitations.
Especially in the case of a collateral lending appraisal, the user needs to understand the real possibility of fraud or misrepresentation. The one situation a lending institution must avoid is extending credit on equipment that doesn't exist or isn't as represented. You'll notice that in the one desktop equipment appraisal submitted for collateral lending example above, a bank representative visited the equipment site. In other circumstances, when a deep level of trust has been built between the lending institution and the borrower, such a visit may not be necessary, but it's the obligation of a qualified equipment appraiser to stress to the client (the lending institution) that without a physical inspection of the equipment, confirming that it actually exists or is as represented is impossible.
On the other hand, misrepresentation of assets is difficult in an equipment appraisal that involves a physical inspection. It's fairly easy to ascertain, for instance, that there are, indeed, nearly 20 1995 Kenworth trucks, model 16-KW-for which you have VINs, license numbers and odometer readings-in the rolling stock inventory for a transportation fleet. A cursory glance supplies information on tire tread, paint, glass and chrome condition of the fleet, and a discussion with the mechanic in the maintenance shop provides evidence of poor, standard or regular maintenance. Collecting that information for a desktop appraisal is another matter, which is why questions 3 & 4 are important.
So is a desktop equipment appraisal a good idea? Now that you know what questions to ask, you'll have a better idea whether such an appraisal would be appropriate for your needs. In most circumstances, though, I maintain that no matter what the purpose of an equipment appraisal, the entire process--as well as the needs of the end user--is better served with a physical inspection of the property and that desktop equipment appraisals should be used in very select and limited circumstances.

Jack Young, ASA, CPA, is an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) of the American Society of Appraisers specializing in machinery and equipment and has a Graduate Personal Property Appraiser (GPPA) designation from the National Auctioneers Association. Jack is the Co-Discipline Director of the Machinery and Technical Specialties Committee and the Chapter Secretary of the Northern California Chapter of the ASA.
For more information on machinery and equipment appraisals, visit NorCal Valuation or our equipment appraisal blog.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jack_P._Young

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Impact of the Looming Oil Crisis on Global Trade

Every day businesses as well as individuals take the availability of oil for granted. However, the reality is that the threat of a global oil crisis is such that at any time the price of oil could increase to such a level that it would become too expensive for the average person to afford.
Increases in oil prices have been put in place in an attempt to slow the consumption of our natural oil resources and protect the global oil supply. However, research has shown that despite these measures and the global risk of recession, approximately 89 million barrels of oil are required daily across the globe. Experts have predicted that if the economy recovers from the current recession in the next 2 years then this figure would rise to 95 million.
An oil crisis in 1973 - similar to what could hit at any stage - saw the price of oil jump by 300% almost immediately and caused widespread oil shortages, with many petrol stations closing. Businesses minimised the usage of electricity, and some towns even banned the use of Christmas lights in an effort to conserve energy.
Should a similar crisis hit the world today, the impact on businesses across the world would be massive. In many countries businesses are being forced to reduce their energy consumption in an attempt to protect the environment, but if oil prices were to increase as the result of a shortage then the goal of saving energy would become an essential factor in the survival of the business. Put simply, most businesses would not be able to make any profit if they continued their current energy consumption.
Should the oil crisis hit, businesses will be left with some incredibly difficult decisions. A reduction in energy consumption would be the obvious course of action, and this could be partially achieved by making small changes such as switching off equipment when not in use. Small changes like these are unlikely to make a significant enough impact on energy bills though, so decisions may need to be made such as moving the business to a smaller premises with lower energy costs, or even reducing the trading hours of the business to reduce energy consumption at times when the business is not as profitable. This could lead to a vast reduction in the number of 24 hour retailers.
However, if the cost of energy rises at the same rate as during the 1973 oil crisis, simply reducing energy consumption will not be enough for a lot of small businesses; they will need to reduce other overheads to balance out the increase in energy costs. There are a number of ways in which this could be achieved, but the most likely scenarios are to reduce production costs, for example using cheaper materials, and reducing staffing costs, which will have an impact on unemployment levels.
There is much debate over the possibility of another oil crisis, but many businesses are already taking small steps towards reducing energy costs so that if a crisis does hit, it will not have such a drastic impact on the business' daily routines.

DG Cuthbert is a University educated UK native who specialises in writing unique, grammatically perfect articles for clients' websites.

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