What the Aluminum Industry can Teach Your Business

Earlier this month, the Aluminum Association set clear goals for the future. By 2015, they hope to be recovering 75% of all aluminum containers made in the United States. That number currently stands at just 54%, though has been as high as 69% in the past.

To help meet this goal, the Aluminum Association is increasing public education, expanding the recycling infrastructure, and focusing on new legislation that will mandate recycling in areas where it is currently voluntary or legislation that will focus on recyclable deposits. Studies should that states with deposits have a 74% or higher recycling rate, while other states have just a 38% recycling rate.

You can read more about these goals at GreenBiz.com.

Setting Green Goals for your Business

What can you learn from the Aluminum Association? Even if your business doesn’t have products it can recycle, aluminum or otherwise, the take away message here is that you need to set green goals for your small business.

Here are some tips to help you create (and keep) your green goals:

• Make this a company effort. Brainstorm with all of your employees to determine areas in which you can go green.
• Write down your goals and post them. You should have some kind of visual reminder of the ways in which you hope to go green.
• Track your progress. Your goals, for example, might be to cut electricity usage by 15% by January 2010. Give your employees an update on your progress throughout 2009.
• Be vocal about your green goals. When you tell your customers about your goals, you’ll be promoting your products or services, and you’ll also be more motivated to reach those goals
• Offer incentives for employees helping your reach your goals. Make it worth their while to go green with you.

What are your company’s green goals and how are you reaching toward them? Leave a comment to inspire us all!