Go Green, Get Green - It's a Virtual Thing

By Patty Juan

Going green--everyone should have it as a New Year's resolution this year, especially we business owners who rely on energy-hungry products and practices to run our businesses on a daily basis. There have been so many great articles and blogs on the topic, and they have all been extremely informative and inspiring.

But it's a new year again. And that's a great reason to start thinking and implementing ways to live and work greener, which is why this topic will be popping up once again here and there, I am sure, through many channels. This really is an important topic, and it really is a big deal in more ways than just one.

For the most part, a good number of business owners have already implemented ways of going green--without even realizing it! We've done so in part because we have all felt the impact of a bad economy in some way or another. Office supplies are more expensive, the price of gasoline makes us cringe, and even the cost of postage has jumped on the bandwagon. And added salt in that wound, customers just aren't spending as much on our products or services as they once were. This has left many business owners desperately looking for ways to save some green.

We've started saving money by refilling our ink cartridges, and we're cutting down on our paper cost by printing (when we have to) on both sides of the paper. These practices not only help us save some green, but they are green practices--wow, win-win!

But did you know that partnering with a virtual assistant can get your company on its way to going even greener?

As I mentioned, I have read many great articles recently on going green, and to my absolute delight, many of these mention the impact virtual assistants are having on green efforts worldwide. We've all heard how electronic communications and electronic file management can help the environment by saving paper. Virtual business support specialists are by profession, just that, virtual. There is little or no paper involved in the work we provide to our clients--fantástico!

However, I'm not sure everyone has heard of the following two key, important points that I came across, which truly did surprise me and which prompted me to write about "the virtual thing."

Taryn Merrick of Merrick Management and Media Services wrote that virtual assistants do not drive to work everyday. You see, virtual assistants typically work out of their homes. Fewer cars on the road reduce pollutants and emissions, not to mention gas consumption. And less gas consumption translates into less fossil fuel consumption. Bravo!

I would have never thought of this one--the virtual assistant's attire. Because virtual assistants work out of their homes, as noted in a blog posted by Michelle Murphy of Murphy Assistants, they are generally dressed casually. So there's less need to have those fancy business clothes dry cleaned so often. This translates into less dry-cleaning solvents being flushed into the wastewater. What a great point to bring to our attention. 

Thank you, Michelle! Bravo, bravo!

And finally, have you considered the fact that virtual assistants use less energy than a conventional assistant?

Having been on "both sides of the coin," it is my opinion that virtual assistants complete a project for their clients much more efficiently than conventional, in-house assistants. Why? Virtual assistants don't have the distractions of an office setting and don't have unproductive "gossip" time.

As a virtual assistant, when I am working on a project for a client, the focus is generally solely on that project with little or no distractions. The best part is that there are never those "gossip" times, lunch hours, or breaks when computers and equipment are left running in your office--and let us not forget about the air conditioner or the heater. Bravissimo!

Bottom line here is that we all should be thinking of ways to save our planet. And what's so fascinating, is that it can really be so simple when it comes to our business practices. In most cases, not only will you be contributing to making our planet greener, but your company will benefit by keeping some of that green where it belongs--with you!

If you would like more information on going green during work or play, please visit the Go Green Initiative at http://www.gogreeninitiative.org and World Watch Institute at http://www.worldwatch.org.

Patty Juan
eXPERT Business Support Services

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