How small business can go green for Earth Month

April 8, 2025 3 min read

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April is Earth Month – the perfect time to reflect on your business’ environmental impact. You might think that a small business like yours doesn’t have the power to make a difference, positive or negative, on the world around us, but that’s simply not true. As a business owner, you have the power to lessen your environmental footprint through even the smallest of changes.

Renew soap

Cut down on single-use plastics

While plastic is convenient for business owners, employees and customers alike, it makes an immense environmental impact. If you can, try to reduce the amount of plastic used throughout your business. For example, instead of offering plastic bags to customers at checkout, opt for paper. 

Recycling and composting

Waste can have a massively negative effect on our planet – but as a business owner, you can see to it that your business has an eco-conscious approach to waste. Set out recycling bins in your business for materials like paper, plastic, glass and aluminum cans. And if your business is at all food-related, consider composting food waste.

Source locally

The shorter your supply chain, the less gas emissions released into our atmosphere. Consider sourcing some of your products locally! Not only will there be less transportation time and fuel consumption, you’ll also be supporting your local economy, and fostering a sense of community with other local businesses.

Salad

If nothing else, engage your staff and customers

There can be some expense involved in making greener choices, and if your business can’t swing those costs – encouraging your customers and employees to make sustainable choices could be a cost-effective way to make an impact. For example, if you own a coffee shop, consider allowing customers to bring in their own reusable cups or travel mugs for their daily java fix.

Becoming a more sustainable business is well-worth the additional effort, but don’t just take our word for it! Spotlight Shop businesses, Renew Bath and Body and Aroma Thyme Bistro, answered a few questions on how they’ve incorporated sustainability into their operations.

Q: Why is sustainability important to you as a business owner?

Aroma Thyme Bistro: Sustainability is at the core of everything we do at Aroma Thyme Bistro. As a farm-to-table restaurant, we believe that serving high-quality food goes beyond taste – it’s about respecting the environment, supporting ethical farming practices and reducing waste. We want to ensure that future generations can enjoy clean food, pure ingredients, and a healthier planet.

Q: Has your business been impacted by climate change in any way? If so, how did you adjust?

Renew Bath and Body: Yes, extreme weather events and supply chain disruptions have forced us to rethink sourcing. We now prioritize local and regional suppliers, reducing transportation emissions and ensuring more stable supply chains. We’ve also adapted our packaging materials to withstand temperature fluctuations to ensure product integrity in varying climates.

Q: What changes have you made to operate your business more sustainably?

Renew Bath and Body: We’ve launched plastic-free packaging for face cleansers, body wash, shampoo and hand soap – ideal for in-room amenities at hotels and patient care in hospitals, eliminating single-use plastic. We also introduced a plastic-free hand soap for public restrooms, compatible with all refillable wall dispensers. This innovation removes the need for plastic cartridges that would otherwise end up in landfills or oceans.

Aroma Thyme Bistro:

  • Sourcing Locally and Seasonally – We prioritize small farms, local purveyors and organic ingredients whenever possible.
  • Reducing Food Waste – We have creative kitchen strategies to minimize waste, including using whole ingredients and composting scraps.
  • Eco-Friendly Packaging – We use biodegradable and recyclable packaging instead of plastic and Styrofoam.
  • Energy Efficiency – Our kitchen operates on low-energy appliances, and we’ve transitioned to LED lighting and energy-efficient equipment.
  • Sustainable Proteins – We source responsibly raised meat, sustainable seafood and dairy from ethical farms.

Q: How do you communicate your sustainability efforts to your customers? How do you encourage them to practice sustainability within your business?

Aroma Thyme Bistro:

  • Social Media and In-House Signage – Sharing our farm partnerships, sustainability initiatives and eco-conscious decisions.
  • Menu Descriptions – Highlighting sustainable ingredients and why they matter.
  • Encouraging Reusables – Guests are encouraged to bring their own containers when taking home leftovers.
  • Hosting Events and Tastings – We showcase sustainable wines, eco-conscious distilleries and organic food tastings to inspire better choices.

Q: Do you offer any sustainability incentives for your employees or customers?

Renew Bath and Body:

We encourage our customers to opt for sustainable bulk ordering and refill programs, reducing unnecessary waste. For employees, we provide bonuses for sustainability initiatives, such as finding eco-friendly solutions for daily operations or improving production efficiency to reduce waste.

Q: What piece of advice would you give a fellow business owner seeking to improve sustainability efforts within their business?

Renew Bath and Body: Start with one impactful change – whether it’s reducing plastic use, switching to sustainable packaging or cutting carbon emissions. Once you take the first step, the momentum builds, and sustainability becomes part of the company culture.

Aroma Thyme Bistro: Start small but be consistent. Sustainability isn’t about perfection—it’s about progress. Focus on one or two impactful changes at a time, such as: 

  • Sourcing from local farms 
  • Reducing single-use plastics 
  • Minimizing food waste 
  • Educating your team and customers

Once those become habits, build on them. Every small step makes a big difference over time.

From small changes like swapping plastic with paper to larger-scale practices like locally sourcing products, there are so many ways you can make a positive difference on the world around us. This Earth Month and year-round, we encourage you to show your love for our planet through sustainable practices.

The content of this page is for informational purposes only. It is not designed or intended to provide financial, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or other professional advice since such advice always requires consideration of individual circumstances. Please consult with the professionals of your choice to discuss your situation.