What’s Green for your Business in Northwest Arkansas?

... From Biz2Biz NWA May 2009

By Janie Pritchett-Clark

Making green choices in the workplace can be an economic consideration that proves sustainability equals profitability. Global leaders like Walmart have recognized the value of sustainability on every business front – from pleasing consumers to gaining profits-– and are proving such practices as advantageous rather than a burden. No matter your business size, consider adopting sustainable practices wherever you can. You can start by forming a group of dedicated employees, loyal customers and company leaders to serve as your sustainability committee to research and recommend green practices for your business.

Chose Green Hospitality When You Travel • Holiday Inn & Suites

The Holiday Inn & Suites in Pinnacle Hills is one of the prototype inns designed to be the perfect convergence of tradition and innovation for the 21st century business and leisure traveler. The hospitality industry has begun to encourage hotels, resorts, motels, and bed and breakfast facilities to implement environmental initiatives and cost-saving green practices to conserve energy, reduce water consumption, protect air quality, reduce waste, and participate in environmentally preferred purchasing.

Holiday Inn & Suites has taken the challenge and has an on-going sustainability approach, starting with all fluorescent lighting, hotel and room recycling, and low water usage.
The new Holiday Inn & Suites is the NWA Green Expo Hospitality Sponsor and features all two-room suites, complimentary WIFI throughout the property, onsite restaurant and lounge, indoor pool and spa, excellent location, versatile meeting space and many more amenities.

Bring Your Peanuts to PostNet • PostNet Village on the Creeks

Every year, millions of pounds of used packing peanuts end up in landfills. The solution in NWA? Designated an approved collection center, PostNet at the Village on the Creeks in Rogers can now accept those unruly peanuts from customers ready to reduce, reuse, recycle.

“We’re always looking for ways to be more ‘green’ and we know our customers are, too,” says Manager Chad Burghart. The peanuts will be reused in the their day-to-day shipping operations.
Be sure to sift through them thoroughly before you bring them in to make sure you haven’t missed something valuable. “Like the heirloom ring Aunt Gertrude sent you,” says Burghart.

If you want to be extra helpful, separate biodegradable and non-biodegradable peanuts before dropping them off. Don’t mix the two, even though both types are reused. To tell which is which, float a sample in water. If the sample dissolves, it’s biodegradable – made from a vegetable derivative; non-biodegradable otherwise.

“At PostNet, we see it as part of our social responsibility to promote a health and environmentally balance business community,” says owner Phil Swope. “PostNet is constantly striving to reduce the impact of our business on the environment.”

The encourage good stewardship of natural resources at its HQ and store nationwide by recycling paper, toner cartridges, packing supplies and office electronics.


Going Green in the Tradeshow World • Big Hats Consulting

Promoting your business at tradeshows with an eye on green is getting easier. The 2009 exhibitors show in Las Vegas was testament to the industry’s efforts, where new and sustainable products are emerging. Tradeshow expert Ken Abernathy attended and came back to Northwest Arkansas with a bevy of eco-options.

Among his favorites were:

• eco-friendly banner stands made from bamboo, with recyclable graphics;
• corrugated exhibit frames made from recycled materials;
• eco-crates for environmentally friendly shipping to the expo site;
• mini brochures designed to highlight information but use one-quarter of the standard-sized brochure (who reads it all anyway?);
• flash drives that eliminate printing and shipping altogether, and puts copious amounts of information right in the attendees’ pocket;
• LED lighting options to replace heat-hog halogens;
• creative designs in lightweight aluminum frames and fabric graphics;
• expo bags made from recycled juice boxes;
• booth-sized carpet made from recycled soda bottles;
• and eco-friendly rental programs for infrequent show-goers. Rentals could save one-third to one-half the cost, which means going green also saves you green.

Technology and Computer Solutions for Northwest Arkansas • Dozier Technologies Group, Inc.

Software is one of the easiest ways to improve your company’s sustainability scorecard. Automating simple tasks and putting them on the Web can save paper, time, labor and energy– all of which save you money.

If you are looking for software specific to your industry or company’s needs, Dozier Technologies can help. “We work by listening and understanding your needs and then translating our understanding into an application that accomplishes everything you ask for at an affordable price,” says Business Development Manager, Nicole Lynch.

“Our flagship software applications include: atlas, a retail analytical tool for vendors and suppliers; Orbit, a point-of-sale solution for franchise and small to medium size business owners; Orbit Lite, a simple, easy-to-use e-commerce solution for anyone; ampTickets, an e-ticketing solution for entertainment venues; and Portal, a construction document management and distribution solution.

Dozier Technologies Group, Inc. was formed in 2001 with the vision of offering enterprise level custom software development and technology at a small business price. All of their applications are Windows-based for an intuitive user interface and Web-based for mobility and sustainability.