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Wyoming Business Tips for June 28

June 22, 2009

A weekly look at Wyoming business questions from the Wyoming Small Business Development Center, part of WyomingEntrepreneur.Biz, a collection of business assistance programs at the University of Wyoming.

By Natasha Stahla, Wyoming GRO-Biz Procurement Technical Assistance Center procurement counselor

"How can ‘Going Green and Traveling Green' save money for my business?" Kevin, Casper

During my travels in Wyoming I have become aware of possibilities for "traveling green." After some research, I found ideas for making business travel more eco-friendly. Reducing the impact we have on our environment as individuals and businesses, we not only save money and resources, we help keep our state and our world beautiful.

Try these tips to "traveling green" in Wyoming:

-- Make sure the travel is necessary. With the current challenges in the economy, use technology in lieu of travel whenever possible. There are many options for virtual collaboration and training that enable you to work with clients and partners around the world from the comfort of your own office.

-- When airline travel is necessary, pack as lightly as possible; take only the necessities. This saves fuel and extra baggage charges. Try to also stay away from travel-size toiletries unless you can refill them; small containers create excess trash.

-- Consolidate trips by car pooling with a co-worker or traveling with a business partner. When two trips are close together, combine them. Why not? It saves on time, money and the environment. This can be especially rewarding if you can find a way to combine business and pleasure trips.

-- Try driving the speed limit; relax and enjoy the trip. You will reduce the chance of an accident, increase gas mileage, and save money. Do you know that each 5 mph a vehicle travels over 60 mph, costs an extra 20 cents per gallon in gas? Learn more by visiting http://www.treehugger.com.

-- Look for hotels that incorporate green practices. Although this may be a fairly new concept in some areas, the more people who ask hotels about their commitment to sustainability when making reservations, the more they will engage in the concept. In return, this will make their business more profitable, up-to-date, attractive and beneficial to the environment. No matter where you stay, we can "Green our Stay" by maximizing our resources; take shorter showers, unplug electronics when not in use and use the same bar of soap at the sink and in the shower.

Resources are limited and although we can't just put an end to all business travel, we can act responsibly in the "Going Green" concept. These are just a few efforts that can be made while traveling. For more green travel tips visit "Go Green Travel Green" at http://gogreentravelgreen.com/.

A Blog version of this article and an opportunity to post comments is available at http://www.wyomingentrepreneur.typepad.com/blog/.

The WSBDC is a partnership of the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Wyoming Business Council and the University of Wyoming. To ask a question, call 1-800-348-5194, e-mail wsbdc@uwyo.edu or write 1000 E. University Ave., Dept. 3922, Laramie, WY 82071-3922.

Posted on Monday, June 22, 2009

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