How to Determine the Right Time to Implement Your Going Green Project

Going green, also known as environmental sustainability, is becoming the norm for larger organizations, and many smaller and mid-sized organizations are also realizing the benefits of taking green actions. If you are unsure as whether this is a path for your organization, you may want to check out these five questions to ask before going green at work. 

Once you have determine that going green makes sense for your organization, one of the questions that comes up is timing. Is now the right time to go green? There are many reasons to implement a green project in the short-term, and there can be just as many reasons to put it off. If you are contemplating implementing a green project at work – whether you are the owner, a manager, or in another position in the organization – it’s helpful to go through the reasons why you think you should do it now or hold off, and determine how valid those reasons are. Take a look at the list below and see how many questions you answer ‘yes’ to. 

Note: Before reviewing this list, it is helpful to have at least one green project in mind, so that you can answer the questions below with a clear ‘yes’ or ‘no’. Once you have one or a couple of projects in mind, you can quickly think through how these could be implemented and estimate how long they would take to complete. This does not have to be exact, but it is helpful to have a ballpark. When you are just starting out with going green, it is best to start with a smaller project that does not take a lot of time or funds to implement, then build on the success and momentum of that project for larger projects. If you are still unsure about which project to implement, be sure to download our Free Beginner’s Guide to Going Green, which includes a list of 50+ low-cost and no-cost projects to start or grow your environmental sustainability (aka going green) initiative at work. 

1. Will this project be valuable to my organization? Yes/No 

First, determine whether the project aligns with your organization’s strategy, goals and/or mission. You may be able to easily obtain a copy of the strategic plan or of the mission or vision. If not, review the main communications from the executive team and see what is being emphasized for the upcoming year(s). When reviewing these, keep in mind that the project does not need to directly speak to the goals/vision/mission. For example, one of the goals of the organization may be to increase sales in the following five years by X%. If you implement a project that saves the organization $Y, this could mean that they need to bring in less revenue in order to meet their sales goals because less is being spent on operating costs. 

2. Can I make the time to implement the project? Yes/No 

You may have quite a few projects on your plate or you may be at a point in the year where you have a little extra time to set aside for a green project. If you are able to set aside about three to five hours per week for about two to four weeks, this should be enough time to make headway on your project without neglecting your other responsibilities. Here are 10 ways to find additional time during the day for your going green project, if you need some inspiration on this front. 

3. Will I be able to make the case for the project? Yes/No 

Depending on the project(s) you are considering, you may or may not be able to easily quantify the potential savings or gains to the organization. If this is your first green project, you would ideally pick a project that can be relatively easily quantified, so that you can make the business case to your direct manager and your colleagues. If you are unsure about how to make the business case and calculate the return on investment (ROI) of your potential project(s), be sure to check out these 5 steps to calculating your sustainability project(s)’ ROI.  

4. Can I set quantifiable goals or metrics to track progress and determine success? Yes/No 

The answer to this question goes hand in hand with the prior one, of making the business case. Some projects can be assigned hard metrics while others are tougher to quantify. In the beginning, it is best to tackle a project with more tangible goals and metrics. For example, implementing a recycling challenge to increase the recycling rate by X%, or increasing the green procurement of office supplies by Y% by Z date are both tangible goals to which metrics can be assigned. 

5. Will this project have direct or indirect benefits for my colleagues? Yes/No 

As with any project, it is important to determine the potential direct or indirect benefits to your colleagues. For example, replacing single use cups, plates and utensils with reusable ones may not seem like it clearly benefits your colleagues. However, some studies show that eating from real plates increases the perception of food tasting better. Therefore, by switching, your colleagues may be able to enjoy their food more, which could result in eating slower to savor the food, which can mean improved digestion – and health. 

6. Will it have a positive direct or indirect impact on our external stakeholders? Yes/No 

External stakeholders can mean customers or clients (depending on whether your organization is B2B or B2C), partners, vendors, advisors, or any other individuals or organizations that interact with, and are impacted by, your organization’s actions. Most going green projects also have an impact on an organization’s direct or indirect stakeholders. While it may not impact all stakeholders, it could impact some. For example, offering reusable bags instead of plastics bags if you are a retail establishment, or paper straws and eco-friendly take-out containers if you are a restaurant or coffee shop can support your customers’ green lifestyle while also helping the planet. 

7. Is this a topic that I want to learn more about? Yes/No 

If you are considering implementing a green project at your organization, you are more likely than not passionate about, or at least very supportive of, the concept of going green and environmental sustainability and the related benefits. That being said, a green project can also help develop your skills as a leader or change agent, and grow your knowledge about the project topic. That is, of course, if it is a topic you are interested in learning more about.

Take a minute to count the ‘yeses’ and ‘nos’. If you answered ‘yes’ to at least five of the above questions, you are ready to get started! It’s time to identify which project you would like to start with – if you have been thinking about more than one possibility – and to start planning the implementation.