Some of the biggest companies are going green—Bank of America, McDonald’s, Starbucks, General Electric, Home Depot, Anheuser-Busch, Dell, Target, even Honda and Toyota. If these large businesses can do it, so can you and your new small business! It has been found by National Geographic’s Green Guide that Kansas City is one of the 25 most green cities in the nation. So, jump on the bandwagon, Kansas City entrepreneurs!
In honor of America Recycles Day on November 15th, I would like to encourage all Kansas City small businesses to go green in the workplace by recycling, decreasing the use of artificial light, maximizing computer efficiency, printing smarter, going paperless, reconsidering the commute, and creating a healthy office environment. Check out some of the green Kansas City businesses that have gone green already—use these successful companies as inspiration for your new small business to go green today!
Blue Bird Bistro
Blue Bird Bistro is a small and local restaurant that purchases all of its food from local organic farmers (from fresh produce to all-natural meats). In addition, Blue Bird Bistro is huge on recycling and has a great commitment to the environment.
Hyatt Regency Crown Center
As one of the most popular hotels in the area, the Hyatt Regency in Crown Center has a green team made up of members from all different hotel divisions. Energy management systems have been put in place in this hotel which allows the hotel to track energy usages on a daily basis. In addition, the hotel uses low flow shower heads, low flow flush valves, and the hotel recycles many of its products such as cooking oils, waste oils, florescent lamps, computer monitors, batteries, white paper, and much more. Now that’s going green in KC!
Kansas City Convention Center—Grand Ballroom
For all of your energy-efficient Kansas City event planning needs! The Kansas City Convention Center’s Grand Ballroom meets LEED Green Building Rating System Silver criteria, utilizes waterless plumbing fixtures, has implemented an energy-efficient day-lighting system, and features energy efficient heating and cooling systems.
Kansas City, Missouri Parks and Recreation
The Kansas City, Missouri Parks and Recreation centers have actively participated in many environmental programs such as the launch of Nature First, a “grow native” landscape program to remove turf and plant native grasses and forbs and provides a diverse habitat for the restoration and preservation of natural landscapes, the 10,000 Rain Gardens Program, and the Green Infrastructure planning initiative.
Grand Street Café
The Grand Street Café, much like Blue Bird Bistro, purchases fresh produce from local distributors and maintains a herb garden on its premises with the implementation of gardenertries to use organic practices.
bizperc
Even Think Big Partners’ own business incubator and accelerator, bizperc, is striving to be green. With the utilization of as much natural sunlight as possible, a “green” rooftop garden, and the implementation of recycling, bizperc is a Kansas City business startup resource that keeps the environment in mind.
So, Kansas City entrepreneurs, let’s all celebrate America Recycles Day on November 15th by implementing environmentally-friendly features into our new small businesses. Because if we can think big within our business, we can also think big for the environment! Happy America Recycles Day!
Written by Allison Way. Allison Way is a writer and videographer for Think Big Partners and bizperc, two of Kansas City's newest entrepreneurial resources. To read more of Allison's work, please visit the Kansas City Entrepreneurship Examiner.
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