For anyone who owns a home based business, being environmentally friendly can save you money and be personally satisfying. Running a green business can be easy and fun, from designing a green home office to saving money and resources in all of your work related dealings. These tips can help you set up a more eco-friendly home based business.

Tip #1: Design a Green Office

When you design an office to work from, your furniture choices can help efficiently make use of natural resources. You should consider getting furniture made from wood, since it is a renewable resource unlike plastic or metal. Soy, flax or bamboo fabrics can make excellent cushions if necessary.

Tip #2: Use Efficient Equipment

Computers should be shut off when not in use to conserve electricity. When purchasing a printer, look for one which uses eco-friendly or a minimal amount of ink, and always remember to recycle the cartridges once they are empty. Get pens which are refillable, rather than replaceable. If your office needs to be heated in winter, invest in a small space heater instead of cranking up the thermostat, and make sure it's off when you're not in the room.

Tip #3: Conserve Paper

In many cases, business can be carried out completely electronically. When possible, use emails instead of letters, and try Microsoft Excel as a method of keeping records. If you're concerned about a computer crash which could cause you to lose everything, purchase an external hard drive for backup. Keeping your files electronic makes them easily sorted and can conserve hundreds of sheets of paper every year. If you must print certain documents, try to find recycled paper for your printer, and remember to recycle it again if possible when you're through with it.

Tip #4: Look at the Nature of Your Business

Depending on your at home business, it may be possible to do even more to be green.

• People such as freelance web designers or writers can do nearly all or all of their work on the computer, eliminating the need to use additional resources.
• If you own a pet day care business, you can feed the animals in your care organic pet food if their owner doesn't supply it already.
• Bakers can use locally grown fruits.
• Seamstresses can use organic and eco-friendly fabrics.
• If you purchase crafting supplies from other sources, make sure they trade fairly and look for environmentally friendly materials.
• Anyone who makes physical goods can use recycled cardboard as packaging to ship them.

The nature of your business may lend itself to plenty of ways to be green; you just have to think of them depending on what that business is.

Owning a green home based business can give you the satisfaction of doing your part for the environment, while simultaneously earning money from home.