By KATHY ROSHON • Eagle-Gazette Correspondent • September 15, 2008

LANCASTER - Large companies, such as Wal-Mart or AT&T, often might be considered as having the most impact on the environment.
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But collectively, small businesses consume just as many natural resources and have the greatest flexibility to do something about it.

In the U.S., small businesses - defined as independent companies with fewer than 500 employees - employ half of the private sector work force and use half of the electricity and natural gas consumed by the commercial and industrial sectors, according to www.greenbiz.com, a business Web site dedicated to help companies promote and implement green practices.

Small businesses account for 98 percent of the businesses in the country.

The business advantages of going green are financial as well as environmental. Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass, sent an open letter to the Small Business Association in August to begin implementation of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007.

"The SBA has the opportunity and the responsibility to play a leading role in combating climate change and curbing skyrocketing energy prices," Snowe said in the letter. "With energy prices where they are today, the SBA cannot afford to drag its feet and stand by while the American economy suffers."

Local companies can begin their green initiatives by posting their environmental policy.

Ashley Lester of the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission suggests the following simple steps a company can take to get started.

• Convert incandescent light bulbs to compact fluorescent light bulbs or LEDs.
• Implement a recycling policy
• Ensure all lights are turned off when not in use.
• Purchase "green" cleaning products.
• Change printer settings to double sided to reduce paper waste.

The city of Columbus' Green Spot Program provides several environmentally friendly practices any company can adopt. These include:

• Setting aside time in every staff meeting to discuss your green efforts.
• Track and post utility bills in a common employee space.
• Track your monthly waste.
• Buy supplies made with recycled materials.
• Create mailings that can be sent without envelopes, e-mail or post staff memos or schedules to eliminate paper use.
• Buy products in reusable, returnable or recyclable materials.
• Buy used office furniture instead of new.

The Lancaster-Fairfield Community Action's Commercial Recycling Program will come to your business weekly to pick up your recycled items free of charge.

The agency, which is funded through grants, provides the containers to collect paper, cardboard, aluminum cans, glass bottles, plastics, ink cartridges, etc.

Chad Reed, who works for the agency, said the number of collection sites in Fairfield County has increased significantly this year. Besides being environmentally responsible, businesses have less waste, reducing the cost of trash disposal.

The agency will shred confidential documents on site and recycle the paper for a small fee.