The benefits associated with adopting a green program in your small business fall into three categories:
The first benefit is cost savings, an improvement in your bottom line. If going green didn't translate into some sort of financial benefit, few small business owners would seriously consider adopting such a program.
The second benefit is the psychic benefit that you get from feeling that you're doing your part in the effort to be environmentally friendly. For some small businesses, the psychic benefit is of little value. For others, the psychic benefit is an important motivator in going green.
The third benefit is what might be called intangible benefits. They're difficult to measure, other than anecdotally, and they include factors such as advantages you might gain in recruiting employees or in landing new clients.
To determine whether your green efforts are successful, from both an environmental and economic standpoint, you need to evaluate your progress. For more on each of the potential benefits, see: