Biz Talk - Business Blog Roanoke and Beyond

Today, October 15, is Blog Action Day, where bloggers around the web have united to put a single important issue on everyone's mind.  That issue is the environment.  

To help increase awareness through the Roanoke business community I have chosen to write about how businesses can help the environment in three easy steps.  If every local company would commit to these three simple steps we can conserve energy, preserve our natural resources and help fight the issues of global warming.

1. Replace 2 regular light bulbs with an energy saving model. If every business in Roanoke replaced one regular light bulb with an energy-saving model, we could reduce global warming pollution by more than 90 billion pounds over the life of the bulbs; the same as taking 6.3 million cars off the road. So, replace your incandescent bulbs with more efficient compact fluorescents, which now come in all shapes and sizes.
2. Pull the plug on electronic devices when not in use. To make sure you aren’t wasting energy put all of your electronics and chargers on a power strip (or a smart power strip). This way you can simply flip the power strip off when your electronics are not in use.
3. Set computers to energy-saving settings.  For most businesses our computers are the central tool for work. Optimizing the energy settings for computers and other devices can be more than a modest energy saver.  Printers and scanners that are only used occasionally can be unplugged until they’re needed.
4. Charge your mobile devices through your computer's USB port.  Cell phones and PDA's can charge using your computer’s USB port.  You never have to worry about leaving your AC adapter plugged in.
5. Buy recycled paper for copiers and fax machines.  The benefits of recycled paper include fewer trees cut down, less water and energy consumption and less pollution generated. Using recycled paper reduces waste and preserves natural resources.
6. Encourage employees to recycle by adding recycle bins.  Add bins near copier machines for paper and in lunch rooms for cans and bottles.
7. Have lunch delivered to your office once a week.  Plan a day in advance so employees can order lunch together and dine together.  It saves gas and cuts down on pollution. It also makes a great way to reward your team. Also remember to ask for paper instead of styrofoam containers.
8. Turn climate control systems off when they aren't needed.  Adjusting the thermostat a few degrees warmer or cooler can also benefit. You may be surprised by how much energy and dollars this saves.

Check out TreeHugger.com for more information on ways to green your workplace

The Roanoke Regional Small Business Development Center and the Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce announced ten small business category winners along with an overall small business of the year.

Congratulations to Luna Innovations for winning the Small Business of the Year! Winner in the Technology category, Luna Innovations was chosen for it's phenomenal growth and national reputation.  Luna Innovations was founded in 1990 as a developer and manufacturer of new-generation products for the healthcare, telecommunications, energy and defense markets. Its products are used to measure, monitor, protect and improve critical processes. Luna Innovations has evolved into a recognized leader in transitioning science to solutions.

Category winners include:

• Small Business Advocate: Roger P. Scott, volunteer business counselor with the Roanoke SCORE Chapter 26.
• Construction/Real Estate: Thor, Inc., General Contractors and Engineers, a commercial, industrial, institutional, medical, and residential contractor and engineering firm.
• Manufacturing: Timber Truss Housing Systems, a manufacturer of building products and components.
• Micro-Business: SmithLewis Architecture, offers cost-effective sustainable design solutions to a diverse group of clients.
• Technology:  Luna Innovations.
• Business-to-Business Services:  Leisure Publishing, a leading city and regional publisher specializing in publications for the travel and real estate markets.
• Business-to-Consumer Services: Virginia Prosthetics, provides prosthetics and orthotics that help enable amputees to return to the life they once knew.
• Wholesale/Retail: Heavenly Ham & The Seafood Company, this company turned a franchise into a trendsetter while continually growing their business and services.
• Legacy Award: Davidsons, for almost 100 years three generations of one family have provided personal service to every customer.
• Not-For-Profit Arts & Culture: Roanoke Catholic School, for over a century this nationally-ranked school has shared in the rich history of the Roanoke Valley.
• Not-For-Profit Health & Human Services: Southwestern Virginia Second Harvest Food Bank, distributes food to 350 agencies that directly feed the region’s hungry.

Congratulations to all of the winners!

Roanoke and New River Valley business owners have a unique opportunity to increase the value of their businesses.  Rob Slee, national speaker and author of Midas Managers, will be in Blacksburg on October 10 for a seminar, In Search of the Midas Touch.  He will be joined by Blacksburg businessman, Joel Williams, contributing author, wealth manager and owner of Joel S Williams & Associates. 

The program will show owners and managers of privately held businesses how to dramatically increase the value of their businesses.

• Gain insights to double revenues and sharply raise profits in the next three years
• Implement new business models that will increase personal wealth
• Learn to become financially independent in the risky business environment

The event will be held at the VT Corporate Research Center on Wednesday, October 10 from 2:00pm - 5:30pm.  Click here for additional information and to register.  When registering be sure to look for the special Biz2Biz rate.

Biz Links - Business, Community, Government and a little on marketing…

• More news on New River Valley email hosting company, Webmail.us. GigaOM reports that Rackspace has acquired Webmail.us.   Pat Matthews is President of the Blacksburg company.  Webmail.us was recently named as One of America's Fastest Growing Companies by Inc. Magazine.
• Another New River Valley business (New River Pharmaceuticals) was recently sold putting it's owner in the same ranks as Bill Gates, Donald Trump and Michael Bloomberg.  All four recently made the Forbes 400, an annual list of richest Americans.
• Don't forget about the Roanoke Arts Festival scheduled for Oct. 4 - 7.  For a complete list of events check out their website.
• And finally for you newbies to Biz Talk, I found this interesting artcle from Darin Rowse about What is a Blog?