According to leading experts, motorists are getting hosed, because the dealers at the pump wait several days before they pass on the savings to their customers, effectively padding their bottom line. So even with the slight relief, gas-saving awareness remains very high. Not to mention that high gas prices have also forced us to look for cleaner alternatives to oil.

If we decrease our oil consumption in favor of cleaner technologies, we not only decrease our personal energy bill and our nation’s dependence on foreign oil, but we also contribute to helping the environment, which is a win-win situation.

While we would all love to drive a hybrid, it’s not feasible for all of us right now (and the waiting lists on those babies are just increasing by the day). With that in mind, let’s see what we can do to get the most out of our current cars. Here are a few of the suggestions I’ve found online to make our gas take us farther. Some of them are obvious, others I find to be doubtful

*Combine trips. Cut down on the short trips. Those are the most inefficient ones: your car’s engine is not warm yet and thus doesn’t run as efficiently as it could. So it’s a good thing to visit as many places as possible in one trip, as you’ll get a better mileage. Plus fewer trips means less gas.

*Make sure that you tires are properly inflated. Your car’s owner’s manual has specific information on proper pressure for your tires. When your tires aren’t properly inflated, they don’t give your car the traction that it’s supposed to have, and that decreases your mileage.

*Change your air filter regularly. As you can certainly imagine, clogged air filters reduce the efficiency of your engine and/or air conditioner because they’re not working in optimal conditions. As a result, your gas mileage suffers and your transportation budget increases (by as much as 10%)

Pay attention to your gas gauge. If you seem to go through a tank of gas too quickly compared to the usual, maybe it’s time for an oil change or a tune-up.

*Check out sites such as www.gasbuddy.com and www.gaspricewatch.com to learn about cheap gas deals in your area. Local news stations also feature “cheap gas” resources, or other sites with similar information. Odds are, you’ll find a website that goes something like www.[yourstate]gasprices.com to give you some local information.

*Avoid excessive accelerating, braking and idling. Experts agree that gas mileage is significantly decreased as speeds increase. Save gas and money by driving the speed limit and never any faster than 60 miles per hour. Also, engine technology has come a long way and it doesn’t require that much gas to start an engine; so rather than let your car sit running for several minutes, turn it off, you’ll use less gas.

*Map out your trip before you hit the road. Consult Mapquest, Google Maps, or Yahoo Maps to help you find the shortest, most direct way to get to your destination.

*If you’re planning to buy a new car, check out Consumer Reports or www.fuelecomony.gov for information on cars with the best and worst mileage before you make that purchase.

*Monitor air conditioning usage. At speeds lower than 40 miles per hour, it can be more fuel efficient to roll down your windows. Personally, I’m on the fence on this one.

*Empty your trunk. Gone are the days where it was advisable to have extra weight in your trunk to “stabilize” your car. Nowadays all it does is weigh down your car… and your wallet.

*Learn about hypermiling. It’s the science (art?) of driving in a way that absolutely maximizes the mileage you get out of your car. There are plenty of news reports online on the practice and its benefits.

Consider carpooling. Many people hate carpooling because it limits your flexibility and privacy. Still, it can be a great option. Car pooling can save hundreds of dollars annually and is kind to the environment, thanks to reduced emissions. What’s not to love?

Americans literally have love affairs with their cars but high gas prices have turned it into a bit of a love-hate relationship lately. Spending less on gas and helping the environment might just put some spice back into said relationship.

Writing a business plan is one of the first tasks on your list. Well the, what makes a great social business plan? It’s both an art and a science, and there are hundreds of books, websites, and other resources on business plans in general. Here are nine great tips specific to writing social business plans, tips that you won’t find in any traditional business plan how-to.

1. Tell your story. How will your company benefit a social or environmental cause? Why start this particular business, why now, and why you? Do this in the synopsis and subtly throughout the whole plan. As a social business, this story is where you can really shine.

2. Keep it brief. No one wants to read a 50 page business plan, and in fact, no one probably ever will, no matter how special or amazing your cause is. Ideally, keep your plan to ten pages, and most certainly under 20.

3. Continually update it. A business plan is a living document that must be reviewed and adjusted on at least a monthly basis. As your company and your cause grow and change, your business plan should evolve in lockstep.

4. Include a brief Envisioned Future section. What will your company look like in 20 or 100 years? How will the world have benefitted from its existence? Your business is an organization with a good cause, so spell out your vision. It will help you keep your eyes on the prize in hard times, and the visual will also help sell the idea to investors, bankers, donors, employees, customers, and everyone else.

5. Show how and why you will be competitive and profitable in a market that doesn’t really care whether your products are made of recycled materials or if you’re empowering poor women beekeepers in Africa. If everything else is equal (i.e. price, brand recognition, quality, shelf location), you might have a slight edge because of your cause. But probably not. You’re providing a product or service to the world, and you must make a profit doing so. Use your plan to legitimately prove that you will. Remember: you can’t help anyone if you go bankrupt.

6. Don’t get too crazy with the use of words like sustainability, green, social business, good cause, fair trade, and so on. Unfortunately, many traditional business people have negative connotations for all those words, left over from extreme environmentalists of the 70s (think off-the-grid communes and lack of deodorant). Unfair images, but we all still have to deal with that for the time being. Use those words when you must, but keep it to a minimum. If you can, use words like “efficiency,” “improved safety standards,” and “increased profit” instead.

7. Do ample research. As a social business, your company will likely undergo more scrutiny from everyone involved than a traditional business model would, which is unfair but true. Back up everything you say with piles of credible research, some of which you may even include in the Appendices to your plan, where appropriate.

8. When compiling your financial projections, make sure to include a Social Return on Investment, or SROI. Explain how you plan to quantify, measure, and analyze your SROI. Quantification is how you will show the world the good things you’ve done, and how you can decide what your biggest and best levers for change are.

9. Use a template business plan to get started. No need to reinvent the wheel. There are lots of free or cheap business plans out there that can help you write your own amazing plan. Granted most of them are not specifically geared to social businesses, so you may have to improvise a bit.

Or, you could just click here to download a social business plan from Social Business Central, possibly the single best resource for small business entrepreneurs with a conscience. You’ll also find loads of other resources, a social business blog, and much more. It’s a really great website.

1. Back up your claims.

Double-check your efforts when starting a green marketing strategy. Our advice is: don’t position yourself as a green business if you’re not walking the talk. Today’s consumers are savvy and inquisitive, and a false claim will seriously damage your brand – what people say about you. A company’s reputation is one of the most valuable assets an organization possesses. Bad publicity spreads quickly (it’s the most viral form of buzz there is), taking years to overcome.

2. Don’t position yourself as the green saviour.

Consumers are looking behind the label, and demand integrity from the companies where they make purchases. You should communicate your environmental and sustainability efforts – but don’t overdo it. Add a modest, sincere tone to your message and that will take you a long way. Consumers relate better with people than with organizations. Give your business a personal, honest image and you will generate positive word-of-mouth.

3. Engage the whole team and communicate your efforts internally.

This is one of the most important green marketing tips. You need internal support to be able to reflect your business green initiatives (consistent communications and continuity are musts for any successful marketing program). It is particularly important to engage your frontline employees: sales teams, the technical support department, and receptionists, in particular! Imagine how it would reflect on your company if your marketing department is promoting your environmental initiatives while the sales team is seen dumping dozens of still relevant brochures after a trade show.

4. Get your supply chain on board.

Engage your partners and vendors on your green marketing efforts. Communicate the pros of green marketing and provide incentives for a faster adoption. Focus on the new joint marketing opportunities you’ll be creating for your partners and suppliers – after all, if your supply chain is also becoming environmentally-sustainable, your suppliers will want to promote the new added-value and generate more business.

5. Don’t just focus on the green argument.

The green marketplace is quickly evolving and it’s not enough to focus your messaging on the green added-value of your products/services. You need to develop your product positioning so it’s a “no-brainer” for your clients to do business with you. This can take various forms, from communicating the quality of your product or service, focusing on the money your customers will be saving in the long term (and perhaps in the short term, depending where your product fits in the price scale), product innovation/design, etc. The goal is not to focus on the green argument uniquely; position your company as an organization that appeals to more than dark green customers.

About Kiwano Marketing
Kiwano Marketing provides green marketing services to small and medium businesses. Based in Vancouver, Kiwano designs affordable web and print marketing programs with high return on investment – generating more sales for your business while serving our local community. For more information, please visit www.kiwano.ca or call us directly at 604.628.0142.

Kiwano would like to extend a special acknowledgement to the entire Marketwire team for their ongoing support.

www.OneMinuteu.com How to Get Government Grants for Non for Profit Business CO. did you know that the IRS develops more than 35000 non-profits every year? are you wondering how you can develop your non-profit for whatever you’re passionate about? well, I can tell you just how to do that. first of all, you have to complete the form 1023, and that’s for whatever state you’re in across the US. that’s form 1023 for your IRS exemption. but various states differ in what other requirements that you …