Do you undertake eco-friendly projects at home? Well, why not bring those same ideas into the workplace and at the same time, help your business grow?

There are several good reasons to incentivize your employees to become greener. Not only will you be helping out the environment and making your employees happier, but you’ll also be building goodwill throughout the community. As more job candidates seek out opportunities from socially responsible companies, your company will stand out.

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, several companies have already implemented “green” incentive programs. Here are just a few:

• Clif Bar is offering its 212 employees forgivable loans for as much $5,000 for the purchase of vehicles that get at least 40 miles per gallon. The Company also pays up to $1,000 annually to employees that make environmentally friendly improvements at home
• Topics Entertainment offers employees $1,000 to trade in automobiles for one with less cylinders
• NRG Systems offers employees who buy a Toyota Prius a $1,000 bonus each year. The Company also holds monthly meetings to discuss environmental and alternative energy topics
• Green Mountain Energy matches up to $10 per two-week payroll period of donations employees make to environmental groups. The Company also gives out prizes like gift certificates based on the points that employees earn finding alternative ways to get to work, such as biking or public transportation