My grandfather never threw away string.

Every time he opened a package, he’d untie the knots carefully, roll the twine around two fingers, and hang it on a nail in the shed. “Because one day,” he’d say, “this little thing might save your harvest.” I was seven. I didn’t understand.

40 years later, running my company, I finally did. The lesson wasn’t about string. It was about stewardship, knowing when not to consume, when not to automate, when not to upgrade.

The hardest part of sustainability isn’t technology.

It’s restraint.

THE WHY

In the Dutch entrepreneurial ecosystem, “green” has become a badge. Sustainable stickers on packaging, recycled paper invoices, carbon-neutral delivery claims, it all looks admirable. But for micro and small business owners, especially those managing teams of 3 to 20 people, this eco-narrative hides a deeper tension:

How do you act responsibly without compromising liquidity, loyalty, or trust?

Real sustainability, structural, not superficial, requires governance. And governance begins with what you don’t do.

THE NUMBERS

Here’s what superficial “greening” costs the average Dutch micro-business (based on sector averages from 2023–2024):

• €2,600/year spent on eco-rebranding (labels, packaging, print)
• €900/year in digital “green” compliance software, often unused
• 40–60 hours/year of staff time lost on reporting schemes not legally required
• Up to 12% margin lost when switching to “ethical” suppliers without vetting true value chain integrity

Now compare that with the cost of wasteful decisions:

• €1,200/month average overspend due to poor inventory governance
• €4,800/year lost on duplicated SaaS subscriptions
• €2,100/year in energy loss due to unmanaged device usage during non-office hours

Green isn’t about adding more.

It’s about managing better.

WHAT NO ONE TELLS YOU

The culture of “eco-guilt” is quietly destructive.

You’re encouraged to act fast, invest in green solutions, showcase impact. But no one says this clearly:

The first and most ethical action is to stop what doesn’t serve.

Not to buy new LED lights, but to turn off the ones that aren’t needed.

Not to digitise every process, but to question why it exists in the first place.

Not to hire a sustainability consultant, but to align your team’s behaviours and procurement with what you already know is right.

The myth?

That being “green” means spending money.

The truth?

Most small businesses can become greener by doing less, wasting less, and wanting less, strategically.

DECISION COMPASS

Ask yourself:

1. Which recurring decisions in my company generate avoidable waste, time, material, or emotional?
2. What are we automating or outsourcing just to feel efficient, without measuring actual impact?
3. Where do we perform “green” for clients but ignore internal behaviour (printer use, kitchen habits, unused tools)?
4. Are our supplier choices based on data or on marketing language?
5. What would we stop doing tomorrow if we knew no one would judge us for it?

These questions are not about sacrifice.

They’re about freedom.

FINAL REFLECTION

A truly sustainable business is not one that looks green.

It’s one that practices discipline.

In a world obsessed with growth, the ethical entrepreneur chooses limits.

And in those limits, finds resilience, clarity, and trust.

So next time you think about going green.  

Start by turning something off.

That’s where governance begins.