The easiest way for businesses to get started is to create a sustainability plan, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a guide to help businesses do just that. The Smart Steps to Sustainability 2.0 Guide, published by EPA’s Small Business Office, is intended to guide businesses beyond environmental compliance and into sustainable practices by providing awareness, understanding and resources to develop sustainability goals.

DNREC has several programs designed to assist businesses.

The Energy Efficiency Investment Fund (EEIF) helps commercial and industrial customers replace aging, inefficient equipment and systems with energy efficient alternatives.

The Green Energy Program provides grants and incentives to promote the use of renewable energy systems in Delaware. The program is offered through the state’s electric utilities.

The Cool Switch Low Impact Refrigerant program provides incentives to non-residential consumers to use refrigerants with lower Global Warming Potential impacts.

The Clean Vehicle Rebate Program provides incentives for Delawareans and Delaware businesses to buy or lease new alternative fuel vehicles, including electric vehicles.

The Electric Vehicle Charging Station Rebate Program offers incentives for charging systems that can be installed at your workplace, outside your businesses and in other public places.

DNREC has several programs designed to assist local governments.

The Green Energy Program provides grants and incentives to promote the use of renewable energy systems in Delaware. The program is offered through the state’s electric utilities.

The Clean Vehicle Rebate Program provides incentives for Delawareans and Delaware businesses to buy or lease new alternative fuel vehicles, including electric vehicles.

The Electric Vehicle Charging Station Rebate Program offers incentives for charging systems that can be installed at your workplace, outside your businesses and in other public places.

DNREC can assist communities in developing a community sustainability plan, developed in consultation with community members. The plan can address such issues as climate change, greenhouse gases, natural areas and conservation.

The Resilient Community Partnerships program provides technical assistance and potential funding to plan for and reduce the impact of coastal hazards. The program assists communities in addressing flooding from sea level rise, coastal storms and climate change through the development of planning strategies at the local level.

DNREC has several programs designed to assist residents.

The Green Energy Program provides grants and incentives to promote the use of renewable energy systems in Delaware. The program is offered through the state’s electric utilities.

The Clean Vehicle Rebate Program provides incentives for Delawareans and Delaware businesses to buy or lease new alternative fuel vehicles, including electric vehicles.

The Weatherization Assistance Program helps homeowners and renters cut their energy bills by weatherproofing and improving the energy efficiency of their homes.

Learn more about ways to reduce your energy usage through simple things that you can do around your home.

You can also print out this checklist on ways to save energy.

The University of Delaware, with DNREC support, maintains a database for funding resilient communities. The searchable database is categorized by eligibility, funding amount, program type and matching requirements.

Energize Delaware, also known as the Delaware Sustainable Utility, provides assistance to residents, businesses and organizations to reduce energy consumption and use cleaner energy. Energize Delaware offers an array of programs, including energy audits, rebates for heating and cooling upgrades, low interest loans and grants for renewable energy systems and programs for low-income households.

The Resilient and Sustainable Communities League (RASCL) is a collaborative network of state, nonprofit, and academic partners that provides technical expertise and support to Delaware communities to adapt, mitigate and respond to environmental changes, including climate change.

Delaware Sea Grant works with Delaware communities to identify natural risks, promote adaptation strategies that develop resilience and encourage the sharing of knowledge and experience across the state. Support is offered through workshops, trainings and resource development.

The Delaware Climate Information Center is a repository of Delaware-based climate data, projects, reports, tools and applications aimed at providing easy access to relevant and useful information for assessing impacts and preparing for climate change.  It is intended to be used by residents, business owners, government officials, and scientists.

The Office of the Delaware State Climatologist is the principal scientific extension service for weather and climate information for Delaware. The office makes Delaware specific weather and climate information accessible to the residents of Delaware through its web page, media interviews, monthly publications and other extension activities.

The Delaware Clean Cities Coalition works with vehicle fleets, fuel providers, community leaders and other stakeholders to save energy and promote the use of domestic fuels and advanced vehicle technologies in transportation.