Green
Goes Mainstream
11 ways to reduce energy
expenses, keep top employees, and gain a competitive advantage
It pays to
be energy efficient.
Energy is getting more expensive and policies are beginning to take shape
that will penalize a company for not being energy efficient, but sustainable
business practices pay dividends. Running an environmentally and socially
responsible business might give you the competitive advantage you need to
stay on top of the game in the months to come.
And yet, according
to a recent poll, the majority of the Vistage community does not have a plan
in place to conserve energy in 2007.
Consider one of
Vistage's alliance partners, Bank of America. Not only are they building
environmentally friendly buildings, reducing paper usage and recycling
50,000 tons of paper per year, they are also offering their employees
reimbursement of $3,000 to purchase a hybrid vehicle. It gets their
employees involved in their dedication, cuts down on their commuting costs,
and is a feel-good program all around. Not to mention the positive
publicity.
BofA is large
company. Our companies may be smaller, but collectively, Vistage member
businesses can make a huge impact on the world.
Not sure how? Here
are 11 things you can add to your goals for 2007, and the benefits you can
expect to follow -- for your business and our planet.
1.
Reduce paper waste.
Automate paper procedures online, and begin a blue can paper recycling
program, if you haven't already. You'll save your employees hundreds of
hours handling paper files. You'll save money on purchasing paper. And
you'll preserve our clean-air- producing forests and reduce land-fill
contributions.
"It
takes 75,000 trees to print a Sunday edition of the New York Times,"
according to
I Love a Clean San Diego, which leads and educates to actively conserve
and enhance the environment in the city Vistage is headquartered. "If every
newspaper produced in the United States were recycled, 101,000 trees could
be saved each day." (Note that the New York Times Company states that the
"average recycled fiber content for newsprint is 27%," and they are working
to improve that number.)
2.
Reduce garbage in our landfills.
Provide blue cans for bottles and cans in your lunchrooms and wherever you
provide or sell canned or bottled beverages. In the U.S., go to
Earth 911 and enter your zip code to find recycling services in your
area.
Earth 911 also has international recycling information. The National
Recycling Coalition provides information on how to recycle electronics.
3.
Buy recycled to create demand.
"Consumers and businesses need to make purchases of products made of
recycled materials for recycling to be successful. It's a matter of
economics. Fifteen years ago, there was no demand," says Vistage member Tom
Kemper, Founder and President of Dolphin Blue, provider of environmentally
responsible office supplies and printed paper products. "Today, we have to
compete in the marketplace."
"Buy
biodegradable packaging, made from 100% waste recycled paper fiber," adds
Vistage member Douglass Henry, President and CEO of Henry Molded Products,
which designs and manufactures protective packaging from 100% waste paper,
an alternative to Styrofoam and other plastics. "Responsible sustainability
has been our fundamental mission for over forty years."
4.
Swap those light bulbs and ballasts
, go solar when
possible, and install motion-sensors that turn lights off. "We use Orion
light fixtures. Twice the light, half the energy," says Vistage member Dan
Chaudoir of Central File Marketing. "Most power utilities offer grants to
upgrade to energy-efficient lighting equipment," notes Vistage member Tim
O'Neill, President/Owner of Engineered Compost Systems. He continues,
"Lighting typically accounts for 30% of energy use in commercial buildings.
Reducing power consumption for lighting provides a double benefit because
this energy adds to the heat load that has to be cooled by the
air-conditioning system."
According to
Flex Your Power, a resource for energy efficiency and conservation
information, "Occupancy sensors and dimmers in break rooms, restrooms and
conference rooms can reduce lighting costs up to 40%." That can mean
significant savings over time. If you lease or rent, consider working with
your property management team to decrease lighting costs. It could mean a
lower -- or maintained -- rent in the future as energy prices continue to
rise.
The Wisconsin Energy
Conservation Corporation recommends businesses
"use ENERGY STAR
qualified CFLs (compact florescent lightbulbs) in table and floor lamps.
They use 75% less energy, and last up to 10 times longer."
Energy savings don't
stop inside the building. "To illuminate the perimeter of your property or
your parking lot, use solar powered outdoor lights," advises Vistage member
Kai Wenk-Wolff, President & CEO, SOL, Inc. "Although a solar light is more
expensive than a conventional light, the installation is much cheaper. With
solar lighting, there is no trenching to lay cables and no wiring. Most
importantly, you save electricity and reduce carbon emissions."
5.
Maintain your company vehicles
to reduce gas consumption. When it's time to purchase new vehicles, choose
more energy efficient vehicles.
"Clean
oil and properly inflated tires eliminate up to 1000 lbs. of CO2 per year
per car, and collectively, we can save up to 2 billion gallons of gasoline,"
states
Global Green USA.
6.
Choose laptop computers or flat screens when you upgrade your systems.
"Laptops use up to 90% less energy than a desktop computer," according to
Flex Your Power. O'Neill notes that according to IBM, a typical flat screen
monitor uses about 30% of the power of standard CRT monitor. You might also
consider a separate keyboard and a computer stand, to improve the ergonomics
of a laptop.
Flex Your Power also recommend businesses "print with ink jet printers
instead of laser printers. Ink jet printers cost less to maintain and use
90% less energy than laser printers."
7.
Reduce your heating and cooling needs.
O'Neill notes that the
American Institute of Architects claims that about 50% of energy use in the
USA is in buildings. Chaudoir, too, is passionate about this topic. He says
he has saved 30 to 50% in energy costs by annually have all seals checked on
dock/overhead doors and combining heater thermostats with motion detectors
and only heat areas that are occupied.
O'Neill adds, "De-stratification fans in spaces with high ceilings reduce
winter heating loads and increase comfort. [But the] biggest bang-for the
buck often comes from getting your HVAC system regularly maintained and
programmable thermostats adjusted by a qualified HVAC service company."
John Hansen, former Vistage member and President of Suntrol Company, which
does glass tinting, suggests using glass enhancing films for reducing heat,
glare and energy costs. He says that based on customary installation costs
for medium-sized commercial projects, "the average return on investment from
solar film application is an impressive 2.65 years. These savings were the
result of reducing annual electricity kilowatt-hour (KWH) usage by an
average of 6.6% and reducing summer month peak KW demand on average by
6.4%."
8.
Develop a telecommuting program, flex schedule to avoid high traffic times,
and make finding people to carpool
with to work easy.
Regularly, allow for work-at-home days or set up an optional 4 day/10 hour
schedule. Relay concrete expectations to make this work. You'll show your
employees you trust them. They work harder to prove the program, they'll
save money on buying gasoline and auto maintenance, and they'll be less
likely to leave your company for a competitor.
"Personal
transportation is responsible for 30 to 50% of greenhouse gas emissions and
air pollution," states Global Green USA, as well as "33% of toxic water
pollution, and over 45% of toxic air emissions." Taking all of your
employees off the road one day per week or encouraging them to commute
together can really make a difference in air quality.
Create a carpooling
bulletin board with a map where people can post a Stickie note where they
live, to more easily connect with potential carpoolers. Provide incentives
for carpoolers, such as bagel-first-Fridays. Many larger cities also offer
rideshare programs to connect people with similar commute routes.
"Encourage bicycle
commuting, too," suggests O'Neill, "by providing a secure place for bikes
and a place to change and shower. Employees who ride to work also arrive
wide awake and ready to be productive.
9.
Provide employees two volunteer days
per year to spend working for a certifiable nonprofit organization that is
dedicated to helping the environment or local community. Consider matching
their hours volunteering with dollars to donate to the cause; but note that
this will only work with certain cultures. “We implemented our matching
program to encourage our employees to participate and support our
community," says John Yarger, Vistage member and President and CEO of North
American Signs. "After a few years, participation in the program declined
and despite occasional reminders there was little interest. Last year a
recently hired employee began raising funds for her charity marathon effort.
She championed the program and renewed interest and participation.”
10.
Invest in or donate to alternative energy programs or socially responsible
causes.
Give employees an incentive to do the same -- match their contribution. Show
how donations are written off.
"If your state has
energy de-regulation, consider choosing a green electricity supplier,"
advises Mackey McNeill, President and CEO of The Wealth Advisory Team, "or
support renewable energy development by offsetting the pollution caused by
your electricity use through such organizations as
Native Energy. You can also invest in alternative energy. Many mutual
funds focus on being socially responsible, devoting large portions of their
portfolios to alternative energy sources. Our company provides businesses
with a way to be greener through their retirement funds by offering social
401K programs to employees."
11.
Build and renovate green and get LEED certified.
According the
Natural Resources for Defense Council, the LEED certification helps
"promote design and construction practices that increase
profitability while reducing the negative environmental impacts of buildings
and improving occupant health and well-being." It also is being used as a
point of differentiation in marketing campaigns. See
www.greenexchange.com and
www.livingdesignsgroup.com.
A little planning
now to conserve energy, support alternative energy and encourage your
employees to help the environment and local community can make a huge impact
not only on your P&L, but also in the retention of your employees, and the
health of the environment overall.
Energy
conservation resources
Emerging Green
Business Opportunities:
http://www.legalzoom.com/articles/article_content/article14889.html
LEED Certification:
http://www.nrdc.org/buildinggreen/leed.asp
Commercial Case
Studies:
http://www.fypower.org/com/bpg/casestudies.html
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=business.bus_index
http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=guidelines.guidelines_index
http://www.epa.gov/greenpower/locator/index.htm
Locate Business
Recycling Program:
http://www.earth911.org/master.asp?s=lib&a=brrc/default.asp
Energy Savings
Trust, advice and information in the UK:
http://www.est.org.uk/
Energy Savings Tips,
from the North Carolina Department of Environment and natural Resources:
http://www.p2pays.org/energy/smallbus/index.asp
Alternative Energy
Network:
http://osen.org/
Database of US State
Incentives:
http://www.dsireusa.org/
Environmental Air
Specialists:
www.easair.com
Native Energy:
www.NativeEnergy.com
Copyright © 2007 Vistage International. All rights reserved.
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