| Going Green Doesn’t Have to Cost a Fortune |
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| Written by Courtney Paris |
| Monday, 21 December 2009 00:00 |
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Every time you turn around, there’s an article, news story, or website talking about steps we can take to “be more green.” This happens, not only in our personal lives, but on the business side as well. And the automotive industry, in particular, has come under fire recently regarding their impact on the environment.
While there are plenty of drastic and costly measures to reduce our environmental impact, there are also several small, cost-effective measures that both individuals and companies can take. One of the first steps is to reduce the amount of paper waste in your dealership. Do you often have memos for staff or new information that you want to distribute? Instead of handing out individual, printed copies, send an email instead. And, when there is a need to print a document, use recycled paper whenever possible. Set up a box in the office for people to drop off their misprints and wastepaper (of course, make sure none of the paper collected contains private information!).
Another thing to consider is the temperature. According to the “Center for Sustainable Systems,” space-cooling/heating accounts for 11 percent of total electricity consumption in commercial buildings. In addition to lowering the thermostat a couple of degrees, make sure it gets lowered at night, when everyone is gone. Also be sure to keep up with regular HVAC maintenance, this can fix leaks and reduce the amount of waste. Also, when employees go home for the night, be sure to shut down the computers. Just letting them go on screensaver mode still allows them to suck up power.
Do you serve coffee for your employees and customers? Instead of having stacks of Styrofoam cups out, purchase some dealer-branded coffee mugs and leave them out. They’re reusable and a great way to reinforce your brand.
Taking these steps will help you green up your store at little or no cost and, best of all, not only will you be doing your part to help the environment, but you’ll also save money and earn the respect of current and future customers!
Courtney Paris is an editorial staff account executive with Dealer Marketing Magazine. For more information, contact Courtney at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
, toll free at 888-385-7526, or direct 206-226-5217.
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