Coupons4LV.com  -  Tree Hugging Frugalitarian

So your thinking about moving - Please consider a “used” home rather than new construction. Although many homes are built these days with greener methods than years past, there is still a huge amount of energy expended to erect a new home. Think about the material transport costs, tree removal, erosion issues, service vehicle carbon emissions, urban sprawl, wildlife displacement, and other issues that a new construction home presents. There are plenty of “previously occupied” homes that are likely suitable for your living needs/wants. Please think twice before committing to the purchase of a new home rather than an existing one that not quite perfect. Often times, spending a little to spruce up an older home is way less expensive and more satisfying than going new.

Older neighbor hoods have more established residents, trees, and are usually closer to town. Which saves on time/gas for your commute to work(unless you work virtually).

I have stayed many times overnight in Philly/NYC and almost always get awakened by the shrill sound of sirens/horns – never a happy cardinal or song bird. The Lehigh Valley is filled with wonderful used homes that are ready for you to enjoy. Many are in the heart of the various towns and cities. In most places, you can leave your bedroom window cracked and wake up to the relaxing sound of chirping birds – not noise pollution.

See you around town!

 

Lets examine the common C-fold paper towel in a little more detail. In order for it to be produced, trees must be cut. They have to be shipped to your business. They have to be purchased in large quantities and stored somewhere in your business. An employee has to un-box and load them into a dispenser. The trash must be emptied everyday, sometimes more in addition to the purchase of plastic trash bags. Unless your dispenser is filled properly every time, the towels may fall on the floor and look unsightly. Many users take way too many to dry their hands. Certain individuals will always inevitably clog up your toilets with the towels on occasion. Now you have to deal with plumbers and other maintenance challenges. 

Installing a modern high powered hand dryer (not the wimpy ones of yesteryear) eliminates lots of overhead. (Saving around $959/yr for a family owned restaurant) After you try one of these for yourself, you may want to even install one in your home! We source these dryers wholesale, if you would like a quote for your business, please contact us.

One other item to note, is to try to make sure your restroom doors open outward if possible. This enables people to avoid touching the door/handles with their hands on the way out.

Sometimes, making the decision to turn your small business into a greener running machine can be difficult to implement. Getting caught up in the day to day activities coupled with countless obligations leaves little time to spare.

I encourage you to capitalize your time by taking advantage of the dip in consumer traffic at your business. Dedicate an hour or more to review each aspect of your business where you spend money. Ask yourself, why am I doing this? Is there a better way to achieve this task or function? Does this spending activity benefit the employee or the customer? How can I reduce my spending so I can pass the savings on to the customer?

The following are a few ideas that will help to jog your mind, but each business has its’ own challenges and opportunities.

-Can I replace any lighting in the store with compact fluorescents bulbs (CFL’s) or even more efficient LED lighting?
-Do I leave the lights on in the restroom at my business? Perhaps I should install a motion sensor switch in the restroom?
-Do I have paper towels in my bathroom? Maybe I should swap them out for a next generation high powered hand dryer…
-I wonder if installed an instant hot water heater under the sink if it would save money?
-Am I using a flat screen LCD instead of an older CRT monitor at the register?
-Am I handing out plastic bags at my store? Maybe I can pass out inexpensive reusable cloth bags that have my logo/name on the side, so that I get free advertising and reduce throwaway waste…
-What is the thermostat set in my business, could I tweak it a degree or two without causing discomfort to clients/customers?
-Do I have a programmable thermostat that changes the temperature automatically when no one is in the building?
-Should I install a humidifier to make it feel warmer in the winter?
-Do I have a high efficiency HVAC system?
-Do I have a recycling bin in the store, or does everything go in the trash?
-Is the packaging of anything that leaves the store in an environmentally sensitive container. (E.g. take out containers for food are available in enviroware materials that biodegrade quickly unlike foam or plastic)
-What do I do with my cardboard?
-Do I need something for my business? Maybe I can get it locally and less expensive on craigslist.
-Do I utilize the farmers markets in the area to get locally grown produce and goods? They are often less expensive than big box stores and it takes less fossil fuel to get it to your business…
-Do I have window tint on my sunny spots to decrease heat transfer in the summer?
-Can I telecommute on certain days (or ever day) and get the same work done without driving all the way to the office?
-Do I live close to my office?
-What if I could eliminate a car in my household by biking to work? -How much would I save in fuel, maintenance, insurance, taxes, and fees?
-Perhaps I should consider meeting with my client over a WebEx instead of driving in traffic?
-Is snail mail really required for that business function? Perhaps I could email it instead saving paper, stamp, ink, fuel?
-Maybe I should follow the undeniable trend and begin to transfer my paper advertising budget to digital media?

These are just a few ideas, if you have any more feel free to add them to the list.  Enjoy the Super bowl tonight and more importantly, advertising genius at it’s finest!

 
Plastic bags are a major component in destroying our environment

This slide show from the Pocono Record demonstrates some of the atrocities that are created by plastic bags.

Although I have seen re-usable shopping bags available at many locations in PA, their implementation into society is far from par – more like double bogey. Other countries and many green cities on the West Coast are setting the example by banning the plastic bag altogether.

One challenge about the re-usable bag is the difficulty in remembering to bring them into the store. At times I find that I have left my cloth bags in the car or scooter after I start shopping. To prevent this from happening again I have started leaving the bags in a more conspicuous place to ease my forgetfulness. (Front seat, door pocket, or I suppose a purse for you ladies.)

Think about the American consumer’s typical shopping week: groceries, home store, department store, mall, take out, doggie bags, the list goes on and on. Keeping a few re-usable bags in your car/purse/scooter/bike bag etc. would eliminate a large quantity of your plastic bag consumption.

Rock-a-bye-Baby Kids in the Lehigh Valley has instituted a green initiative and offers a credit if you bring your own bag. I think this is a great idea and would love to see other local stores do the same.

Many times I will go into a store and the clerk is trained to give you a plastic bag almost no-matter what you have bought. Recently I was not paying attention and a single pack of gum was put in a bag - I had to fight back my “What are you on Mars?” look and tell them that they could save the bag for another.

A lot of times I see people walking with a bag they obtained from a fancy store and realize that they are proud to flaunt that they just charged way too much to their credit card. I just wish that they could have brought their own bag to save a tree or a gallon of oil and delayed the “look at me” joy till they wear the item in public.

I welcome the day when plastic bags are banned in the U.S.A. However, if you still must use them, make sure you recycle them into the containers that are at most large grocery stores.

So the next time your ready to leave your home, make sure you have a few re-usable bags on hand. The environment will thank you, not to mention decrease our dependency on foreign oil.