Incentives Floated for Local Businesses to be Eco-Friendly
Journal and Courier (press release), IN (June 9, 2010) - A group of organizations in Greater Lafayette hopes to team with businesses and catch a wave that will lead to cleaner water, cleaner air and a better environment.
Nearly 20 businesses have been certified by the Clear-Blue-Green program that is being supported by Greater Lafayette Commerce, West Lafayette's Go Greener Commission and the Wabash River Enhancement Corp.
"We held a lot of meetings looking at questions and trying to put together an equitable point system," said Dana Smith, president of the Chamber of Commerce division of Greater Lafayette Commerce. He also is a member of the Clear-Blue-Green Certification Committee. "We need a year of working with it. We're still tweaking some of the details."
Under the program that certified the first 19 members in April, businesses that qualify must score a minimum number of points through water and energy conservation, waste reduction and prevention, purchasing, transportation, and employee outreach and education.
Participants range from local, one-person businesses to large employers.
"I think it's a really good program. It's exciting ... to get the local community involved," said Rob Theodorow, owner of Stormfront Productions, a full-service, online media consulting agency in Lafayette and program participant. "A lot of people don't think of a technology company as being green. But there's a lot of things we can do."
Participating companies
Stormfront Productions Inc. installed two barrier doors inside their building that dates back to the 1860s in downtown Lafayette. The result: a 41 percent reduction in energy bills, Theodorow said.
Other participants and the environmental work they have done include:
- Cartridge World uses a Smart Car for deliveries and educates the community by supporting the Boy Scouts and local schools in the collection and recycling of used cartridges.
- Zogila is a zero-waste business, recycling and composting all waste material.
"I really feel it was a minimal effort in getting businesses on board. With a more determined effort we could get a lot more on board," said Lindsey Payne, a doctoral student in the ecological sciences and engineering program at Purdue University and chairwoman of the Clear-Blue-Green Committee. "We're also hoping to partner with the city of Lafayette and do educational workshops."
It's too early to evaluate the program for overall success, but "every little bit helps," Payne said of the goal to get businesses to recycle and reduce and use green and sustainable building practices.
Companies score points through a number of environmental practices that include cleaning outdoor areas with a broom rather than a water hose, using captured wastewater for irrigation, and implementing an office policy to turn off all computer monitors and lights when not in use. They also include using motion sensors, timers or other lighting controls, purchasing office paper with at least a 30 percent recycled content and allowing preferred parking for employees who carpool daily.
A similar program launched nearly three years ago by the Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce has about 70 participants among 3,000 chamber members.
With 1,000 Greater Lafayette chamber members, 19 businesses have already been certified through the program that started earlier this year. One more business is going through the evaluation process.
Participants don't have to be chamber of commerce members to join the program. Each company is provided with stickers for their front door or window and a certificate suitable for framing.
"We wanted to do more to promote people's efforts through a green, sustainable policy. We don't want to be the 'green police,'" said Brian Pohlar, operations manager for the Lafayette office of Hannum, Wagle & Cline Engineering, and a member of the committee.
"This is to reduce the amount taken to the landfill, improve water and air quality. We're hoping companies promote it to their employees and the employees will take it home to their families."
