8 Great Projects for Greening Operations

(This article originally appeared in the March 2011 issues of Merchant Magazine and Building Products Digest.)

Want to be leader in the green building arena? There’s no better way than to demonstrate your commitment and know how by actually implementing projects on your own facility. Anyone can stock certified merchandise. And it’s easy to put out a few green hang tags on the shelf or signage proclaiming your eco virtues, too. But to really set yourself apart from the “me too” crowd, build valuable relationships with other leaders in the industry, and save money in the process, you’ve got to walk the walk. These days, it’s a little easier than it used to be. Depending on the type of project there may be government incentives available or a relatively motivated local bank ready to finance something with a solid green profile.

1. Energy retrofit – Make your facility energy efficient with better lighting, insulation, and mechanical systems. Then add renewable energy generation, too. Undertaking this kind project will pay dividends for decades to come. In the short run, build valuable relationships with those firms doing the work. In the longer term, as energy prices continue to rise, enjoy predictably lower costs.
   
   
2. Living roof and/or living wall – Installing a living roof delivers multiple benefits, including saving energy and giving your team experience in a young, fast growing market segment. Combine with water recycling systems for additional “wow” factor.
    
3. Cool roof – If you’re not ready for solar panels or a living roof, think about this: if the roof isn’t white, you’re might be paying too much for air conditioning. Paint it white, save energy – it’s that easy.
    
4. Water recycling – At first glance, conventional financial models may not make the quantitative case for water efficiency projects – water prices are kept artificially low. But if you’re operating in a region with stressed water resources, taking steps to reduce your demand can set a powerful example for your community. There may even be rebates available. Install HET toilets, rainwater harvesting and gray water recycling systems, and gain valuable experience you can use to promote these green practices to your customers, too.
    
5. Recycling for batteries, fluorescent lights, paint, electronics, etc. – This may prove to be more difficult than it sounds, especially if there’s no local, infrastructure, but will be well worth it in the end. These products contain toxic heavy metals and other components that pollute ground water. There are a variety of programs available benefiting a range of non-profit activities.
    
6. Zero waste – Reducing the waste generated at your facility will engage both staff and customers, and may reduce your waste haulage bills, too. Remember the Three Rs will help you get there – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
    
7. Replace portion of parking lot with community vegetable garden and bicycle racks – Don’t discount this project as being impractical or too costly. There will be plenty of people in the community willing to lend a hand. Encouraging bicycling reduces the carbon footprint associated with your facility. Planting instead of parking does the same and can provide fresh vegetables for employees, customers, or members of the community in need.
    
8. Shorten supply chain – Sourcing product and materials closer to home reduces transport costs. Depending on where manufactured, imports may already carry a high carbon footprint because of inefficient coal-fired electricity generation. On the other hand, local products can earn LEED credits for local building projects and, generally, will appeal to a growing number of customers preferring products and materials made in the USA.

Is GIY the New DIY?

(A version of this appeared in March '10, Merchant Magazine and Building Products Digest)

For me, the one phrase that best sums up the ongoing shift in household economic behavior is this: less is more. For anyone who pays attention to the history of this industry, it's a familiar story that comes about with every recession. Folks are doing more projects on their own and the trades are hurting. Mark Twain once said, "history doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme," and this time around the return to DIY might be different in some important ways that just might stick.

Most people I know aren't simply doing without, but are discovering new ways to create the lifestyle they want, spending less money and doing more themselves. More households are growing their own food, taking steps to "decarbonize" their homes, and generally looking for simpler, healthier "green it yourself" projects they can take on inexpensively. In fact, the terms "GIY" and "green it yourself" are catching on, appearing frequently in the blogosphere and other media to describe everything from caulking windows with a solvent-free sealant to rigging your own greywater system. In some neighborhoods, if you want to keep up with the Jones, it's not the size and expense of your solar panels, but how little you spent building your own wind generator from an alternator salvaged from Grandpa's old Buick, spare bicycle parts and a plastic milk jug.

On the leading edge of this resurgence of self-reliance and handiness is the rapidly growing permaculture movement. In short, permaculture is a holistic approach to creating household and community-scale sustainability based on modeling and enhancing natural systems. It's deeply green and aimed at creating abundance with fewer inputs - in other words, doing more with less. Typical permaculture projects include intensive food gardens, rainwater harvesting, greywater systems, passive solar, natural building and lots of creative re-use of salvaged resources.

At the community level, this kind of approach, and similar kinds of inexpensive projects, can contribute to greater community resilience, especially in hard times. There are a growing number of non-profit permaculture-based groups, such as City Repair (www.cityrepair.org) in Portland, OR, who are doing just that, rejuvenating the fabric of life in urban neighborhoods. Many of these groups are getting serious funding and are participating in local retrofit programs.

While permaculture is catching on among early adopters, community activists, and even government agencies, it's not mainstream yet. And even though permaculture and GIY projects tend to utilize salvaged, free or otherwise inexpensive resources, there are some good reasons for dealers to pay attention. Becoming knowledgeable about the kinds of permaculture projects happening in your area will likely inspire new thinking around merchandise and promotion. In areas where greywater systems are now legal, for example, stocking non-PVC pipes and fittings might be a good thing. Building close relationships with local permaculture groups and practitioners is even better, and with a little cross promotion can bolster your green reputation. And if permaculture can really help your community become greener and more resilient, you might find that this new kind of DIY is good for you, too.

Green Collar Jobs

(This article appeared in the November '08 issues of Merchant Magazine and Building Products Digest.)

While the scramble is on to bail out our nation’s banks and financial institutions, most of the rest of us are wondering what’s next. The economy may well be headed for a nasty recession with rising unemployment and sinking consumer confidence. Is this the beginning of a structural economic adjustment analogous to the industrial restructuring of the 1980s that shipped thousands of manufacturing jobs overseas, what we call “Globalization”? Many longer term economic trends point in that direction: rising shipping costs, higher manufacturing costs in China, greater emphasis on green house gas reduction and local sourcing, huge venture capital investments in “green tech,” and government policy promoting green building and clean energy, to name but a few.

But what about the short term? Will the bank bailout keep people in their homes, bring mortgage rates down and provide a small boost for our industry? Will another stimulus package from Congress do the trick? It just may be that the eventual economic recovery will be based, at least in part, on a grass-roots movement that is gaining traction with both local and national policymakers: “green collar” jobs.

From Oakland to Los Angeles, from the South Bronx to Chicago, New Orleans to Newark, local green collar jobs programs are revitalizing neighborhoods and giving people a chance to participate in the still growing green economy. A national organization, Green For All, (www.greenforall.org), founded by Van Jones and Majora Carter serves as a clearinghouse and resource center for local nonprofit-led programs, as well as municipalities seeking to develop their own program. These programs train workers for the clean energy economy and many include weatherization and retrofitting programs for existing homes and commercial buildings.

This is where it gets interesting for home improvement retailers. Getting involved in your local program could provide some immediate tangible benefits – you could be supplying the necessary products for these programs: weather stripping, insulation, lighting, roof coatings, and more. There are also opportunities to provide local leadership and expertise, gain community recognition, free publicity, find trained and motivated new workers, forge links with potential new customers, and more. And with federal green collar jobs programs coming soon, there may even be more opportunity.

On the national stage, it appears that plans to stimulate the growth of green collar jobs are already underway. Thanks in part to the efforts of Green For All and other grass roots organizations, Congress passed the Green Jobs Act as part of the 2007 Energy Bill, calling for $125 million to create the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Worker Training Program. It’s a pilot program that would, (if funded in the next appropriations bill), jumpstart green collar job programs across the country. The House is currently discussing another stimulus package that would include investment in green collar jobs. In addition, both presidential candidates have expressed their support for growing green collar jobs. In any case, it appears that the green collar job issue is here to stay and that should be good news for hardware and home improvement retailers.

Time for a Green Event

(This article appeared in the October '08 issues of Merchant Magazine and Building Products Digest.)

Fall is here. And for do-it-yourselfers, their attention has turned to pre-holiday home projects, like painting a room or making the house a little more energy efficient. For green builders, this is the season of two of the most important green building industry events, West Coast Green, in San Jose, California and Greenbuild, in Boston. West Coast Green happened in late September, (see what you might have missed here: www.westcoastgreen.com,) and has firmly established itself as a leading showcase for building innovation and education for pros and homeowners. Of course, the US Green Building Council’s Greenbuild Conference and Expo, coming up in mid November, (visit their website, here: www.greenbuildexpo.org) is the big green building event. So, with home projects and green building topics top-of-mind for many of your customers, it might be time to host a green event at your store.

Hosting a little green event in your store can bring in some of your best customers, as well as new customers. It can also bring other less tangible benefits including creating positive word of mouth, strengthened relationships with community leaders, and staff enthusiasm. The best part is that it doesn’t have to cost very much, especially if you elicit support from your suppliers and local organizations. Let me share some examples of what some of the best green retailers are doing on the West Coast.

Creating a workshop around a cool product or new building technique can bring in motivated customers. American Clay (www.americanclay.com), a natural plaster product from New Mexico is being stocked by a growing number of green retailers throughout the country. It’s a beautiful alternative to paint, but it takes a little extra know-how to apply it correctly, so the manufacturer and their dealers host workshops in the store. These little events cost virtually nothing to produce and have proven to be a boon for the retailers. Customers pay for the workshop, buy the product, and come back with their friends. A more traditional home improvement dealer in Northern California, Central Valley Building Supply, added the line last year and has hosted several American Clay workshops, finding that sales of other products get a boost, too.

Having a sexy, niche product can be an effective draw, but that’s not the only way to attract motivated customers. Virgil’s Hardware Home Center in Southern California recently hosted an event promoting water conservation. With support from the local water authority and their suppliers, they set up product demos and distributed rebate information, connecting customers to the right products for their project and the right rebate information for their community. Given that rebate information can be confusing to some people, it provided a real community service, saved their customers money and boosted sales.

There are other simple themes one can create an event around – one retailer I know offered 15% off for all women on a Women’s Day promotion and set up tables with information from local non-profit organizations promoting awareness of common household chemicals. The main point is to create an event that will be compelling in some way. But that’s not enough – you need to get the word out to your customers and influential members of your community. Have your cashiers hand out small flyers with every purchase for a couple of weeks in advance – print double-sided on recycled paper, of course. But most importantly, make a few personal phone calls to local green building advocates and community leaders and let them know what you’re doing. It boosts your reputation and will boost your business. Oh yes, and remember to have fun.

Get Connected: building community around your store

(This appeared in the July '08 issues of Merchant Magazine and Building Products Digest.)

For generations, the hardware store was a focal point in the community, where folks could get great advice, discuss the issues of the day, or catch up on the latest gossip. Obviously, things have changed as “big box” retailers have muscled in and literally changed the landscape. And it seems the bigger “the box”, the less community connectedness. In contrast to that disturbing trend, a recent report from Conscientious Innovation, a sustainability think tank, found that consumers ranked feeling connected to family and community as their most important sustainability issue. Also ranking high was the desire to support locally-owned businesses. These results lead to an important insight - forging deep connections within your local community just may be one of the greenest ways you can grow your business.

Last month we talked about things you can do to “green up” your store’s operations, suggesting that offering CFL, battery and paint recycling provides a valuable community service. Recycling programs provide convenience to your customers, but deliver something more important to your community. By diverting toxic waste, such as mercury that accumulates in the food chain, from the local landfill where it can leach into the ground water, you demonstrate a concern about the health and well being of your patrons.

But to get really connected with your community, you’ve got to get involved. Contact your local green building organization - it might be a city agency or a local non-profit – call them on the phone as soon as you’ve finished this article, go to their meetings, and let them know you want to be involved. This will get you access to valuable know how and help you connect with local green building leaders. Most cities with green building programs embrace interested retailers and will even include them in promotions. In San Francisco recently, the city took out ads in the local paper promoting the local hardware stores stocking green building products.

But don’t stop with green building, connect with other non-profit organizations. If your store is locally owned, join the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies, or BALLE, (www.livingeconomies.com). BALLE’s mission is about building community through local business networks. They can help you build the “buy local” advantage in your market. Don’t forget to support your local schools and parent groups. Making a small donation of organic compost for the school garden, participating in their fundraisers, sharing information about non-toxic alternatives – those small ways of showing your support will help to build long-lasting relationships. There are probably other organizations in your area that are focused on protecting local watersheds and bays, wilderness areas or providing job opportunities for young people. Find out what your staff members are interested in and encourage them to get involved, too.

You should also consider participating in local green events where you can educate your local community members about what your store is doing to make less-toxic, environmentally friendly, and resource conserving choices available. Better yet, host a green event at your store. If you’ve gone out and developed relationships with local green building and other sustainability organizations, you should find no shortage of enthusiastic help. Enlist the aid of your local green product manufacture and distributors, as well. After all, they are an important part of your community, too.

Getting connected with concerned community groups will make you feel good about offering eco-safe and non-toxic alternatives. It will also build your reputation and generate excellent word-of-mouth referrals, bringing new appreciative customers into your store. You can do good and do well and that’s what getting connected is all about.

Walking the Talk: making your store a little greener

(This appeared in the June '08 issues of Merchant Magazine and Building Products Digest.)

The demand for greener product choices is clearly growing from both pros and consumers. Last month we talked about what makes a product green and how to identify them. Stocking greener products will help retailers take advantage of this growing business opportunity, but is that enough? Not necessarily. Advertising and other communications are essential, of course, but to effectively connect with the green customer, there has to be credibility behind the claims. If you, the retailer, are not “walking the talk” it may all be for naught.

Most everyone these days has heard the term, “greenwashing.” Cynical attempts to jump on the green bandwagon, misrepresentations of environmental claims, and hypocrisy are the kinds of things that earn the “greenwash” label and it can result in losing customers fast. So, what can retailers do to walk the talk and build lasting relationships with their new green customers? There are three really easy things a retailer can do to start building their green cred: 1) become a community resource, 2) reduce operational impacts, 3) increase staff’s product knowledge.

1) Many cities have programs in place that make it easy for retailers to become a community resource for recycling batteries, paints, and fluorescent lighting. Being a collection point for these kinds of items provides a valuable service to your community. These programs, whether through your local city government, utility or third parties, also provide opportunities to connect with local schools and non-profits that will be happy to promote the good work you’re doing. Make sure the store and lumber yard are recycling their own waste, and inform your pro customers about recycling on the job site.

2) Operational impacts are sometimes hidden from customers, but doing something in this area can save money and build brand loyalty, especially when your efforts are known. Change lighting from inefficient incandescents and T12’s to CFLs, LEDs and T5’s. Swap out your inefficient toilets for High Efficiency Toilets (HETs) and/or waterless urinals. These measures often come with aggressive rebates – take advantage! If your locality has a Green Business Program, participate!

3) Getting your staff educated about the greener choices on the shelf is the easiest of all to accomplish. Most manufacturers and distributors are more than willing to come into your store and educate your staff on the ins and out of their soy-based sealer, energy-saving-device, or zero-voc paint. Product knowledge sessions are a good way to get even your crustiest department heads on board and you can incorporate them into an in-store event.

There are other things retailers can do, of course, such as put solar panels on the roof or use bio-diesel in your delivery vehicles. The main issue, however, is that retailers that make a genuine effort to reduce the impact of operations, educate staff, and take advantage of community programs, while stocking greener products, will establish themselves as the green leaders in their communities.