June 17, 2008

Small Businesses Reducing Energy Costs

With electricity rates rising, small businesses are increasingly looking for ways to lower their energy costs, the Wall Street Journal reports. From changing out light bulbs to CFLs to shortening delivery routes, small businesses are finding ways to keep up with their big box competitors.

While small businesses can’t dedicate entire departments and budgets to sustainability measures like companies like Wal-Mart can, they can still take affordable steps to reduce their environmental impact.

A few examples from the Journal:

Transportation Costs

Wholesale delivery company Wil Fische is using mapping technology developed by UPS to help its drivers make fewer left turns and avoid traffic jams, making the company’s 175 daily deliveries more efficient.

Hi-Tech Solutions

A calculator on a manufacturer’s Web site helped Arctic Wire Rope & Supply Inc., in Anchorage, Alaska, determine they could use 25 percent less natural gas by installing a device that blasts a thin layer of air whenever the warehouse loading door opens trapping warm or cool air inside.

Greener Power

Results of an energy audit determined the Supperclub, a San Francisco restaurant could save $5,000 a year by switching to PG&E’s off-peak rate from its basic fee plan.

A Newsday story talks about what some Long Island small businesses are doing to reduce their fuel costs.

According to the Energy Star Small Business program, energy efficiency improvements of 10 to 30 percent are economically viable for many small businesses through the implementation of “best practices” for facility operation and maintenance, and the use of cost-effective technologies, the National Small Business Association reports.

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