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5 Steps Toward Acting More Green - 2
December 24, 2007

Green action items #2 Conserve Energy and Use Renewable Resources

It is always better to conserve then buy. There’s an antedcot that sayes “For every dollar spent on conservation = five dollars spent on generation”. As a result energy audits have become a popular exercise.

The term energy audit is used to describe many energy studies ranging from a quick walk-through to a comprehensive analysis of the alternatives. Typically the quick walk through can be done yourself and the comprehensive analysis requires a professional.

Here are a few things to consider in your quick walk-through. Are lights on in unoccupied areas? Are you using mercury vapor and standard fluorescent lights or matched electronic ballasts in use? Do lighting levels exceed the need? Can task lights replace overall lights? Is equipment left on overnight, or on weekends when timers could be used (processors, compressors, HVAC)? Often your local energy utility or an energy service company will conduct a free comprehensive analysis.

Do you schedule the maintenance your delivery vehicles? Are your trucks old gas guzzlers? Do you use alternative fuels? Do you have policies for when the engines are on or off (during fueling, while making the delivery)?

If your interested in a more proactive position consider buying “green power”. Green power is electricity generated with renewable resources like sun, wind and water, which have less of an environmental impact than conventional fossil resources. As discussed in this article several printers are buying wind power which is the cheapest and cleanest renewable energy sources available. There is no extraction and consumption of fuel, and no air pollution. Many utilities are offering "Green Power" programs.

Posted by Howie Fenton on December 24, 2007 | Comments (0)