With apologies to Jim Henson, today it really is easy for a shop to be “green”. There are so many tools available to us that there is no excuse not to take advantage of them.  And since most of us don’t sell merchandise that is essential to daily living, minimizing the carbon footprint of our business is important. There are three key areas I’d suggest you consider: energy use, recycling, and inventory selection.

The utility companies in many municipalities offer programs to help you gauge the energy efficiency of your heating, cooling and lighting. The need for specialized lighting in a retail environment is a major energy draw, and can significantly increase air conditioning needs. A small change in efficiency can be good for your budget and the environment. Turning off lights you don’t need, as well as computers and appliances that are not in active use, can also net some savings.

It’s amazing how much of our trash can be recycled today. In Madison, WI our recycling efforts are made easy by the city, which allows for unsorted paper, glass and metal to be thrown unsorted into the recycling bin. We generate so much paper for recycling that we also have a private company do a pickup once a week.  And we’re fortunate to have the services of these Badger Bio-Engineer volunteers from the University of Wisconsin, who go door to door collecting light bulbs, batteries, ink jet cartridges and other materials to recycle through our neighbors at the Madison Environmental Group.

Your inventory selection is also a great place to focus on the environment. Avoiding products with excess packaging is as important as choosing items made of recycled material when possible. Selecting products that will have a long life rather than being disposable will also help the environment.  And of course there are many cause marketing products such as Sierra Club calendars that are linked to well-respected non-profits with a green agenda.

We are pleased to be part of an “eco-tourism” effort on Monroe Street that not only encourages us to be environmentally aware, but lets potential customers know about our efforts. Here is a link to a recent video produced by the Wisconsin Environmental Initiative as part of its Main Street Green program.  We’re pleased to have our shop be part of Monroe Street Green.

Happy Earth Day, and Happy Retailing,

Carol “Orange” Schroeder