What happens when an everyday business owner decides to take action for the environment? He saves money, boosts morale, and gives himself a competitive advantage.
That’s the lesson from the Powerhouse Gym in Grand Junction, Colorado.
Gym owner Tom Bishop says he made the decision to go green two years ago not just out of environmental concern, but out of business concern. His gym, part of a global chain, needed a niche.
“One of the first things we thought of, and probably the least expensive thing, was to become a green gym,” Bishop told Earth911.com.
Much to Bishop’s satisfaction, his efforts have paid off. Eco-friendly cleaning products have turned out to be about the same cost as normal cleaners. A high-efficiency washer/dryer for sweaty towels has cut the gym’s bills. Recycling bins mean that plastic goes to a recycling center instead of a landfill.
Last October, Bishop went a step further and installed a solar array on the gym’s roof. Thanks to federal and state incentives for green energy, he says, he didn’t have to pay much of the cost of the installation. The solar panels will pay for themselves by the end of this year.
The end result is a gym that has a unique selling point, a way to build customer loyalty, and substantially lower energy bills than it used to – all while cutting back on its environmental impact.
It’s a great story, and it’s what Team Earth is all about. Does Bishop’s gym still use energy and create waste? Of course it does. But it does less of those things now. Imagine if every gym did the same thing.
You, too, can do more or do less for the environment through everyday action. Find out how.
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sashawolff/ | via Creative Commons
