Everybody in the car business these days is touting how "green" they are. It all started with the Toyota Prius. The popularity of the Prius forced other manufactures to either offer a Hybrid or start promoting their fuel efficient models.
With the push from Hollywood, Al Gore, and Leonardo DiCaprio, the whole country is thinking green. Most analyst feel the movement from consumers to seek out green or low impact goods in not just a trend but the way of the future.
Subaru, who does not currently have a Hybrid vehicle, has put out some very compelling commercials regarding their manufacturing plant in Indiana. The plant is a zero emissions plant, emitting no landfill waste. The plant also contains a nature preserve in the surrounding grounds.
Those of us in the car business know it's a dirty business. Everything we do is environmentally UNfriendly. From washing cars, to shop chemicals, to mounds of wasted paper.
Planet Subaru outside of Boston is putting it's money where it's mouth is...and saving money by doing so. Half of Planet Subaru's 11 acre dealership is a nature preserve. The dealership recycles used oil, oil filters, and the water it uses washing cars. They have also put river rocks on the roof to provide insulation and use efficient lighting. The dealership says they have cut the stores electric bills by 30% and the EPA estimates they are saving $22,000 annually.
Land Rover Portland in Oregon has put a program to plant thousands of trees to offset the carbon emissions of the SUV's it sells. The dealership places "Carbon Neutral" stickers on it's vehicles which have become a status symbol among the dealership's customers. Not only is Land Rover Portland reducing it's environmental impact, it is using it's stewardship as a marketing tool.
To find more about Planet Subaru's environmental efforts click here.
To find out more about Land Rover Portland's Carbon Neutral program, visit their website and click on the "Carbon Neutral" icon. Make sure to look at page 3 to see other programs they are participating in.
Some simple things you can do at your dealership to reduce your impact on the environment include:
- Implementing a recycling program for paper, cans and bottles, oil and oil filters.
- Reduce showroom and lot lighting when dealership is closed
- Switch to an Electronic RO program to reduce paper waste
- Seek out recycled paper for your office, business cards, letterhead, contracts etc.
- Save printing costs and chemicals by printing all non-customer facing documents in B&W.
Please feel free to comment on this post with any ideas or examples that you have seen regarding dealer's commitment to the environment.
