In the continued conversation on how to be environmentally-friendly, sometimes being green doesn’t always translate to more green for your bottom line. But even so, spending a little extra on green products, such as CFL energy-efficient bulbs, can certainly reap impressive ROIs. For example, CFL bulbs last, on average, ten times longer than traditional incandescent bulbs and reduce month-to-month energy bills– two factors which will make the initial investment worth the long-term benefits.
Here at The Refinishing Touch, we are always looking for ways to save money while preserving the environment. Our award-winning furniture asset management services – which include refinishing, reupholstering and remanufacturing – save government, hospitality and higher education organizations up to 80 percent of their budget and 90 percent in carbon emissions, when compared to buying new furniture.
Here are some other ways that money can be saved through green practices, which can be implemented in individual households or rolled-out across larger corporations:
- Turn off lamps and ceiling fixtures when lighting isn’t necessary and unplug unused devices; large organizations can invest in automatic, smart fixtures which monitor movement and turn off unused lights
- Choose reusable items instead of disposable ones – a great example is buying plastic storage containers instead of dispensable, one-time use storage bags
- Consider packaging when purchasing items – are you paying for wasteful materials? Hotels, for example, can source toiletries with bottles from recycled products
- Walk, bike, carpool or use public transportation to get to certain destinations, including work – many companies even have programs in place to reimburse employees for decreasing their transportation carbon footprint
- Grow fruits and vegetables in a home garden, instead of spending the green at the grocery store. If you’re a student at a university, get involved with or start a program that maintains campus gardens or sources dining hall food from local farmers
For more tricks on how to save both your budget and the environment, be sure to subscribe to our free quarterly newsletter, InTouch. Simply visit our homepage, and submit your contact information in the right hand panel. Along with green tips, we also provide the latest in sustainability news, project updates and eye-opening blog poll results. You don’t want to miss the next issue!
For more information on The Refinishing Touch’s green furniture refinishing services or to get a free quote for the services at your business, visit our website: www.therefinishingtouch.com.