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GOING GREEN


Is doing the ‘green thing’ the right thing? W


hile researching ideas for this article, I received information from an industry colleague


that included a press release from a major plumbing products manufacturer, show- casing various green initiatives. Included were specific product descriptions, fea- turing the recycled content that was used in each component. Also described in de- tail was how the manufacturer had devel- oped packaging using certified forest products and suppliers. Showcased in the press release were streamlined manufac- turing techniques and explanations of car- bon footprint reduction. The green initiatives didn’t stop there. The manufac- turer had installed energy-efficient light- ing fixtures in every plant and had made a commitment to reduce water consump- tion and improve water quality beyond government regulations. The last three words struck like an


arrow, right in my green heart. Why would this manufacturer exceed govern- ment regulations? I began to consider the impact of this statement. Obviously, the management of this company felt that be- coming green was important to their cus- tomers and that doing so would ultimately separate them from the competition. It just makes sense (cents!) that reducing energy and water consumption in the manufacturing plants would eventually lower component cost and produce addi- tional profits. Surely, government regula- tions had forced change that required them to reduce the amount of lead in their finished product, but they didn’t just stop there. They went beyond what was re- quired, to do the right thing. What I most enjoy when consulting


with companies and institutions on green certifications or product recommenda-


tions is that, at some point during the process, management realizes that going green simply is the right thing to do. They may have been nudged down the green road by government regulations, outra- geous utility costs or customer demand for green products, but somewhere during this process the Green Grinch looks at this green revolution in a whole new way. Suddenly they begin to share stories of how much money they saved and how wasteful they had become. They begin to look for additional areas where they can do the right thing and eventually become advocators of green change. As a young boy growing up in New


York State, enjoying fishing on the Niag- ara River and Lake Erie in the early 70s, I remember skeptics claiming that the


becoming green was important to their customers and


Obviously, the management of this company felt that


that doing so would ultimately separate them from the competition.


water would never again be clean due to constant pollution from the area’s chemi- cal and steel industries. I recall watching people throw garbage out car windows on the New York State Thruway. But I also remember the great change that came as people realized that pollution wasn’t the government’s or someone else’s respon- sibility and that true change could only come from taking personal responsibility. This was their Seminal Green Moment. And this is what I believe occurs when a


company realizes that they’ve exceeded government regulations and have moved on to do the right thing. Perhaps I’m just living in a dream


world, believing that corporate America cares enough to think past the bottom line. But I’ve seen with my own eyes how a company can go beyond the require- ments to become LEED-certified by doing more than what was regulated. A company CEO boasted about sticking his hands in the garbage while doing a waste audit in order to find out how to reduce consumption and what could be done to save money and jobs. His determination was obvious as he explained to me how the culture of his company had changed from one that did not emphasize reducing consumption to one where his employees were now excited about making those positive changes. They went beyond the requirements for certification and had begun to do the right thing. I recently came across the website of a


company in England that offers an incred- ible new green idea. They begin by charg- ing corporations a small, per-employee fee to license software that allows their employees to document energy savings. For example, if an employee doesn’t print a report and instead sends it electroni- cally, or if an employee finds an alterna- tive to taking an extra trip to call on a customer, they document these “savings” in the software package. The software then allocates a small percentage of the savings to be donated to a charity of the employee’s choice. The software maintains a scorecard


that is accessible to every employee. A natural competition is then formed be- tween employees and departments to see who can raise the most dollars as an indi-


•THE WHOLESALER® — JUNE 2011


BY CLIFF DEANGELO Special to TheWholeSaler


vidual or as a team. It’s a win-win situa- tion for all parties. The company encour- ages its employees to become stewards of the workplace, and, in so doing, ulti- mately saves money. Employees save the company money and are rewarded by earning dollars for the charities they choose and care about. This is going be- yond regulation and doing the right thing. As we look at increased regulations


facing our industry, such as wet surface calculations for lead in brass content or the blending of bio fuel in heating oil, we should look not only to meeting govern- ment regulations but also to doing the right thing. We need to provide product with zero lead content. We need to man- ufacture appliances that can handle all kinds of biodiesel fuels. We need to install energy efficient lighting in our ware- houses and showrooms. We need to take a chance on non-traditional innovative green technologies and help bring them to the market. We need to dedicate time, manpower and dollars to do the right thing when it comes to moving toward a more sustainable world. The debate over predictions for global


warming and whether or not we have suf- ficient traditional fuel sources to last for the next 100 years is not over. What truly matters is that we have a responsibility to do the right thing in everything that we do. My hope is that you choose to do the right thing and go beyond regulations. I applaud those companies that have al- ready had that seminal moment and have moved on to becoming leaders and exam- ples in our industry. I’d like to hear your stories of your


Seminal Green Moment. When did you realize that you had to go beyond the reg- ulations and start moving toward doing the right thing? How did you enlist help from your company or your employees? What impact did it have on your cus- tomers and how did you communicate that to them? The purpose of this maga- zine is to provide opportunities to learn from one another. And our purpose is to have the courage to do the right thing. n


Cliff D’Angelo is a LEED AP and a 20- See contact information on page 86 • Be sure to visit www.thewholesaler.com for web exclusive articles and videos! •


year veteran of the plumbing products manufacturing and wholesale industries in sales and sales management, with both the Kohler Companies and Ferguson En- terprises. He is currently principal owner of GREENCLIF LLC, providing both LEED and sales consulting services. Ad- ditionally, he is on the forefront of intro- ducing an innovative new solar thermal dehumidification technology to the mar- ket. Visit greencliff@netbusiness.com.


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