Partnership Helps Businesses Go Green

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Created on Tuesday, 17 November 2015 22:11
Written by Alex Paduch

 

BRUHEAST HAVEN – The Vermont Environmental Green Business Partnership was created in 1988, and has grown to serve dozens of companies in all different industries across the state. The partnership's mission is to foster improved environmental performance, as well as helping the businesses they serve succeed.

East Haven Veterinary Services and the Wildflower Inn has been involved with the partnership, which is run through the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation, for years. It has member businesses log their energy consumption, amongst other things.

“We try to do as much as we can in regards to being green—from turning our computers off at night to turning down our thermometers at nighttime,” said Wildflower Inn Manager Erin Donnelly.

The partnership has seven environmental standards that must be met in order for a business to participate in the free program

“Part of being in the program is that you’re actually documenting it,” says Sally Schlueter, a veterinarian in East Haven, “It’s really neat for everyone to see what we’re actually saving.”

In addition to logging procedures, the partnership does a once-yearly energy and recycling audit. “The once a year looking at your recycling or your energy efficiency just keeps you current,” said Schlueter.

The advice and counseling from the partnership helps to promote the environmentally-friendly performance of businesses around the state, and according to Wildflower Inn Manager Marilyn Pastore, “If someone tells us something that we can work on right away, we’re always happy to do it.”