Beyond growing profits and sales, many Westchester businesses have made a solid commitment to operate in the “greenest” possible manner.
One such company is Green Team Spirit, a Croton-on-Hudson firm founded in 2009 to help businesses improve their environmental practices in tandem with their bottom line.
Pragmatism is the rule at this sustainability consulting firm. Green Team Spirit CEO and Founder Dani Glaser says, “Although many organizations want to ‘go green,’ they are busy focusing on their daily activities and don’t have the time and expertise to build sustainability into their core mission. We help them by providing expertise and a turnkey training program to facilitate the process.”
Glaser’s firm – a Founding Partner in the county’s Green Business Challenge – analyzes key corporate functions, develops a strategic plan for achieving vital goals and helps organize a team of employees at the client company that will be dedicated to realizing critical goals.
Once leadership is on board, key areas addressed by Green Team Spirit include energy and water conservation, purchasing, site infrastructure, transportation, waste reduction and communication. There’s particular focus upon electricity use, and boiler and HVAC system efficiencies. If it becomes evident that savings can be achieved by upgrading these systems, “We work with energy and solar contractors who can show how investments in more efficient energy equipment and usage can provide significant benefits,” Glaser explains.
Purchasing is a less-obvious area of potential savings. Here, according to Glaser, limiting the number of people authorized to buy for the company reduces the chance for duplication and waste. Also, switching to non-toxic products, using paper that comes from recycled sources, and reducing waste and water consumption are all-important factors.
This emphasis even carries over to corporate travel. Glaser explains, “When firms consolidate travel or encourage the use of videoconferencing rather than air flights, you not only save money but build efficiencies into corporate operations while really helping the environment.”
