NOV
2023
Green Dealer Tips of the Month
Chuck Golden
Each month, as part of this newsletter, I am going to share with you my ideas
that may work for you as you strive to be more Environmentally Sustainable.
  
The Importance of a Green Team
What Are the Roles of a Green Team at a Car Dealership?

A Green Team at a car dealership plays a crucial role in promoting environmental sustainability and responsible business practices. Their primary focus is to reduce the dealership's environmental impact and enhance its commitment to sustainability. Here are the key roles and responsibilities of a Green Team at a car dealership:

1. Environmental Auditing: Conduct regular environmental audits to assess the dealership's impact on the environment. This includes reviewing energy and water usage, waste management practices, and emissions.
2. Sustainability Initiatives: Develop and recommend sustainability initiatives, such as energy-efficient lighting, HVAC systems, and water-saving technologies to reduce the dealership's carbon footprint.
3. Waste Management: Establish and enforce waste reduction and recycling programs to minimize landfill waste. Encourage staff and customers to participate in recycling efforts.
4. Green Procurement: Identify and source environmentally-friendly products and materials, from office supplies to vehicle maintenance equipment. Prioritize products with reduced environmental impact.
5. Energy Efficiency: Promote energy-efficient practices, such as turning off lights and equipment when not in use, and recommending upgrading to energy-efficient appliances and vehicles in the dealership's fleet.
6. Vehicle Selection: Encourage the sale of fuel-efficient and low-emission vehicles. This includes promoting electric and hybrid vehicles to customers.
7. Education and Training: Educate employees about sustainable practices and provide training on how to minimize their environmental impact. This can include energy and water usage and waste management.
8. Customer Engagement: Engage with customers to promote eco-friendly vehicle choices and provide information on the dealership's sustainability efforts.
9. Community Outreach: Collaborate with local organizations, schools, and environmental groups to participate in community sustainability events and projects. This enhances the dealership's reputation and reinforces community involvement.
10. Monitoring and Reporting: Regularly monitor and report on the dealership's environmental performance. This includes tracking energy and resource consumption, waste diversion rates, and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.
11. Compliance: Ensure that the dealership complies with all relevant environmental regulations and standards, and work to exceed minimum requirements.
12. Green Marketing: Develop marketing and promotional materials that highlight the dealership's commitment to sustainability. This can help attract environmentally-conscious customers.
13. Cost Savings: Identify opportunities for cost savings through sustainable practices, such as reducing energy consumption or waste disposal costs.
14. Continuous Improvement: Continuously assess and improve the dealership's sustainability initiatives by setting goals and measuring progress.
15. Employee Engagement: Foster a culture of environmental responsibility among employees and encourage them to contribute to sustainable practices in their daily work.
16. Green Team Membership: Include a broad spectrum of dealership employees, from various departments, in your Green Team. This diversity can provide a broader range of opinions and ideas to be considered/implemented.

The Green Team at a car dealership plays a pivotal role in aligning the business with environmental best practices, meeting customer demands for eco-friendly options, and reducing long-term operational costs through sustainable measures.

We hope that you have found these thought-starters useful. We want to learn what your dealership is doing to become more environmentally sustainable when it comes to maximizing the effectiveness of a Green Team. Be sure to include pictures whenever possible. Please reply to this e-mail with your information.
& Green Dealer Support Article
Chuck Golden
CEO, Green Dealer Support
Now you can put a face with the name, just in case we have not yet met.

Automotive News reached out to me recently. Having started Green Dealer Support in 2011, I was thrilled and flattered to be contacted by Automotive News and to be featured in the Monday, November 6, 2023, publication. You need to be a subscriber to Automotive News to be able to access the article here. The interview discusses not only the importance, to both the dealer and to the consumer, of being an eco-friendly business, but also the numerous ways available to achieve that goal. The importance of having all employees on board to "walk the talk" cannot be stressed enough.

There was also a live-stream interview which you can access here.
National Recycling Day -- November 15, 2023
Coming up on November 15, National Recycling Day, also known as America Recycles Day, is an important annual event that promotes the importance of recycling and waste reduction. By participating in this event, you can help protect the environment, conserve natural resources and reduce pollution. Recycling is good not only for the planet, but also good for your dealership's bottom line. By recycling, you can save money on waste disposal fees and reduce your carbon footprint. Celebrate America Recycles Day by organizing a recycling event at your dealership and in your community, educating others on the importance of recycling and renewing your commitment to reducing waste. Continue to do your part to make a difference and create a more sustainable future for generations to come.

The EPA offers a wealth of tips and resources to assist you in maintaining and improving your recycling efforts:


Take advantage of this opportunity -- let us know your action plans to promote November 15. Let's celebrate this day and take action towards a greener, cleaner world!
Energy Star Score Webinar
If you participated in and provided your information during the Energy Star Portfolio Manager Webinar last August 28, your score will be announced to you via e-mail on November 13. For those who still want to become Energy Star-certified, to improve the energy efficiency of your building (thereby reducing energy costs and improving sustainability), here's another opportunity to join in 2023. There will be a webinar concerning Energy Star Certification on Friday, November 17, at 1pm Eastern Time, and you can access the webinar registration link here.

Energy Star Certification will be an annual event going forward. There will be opportunities to qualify in 2024 and beyond.
Reducing Your Dealership's
Carbon Footprint
Covanta, the company affiliated with the zero waste-to-landfill assembly plant in Indiana, offers a step-by-step guide to reducing your carbon footprint.

  1. Measure Your Impact and Create a Remedy Plan
  2. Get Your Entire Dealership on Board
  3. Expand the Plan to Prioritize the Waste Hierarchy at All Levels
  4. Consider Purchasing Carbon Offsets
  5. Influence Perspectives on Sustainability

You can read the entire article here. (By the way, ESG, as referred to in the article, stands for Environmental, Social and Governance.)

With the increasing concern for the environment, it is more important than ever to reduce your carbon footprint, whether at work or at home. By making small changes to your daily routine, you can make a big impact on the world around you. Make the commitment to create a more sustainable future for generations to come. Start reducing your carbon footprint today and join the movement towards a greener planet.
How green will you be in 2023? Many of you let us know last year what you did to promote and celebrate Earth Day at your dealership. Let us know what actions you took for Earth Day 2023 by replying to this e-mail. We look forward to hearing about your endeavors.
Green Dealer Support neither endorses nor promotes any particular product or company. We are merely offering an example of what is available, should you decide to move forward with any information you read about in this newsletter.
Please send me some details and/or a list of what you are doing to maintain and/or improve the "green" in your dealership. Reply to this newsletter or to my email: chuck@greendealersupport.com
Who's Certified?
Click below to see the full list of 277 certified dealers.
Chuck Golden
Green Dealer Support
517.719.0355