ROGERS — The owner of the first Green Plus certified business in the state is proud of the designation.
One year ago when Holly Mang opened Brick Street Botanicals, many of her decisions actually made the new environmental certification easier.
It might be expensive for a business to replace all their light bulbs with the new energy efficient types, Mang said, but she didn’t have to. The heat and air in her Walnut Street shop were also energy efficient. Many of the fixtures that make her shop unique are actually recycled, including the shelves and counter. So Mang wasable to complete her certification in only a few months.
She did have to think about waste.
“It’s easy to just toss a cup in the trash rather than washing out your coffee cup every day,” she said. Now, she uses regular cups.
She uses empty jars from the bakery up the street for flower arrangements and even encourages customers to bring vases back to her to be refilled.
“It’s a fantastic business tool,” she said about the Green Plus program. “It makes you look at everything and evaluate your business plan.”
It’s about more than just the environment. The program hasthree themes - people, planet and performance. Mang plans to repeat the certification each year to ensure she continues using resources, including her time and her employees, efficiently.
At an August news conference at the Arkansas World TradeCenter, the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce let members know about the new program.
Chris Carmody, director of Green Plus, said the program was created at the Institute for Sustainable Development at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, N.C. It was designed for small- and medium-sized businesses.
By the time Green Plus, like the more established Leadership In Energy andEnvironmental Design Efficient certification program, becomes a household name, Rogers will be able to say it was in ahead of the curve.
The first four businesses to sign on in Rogers were Stitt Energy Systems, Rockfish Interactive, Brick Street Botanical and Don’s Cold Storage and Transportation.
Not all businesses will complete the process. Green Plus helps by providing information and networking opportunities, Mang said.
She’s looking forward to meeting with Carmody the next time he’s in town to get answers to a few questions.
“It’s like spring cleaning for your business,” she said.
News, Pages 1 on 10/28/2009