Earlier this month we had a discussion with Jamie Green at the Greater Kansas City (MO) Chamber of Commerce about their Climate Protection Partnership Program, which has united Chamber members in their efforts to become more environmentally-friendly. As part of the program, members in the partnership get together to share their progress at best practices meetings, and the Chamber has graciously shared some of the information and ideas from their last meeting with us. Here are a few items from Kansas City to think about in our own communities and offices:

One of the mantras of management is that you can’t manage what you can’t measure, and that holds true for reducing pollution and waste. Tracking and publishing data points shows commitment and raises awareness, which goes a long way in green programs. Since beginning a tracking program five years ago, one partner reported that its electrical usage has dropped 10% and water usage is down 30%. Another member is now weighing their company’s trash to see how they can reduce waste.

Sometimes it seems like doing the right thing requires too high an investment and takes too long for payback, but that’s not always the case with green programs. CPP partner Commerce Bank looked at the cost/payback on solar energy and initially estimated a 20-25 year ROI; however, with government credits and other programs available, they got that down to a 10-year return and installed a solar array. Other partners have found that payback from behind-the-scenes transitions in lighting, boilers, and other systems create opportunities for higher profile project investments. The City of Kansas City, for example, has upgraded to LED lights in a garage at one location and the proceeds will pay for a solar array at City Hall.

Along the same line of thought, a representative from a commercial bakery talked about payback for several of their energy-efficiency upgrades, and the results are remarkable. Changing to T-5 lighting cost $86,000, but they will have a total return in just five years. The company spent $60,000 on new compressors and returned more than half of that in savings in the first year alone. And, the $16,000 they spent on new air knives paid for themselves and brought a $4,000 profit in their first year.

Getting employees involved is a must, and partner UMB is driving their green efforts through associate engagement. Among other programs, they have added a GreenWorks intranet site, created an email account specifically for employee suggestions, participated in Bike to Work Week, and have monthly drawings for carpoolers with prizes such as gas cards. Other partners have also taken this type of approach, offering rewards for things like driving hybrid cars, using public transportation, and other earth-friendly lifestyle choices. One even went so far as to create “Green Lantern officers” within their company and reward employees with credits good toward prizes such as reusable lunch bags, steel water bottles, and ball caps made from recycled bottle caps.

Other good practices included online employee training modules for green skills, green tips in weekly e-newsletters, e-invoicing, purchasing hybrid vehicles for company use, and a plastic waste reduction program that had a considerable impact by “outlawing” plastic in its vending machines.

Way to go Kansas City! Now it’s your turn to share. Use the comments section to share ideas that your Chamber or members are using to reduce pollution and create a healthier habitat for residents.

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