The Commercial Realities of Sustainable Business

The Commercial Realities of Sustainable Business

Despite today’s uncertainty, pushing sustainability to the bottom of the pile is a mistake CEOs cannot afford to make. In a global economy bouncing back from recession, sustainability is a mega-trend offering businesses multiple benefits and tangible growth at a time when merely breaking even is viewed in positive eyes. Sustainability plans are not a response to climate change. They deliver short-term operating efficiencies such as energy cost reductions and brand benefits are quickly achieved with small investments in renewable energy or reduced packaging. While double digit growth is a luxury few firms can contemplate, sustainability is already courting such figures. Read more.

Simple is often the answer for summer cooling

Last summer we only turned on the air conditioner three times for a couple of hours in total. The reason was to remove humidity in the house. Otherwise keeping our house cool was pretty simple. The reason is the large oak trees we have on the east side of home shading the early morning sun from heating the house at the start of a hot summer day. 

Our house us a 1100 sq.ft. ranch with a full southern exposure at the back of the house. To prevent heating in the afternoon I keep the shades down, windows closed and block the sun on the south side and open the northern windows for a cooling breeze. By the time the sun hits the west side we are shaded by the garage. 

Trees are amazing at keeping the home cool. I first noticed this in a poorly insulated rented apartment we had years ago. There was a large apple tree that shaded the western side, and because the apartment didn't heat-up early in the day the apartment was comfortable and cozy. We didn't have air conditioning and didn't notice until the landlady cut down the aging tree. The next summer we sweltered. 

Plant a tree.
Don't believe me... read on

This is time to plant trees for aesthetics and energy savings

... Shade trees that are planted on the south and west sides of homes can reduce the summer energy costs by 10 to 30 percent. A large-growing tree, such as an oak, can save more than $3,000 in energy costs over the course of 40 years. Because deciduous trees drop their leaves in fall, they also allow homeowners to take advantage of passive solar heat in the winter.