Green businesses still save green
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Scott Jagow: The Environmental Defense Fund comes out with a new report today on “going green.” Yeah, yeah, we’ve heard this kind of thing before. But companies might want to listen again — there is some serious cash to be saved. Sarah Gardner reports from our Sustainability Desk.
Sarah Gardner: Environmental Defense says there’s more to “going green” than energy-saving lightbulbs and recycling paper. The group’s Gwen Ruta says the new report aims to inspire corporations to do more.
Gwen Ruta: I think a lot of people have now gotten the idea that environmentalism and good business strategy go hand in hand, but they don’t really know what to do about it.
The Environmental Defense Report has some examples. Take Stonyfield Farm. The yogurt-maker is saving more than a million bucks a year by switching from plastic lids to foil tops, which require less energy and water use. Meantime, Macy’s is hiring a company to install solar roofs on more than two dozen stores.
Environmental Defense is also lauding a new practice in the car insurance industry: mileage-based auto insurance. The less you drive, the lower your premium.
I’m Sarah Gardner for Marketplace.
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