A strategy for “going green”
by Eric Hansel
January 1, 2009
Aim for the low-hanging fruit first, then reach higher for bigger initiatives
This year, just as every
other year since his birth, we took our 3-year-old son apple picking. This year however, Ethan was old enough to
not only eat the apples, but to also pick them for the first time. As we
started walking through the orchard, Ethan was amazed at how many trees there
were, and how many apples were on each tree. He had a tough time at first
because he was reaching for apples that were too high up.
“Go for the low-hanging
apples.” That was my suggestion to him, and the same one that I make about
“going green.” Go for the low-hanging fruit first, and then move up the
sustainability tree. By the time you reach that delicious apple at the
top of the tree, you and your team will have the knowledge and confidence to
not only pluck that “apple”(maybe a mixed wind-solar co-op farm that produces
electricity and your properties produce and herbs), but to also enjoy its sweetness. It will take my son a long time to reach that
apple at the top of the tree, just as your trip up the sustainability tree will
be a long-term investment in the future of your casino and your
community.
Imagine that you decide to
invest in the sustainability of the casino and the surrounding communities by
building a mixed use co-op farm that produces both solar and wind energy. What
if the power your facilities generate is a bit more energy than you require.
Now you have an interesting opportunity because that extra power can then be
sold to utility companies who are required by law to purchase renewable energy
credits (RECs).
This opens up a new revenue
stream that will produce income over the next few years and beyond just as your
lounges, restaurants, and shopping plazas have provided to all of the one-time
gambling halls turned into casino resorts. Let’s not forget the co-op farm,
which will produce all of the produce that your restaurants and lounges, as
well as your high end food retailers in the shopping plaza, need for each
day. This organic co-op farm would
produce electricity, heat, hot and cold water, fruits, vegetables, flowers and
herbs all with the aid of the local farming community. You would be providing
income to families that need it, as well as lowering your overhead per
property. When you look at this description, its principles are the same as a
positive Triple Bottom Line.
You are taking care of
People by employing them in a safe pesticide-free environment that will sustain
their families for a long time to come.
You are taking care of the Planet by planting trees and plants that will
turn your inherent CO2 into oxygen. You
are also planting pesticide-free, so no harm will come to the environment
(soil). Finally, you are taking care of
Profit by using the same land that you farm on to produce solar and wind
energy, which reduces your expenses for the land as well as for your casinos,
thus increasing your profit margin. All
involved benefit, the essence of a green Triple Bottom
Line.
Getting
back to the “low-hanging fruit,” some of the easiest to implement green
initiatives are items such as lighting retrofits. This will allow you to save 20 percent on
your energy bills per year with a three-year ROI. These lights are highly efficient, producing
the same amount of light without the heat, all while lasting much longer than
traditional bulbs/fluorescents. Applying a nano-technology ceramic window
covering will keep heat out of the windows while letting the light through. A byproduct of this amazing technology is
that the windows become shatterproof, and if they do break, it is in one full
sheet. Other low-hanging fruit may be retrofitting your shower heads, toilets
and thermostats.
By starting small, you can
take time to become comfortable doing things in a sustainable way. The more you take on these green jobs, the
more you will begin to understand the theories behind “going green.” Applying
those theories to different projects will ensure long-term sustainability
success. I encourage each of you to
start small and reach for the low-hanging fruit on your sustainability
tree.
Eric Hansel
is
the president of EGM Green, the manufacturer of the world’s first eco-friendly
casino tables. Hansel is also leading a team that is coming up with a slot
machine sustainability standard. This standard will pull 25 percent of the
energy used to power slot machines out in the first year. EGM Green also does
lighting retrofits, energy audits, and custom carbon off-set calculation and
implementation. The company also offers expertise in alternative energy from
solar to wind and geothermal. For more
information, contact Hansel at eric@egmgreen.com or (201) 927-3526.
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