Hi all, John Fischer here. Let me welcome you to the Nancy National Forest…
Industrial sites are not normally surrounded by trees, but when the Springfield Creamery - the makers of Nancy's Yogurt - moved to a bigger location 35 years ago, they put up new buildings, and planted 200 trees around the outside of the land. The trees are now taller than many of the structures, and give the site a decidedly non-industrial look. The dark surround in the aerial image you see here is the forest that shields the site from the sun, provides privacy from next door neighbors, and helps sequester climate warming CO2.
I know not every business can plant trees - although those shaded parking spots always draw customers on hot sunny days. And there are other ways of making a business less unsustainable. Solar panels on the roof, and off-site windmills are two ways businesses can offset their impacts on the climate - and many do - with benefits to the earth, and the bottom line.
Nancy's also has solar panels on the roof - Walmart has more solar panels on stores and as parking lot shade structures than the next three businesses combined - Home Depot, Target, and Lowes. Together they provide electricity for two million homes.
Last year, 96% of new generating capacity in the U.S. came from wind and solar. Many companies make a P.R. point about their 100 percent green energy use. Some even produce, or contract for more energy than they need, and become contributors to the grid - some. But there is plenty of empty space available on rooftops, and those untapped warehouses and distribution centers are usually right in the energy hungry communities they provide services to.
We'll talk about climate impacts from dairy products in the future, but right now, let's get back to the woods. Next time you're headed to the airport - we'll talk again about air travel in the future, roll down the window and listen as you go by the Nancy’s forest. You can't see the yogurt for the trees.
I'm John Fischer with Living Less Unsustainably.
