Businesses Can Reduce Their Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Business owners can make climate smart choices and achieve cost savings. Here are some actions:

1. Energy audit. Undertaking an energy audit is usually the first step because that will help understand and prioritize the most effective actions to take. The audit must be followed by one or more of the following actions:
2. Energy retrofit. Undertake an energy retrofit which can include: air-sealing and insulation; installing ground-source (geothermal) or air-source heat pump for heating and cooling; switching to LED lighting: interior, exterior or municipal street lighting
3. Install a renewable energy system to generate your own power. Wind or small, low-impact hydroelectric would also qualify.
4. Purchase 100% renewable energy, if available, from a local source.
5. Purchase an electric vehicle or install one or more electric vehicle charging stations. Switching to EVs is a great way to lower your fleet operating costs. And your fleet will emit about one third the greenhouse gasses of a gasoline or diesel powered fleet, even less if combined with renewable energy generation. You can earn a $7,500 federal tax credit, and a $2,000 New York State tax rebate.
    More about EVs in Fleets.
    Adding a charging station for electric vehicles is a great way to attract customers to your business, and NY State can pay most of the costs.
6. Food waste reuse or composting. 
7. Significantly reduce single-use plastic. Items such as plastic drinking straws are discarded by Americans 500 million times a day. Consider using paper straws instead.
8. Other actions that reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, or otherwise addresses the climate crisis are welcome.

From Saugerties Climate Smart www.climatesmartsaugerties.org