It Is Cool To Go Green

It seems everywhere you look here lately you see some evidence of the push to make society environmentally friendly. It is the virtual greening of America and everyone is jumping on the bandwagon and in this writers opinion it is about time. The self storage industry is no exception to this and in fact may be more prepared to make the shift to a greener way to operate. Many of the new self storage facilities being built are doing so with materials that have been recycled and the waste from those materials are then recycled for other uses that assist in the building. Starting from the ground up is a great way to ensure all aspects of the facility are green but what about existing self storage facilities?

One way to help the environment and reduce operating costs is to install photovoltaic panels to capture solar rays to generate electricity. Doing this will eliminate one more expense each month. Any excess electricity generated would go back to the power grid and be sold to the electric utility. Do not let the initial cost scare you, as there is usually some form of rebate from the electric utility and tax incentives from both state and federal government. Not only will you save money in the long run and generate a kickback from the electric utility it is also a great way help self storage facilities stand out against the competition.

Okay the budget will not allow you to take this step at this time but not to worry you can still help the environment and save money by taking a trip to a home improvement store. Replace the light bulbs at your self storage facilities with the new fluorescent bulbs and dispose of the old ones properly. You will save costs in the long run and help the environment. Buy or build bins and start your own recycling center with little to no cost and make it accessible for anyone to use. This would also generate traffic to your self storage facilities and may inspire some people who had never thought to use self storage before.

Something else that comes to mind that is cutting edge is to start a community garden if your self storage facilities have the means to do so. This is really catching on especially in large urban settings because many people who would want a garden cannot do so because of space requirements. A rooftop garden would be a great addition if your self storage facilities would be able to support it. If you have a stretch of undeveloped land on your self storage facilities property, create one there. If both of those ways pose a logistical problem dedicate one of your units and grow plants using hydroponics. There are many organizations and gardening clubs that are looking for somewhere to operate and would be willing to help with initial costs in exchange for some publicity. Having something like this would help with self storage marketing and could add to the bottom line of your self storage facilities. Of course these urban green thumbs would also need a place to store their gardening equipment so renting self storage units would be par for the course. This would also open up a line for your retail self storage offerings, stock eco-friendly fertilizers and organic treatments.

Whatever avenue you decide to take it is important to do it early enough that it gives your self storage facilities a leg up on your competition. It will not be too long before some of this will be part of building codes and ordinances and you may not be prepared to make the change. Going green now will ensure the sun will always shine on your self storage facilities and on this planet we call home.

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