Green retailing is about so much more than simply offering
products printed on recycled paper. Stationery retailers looking to minimize
their effect on the environment need to look at every aspect of their business -- from the products they carry, to store policies, to the day-to-day
operations of running a business.
"I think there are so many little things that retailers
can do to 'go green,' just like regular people at home," says Jan
Corradini, owner of Madison, WI-based Sarah B. Fine Stationery. "However,
there are particular difficulties with a store that make green retailing
challenging, including lighting and air conditioning. For retailers who are
just starting to make the switch to greener retailing, try to use compact
fluorescent bulbs wherever possible. They can even be used in track lighting.
Not only do they last two times longer, but you'll be surprised how much money
they save you! You should also try to open doors and windows whenever possible
to let in cool air to avoid using air conditioning."
"The easiest first steps are the obvious and most
attainable ones," notes Melinda Morris, owner of Lion in the Sun in
Brooklyn, NY. "For starters, use recycled-paper options wherever
possible, not only for your inventory, but for in-store products like paper
towels, shopping bags and gift packaging. You can pretty easily institute a
recycling program for all your store's paper and plastic waste. A great, easy
tip is to buy each member of your staff a reusable water bottle and coffee thermos
to cut down on staff waste.
Waste reduction is, in fact, one of the key components of
most retailers' efforts to become greener, which has led to the advent of
reusable shopping bags. Morris, for example, sells the reusable
"Envirosax" at her store, which has significantly reduced the need
for paper shopping bags for consumer purposes, whether they're made of recycled
material or not. One of the most effective strategies that she and other
retailers are using, however, is simply asking customers if they even need a
bag. "One thing we have started doing is asking customers if they want a
bag instead of assuming they need one that will be wasted, because you'll be
surprised how often they'll say 'no, I'll use the one I have,'" says
Morris.
According to Corradini, reducing the distribution of
unnecessary shopping bags and even sales receipts has led to significant waste
reduction at her store, too. "We sell a lot of cards at our store, and
they can often be added to bags customers already have, thereby saving another
bag. Also, our checkout allows us the option of not printing a sales receipt,
so we always ask the customers if they want one. For most card sales, people
are just going to throw them away, so they usually decline the receipt, which
cuts down on unnecessary wasted paper and ink."
Not only are many retailers creating recycling policies for
their stores and employees, but they are also doing things like recycling their
shoppers' waste as well. This can be as simple as keeping a recycling bin next
to your trash can for items such as coffee cups or empty beverage bottles. In
this way, shoppers can deposit them in the proper receptacle instead of tossing
them in the trash, just as you would do at home.
Of course, stocking more eco-friendly products is paramount
to green retailing, and thanks to a growing environmental awareness, there is
certainly no shortage of product to choose from. "These days, in our
business, it's becoming increasingly easy to find green products," says
Corradini, noting that more companies are offering stationery products that are
made from recycled paper or bamboo paper, that are letterpress printed on
cotton rag, that feature cotton ribbon, etc. "One trip to the National
Stationery Show can easily fill a new store in no time," she states.
The most significant green initiatives at On Paper in
Columbus, OH, are in the product selection. "A large portion of our
business is in wedding invitations- - both DIY for which we sell materials, and
invitations that we create in house," states Joan Schnee, owner of both
this retail store as well as the eco-friendly stationery resource Green Paper
Company.
Explains Schnee: "I started Green Paper Company because
I was getting many requests from brides for recycled paper, and there simply
was not a large color selection available anywhere, and certainly not from a
single vendor. We now use post-consumer recycled paper as our core bulk-paper
line, offering numerous colors options and coordinating envelopes and
accessories all made from 30 percent to 100 percent post-consumer waste."
"It's really hard not to find environmentally friendly
products right now, since so many manufacturers are making them," adds
Morris of Lion in the Sun. "Many packaging companies are offering bags and
packing materials made from recycled materials, and more giftwrap companies are
offering more eco-friendly options. They're even producing two-sided
giftwrap, so your customers will get two for the price of one and reduce paper
waste in the process."
Schnee also trys to feature in-store displays with an
eco-conscious focus. For instance, she makes sure to include green invitation
options in wedding displays, and, for the holidays, has done an "I'm
Dreaming of a Green Christmas" display of eco-friendly products.
"Our store fixtures are vintage furniture that is reused, and our main
paper fixtures are made from recycled steel," she notes, adding that the
store makes bookmarks, notepads and scrap packs from printing scrap.
 Another effective method of green retailing regards computer
use. For example, whenever possible, more retailers have been printing only
essential e-mails instead of every message that enters their inboxes, and
they've even started using e-mail as a greener option than a fax machine. But the
real impact computers have had on reducing our collective carbon footprint is
through online catalogs.
"More companies are turning to online or digital
catalogs, and even online ordering and e-mailed marketing forums,"
observes Morris. "I encourage retailers to learn about and support these
trends by not requesting paper product catalogs or mailers. If we view them
online, more vendors may abandon printing them -- and think of what we would
save in paper, printing and eventual waste."
1. Offer eco-friendly giftwrap, such as these from Green
Paper Company (773/784-8600), which are 100% post-consumer recycled and printed
with soy ink ($3.25/sheet).
2. Sell reusable shopping bags, such as these fashionable
versions ($8.50 each; or $37.95/pouch of five) from Envirosax LLC
(800/491-2533), which hold up to 44 lbs.
3. Give employees reusable options for their beverages, such as
this 14-oz. insulated travel mug ($16) from Mary Phillips Designs
(800/825-4575).
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