Small Business Builder: Energy-wise
Jan. 30 -- It's a fossil-fuel-devouring world we live in, and unless your entire operation is powered by the wind, the sun, or legions of elves toiling 'round the clock,' you've likely seen your energy costs rise on all fronts.
The light bill, the gas bill, and the shipping bill — not to mention what you pay at the pump — are all probably somewhat higher than you're used to.
If you're the cheery, make-lemonade-from-lemons sort, look at it as a chance to implement new energy-efficient practices that will serve you well even when prices settle back down. And if you're a gloomy, curmudgeonly type, bite the bullet and at least turn the thermostat down.
Gearing Up to Save
During the 1973-1974 OPEC oil embargo, which triggered an energy crisis in the U.S., little stick-on reminders to "turn out the lights" adorned switchplates in public buildings all over the country. Some small businesses more than others might see some relief with such small measures.
For others — restaurants and hair salons, for example — that run heat-generating or refrigerating equipment all the time, monitoring the light switches will barely make a dent (though it can't hurt). Ditto for catalog operations, online stores, and others that rely on delivery services (which must pass high gasoline and diesel prices on to their customers).
The Small Business Administration has geared up to help with loans and advice, available via Small Business Development Centers and SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) offices nationwide. But don't wait for the loan check; there are steps you can take right now, large and small, to lighten your energy load.
Get a checkup — You might start with the nonprofit Alliance to Save Energy, whose Web site includes a do-it-yourself business-energy checkup. You'll find other online benchmarking and checkup tools supplied by state agencies and public utilities, including Pacific Gas & Electric Co. If you want a more thorough and personalized approach, ask for an energy audit from your local utility or call in a consultant.
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