Doug Kobayashi is spending a little cash to save a little green in an environmental effort spurred by his staff.
The first electric bills for his Bitez Sandwich Bar at Colwood Corners left him searching for answers, and kicked off a desire to limit consumption.
“The biggest push on this was my own staff and my daughter, the younger generation are more aware of energy and being more environmentally conscious.”
He heard about the provincial LiveSmart BC: Small Business Program through the WestShore Chamber of Commerce and opted for the free walk-through energy assessment from a LiveSmart BC Business Energy Advisor. The eatery owner followed recommended solutions, including replacing older lighting, and operational changes such as powering up equipment based on when it was needed, rather than at the early morning start of his day.
“Installing more energy efficient lighting not only saves energy, but also saves time and maintenance costs due to the lights’ longer lifespan,” said Adrian Mohareb, the LiveSmart BC Business Energy Advisor at the WestShore Chamber of Commerce. “The behaviour changes provide savings at little to no cost, and can lead to other green actions.”
That’s been the case at Bitez.
“It’s really got us into a drive about everything we do here,” Kobayashi confirmed.
He’s confident the cost of replacing lights and installing flooring to maximize the light will pay in the end. While the hydro bill is down, “now that’s become secondary.”
They’ve self-imposed rules to use local suppliers. “It started a process in my own head. I thought I can really set an example here, and I feel really good about it,” Kobayashi said. “It’s a little more expensive sometimes for some things, but it’s the right thing to do.”
They started the process in January 2012 and expect to finish by the end of the year.
To learn more about the program contact the WestShore Chamber at 250-478-1130 and speak to a LiveSmart representative.