Open Doors Are Everywhere
Posted by Chad Norman August 6th, 2007 .I think the retailers at the Mount Pleasant Town Center are trying to create a micro-climate out on the sidewalks - a land where it’s always cool and dry, and energy is generated via the swiping of credit cards. This phenomenon of keeping doors open to attract shoppers is hideous, and flat out embarrassing in light of what we now know about climate change.
I’ve blogged about this before, but this post was inspired by Rick Michl, who’s long winded defense of Limited Brands left me wondering if he had drunk all of Victoria’s secret Kool-aid. All Most corporations have entire philanthropic departments doing amazing things, and Limited Brands is no different. But not all corporations tout their environmental stewardship while giving store managers the go ahead to waste energy - that is why this should embarrass Limited Brands, Les Wexner, and the store managers in Mount Pleasant who prop those doors open each morning. However, they are not alone…
White House Black Market, Style Exchange, and Birkenstock should all close their doors too, and I encourage you to stop by or call to let them know. The big difference is these retailers don’t have parent corporations actively branding themselves as eco-aware (Can you believe Birkenstock doesn’t have some kind of environmental stewardship section on their website?)
Help us get these retailers to close their doors and stop wasting energy.
Victoria’s Secret at Mount Pleasant Town Center
843-216-8620
Bath & Body Works at Mount Pleasant Town Center
843-216-1828
White House Black Market at Mount Pleasant Town Center
843-881-3907
Style Exchange at Mount Pleasant Town Center
843-884-2244
Birkenstock by Footloose at Mount Pleasant Town Center
843-216-3533
Please call or stop by these stores and politely ask them to close their doors. I actually open with, “Did you know your doors are open?” In the mean time, we’re working on a more formal program to help draw attention this issue - something like the Doors Closed Campaign in Ontario.
Previously on Go Green:
Loading ...
A campaign is exactly what’s needed. Hopefully one would bring awareness to both employees and consumers at the same time.
You lost me when you said “what we now know about climate change”.
Are you saying that the retailers who waste energy by keeping their doors open are contributing to climate change? If so, how?
I only ask that you refrain from using “global warming” as an argument. Why you ask? Because it isn’t an argument. We could spend all day digging up scientific evidence to prove or disprove the theory.
Now, I am totally in favor of responsible conservation. On a practical level, there are many many things that we can do to help improve and maintain a healthy environment. But I am not in favor of regulatory measures based on theory … especially when dealing with something so complex as the global climate. For the record, I have 6 years of higher education in Environmental Science and Policy. By no means am I a scientist (technically I am but I am no longer in the field)… but I am a thinker and I like to fairly discuss environmental issues.
I like when you said you’re in favor of responsible conservation, you know, on a practical level - that’s exactly what we’re talking about here. Something as simple as keeping doors closed may reduce energy costs by up to 25%, which is financially practical. Wasting money, fossil fuels, and putting an unnecessary burden on the electrical grid just to attract a few shoppers is irresponsible and crass…and definitely impractical.
Sorry for being so late in responding to this one, but this line just really jumps out at me:
(Can you believe Birkenstock doesn’t have some kind of environmental stewardship section on their website?)
Maybe I’ve just been to the wrong company’s websites, but I’ve never seen ANY company with an “environmental stewardship” section on its website. So my response would likely be, “Can you believe that there are people who actually look for one?”
I don’t know if the surprise I read in that question is because Birkenstock is supposed to be regarded as such an environmental leader otherwise that it is out of character for them not to have a section of their site devoted to such a subject, but I’m assuming that’s the case.
Unfortunately, as an “average Joe” consumer who does care about the environment, but doesn’t have unlimited funds, a company’s “environmental stewardship” is not, and likely will not be, my primary reason for shopping with them. A company can start a completely different website devoted to environmental stewardship, and can even send me free brochures with energy-conserving tips I can use at home.
But the reality of the situation from a consumer standpoint is that if the product isn’t right for me, or isn’t affordable, then I’m not going to buy it. Period.
I’m not going to spend MORE money to buy a product I like less because the manufacturer or the retailer has a better-publicized energy policy.
I’ll do my best to avoid companies that don’t, but even then, if their product is the only one I can afford and one I feel I need, I’m going to have to buy it. Hopefully, the money I save can go to more of those energy-saving light bulbs and other modifications that I CAN control.
But a company’s reputation of energy conservation, when one is on a budget, only goes so far.
Just my two cents.
You’ve never seen ANY company with an environmental stewardship page? I’m surprised, as it’s quite the trend. In fact, when I started blogging about this problem, it was because the Limited Brands stores were leaving their doors open (Vic Secret and Bath/Body Works). The Limited Brands site has a huge section on the Environment, and specifically talk about conserving energy. See for yourself:
http://www.limitedbrands.com/social_responsibility/environment.jsp
There is a term for this: Greenwashing.
Check my original post for more information.
Thanks for the link, Chad…it’s an interesting page, and admirable that they’re doing so, certainly.
I suppose the reason I’ve never seen such a page on a corporate website is because it would never occur to me to look for one. The companies I do business with, as I stated earlier, are ones I do business with because of the quality and price of their product.
If I know of a company that has done a TERRIBLE job of protecting the environment, or one that has done injury and then not wanted to fix it, I’ll certainly do my best to avoid that one if I can. But it should go without saying that any company’s website is only going to mention the good things it does…if it’s also doing things that AREN’T good examples of “environmental stewardship,” they’d be the last to fess up, right?
The other reason I’ve managed to miss such pages is that when I want to read up on being more environmentally-friendly, I’m much more likely to look for sites like this one that tell me what I can do MYSELF.
If I buy a product from a company that isn’t yet environmentally-friendly, I still think that I can do more good overall by making other changes in my own lifestyle to outweigh any real “harm” I’ve caused by not patronizing a more “green” manufacturer.