Forum For Business September 2015 | Página 9

PRACTICING SUSTAINABILITY DOESN’T HAVE TO INVOLVE A LARGE CAPITAL INVESTMENT OR SOLAR PANELS. IT CAN BE AS SIMPLE AS PROVIDING A RECYCLE BIN FOR EMPLOYEES, INSTALLING MOTION SENSOR roof for a cost of about $170,000. The solar panels are expected to produce about 50 kilowatts of electricity, enough to power about 15 homes on a sunny day, according to the Jeff Curry, Lakeland Electric’s alternative energy coordinator. Through Lakeland Electric’s net-metering program, management expects the electricity bills to be cut in half. The reduction in the energy bill along with other tax incentives and credits should pay the investment off in less than ten years. Savings will begin to accumulate quickly, but more important is the impact on the environment. The panels have a long lifetime that require little maintenance. Twice a year, technicians inspect the panels for any issues, in order to provide for maximum energy output. While the monthly financial savings are important, the sustainable efforts are what really excited the entire team at CPS Investment Advisors. Sustainability is a key issue moving forward and little opportunities can grow to a large amount of success. Beginning with simply recycling papers nearly 20 years ago, CPS saw an opportunity to be sustainable which culminated in the building of the CPS Financial Center. Chas was passionate about taking action to better the environment and the community in which we all live, and believed that sustainability is an essential ingredient to doing business responsibly and successfully. Both Jim and Peter shared this vision with Chas, and continue to implement environmentally-friendly practices and seek out additional ways to improve sustainability. Practicing sustainability doesn’t have to involve a large capital investment or solar panels. It can be as simple as providing a recycle bin for employees, installing motion sensor lighting, or selling empty ink cartridges back to recycling agencies. Chas didn’t know that just 20 years after providing recycle bins to his office, CPS would be in a completely renovated building equipped with 200 solar panels, ecofriendly landscaping, and motion sensor lighting. You will never be able to predict what your business will be able to achieve and the rewards that you will )ɕ