President Trump has proposed steep cuts to the budgets of agencies charged with protecting the environment, and has pledged to roll back regulations that he sees as barriers to business growth.
Proposals include cutting the Environmental Protection Agency’s budget by one third, and significantly reducing staff. The cuts would deeply impact enforcement at both the state and federal level, and would end the Energy Star rating program.
President Trump also withdrew the United States from the Paris Accord, an agreement between dozens of countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in an effort to slow or reverse climate change.
How have businesses responded to the proposals and changes? Rather than cheering loudly, many have pledged to continue their environmentally-friendly efforts, according to a recent post by Energy Manager Today.
According to the post, “REI, Kohls and Netflix currently source 100% of their electricity usage through renewable energy, while Google recently announced it will meet its 100% renewable energy goal this year.”
Goldman Sachs, which is anticipating a surge in renewable energy growth in Europe, recently signed an agreement to purchase power from a wind farm in Pennsylvania.
Apple also plans to build a data center in Denmark run completely on renewable energy, according to the post.
Why do businesses remain committed to renewable energy and other environmentally conscious practices, even if government regulations relax and incentives evaporate? Here are two reasons:
Consumers are watching. Consumers are typically favorable towards environmentally-friendly practices, and many actively seek out companies which share their commitment. Companies benefit when their brand is seen as “green,” both in terms of brand perception and competitive advantage.
Long-term cost efficiencies. Over the long-term, energy saving and renewable energy options actually turn out to be less expensive to operate and maintain than less green, traditional options. Business save money by optimizing lighting systems, adding smart sensors and more.
Integrated systems play a significant role in energy efficiency. Interested in learning more about integrated systems? We can help. Call (800) 567-1180 to talk to us about your needs.