Businesses team up to go green

Some of Roanoke's leading businesses yesterday announced they plan to cut their greenhouse-gas emissions 20 percent over five years.

Calling themselves the Clean and Green Business Coalition, representatives of the group gathered at the Orvis store in downtown Roanoke to challenge other businesses in the Roanoke Valley to cut emissions, recycle more waste and reduce their energy use.

The coalition includes a dozen businesses -- including Southwest Virginia's biggest employer, the Carilion Clinic -- plus Virginia Western Community College.

"We're trying to lead by example," said coalition co-Chairman Stan Breakell, CEO of construction contractor Breakell Inc. Breakell said his business last year emitted 538 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

The coalition's 20 percent goal doubles that set by the Roanoke City Council last year when it began a campaign to encourage businesses and residents to cut greenhouse emissions by 10 percent.

In September 2007, the council also decided to increase the city's recycling rate 11 percent. Since then, the public schools have tripled their recycling from 7 tons a month to 22 tons, and the city has saved $121,000 in landfill fees, said City Councilwoman Gwen Mason, co-chair of the Clean and Green Coalition.

Dale Lee, vice president of the Roanoke Gas Co., one of the coalition members, said the company is using a variety of strategies to be more eco-friendly, including configuring computers to use less energy, photocopying on both sides of paper and even using narrower margins in letters.

Mike Rigney, vice president of operations at coalition member Orvis, said the company last year switched light bulbs at its 300,000-square-foot Roanoke facility to cut electric use 39 percent, and this year has cut in half the amount of waste it takes to the landfill.

"Roanoke is a city that gets it," said Rigney of the city's environmental movement, adding that business and city leaders realize that their behavior "has an impact not only on citizens, but on neighboring communities."
Contact Rex Bowman at (540) 344-3612 or .