search
cart
facebook instagram twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
  • NEWS
  • PRODUCTS
  • CONTRACTORS
    • BATH & KITCHEN PRO
    • BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
    • HIGH EFFICIENCY HOMES
    • TECHNOLOGY
    • WATER TREATMENT
    • PMC COLUMNS
      • Dave Yates: Contractor’s Corner
      • John Siegenthaler: Hydronics Workshop
      • Kenny Chapman: The Blue Collar Coach
      • Matt Michel: Service Plumbing Pros
      • Scott Secor: Heating Perceptions
  • ENGINEERS
    • CONTINUING EDUCATION
    • DECARBONIZATION | ELECTRIFICATION
    • FIRE PROTECTION
    • GEOTHERMAL | SOLAR THERMAL
    • PIPING | PLUMBING | PVF
    • PME COLUMNS
      • Christoph Lohr: Strategic Plumbing Insights
      • David Dexter: Plumbing Talking Points
      • James Dipping: Engineer Viewpoints
      • John Seigenthaler: Renewable Heating Design
      • Lowell Manalo: Plumbing Essentials
      • Misty Guard: Guard on Compliance
  • RADIANT & HYDRONICS
    • RADIANT COMFORT REPORT
    • THE GLITCH & THE FIX
  • INSIGHTS
    • CODES
    • GREEN PLUMBING & MECHANICAL
    • PROJECT PROFILES
    • COLUMNS
      • Codes Corner
      • Natalie Forster: Editorial Opinion
      • Guest Editorial
    • SPONSOR INSIGHTS
  • MEDIA
    • PODCASTS
    • VIDEOS
    • WEBINARS
  • RESOURCES
    • INDUSTRY CALENDAR
    • DIRECTORIES
    • EBOOKS
    • PM BOOKSTORE
    • CE CENTER
    • MARKET RESEARCH
    • CLASSIFIEDS
  • EMAGAZINE
    • EMAGAZINE
    • ARCHIVE ISSUES
    • CONTACT
    • ADVERTISE
    • PME EMAGAZINE ARCHIVES
  • SIGN UP!
Columns

As Businesses Get Greener, They Will Seek Your Help

By Bob Miodonski
November 1, 2010
Being green is no longer a political issue but a business issue.

The environment wasn’t much of a political football during the recently finished midterm election season. Most of the campaign ads I saw focused on the economy, jobs, deficit spending, health care and the questionable character of the other guy in the race.

During the 2010 Green Manufacturing Summit held recently in Milwaukee, one speaker claimed that climate change has moved past being a political issue. He went on to say that climate change isn’t even an environmental issue anymore, which is a surprising statement.

His point is that being green now is a business issue. Many companies have incorporated their sustainability initiatives into their business strategy, attorney Mark Thimke said.

“Businesses are regulating business by implementing their own greenhouse-gas reduction programs,” he said. “We’re even seeing businesses imposing standards on other businesses.”

Thimke referred to the “Walmart factor,” which encompasses the retailer’s own high-profile sustainability program as well as the pressure it puts on its suppliers to go green. By being perceived as a green market leader, Walmart might even force its competitors to go green.

Part of Walmart’s business strategy, of course, is pure marketing to improve its image among consumers. But the strategy also addresses its internal costs.

Walmart wants to make its supply chain more efficient, which will help it lower prices and keep it more competitive. Other companies taking a similar approach include Ford, Nike, Hewlett-Packard and Kohl’s.

If you’re a contractor for one of these companies, expect them to ask you to prove how green you are compared with your competitors. You also should consider whether being greener would help your image among your customers and save your company money in lower fuel, utility and water bills.

“It’s plain to see that sustainable strategies and technologies are not only here to stay, they are advantageous to businesses on several fronts,” said Mike Sipek, chief operating officer of host Bradley Corp. “It’s motivating to hear how green manufacturing processes lower utility and operating costs, reduce companies’ carbon footprints, boost employee morale and retention and reduce risks of future energy price spikes.”

Keynote speaker Tom Eggert, executive director of the Wisconsin Sustainable Business Council, noted that the U.S. Department of Energy last year allocated $36.7 billion to energy efficiency and alternative energy projects. Ironically, federal stimulus money stalled some energy-efficiency initiatives in 2009 when some companies delayed their projects while applying for these funds and waiting to find out if they qualify.

The money is starting to flow this year. And the plumbing industry will see more attention paid to water.

“About 2.6 billion people have no access to clean water, a problem not isolated to developing countries,” Eggert said. “This has pushed water issues up the environmental agenda and will become a new focus in 2010 and 2011.”    

Federal stimulus dollars will help some of your customers achieve their green objectives. In the end, though, these dollars should be what they’re intended to be - a stimulus.

As the Walmart factor becomes more prevalent, companies will take it upon themselves to become greener as part of their business strategy. They’ll see ROI in lower energy and water bills.

If they’re your customers, expect them to demand your help to reach their green goals.

Links

  • Contact Plumbing & Mechanical

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Miodonski

Bob Miodonski is the former Group Publisher of BNP Media’s Plumbing Group, which consists of industry-leading print and digital magazines, websites and e-newsletters. Titles include: Supply HouseTimes, Plumbing & Mechanical, PM Engineer and Reeves Journal magazines; Bath & Kitchen Pro e-News; PVF e-News; Radiant &Hydronics e-news; and www.RadiantAndHydronics.com.

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
to unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Worker using the Milwaukee Tool SWITCH PACK drain cleaner

    Pipeline profits: Drain cleaning, pipe inspection create opportunities

    Drain cleaning and inspection services offer lucrative...
    Plumbing News
    By: Nicole Krawcke
  • Uponor employee, Arturo Moreno

    The reinvestment in American manufacturing and training

    Plumbing & Mechanical Chief Editor Nicole Krawcke and...
    Plumbing News
    By: Nicole Krawcke and Natalie Forster
  • March 2024 Women in Plumbing hero image of woman engineer overlayed by circle of hexagon shapes with numbers from 1 to 10

    Celebrating 10 Influential Women in the Plumbing Industry

    Celebrating Women's History Month and Women in...
    Plumbing News
    By: Nicole Krawcke
Subscribe For Free!
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service
  • eMagazine
  • Manage My Preferences

More Videos

Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content is a special paid section where industry companies provide high quality, objective, non-commercial content around topics of interest to the Plumbing & Mechanical audience. All Sponsored Content is supplied by the advertising company and any opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily reflect the views of Plumbing & Mechanical or its parent company, BNP Media. Interested in participating in our Sponsored Content section? Contact your local rep!

close
  • J.J. Keller CMV vehicles on road
    Sponsored byJ. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

    The dash cam game-changer for small business safety

Popular Stories

The interior of a government building.

President Trump signs executive order promoting skilled trades and apprenticeships

Figure 1 is a sketch of the flow problems of the current plumbing system.

Hydronic heating glitch solved: Why adding a circulator won't fix primary loop flow issue

Underfloor heating installation with drain sewer hole in bathroom close up on water floor heating.

Using hydronics to leverage time-of-use electrical rates

PM BEMIS June 25 Free Webinar: Optimizing Plumbing Solutions for Single-Family, Multi-Family & Public Spaces

Events

November 13, 2024

Future Proofing MEP: Navigating the 2026 High Efficiency Water Heating Standards

Join our deep dive into DOE’s new standards so you can future-proof your MEP practice.

EARN: 0.1 ASPE CEU; 1 AIA LU/HSW; 0.1 IACET CEU*; 1 PDH

View All Submit An Event

Poll

Will business be up or down in 2025?

Do you anticipate business in 2025 to be up or down in comparison to 2024?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

The Water Came To A Stop

The Water Came To A Stop

See More Products

Download the FREE Water Conservation, Quality & Safety eBook: Plumbing Trends Increasing Safe Water Availability

Related Articles

  • On The Road: 2012 ISH China - Part 2

    See More
  • Thomas Bauer of Bosch Thermotechnology

    ISH 2017 Blog – Day 1

    See More
  • On The Road: 2012 ISH China

    See More
×

Keep your content unclogged with our newsletters!

Stay in the know on the latest plumbing & piping industry trends.

JOIN TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Directories
    • Store
    • Want More
    • Supply House Times
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • eNewsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2025. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing