May is busy with wine festivals, sprouting vines and wine enthusiasts visiting in hoards. There are some really easy things you can do to get noticed for your green efforts on a lot of different levels if you’re not doing so already.
Here are our Top 3 recommendations:
1. Your bottom line will notice
Lighting makes a huge difference, especially in the production area. Wineries can get a free energy assessment from BC Hydro and FortisBC to understand your options and identify rebates and incentive you may be eligible for. Call GreenStep for more information – 1-800-469-7830 or email info@greenstep.ca.
2. Your guests will notice
It is hard to be completely paperless, but by making it obvious you are using FSC and/or 100% post consumer recycled paper, they will understand that caring for the environment is a priority. Print small batches on demand so you can update often and avoid wasting old stock. Don’t forget to put out recycling bins too.
3. The planet will notice
Find out what your carbon footprint is per bottle of wine. By calculating your footprint, you can benchmark your environmental performance against previous years and set some targets and goals to reduce over time. For an online tool, visit www.ecobase.net.
You can use it for free as an ecobase Certified Member, or Sustainable Tourism Canada Member.
What more can you do at your winery?
If you’re ready to find out what else you can do to reduce your environmental impact and to share your successes with your customers and guests, get your free Sustainability Score today!