First Up: July 2008

CHAIRMAN'S PAGE  
Green savings

by Annette Sykora, NADA Chairman

Skyrocketing energy prices. Dramatic shifts in consumer auto-buying patterns. Positive perceptions of ecofriendly businesses. Extreme weather havoc: California wildfires, Midwest flooding, etc.

Being green is no longer just about being environmentally friendly, it’s become a business necessity.

The past couple of years, dealers across the country have spent nearly a billion dollars going green. They’ve retrofitted existing stores or built completely new ones. Many dealers—800 and counting—have committed themselves to reducing energy use as part of the Energy Star program. And some have even tackled the tough process to become LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified.

More and more dealers are finding it really is easy to be green. Depending on initial outlay, the expense to go green often can be recouped in five to seven years. And just as hybrids and other high-mpg vehicles have better depreciation rates, green dealerships have better resale values.

Dealers say employees take pride in working

for green dealerships, and we all know

that improved morale

often translates into better productivity.

Another plus: Being green makes our communities stronger. Dealers—often the largest employers in their cities and towns—lead by example. Many of us have accepted used oil, filters, and oil bottles for some time. Now dealers are also getting involved in local conservation projects and setting up their own recycling centers.

And then there’s employee morale. Dealers say employees take pride in working for green dealerships, and we all know that improved morale often translates into better productivity.

More efficient stores, employees, and communities. Each green step dealers take now—and each dollar we save in energy costs—can only make us more prepared for the future.