August 2017

Turn on the local news on any summer day, and there’s a decent chance you might hear a familiar story: a regional power company is struggling to meet electricity demand. The power grid strains as we draw megawatts of energy into our homes and businesses to keep them cool during a sweltering hot summer day. Around the country, massive coal-fired power plants are running at full capacity, spewing tons of pollution into the air.

Summer is here. It is hot, hazy, and humid. Walking past a retail store, you can feel the cool air from an open door, an invisible welcome mat of air-conditioning inviting you to come inside and shop. Something is wrong with this picture.

It is time for retailers to close their doors. Among businesses, retailers have one of the biggest opportunities to save vast quantities of energy and reduce pollution. New York City realized this, and, over a year ago, outlawed such behavior. But the sight is still too-common around the country. Faced with the rising concerns around energy costs, energy security, and air pollution, we can no longer afford to spill air conditioning outside, through doors wide open for business.

Here are ten reasons why retailers should keep their front doors closed during the hot summer months:

1. There’s no available data showing that an open door increases sales or traffic.

While this has been a long-held belief among some retailers, it’s largely based on anecdotal evidence and an outdated assumption of what consumers find acceptable in today’s social environment. Our recent survey data (see #6 below) suggests that a majority of consumers view this habit as “wasteful”.

2. Doors left open waste a significant amount of electricity.

How much electricity? ConEdison (a New York utility) estimates that one store (10,000 sq ft) that leaves 1 door open for 8 hours a day (5 days/wk), wastes 4,200 kWh of electricity from June –September.

Thermal image (cropped).jpg — A store with its front door left open in the summer, as seen by a thermal camera.

3. It drives up your operating costs.

ConEdison estimates that each store pays about $250 more per month for electricity when doors are open with the air conditioning running.

4. That electricity that’s being wasted? It was generated in a process that releases pollution.

How much pollution? The same ConEdison calculations estimates that, on average, such a store accounts for around 2.2 tons of carbon dioxide (over a 4 month period). That’s the same amount of CO2 produced by a semi-truck driving from New York to Miami (using around 200 gallons of diesel gasoline).

5. It’s bad for the grid.

O the hottest days, this waste needlessly contributes to already-peak levels of electricity demand, further destabilizing power grids. Wasting energy (by leaving a door open) is most harmful on the hottest summer days.

Popular Mechanics explains: “Much of the electricity consumption in the U.S. is concentrated to a handful of hours during the year, primarily during hot summer days. This so-called peak demand puts considerable stress on the grid, increasing the risk of blackouts and brownouts. It also significantly raises the year-round price of power for consumers.“

6. Consumers care about doors being closed.

According to a national survey of 1,500 millennial consumers, 62 percent think that this practice is wasteful, and up to 25 perent are less likely to shop at retailers that leave their doors open with the air conditioning on.

7. It’s a chance for retailers to communicate their brand’s commitment to energy conservation.

Whether consciously or not, consumers gravitate towards brands that align with their personal values. As more and more consumers become concerned about matters regarding energy and climate change, energy-awareness is a value that brands can’t afford to ignore. Stores can communicate their energy-aware values by closing their doors and using an explanatory sign to start a dialogue with customers.

8. Closing the door is a business policy that costs nothing to implement.

Closing a store door costs nothing. In fact, in all the reasons we’ve said above, the savings from keep doors closed while running the A/C can save thousands.

9. It perpetuates an energy-ignorance the planet can’t afford.

Significant action needs to be taken across all industries and sectors in order to improve our climate for a sustainable and healthy future.

10. It’s 2017. We know better.

Check out Keep It Cool—a campaign to stop this waste and partner with energy-aware retailers.

It’s time to decorate you dorm and revive your closet before syllabus week. As you hit the stores for new gear, you have the opportunity to reduce waste and pollution in your hometown or college town and make a difference. Stores are attracting students going back to college with big sales and open doors. But during hot days with the air conditioning running, these open doors waste a lot of energy.

Now you can do something about it!

Stores are attracting student shoppers with big sales and open doors. But during hot days with the air conditioning running, these open doors waste a lot of energy.

Keep It Cool is a national campaign mobilizing consumers to help convince retailers to close their doors and stop wasting energy. Students from campuses around the country can participate and have an impact on their local communities. Participating is easy. All you have to do is spot front doors on shops, and use Facebook Messenger to drop a pin on a national map that tracks all of the stores identified with doors open or closed.

The campaign organizers will recognize shops that “Keep It Cool” with closed doors and reach out to educate retailers who allow energy to escape through their open doors.

Our Keep it Cool campaign empowers consumers to anonymously have an impact on wasteful behaviors in their own neighborhoods. And it gives retailers the opportunity to do the right thing and showcase their green values. This is good for business, the community and the environment.

Retailers that run the air conditioning during hot summer months and open their doors to attract customers drive up costs, waste energy and increase pollution. Just the simple act of closing doors can reduce pollution significantly.

On average, each store with a door open wastes about 4,200 kWh of electricity over the summer. Generating this much electricity releases about 2.2 tons of carbon dioxide – the same amount of pollution emitted by a diesel semi-truck driving from New York to Miami.

Everyone who cares about the environment can join in the effort to help make your community cleaner and smarter.

To learn more visit www.keepitcool.org.

Month: August 2017

Ten reasons why “Keep It Cool” is smart for retailers

August 30, 2017