The Victorian Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) and Environment Protection Authority (EPA) Victoria’s program Grow Me The Money has announced the newest members of its exclusive Gold and Platinum Clubs for business leaders in environmental sustainability.
Alto Hotel on Bourke, a small boutique hotel, is the latest Victorian business to achieve Platinum Club status, joining current Platinum Club members Fishprint and Vega Press. Platinum Club members have demonstrated the highest level of leadership in environmental sustainability for their industry and size.
In announcing the award, the General Manager of VECCI’s Centre for Innovation and Sustainability Excellence, Kate Nicolazzo, congratulated Alto’s owners, Suzanne and Ricardo Krauskopf, for “doing exceptionally good things for business sustainability within the hotel industry by successfully trialling the latest resource-saving technologies.”
Grow Me The Money also admitted three more businesses to Gold Club, in acknowledgement of significant achievements in resource efficiency: McPherson’s Printing Group Maryborough site; Printgraphics in Mount Waverley; and Waterholes Guest House in East Gippsland.
“Grow Me The Money participants are wonderful examples of how environmental sustainability is certainly a ‘positive’ for a business’s bottom line,” said the Hon Michael Crutchfield MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Water and Environment.
“We used to rely on business acting responsibly toward our environment in response to regulation – but now there are clear market signals that we all need to change how we do business. A regional business can really become a lightning rod for environmental sustainability among its suppliers and competitors, when they see the positive impact on business,” said Mr Crutchfield.
Ms Nicolazzo said Platinum and Gold Club members can encourage improved business sustainability, not only by mentoring other businesses, but by leading environmentally sustainable purchasing policy.
“It is no easy feat to attain Platinum Club or Gold Club status.
“These businesses are the cream of the crop in terms of sustainability and they are genuine leaders in their fields.
“We congratulate them and look forward to their continued involvement with Grow Me The Money,” said Ms Nicolazzo.
Background Information
Grow Me The Money is a free program for Victorian small- to medium-sized businesses to help them to reduce their impact on the environment and save money doing it. It guides participating businesses through the process of measuring and reducing their energy use, water consumption and waste output.
Inagural Platinum Club Members
Alto Hotel on Bourke
- Better than ‘best practice’ for nine of ten indicators of environmental sustainability
- Toiletry wastage (plastic, glass and chemicals) eliminated by pump-action refillable dispensers.
- State-of-the-art bathroom flow restrictors save 5200 L drinking water per day and rainwater tank saves 200 L per day.
Fishprint
- 46,000 litres of drinking water saved since joining Grow Me The Money
- Switched to 100 per cent renewable energy, saving 129 tonnes of greenhouse gas a year
- Landfill waste volume cut by 77 per cent
- $22,500 overall savings per year total
Vega Press
- Power factor correction systems and Light Eco Units installed and thermal insulation of factory roof with SkyCool coating
- Landfill waste volume cut by 50 per cent
- Water for printing process recycled
- Alcohol-free printing process reduces chemical waste and water use
Inaugural Gold Club Members
McPherson's Printing PTY LTD
- McPherson’s Printing is one of Australia’s major book producers. After installing a water recycling system for their computer to plate printing technology in June 2007, McPherson’s have decreased their water consumption by 55 per cent.
Waterholes Guesthouse
- Waterholes Guest House in East Gippsland is a small regional Bed and Breakfast establishment. Their accommodation is sustainably designed to eliminate the need for air-conditioning and runs on solar power, and they use smart grey water management to keep gardens green and deal with fire risks.
Printgraphics PTY LTD
- Printgraphics have demonstrated considerable savings in waste production and water use over the last two years.
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