Next to making money there is one other thing that most businesses like to do and that is make the world a better place to live. On the surface it may seem that the self storage industry might not do that since it encourages people to continue buy, buy, buy and just rent space when their own homes become too small to hold all their stuff.
However, if you take a different approach, other industries could take a page out of the Earth-friendly self storage industry.
By giving people a place to store the things they have, the self storage industry is keeping them from using the only other option—throwing things away. According to the EPA, last year there was over 250 million tons of trash created in the United States that found its way to the over 2,000 active landfills in the United States. There are over 10,000 inactive landfills in the U.S.; around 9-15 new ones are created each year.
If the self storage industry can encourage people to reuse products rather than add to the tremendous amount of waste that is already created, then it is already making a difference. However, the “green” activities of the industry do not stop there.
More and more self storage industries have been converting to solar energy. Extra Space Storage has embarked on a plan that will have them install 100,000 solar panels over a five year span. StorageMart has taken on an even more impressive venture. It is in the process of installing around 640,000 square feet on its self storage facilities in Toronto.
Some self storage facilities are looking to take it a step further. Secure Self Storage, a company with facilities in Rehoboth Beach (in Delaware) and Coney Island announced last year that it was looking into installing green roofs (simply roofs with vegetation that helps insulate the building) at its facilities along with wind turbines in order to generate even more energy.
Secure Self Storage already has one facility that runs completely off of solar power.
Several facilities use a variety of ways to cut down on their carbon footprint, but there is one company that has taken an Earth-friendly approach even further. A-American Storage Management Co. Inc. in Hawaii made an agreement with the Hawaiian Island Land Trust not to develop more than 2,000 acres of land.
Can you get more Earth-friendly than pledging to leave the land in its natural state?
Sources Used:
“Storage Facilities Making the World Greener.” National Geographic; 30 November 2011.
“Self Storage Company in Canada Engaging in Impressive Solar Initiative.” Self Storage Industry News; 25 October 2011.
“No development vowed for 2,000 Oahu, Kau acres.” KPUA.net; 30 January 2011.
“Self Storage Facility Now Green with Power.” StorageFront.com; 07 July 2010.
“Supporting Document No.4.” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; 11 April 2002.