Green initiative in downtown

Several businesses in the downtown Milledgeville area are going green.

Deano’s, the only place downtown that delivers to GCSU, is “following a green marketing scheme,” according to Kevin Fox, marketing manager of Deano’s.

“We offer free delivery to students and we can do that because we drive a scooter on campus. the scooter is low on emissions and gets good gas mileage.”

Deano’s started with their scooter this year. They helped out with move-in day and have been seen zipping around campus delivering pizzas.

“(The idea was) a collaboration of the company. Being able to move easily around campus seemed like a good idea and we are really just joining in on the going green craze,” said Fox.

“(Deano’s) would love to go strictly scooters, but we need to see a rise in on campus deliveries,” Fox said.

He compared riding the scooter around campus to riding a bike to school.

“We are still driving a car outside of campus and around the rest of Milledgeville; we are just trying to cut back on our footprint,” Fox said.

Fox says that Deano’s is saving money by using the scooters so they can offer a better quality product to consumers around campus.

Another business that is doing its part for the environment by going green, is Blackbird Coffee.

“One of the benefits of being in a college town is that students are introducing me to the green concept,” owner Iona Pendergast said.

Blackbird recycles cans, newspapers, magazines and Java Jackets.

“Our espresso grounds go to a local teacher’s garden,” said Pendergast.

Blackbird is trying to use its resources to share its beliefs. Pendergast has come up with “10 Ways to Be a Greenbird,” a play on the name of the coffeehouse.

“(Blackbird) is trying to introduce our knowledge to other businesses. every little thing does count,” Pendergast said.
Pendergast succeeds in setting a good example for other local businesses.

“I think it’s extremely important for everyone to do their part. All of our little bits can do something, and the key to all of it is education,” said Pendergast. “If people understand why something is important, it’s far more likely to convince them, rather than just saying that it is their social responsibility.”

She says little things like turning off the water as quickly as possible, asking customers if they would mind recycling their Java Jackets and being conscious of how much waste they are producing can really lower a business’s footprint.

“Our coffee bags are compostable, we are looking for more environmentally friendly lights and we’ve been trying our hardest to keep Styrofoam out of Blackbird,” Pendergast said. “We are hoping to provide more opportunity for living better.”

Both Fox and Pendergast are doing what they can to provide a better environment and are trying to influence other businesses and buyers to make more environmentally friendly choices. Both agree that educating others is the most important step to take when going green.

“More businesses downtown need to go green; it saves them money, saves us money and it is good for the environment,” said freshman biology major Charles Cooper.

Cooper, as well as many other students on campus, does his part by recycling.

“There is no recycling program in my dorm, so I have to take all my trash home when I go,” he said.

Cooper also agrees with the fact that education is key in becoming environmentally friendly.

“People need to know about reducing their footprint. If we don’t start now, we won’t have anything in the future,” Cooper said.
By setting a green example, both businesses and students are helping Milledgeville become more eco-friendly.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Sep 26 2008. Filed under Features. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry