Should Companies Use Incentives for Being Green?
Incentives have been used for decades to get people to open up a savings account, use a particular airline or hotel and to apply for credit cards, for example.
So why shouldn’t incentive programs be used by both the public and private sectors to encourage green behavior?
One company, Lifetime Fitness, in Austin, Texas is dedicating 30 “choice spots in their parking lot for “low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles’”, according to the Austin American Statesman. They are not alone, as several other companies are offering similar programs to their customers, including Office Depot. Their parking sites were set aside in order to qualify for recognition from the US Green Building Council.
So far, according to the news story, reviews are mixed. Some patrons feel that they shouldn’t be punished for driving a gas guzzler. Others think it is great.
In Austin, the City used to have a perks program allowing 250 parking cards, worth approximately $100 to owners of fuel-efficient automobiles off the cost of parking meter costs. However that program was canceled, as the city viewed it as rewarding action that people would probably have done so on their own.
However, with the nation trying to find ways to encourage its citizens to reduce fuel consumption, getting the private sector to incentivize fuel reduction is a win-win situation
If anyone knows of any other companies or cities that are offering perks for driving energy-efficient automobiles, I’d love to hear about it on my blog. Please leave your comments.
