By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 09.08.2010 (The Sydney Morning Herald): Even as political parties waver on setting targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, a unique Green Magpies program is helping small and medium enterprises (SME) take the lead by adopting sustainable practices to save costs and expand their enterprise.

Managing director of Fountain Gate and Pakenham Ultimate Tiles, Rick Somers, who joined the program last year, is already reaping the benefits.

“I will save an estimated 50 per cent on energy costs, lower electricity usage by 26,950kWh and reduce 26.1 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions in the first year”, Mr Somers says.

The Green Magpies program, run by the Collingwood Football Club in partnership with the Victorian Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI) and Sustainability Victoria, offers SMEs free information, advice and incentives to reduce their carbon footprints.

Already 330 SMEs from across Victoria have signed up and the membership is expected to double over the next year with electricity prices tipped to soar and customers becoming increasingly aware of businesses’ green credentials.

An audit of Ultimate Tiles’ electricity usage in its four factories by the Green Magpies technical team found 70 per cent of emissions were from old lights that accounted for 74 per cent of total electricity use.

“Ours is a visual product that requires good lighting so, on their advice, I invested $17,700 plus GST to replace every light fitting with state-of-the-art, low wattage and low emission fittings. I was told that I would recover my investment in 2.9 years, but at the rate we are progressing, I’ll recover in 2.3 years.”, says Mr Somers, a Collingwood supporter who initially joined the Green Magpies because it gave him free membership for three matches.

In the last quarter alone, Ultimate Tiles has made an energy saving of 25 per cent.

“Besides, we will continue to save on money and emissions for the approximate 15-year lifespan of the hardware”, Mr Somers says.

He worked his way up from a labourer in the building industry to winning the Australian Tile Council’s (Victoria) 2010 Tile Industry Employee of the Year award.

Mr Somers amalgamated Fountain Gate Ceramics with two other independent SMEs to form Ultimate Tiles three years ago. The company has seven stores and will open three more by the end of the year.

Businesses in the Green Magpie program are also encouraged to undertake Grow Me The Money (GMTM), a free online program that advises SMEs on re-use, recycling and information on business-specific sustainable waste disposal outlets.

“GMTM helped source a plastic film recycler in close proximity to my business, therefore saving considerable emissions from transport vehicles. Previously we were using a recycler on the other side of town”, he says.

On average, GMTM’s participants have saved $6600 per year and reduced their carbon footprints by 15.4 per cent or 28 tonnes a year mainly through switching to energy efficient appliances and lighting.

Victorian industry accounts for more than 40 per cent of the state’s total carbon footprint and 99 per cent of the state’s business community comprises SMEs. By embracing innovation, SMEs such as Ultimate Tiles, which has 45 full-time employees, are seeking to be leaders in the new carbon economy.

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