Switch it off

Encouraged by the success of last year’s campaign ‘putting waste in its place’, Homebase launched an energy reduction campaign across all stores in February 2009, called ‘switch it off’. The ideas and materials for the campaign were conceived by the Homebase retail support team. Each store was provided with a comprehensive information pack and a DVD which demonstrated how each store could meet its ‘green store challenge’ (see below). The information pack contained guidelines to reduce energy by:–

1. Understanding how the store currently uses electricity for lighting ,heating and other appliances and equipment
2. Setting energy efficiency standards across all areas of the store, both internally and externally
3. Identifying and highlighting efficiency opportunities by walking each area of the store; recording what equipment is in place and how it is operated and managed; and finally identifying appropriate actions
4. Raising awareness and encouraging and supporting ideas from colleagues
5. Providing hints and tips on the strategies that are likely to succeed

As well as using the DVD to promote the energy reduction campaign, Homebase also took the opportunity to remind store colleagues about waste reduction initiatives through the ‘green store challenge’– a competition to establish the leading stores in reducing energy, waste and carrier bag consumption.