by KELLI FONTENOT
Published June 1, 2011 in The Heights Observer
Published June 1, 2011 in The Heights Observer
Steve Presser, owner of Big Fun Toy Store in Coventry, is one of the local merchants participating in the Council of Small Enterprises' grant program for energy efficiency education. Photo by Kelli Fontenot
Small business owners who are interested in saving money, improving conditions for their clients and reducing environmental impact can apply to receive one of 85 grants for energy assessments as part of the Ohio Small Business and Energy Efficiency Grant program from Council of Smaller Enterprises (COSE). The deadline for applications is June 15.
According to Tim Kovach, COSE’s energy product coordinator, the $500 grants will be given to 85 businesses in Ohio, primarily in Cuyahoga and Lake counties; the Cincinnati, Columbus, Dayton, and Toledo metro areas; and counties in Southeast Ohio.
The program, which was funded by a $100,000 grant from the Ohio Department of Development, aims to educate businesses with fewer than 100 employees about energy efficiency, Kovach said.
Through the program, business owners complete assessments that reveal how energy costs add up, what upgrades are possible, how much they cost, and what the long-term benefits are. Thirty-five businesses that qualify for the first grant can get an additional $350 scholarship for certification through the Green Plus program from the Institute for Sustainable Development.
"Green Plus helps businesses to review their operations to determine how they can become more effective and efficient, and how sustainability can be incorporated into that plan," Kovach explained. "I like to view it as a comprehensive business improvement program. It is more than just an effort to green one’s business; it looks at the business’s performance, how it relates to its employees and the community, and what impact it leaves on the environment."
Big Fun Toy Store in Coventry Village is among the businesses that are participating in the program. Energy efficiency might not be one of the first things to spring to shoppers’ minds amid the extraordinary array of memorabilia, hard-to-find candy, retro magnets and quirky gifts sold in the city’s iconic toy store. But establishing a positive atmosphere for customers and reducing environmental impact are top priorities for Steve Presser, the store’s owner.
