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GREEN IS A NATURAL STEP FOR MANY SMALL BUSINESSES Orlando, FL – As concern for our planet rises, many companies are employing more eco-friendly strategies. “Large corporations such as Walmart and Home Depot started making changes. However, there are 25.5 million small business in America today – roughly 40% of our economy. If more small businesses started looking at their practices, we could truly make a dent on global warming on behalf of American business,” says Suzanne Rosales, Office Manager for Garay Artisans, a Central Florida based faux finishing art firm. The company started with an energy audit and then took inventory of their business practices. Buying green, offsetting carbon emissions and using natural and low/zero VOC paint products were just the beginning. “VOCs are volatile organic compounds emitted by paints and like products. When VOCs evaporate, they form with nitrous oxides in the air to create air pollutants such as smog -- imagine the potential damage in someone’s home,” notes Jason Rosales, Project Manager. Other changes include donating 1.5% of every commission to various non-profit organizations. “We wanted not only to change, but to support. When we were chosen to be WFTV-Channel 9’s Local Expert in our field, they asked us to provide a coupon for their viewers. We did – but we are taking that $50 off and donating it to charity, on top of our commitment to the 1.5%.”, says Regina Garay, Owner and Creative Director. (WFTV is the ABC-affiliate for Orlando, FL.) The company’s future plans include substituting their cargo van for a hybrid SUV and becoming a paper-free company. The principals of the company were inspired to make these changes as a result of seeing documentaries such as An Inconvenient Truth and Planet Earth. “Although we are far from eco-perfect and are more of a “light spring green”, we are happy with the changes we’ve implemented and will continue to make. Not only is our artwork making spaces more beautiful, but we are directly contributing to keeping our planet’s beauty intact,” Regina Garay concludes. Garay Artisans is an Orlando, FL faux finishing company that is run by a team of three siblings. The Garay Artisans website also provides more in-depth information on their artistry and business practices. The company’s clients include private individuals as well as corporate clients such as The Grand Bohemian Hotel (Orlando, FL), Sundy House (Delray Beach, FL) and Remax, the real estate company. Garay Artisans is the chosen Local Faux Finishing Expert of WFTV-Channel 9, the ABC-based affiliate for the Central Florida area. |
