Being a green company is about more than just aggressive recycling programs and reduced energy use. It’s about minimizing the environmental impact of all company aspects—whether you’re in direct control of those aspects or not. For example, a company that sends an employee to the airport in a taxi is responsible for the emissions caused by that trip, even though that company isn’t in the taxi business.
Petaluma-based Pure Luxury Transportation—founded by Gary Buffo in 1991 to serve the greater Bay Area with a fleet of limousines, sedans, SUVs, vans, limo buses, shuttle buses and personal executive vehicles—is courting companies concerned with this “triple bottom line” (people, planet, profit).
“About two years ago, when everyone started talking about hybrid cars, we began researching whether or not adding hybrids would benefit our company,” says Jennifer Buffo, who joined the company in 1992. “We asked our clients if it was necessary for us to rush out and invest in hybrid vehicles, and they mostly said, ‘No.’ Remember, they hire us for chauffered car service in a luxury vehicle—and a Prius wasn’t going to work for that.
“So we began looking for another way to green our environment. My husband and I started researching on the Internet and found a number of third-party companies that would help us reach our goals of reduced emissions.”
In January 2008, the Buffos teamed with Green Ride Global (GRG), a Canadian company (it recently opened an office San Francisco) that provides sustainability programs for the transportation industry.
“We told them we wanted to decrease our emissions by 20 percent within five years,” says Buffo.
GRG reports, “In the first three months of 2008, Pure Luxury Transportation has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by three metric tons (tonnes) of carbon dioxide, which has the equivalent environmental benefit to adding approximately three acres of forest in San Francisco.” Even more impressive, the company added seven vehicles to its fleet while achieving this initial 1.6 percent reduction.
How’d they do it? The first step was to undergo GRG’s audited greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions baseline measurement for all aspects of operations. With help from GRG, the Buffos then created—and are following—a strategic emissions reduction plan to reduce GHG emissions expelled by its fleet and facilities. The plan includes:
• Chauffeur re-education and training to conserve fuel, including extensive training on enhanced
fuel-efficiency and strict anti-idling policies;
• Adoption of fuel efficiency and clean-fuel technologies;
• Transformation of business operations to reduce electricity consumption;
• Employee incentives to reduce company waste and encourage more efficient personal
transportation modes; and
• The ongoing third-party measurement, auditing and reporting of the results.
The changes at Pure Luxury aren’t just taking place in the parking lot and on the roads; they’re happening within the office walls. As part of their efforts, the Buffos formed an in-house environmental committee to ensure companywide participation in green initiatives. They’ve also installed carbon-reducing retrofits throughout the facility, including energy-efficient lighting, and instituted companywide standard operating procedures such as electronic communication among staff, mandatory double-sided printing, and zero waste and recycling programs.
“We used to overflow a large garbage container—we only really recycled cans,” says Buffo. “But now, every employee in every department knows how and what to recycle. We’re overflowing two blue containers a week now, and the garbage can is minimally used.
“It’s almost become a teambuilding exercise. Our chauffeurs have contests to see who can get better gas mileage. Some of them have even begun riding their bikes to work. We’ve all taken what we’ve learned in this process home with us and spread these practices to our everyday lives.”
And word is spreading. Buffo reports that, as a result of these efforts, Pure Luxury has welcomed several new, high-end clients who used to be with other companies. And the company still doesn’t own any hybrids—yet.
“Pure Luxury Transportation will be transitioning its fleet to more fuel-efficient vehicles, such as next-generation hybrids, once the vehicle manufacturers provide a compelling product for the luxury vehicle industry,” reads the GRG report (hybrid luxury sedans currently cost more than many traditional limousines). “Pure Luxury is also researching converting some of its fleet to alternative fuel power, which is cleaner for the environment.”
These alternatives include biodiesel, but until more consumer fueling facilities are available (as opposed to private pumps used to fuel a single company’s own fleet), Buffo says it’s not a feasible solution. The Buffos are currently working with Santa Rosa’s Royal Petroleum to try and establish more North Bay biodiesel sites.
The Pure Luxury story is proof that the most obvious answer isn’t always the right one, but it pays to keep searching. “Every business in Sonoma County should look for a way to contribute,” says Buffo. “There are so many ways to bring this into a business or incorporate it into a lifestyle.
“I think everyone needs to look into the future. We all need to do something—and the more we can do, the better it will be for our next generation… and beyond.”
