Restoring a Forest, 6323 Trees at a Time

On January 30^th, 2014, Greystar’s Houston apartment management associates helped plant loblolly pine trees in Bastrop, TX as part of The Lost Pines Recovery Campaign. Greystar apartments in Houston and more than 100 other cities earned 6,323 trees through HD Supply’s tree planting program in 2013, all donated to replenish trees lost to forest fires. The replanting of these trees not only helps bring back the beauty of the forests but restores the environmental sustainability for future generations. 

HD Supply partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation to plant trees for every large order (over $600) that Greystar places with HD Supply. It is estimated that the cost to a Greystar apartment community for creating an order, receiving a shipment, and processing an invoice is between $35 and $75 per order. Last year, deliveries to Greystar apartments from HD Supply required approximately 36,000 gallons of diesel fuel and generated nearly 1 million pounds of carbon monoxide. To minimize the impact, Greystar’s Green Program helps to mitigate both of these costs by encouraging Greystar apartment managers and their teams to do what they can to consolidate orders. 

Here’s an example of how Greystar Apartment Managers save energy and help restore forests:

• Order less frequently by combining orders each week or every other week
• Maintain a small stock of the most important and frequently used repair parts or supplies to address resident service requests and prepare an apartment home for a new resident
• Make a list or shopping cart for all turnover items and common repairs
• Look for green alternatives for the most frequently purchased items

A little planning makes a big impact! 

Here are some tips to make the most of your most common shopping trip - to the grocery store.