Businesses of all types are focused more than ever before on implementing sustainable initiatives in their operations, both to protect the environment and to achieve some cost savings through tax credits and energy savings. Common sustainable measures include installing solar power, swapping out incandescent lightbulbs for LEDs and the use of sustainable appliances.
If you’re looking for creative ways to add even more sustainability to your business or facility, you might consider making your vending machines in Los Angeles, CA a part of your strategy.
Vending machines consume more power than you might expect. An average vending machine will use about seven to 14 kWh, which is about the same amount as a refrigerator and will average out to $300 to $500 per year to power them. That might not sound like a lot, but for businesses and facilities that have multiple locations and multiple vending machines at each site (think hotel chains, retail facilities and school districts), that power consumption adds up quite a bit over time.
Here are just a few examples of some of the ways you can include vending machines in your sustainability plans.
Look for sustainable machines
If you’re on the hunt for a new vending machine for your property, you can look for Energy Star rated machines that are guaranteed to be significantly more efficient than their standard counterparts. Energy Star rated equipment is at least 40 percent more efficient on average, and will save you more than 1,000 kWh annually due to the way in which they are designed. You don’t necessarily need to spend the money immediately to replace all your vending machines, but the next time you purchase a new one, you should consider making it a more sustainable option.
Consolidate your machines
You might consider reducing the number of machines you have on your premises. For example, say you run a hotel. Having a vending machine on each floor can add some convenience, but does each vending machine really get enough use, then, to make the energy used to power them worthwhile? Perhaps you could have just a couple machines in the lobby area instead, or go with vending machines on every other floor. If you pay attention to how often you have to restock your machines, you’ll probably get a sense of how much they’re actually used and if you have more than you need on your property.
Use vending misers
A vending miser is a small piece of equipment that hooks up to vending machines to regulate their energy better. It will automatically shut down the equipment when it’s not in use, and ensures the cooling system turns on only when needed to make sure the items inside stay cool. This can be a good investment if you do not currently have the ability to purchase more sustainable machines.
For more information from VSI Vending & Coffee Services about some of the steps you can take to make your vending machines a part of your business’s sustainable initiatives, contact our vending machine company in Los Angeles, CA today.