National City Chamber member Perry Ford uses SDG&E financing to cut energy demand by 30% by Perry Falk, Owner Perry Ford of National City   Ford Motor Company has been making major strides in developing and practicing many Eco-friendly solutions when it comes to the automotive industry, from Hybrid vehicles to soy based seat foam.  These earth-friendly changes have had an impact on dealerships. At Perry Ford we are very proud of the progress we have taken to "Go Green".  Our sales department has increased their communication through computers therefore reducing the use of paper.   We also participated in the SDG&E Energy Saving Program, in which all interior and exterior lighting was replaced with high-efficiency lighting, reducing our power demand by 30%.  SDG&E's On Bill Financing provided 0% access to capital direct from the utility.   The most changes have taken place in our Service Department where our goal is to be a DTSC (Department of Toxic Substances Control) Green Station by mid 2010.  The service department has eliminated routine use of absorbents and has sealed floor drains to prevent contamination of the sewer system.  A secondary containment for oil storage has been installed and we have replaced all of our solvent tanks with aqueous (water) units. We also recycle all of the used oil, filters and batteries.   We will continue to drive our business towards a more environmentally friendly path. The more "Green" focused we become, we realize the more "Green" we can save.   The mission of the National City Chamber of Commerce (NCCC) is "to retain and attract member businesses, serve as an advocate for member businesses in dealings with city, regional and transnational entities, and help improve the quality of life for the community as a whole."    The "Go Green National City," project then becomes developing a quantifiable program introducing and educating the benefits of "greening" business for sustainability and creating awareness of the community to be more environmentally friendly. Further, this program will attempt to convert businesses to implement environmentally friendly practices. We feel that in order to achieve the long term goal of attracting new businesses in the green sector, the NCCC must take incremental steps in constructing a durable foundation for green businesses to build upon. Having a green conscious community and business environment will contribute to creating value related to attracting manufacturers and high technology companies in the green industry to National City in the future.      Click here to join the National City Chamber.