Can a car dealership possibly be
"green?" We believe strongly that the answer is "yes."
It's not easy. We humans have created a major structural problem. We have arranged much of the
world's economic activity around an environmentally unsustainable model. When
you buy the latest smartphone, or fly to Europe, or build a 2,800
square foot house, you break no laws. But collectively, we're living higher on the
hog than a small world with seven billion people can handle.
Ultimately, the economy can't be bigger than the environment, at least not for very long. As economist Herb Stein said with blunt force: "If something can't continue forever, it won't." So what do we do?
Bury our heads in the sand and ignore the problem, or on the other
extreme, buy a compound in Montana, get off the grid, and use aspen leaves
for toilet paper? Neither seems very practical.
Here's what the Pirkei Avot,
a Jewish text, had to say about taking the middle road: "You are not
obligated to complete the task, but neither are you free to desist from
it." In other words, you are not in charge of saving the world. But
don't think for a minute that you don't have a role in saving it.
Here was Theodore Roosevelt's take: "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
At
Planet Subaru, that's our position: we're doing our part. Businesses got us into this mess and therefore represent the best opportunity to get us out of it. We're proud
to represent a manufacturer, Subaru, that cares a lot about minimizing
its environmental impact and works diligently to that end. We support political leaders, organizations, and businesses who believe the Earth should be more than
just a toilet. For the size of our little business here in Hanover, we have made
enormous investments in renewable energy, powering all of our sales
operations with photovoltaics. We are conscientious stewards of the
land and resources that we use in our operations.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." --Margaret Mead
Planet Subaru. Your unDealership.