The other day, I wrote about stores on Main Street whose front doors are wide open, blasting air conditioning onto the sidewalk. The idea is to lure hot customers inside.
Okay, I lied. It was not “the other day.”
It was June 5, 2012 — exactly 12 years ago today. You can click here to read that post. (Spoiler alert: It was cleverly titled “Totally Uncool.”)
I’ve been writing about that environmentally wasteful, economically dumb and ridiculously absurd practice ever since.
Right on cue yesterday, Tracy Porosoff emailed “06880.” She sent this photo …
(Photo/Tracy Porosoff)
… and wrote: “As the weather gets warmer and our stores have their air conditioning on, I wonder what the rules are about keeping their doors closed.
“I was just on Main Street. They are all doing it.”
The Main Street stores who insist on this practice change. (Remember Banana Republic? BCBG? Douglas?)
But the problem remains.
And worsens.
In the 12 years since that first post — and every year after, when I’ve repeated a similar one — the planet has grown more endangered. It was 126 degrees in Asia this week, and we’re on track for the hottest summer ever this year.
Fortunately, it wasn’t that hot here yesterday. In fact, it wasn’t hot at all.
The temperature did not reach 80. There were clouds all afternoon.
But there those stores were, front doors spread wide, a/c pumping relentlessly into the street.
Banana Republic, June 5, 2012. They are no longer in business here.
Enough is enough.
Westporters have spent 12 years asking stores to close their doors. It hasn’t worked.
Some managers comply. A couple of days (or hours) later, they open them again.
Some say, “Sorry. It’s corporate policy.”
Let’s tell those managers, “I’m not going to shop here until you close your doors. And keep them closed.”
If they mumble something about corporate policy, ask for the corporate number.
And hey, this is Westport. Someone here probably knows the CEO. Call him or her directly.
If none of that works, there’s always the RTM.
Our legislative body was one of the first to ban plastic bags. They’ve tackled leaf blowers.
Now it’s time to craft an ordinance forbidding retail doors to remain open wide during business hours.
With hefty fines, per day.
How cool would that be?
Totally agree. The town needs to start taking notice and take action about town vehicles never shutting down their gas and diesel engines when parked. This happens everyday at Cumberland farms .. one location among others. How about it town.?
Maybe eliminate car pick-ups at schools with all those idling (and unnecessarily driving around cars) and have the kids ride the busses the town is paying for. Yes, I know “after school activities”. Change the school schedule back to what it was.
How about passing an ordinance against fuel guzzling SUVs and high performance vehicles.
Until people in Westport are willing to modify their own behaviors, enforcing rules on others seems to be a bit…hypocritical?
Why do you care if stores leave their doors open? You ever see a mother with a stroller struggling to open some of these doors or a senior or a person with packages? The store is paying privilege to do this and the electric bill not you. Come on – an ordnance !! Stay out of our and small business lives!
because the cumulative affect of energy consumption is warning the earth. Who cares ?
It’s not about the electric bill. It’s about the planet.
Key takeaway from one story about stores’ open doors and air conditioning: “Throughout the course of a summer, an average store can waste upwards of 4,200 kWh of electricity — releasing a whopping 2.2 tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere — simply by leaving the air conditioning on while windows and doors are open, according to New York-based energy giant Con Edison. (That’s about the same amount of pollution emitted by a diesel semi driving from New York to Miami, by the way.)”
The full story: https://grist.org/Sponsored/stores-waste-tons-of-co2-a-day-by-blasting-ac-and-leaving-the-doors-open/
Also the wear and tear effect on the hvac systems, when the units break they call and complain and just no matter how many times it’s explained to people by facilities, hvac techs ect they keep doing it and keep calling that hvac down, yet they just don’t get it.
It is probably possibly to have a blower aka air curtain, in the store entrances than helps contain the AC inside. Similar to open top refrigerators one sees in grocery stores that encourage impulse buying. I can’t speak to the efficiency of this, though it is likely less than closing the door by default.
Maybe the stores could have a few items on a table outside on the sidewalk or offer icewater inside to encourage shoppers on hot days?
Do I think we need more regulations? I say No. Individuals can speak out with letters or their wallets.
Another approach: the store could have a sensor that opens the door when a passerby approaches (which would result in door being open for say 30 minutes a day, rather than 8 hours a day). My point is smart retailers could improve the downside in diverse ways. Any regulation should allow a diversity of solutions to achieve the goal, rather than prescribing the solution imo.
Sorry, Dan, but another Town Ordinance would be as effective as, say, 42-101 (gas leaf blowers), which specifies exactly no fines, or imprisonment nor any punishment of any kind for first, second, third, fourth…violations. All it specifies is that the Conservation Department (with its police force of zero officers) might send an educational leaflet to the property owner, as if such offenders were unaware of it already. Landscape companies aren’t even mentioned and have no incentive at all to purchase electric blowers. Such ordinances seem to be serving suggestions at best.
I agree Ken. I think unless the town is prepared to take action against the companies using their gas powered blowers, nothing is likely to change. When we mentioned it to our landscaping company the response was “we passed by 4 other companies this morning using gas blowers”. In other words, if they are using them so are we”. There is no incentive for the companies to change.
I understand, Ken. But there’s no reason why actual enforcement can’t be written into an air conditioning/doors ordinance.
Cold Greed and self interest drive these corporate behaviors. Fine the hell out of them after creating a city ordinance prohibiting open store doors.
Tiffany & Co always keeps its doors firmly shut. Good for them!
Pippa Bell Ader reports that L’Occitane does too — with a sign on their door noting exactly why they’re doing it!
Thank you for writing about these stores and their disregard for the accumulative effect of wasting our resources. Someone above wrote about cars idling while waiting to pick up students, town trucks ditto. Just turnoff the engines. I can understand ambulances idling but that’s it.
As one, if not the only locally owned store left on Main Street, Savvy+ Grace. We have always kept our doors shut when the AC is running. All brick and mortar retail stores are up against many challenges, especially in this internet minded world. That said, I agree leaving the doors open is complete ignorance and wrong. However, I am not sure if banning a store is in our best interest for our downtown. We are truly fortunate here in Westport to still have a viable downtown. Which could easily disappear, as so many have without the locals support. Education and communication is key.
it ain’t easy enforcing ordinances, as we’re seeing with the (blessed) leaf blower one… i recommend taking the fight to the streets! perhaps someone could make signs to tape up on the offenders’ establishments:
Hey stores
Shut your doors
This planet is all of ours
Not just yours
We do not need more government regulations and intrusion. Its about education. Customer pressure is best. Air curtain is an great idea.
like abortion ?
It is well known that broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage lead to human flatulence. This increases the human contribution to greenhouse gases and therefore global warming.
Westport RTM needs to lead the way on this critical issue by creating an ordinance that outlaws the sale of these dangerous vegetables. The enforcement mechanisms should include the ability of Westport Police to inspect refrigerators of suspected offenders (those who emit excessively).
I ask you Westport, is this too much to ask for healthier planet?
Keeping the doors open just seems ridiculous. Put a sign on the door and offer a cold drink instead.( Iced coffee or lemonade) Everyone knows that stores have AC. A cold refreshment is always welcomed. Even iced water.
Years ago, I wrote a letter to the Editor of the Westport News about just this situation. I asked the store manager, “Would you leave the door to your house open with AC or heat on?” I have been to stores claiming it’s “Corporate Policy.” When they say that, I loudly proclaim, “It’s my policy to not shop in a store that insists on air conditioning Main St.”
My Letter to the Editor asked, “Do you think that shoppers
are incapable of opening a door?”
I thought Westport passed an ordinance against this practice. If they did, it’s not being enforced.
Thank you for bringing attention to this. It’s upsetting to hear that in 12 years nothing has changed. In Northern Spain when we last visited family I noticed most stores that actually have air conditioning kept their doors shut. Energy and gas are much more expensive there. Such a small gesture that can help the planet!
We need law enforcement focusing on serious issues…not if for 3 months the doors are open.
Pass an ordinance is fine .. but do not waste police time on this. Give the store owners/managers the written notice to pass up to corporate as to why they must close the doors…
At this time none of these attempts to mitigate climate catastrophe will have any effect. We’ve overshot the planet and all the electric cars or solar panels aren’t going to save we humans. Need to lower population and consumption and adjust to a world with less energy as we’re burning shale, why you say?,it’s because we’ve burned all the oil within reach so it’s not cost effective to drill even deeper.
All that need be, is a sign welcoming shoppers in for the indoor air conditioning and bowsing.. I have had my fill of dealing with Corporate Policy. Some how they have to be convinced that in our small downtown Westort , the town policy is keep he air conditioner, within the store.