Bell Buckle Country Store, Inc. has a strong commitment to protecting the environment and being a good neighbor in our community. In addition to being proud members of the Tennessee Green Star Partnership, we have implemented several policies and changes over the years in order for us to help do our part. Some of these changes include:

Reduce

• By replacing our outdated and inefficient metal halide lighting with a new high bay compact fluorescent lighting system in warehouse, we have reduced power consumption and costs by 30% with greater output.
• We have instituted a biking and carpool incentive program for ourselves and our employees and a tele-commuting system to reduce travel.
• Our tradeshow and business travel plans have been examined to reduce redundancy resulting in fewer flights and less car travel.
• Over the last few years we have re-evaluated our needs and modernized our vehicles, more than doubling our fleet average MPG.
• We have updated office equipment and computers to remove CRT monitors and replace with more efficient units and low-energy LCD monitors.

Reuse

• The capture and re-use of cooking heat for building climate control in winter has been incorporated into our kitchen design.
• By instituting a shipping pallet repair and reuse program, we have reduced cost and waste.
• We have also sought out unique recycling opportunities. For example, we have repurposed our ingredient barrels for use as rain barrels and composters for our employees and community. In 2009, our recycled barrel chair was selected as a finalist in the Epilog Green Design Challenge.

Recycle

• We recently expanded our company wide (paper/glass/metal/plastics) recycling program for a 94% reduction in landfill waste production, which also cut waste removal costs drastically.
• We now use soy-based inks and high recycled content stock for our packaging and sales materials.
• All shipping boxes are packed with locally- made 100% Biodegradable Static Free Packing Peanuts. This all-natural packaging material is completely biodegradable by ISO definition, it is reusable or can be disposed of by contact with water.
• We have increased the recycled content of our shipping boxes and instituted a packaging re-use program.

Supporting our local economy...