12 Steps for a Green Radio Station

1. Optimize Air Chilling in the Transmitter Room
Transmitter equipment is always running, so the temperatures in transmission rooms can be very high. Air must be circulated constantly to prevent over-heating. The transmitter room can be a source of significant energy waste if the AC unit is not cooling efficiently. Here are a few tips:

•	Newer transmission systems release less heat and therefore require less powerful AC units to effectively cool them.
•	Installing a reflective roof on top of the transmitter building can deflect the sun's rays to lower surface roof temperature by up to 100 F.
•	At night and during winter months, cool air from outside the station can be filtered and used to cool the transmission room instead of running the AC unit.

2. Utilize Sustainable Insulation in Recording Studios
Effective acoustic insulation is of utmost importance in a radio studio. Stations in the UK, such as Passion for Planet, use natural fiber insulation made from hemp to isolate their recording studios. Other sustainable sound-proof materials include recycled paper and recycled denim. WYEP, a LEED-certified station in Pittsburgh, chose denim insulation as a cost-effective option.

3. Optimize Radio Station Vehicle Use
With the high costs and environmental impacts of gasoline-use several stations, including KAND in Texas, are saving money by switching to a fleet of hybrid vehicles. Also, vehicle management systems, such as TrackWhatMatters, can assist station personnel in increasing productivity and reducing fuel costs with the help of a GPS tracking device. This type of system can be installed for about $400 and costs $30 a month per vehicle.

4. Utilize Refurbished Data Tapes
Radio stations consume a large number of data tapes in the course of a year. A great green alternative is buying refurbished data tapes that cost 20% less and keep hundreds of tapes out of the landfills.

5. Implement an Efficient Lighting System
In any building more than a few years old, including radio stations, several options are usually available for efficient lighting. These include:

•	Delamping areas that are over-lit by physically removing extra fixtures.
•	Adding lighting controls to reduce the hours lights are on.
•	Installing low-voltage fixtures, such as LED and task lights, to illuminate the workspace efficiently.

In most cities, attractive rebates are available to help offset between 50% to 100% of the costs of the retrofit.

6. Use Signage When Possible
Oftentimes, a simple poster reminding employees to turn off equipment can have a big impact. In addition, the use signs to explain how to turn off the equipment. Radio station equipment is often quite complex. One employee we spoke with noted that sometimes he wanted to turn recording studio equipment off when it was not in use but he did not know where the switch was located. Reminding employees to turn off equipment through efficient signage can help solve this problem and cut energy costs.

7. Utilize Recycled Products Both In the Office and Out
From the office to the event promotions, radio stations create a lot of paper and plastic waste. Using products made from recycled materials can be a great choice for radio stations. Stations can use recycled materials in their promotional efforts as well. From t-shirts to bumper stickers, radio stations can now chose promotional items that are produced sustainably.

8. Encourage Employees to Think Green
In some cases, simply increasing staff interest in greening your business can have a huge impact. Some stations, such as San Francisco-based public radio KQED, have an employee-run “Green Team” that promotes recycling and spearheads sustainable initiatives in the workplace. KQED also encourages its employees to use public transit by providing a complimentary shuttle between the office and the nearest stop for BART, a widely-used Bay Area commuter train.

9. Green Printing
When it comes to posters and flyers, having a green external printer that uses paper with high post-consumer-recycled content and soy-based ink is key. Unfortunately, green printing precludes having a glossy finish, but a little less sheen is a small sacrifice when weighed against the huge environmental benefits that result. Also, vendors such as PsPrint.com are now offering green printing at lower prices than traditional printers. As far as in-office printing, the solution is to print less. Advise employees to email when possible and to take advantage of the scanner’s “print to PDF” function to avoid paper waste.

10. Replace Lamps in the Beacons on the Towers with LEDs
In some cases, stations will be able to replace beacon-lamps in their towers with more efficient LEDs. San Francisco’s AM station KGO has successfully made such a switch to reliable, long-lasting LED beacons on each of their three towers.

11. Implement Renewable Technology
Solar, wind and hydro technologies have been found to be effective options for powering both studios and transmission systems. Stations in locations as diverse as the UK, Ecuador, and the US are choosing to pursue renewable power, and some even manage to save money by selling surplus energy back to the electric company. In the US, large tax credits and rebates are available to help cut the costs of installation.

12. Take Advantage of Member Support
Public radio stations can use their wide membership bases as a source of funding for more costly green initiatives. KQED Public Radio organized a drive in which members and local businesses were invited to pledge to help the station become carbon neutral. With the funds raised from the drive, KQED was able to purchase enough carbon credits from the Chicago Climate Exchange to offset its 2007 emissions. The station has now been carbon neutral for three years.