BP Steps Up

British Petroleum is working to move the needle on its environmental practices, a necessary move (and a smart marketing strategy) from a leader in the energy business.

According to NPR, BP’s Helios gas station at Olympic and Robertson in Los Angeles is the nation’s first “green” gas station. It has low-flow toilets, solar panels and a floor made of recycled glass. Still, environmental critics argue you can’t get away from its central role: selling gasoline.
Here’s how The Socially Responsible Salon describes the place:

This futuristic station looks like it could be on the moon and sports a rooftop that holds 90 solar panels with a collection system that gathers rainfall to irrigate drought-tolerant plants nearby. Members of the “green team” will check the tire pressure on the cars and suggest that properly inflated tires boost gas mileage. They also hand out energy-saving tips, printed on recycled paper embedded with flower seeds that sprout when the card is planted in the ground.
“And while its customers pump gas — a three-minute task, on average — BP will show eco-vignettes and green videos on screens built into the fuel dispensers. The oil company is considering adding biodiesel and alternative fuels to the site, as well as selling carbon offsets to customers who want to make up for their fuel use”, said Ann Hand, senior vice president for global marketing and innovation at BP.

This effort is supported online by two microsites, alittlebettergastation.com and thegreencurve.com.