While I fully support showing the planet a little love, turning out the lights for one hour on one day or picking up a piece of trash in no way awards anyone a gold star. Similarly, drawing attention to your store with promotions designed to increase store traffic and sales may be a boon for your bottom line but don’t really benefit the darling of the day—mother earth. More people in cars with coupons hunting for discount goods translates to more carbon emissions, cut trees and eventually, waste. To be truly green, tell customers why everyday is earth day and show them how you care by posting store initiatives 365 a year. Here are few tips for greening year round.

• Swap your bulbs
  According to Energy Star, retail companies spend nearly $20 billion on energy each year. MMR magazine reports a mere 10 percent reduction in energy costs for the average supermarket can boost profit margins by as much as 6 percent.

• Paper or plastic?
  Paper sacks generate 70% more air and 50 times more water pollutants than plastic bags but plastic bags can take 1,000 years to decompose whereas paper takes about a month. Opt for neither by eliminating bags completely or using recycled bags.

• Paint the town green
  Looking to spruce up your store? Opt for milk and clay paints or lime plasters which are VOC-free. VOCs are known carcinogens that are linked to the depletion of the ozone layer and can induce headaches an nausea. 

• Keep up with the Joneses
  From putting up solar panels to discouraging water-bottle use by installing a water filtration system, check out what other retailers are doing and get on board.