--- title: "National Association of Music Merchants Gets Sunny-Side Up" id: "30776" type: "post" slug: "national-association-of-music-merchants-gets-sunny-side-up" published_at: "2015-10-27T18:02:26+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-16T14:55:36+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2015/10/27/national-association-of-music-merchants-gets-sunny-side-up/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2015/10/27/national-association-of-music-merchants-gets-sunny-side-up.md" excerpt: "How one association is turning its parking lot into an energy source. Also: The perfect time of day to go on a job interview." taxonomy_category: - "Operations" taxonomy_post_tag: - "AssociationsNow" - "Business" - "energy" - "Environment and Sustainability" - "labor organization" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_persona: - "Executive Leadership" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » National Association of Music Merchants Gets Sunny-Side Up If you find yourself in Carlsbad, California, anytime soon, be sure to stop in at the headquarters of the National Association of Music Merchants. You might be confronted by a really bright idea. > NAMM’s newly installed solar panels are up & running! [https://t.co/67EVBU180v (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/67EVBU180v) > [pic.twitter.com/1vr4DJFkbx (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/1vr4DJFkbx) > > — NAMM (@NAMM) [October 26, 2015 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/NAMM/status/658667662076084225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) On Monday, the association announced that it had installed 714 solar panels at its headquarters, with the goal of reducing energy expenses and encouraging an eco-friendly office space. The setup, which is located above the parking lot of the headquarters, also offers shade to vehicles on the lot, and for employees who own electric vehicles, the solar installation can also charge the cars. But beyond the parking lot, the installation comes with some major benefits for the association itself, in the form of cost savings. The association says the 359,453 kilowatt hours per year the installation will produce will cut the association’s operational electricity costs by more than 98 percent. “Reducing expenses at the industry headquarters allows us to direct more resources toward achieving our vision, mission and objectives,” NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond [said in a news release (opens in a new tab)](https://www.namm.org/news/press-releases/namm-makes-economic-and-ecological-strides-new) . “Over the next two decades this solar installation will achieve our energy reduction goals, while saving the association more than a million dollars, money that can be reinvested into promoting music and music education around the world.” ### Counterprogramming of the Day **While most stores will be looking to fill up their aisles** with shoppers this Black Friday, the outdoor-goods store REI will be trying the exact opposite strategy—and it may end up winning big as a result. The company announced that it would be shutting down all 143 of its stores on Black Friday, paying its employees to instead do something outdoorsy. In other words, the company is choosing to encourage its employees to live the company’s mission rather than add to its bottom line on the day after Thanksgiving. “We’re a different kind of company—and while the rest of the world is fighting it out in the aisles, we’ll be spending our day a little differently. We’re choosing to opt outside, and want you to come with us,” [writes REI President and CEO Jerry Stritzke (opens in a new tab)](http://optoutside.rei.com/) . Think you could pull off a trick like this within your own organization? ### Other Links of Note **Want to schedule a job interview?** The best possible time to do so might be on a Tuesday morning at 10:30 a.m., [according to research from Glassdoor (opens in a new tab)](http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/5-tips-times-schedule-interview/) . **Pinterest is a great platform,** but it’s not always the easiest for the uninitiated to understand. Fortunately, MemberClicks blogger Callie Walker has been around the block a few times, and [she has some ideas on how to make Pinterest work for for your organization (opens in a new tab)](http://blog.memberclicks.com/pin-like-a-pro-thenonprofit-guide-to-pinterest) . **The “Yelp for humans” concept Peeple,** one of the most controversial ideas for a social network in some time, isn’t coming to life in its original form. *Re/Code* [has a roundup on the controversy (opens in a new tab)](http://recode.net/2015/10/26/the-people-behind-peeple-the-internets-most-hated-app-arent-going-away/) that’s arisen around the unpopular startup. (iStock/Thinkstock) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#Business](https://associationsnow.com/tag/business/) [#energy](https://associationsnow.com/tag/energy/) [#Environment and Sustainability](https://associationsnow.com/tag/environment-and-sustainability/) [#labor organization](https://associationsnow.com/tag/labor-organization/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoDriving Clean EnergySeptember 11, 2017](https://associationsnow.com/2017/09/11/driving-clean-energy/) - [VideoRisky Business: What Types of Insurance Do Associations Really Need?June 17, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/06/17/risky-business-what-types-of-insurance-do-associations-really-need/) - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Tech Stack: How AI Is Changing the Association PlaybookOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-tech-stack-how-ai-is-changing-the-association-playbook/) - [PodcastSustainable Events: How Associations and DMOs Are Leading the ChargeMarch 31, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/03/31/sustainable-events-how-associations-and-dmos-are-leading-the-charge/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2015%2F10%2F27%2Fnational-association-of-music-merchants-gets-sunny-side-up%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !