IMPLEMENTING CHANGE
Our Sustainability Coordinators are active across the company sponsoring and encouraging sustainable initiatives within their offices and in their project work . Below are just a few examples :
Waste Minimization
Our Scarborough , Maine office hosted its first minimal-waste employee appreciation picnic in September . All of the products used during the lunch were either recyclable or compostable . Recycling receptacles were provided for beverage containers and all paper plates , napkins , and vegetable-oil-based utensils were manufacturecertified compostable . After the picnic , the compostable items were gathered and dropped off at a Scarborough compost drop-off location provided by Garbage to Garden . For a luncheon for approximately 40 people , only a few pieces of plastic trash were produced – quite an improvement from any other lunch !
Composting Kitchen Waste
Our Chicago office began contracting with a local company , Healthy Soil Compost LLC , to compost its waste . Bins are collected once a week and the waste is composted at the local facility . The finished compost is then distributed to local farms in the area .
Lighting Efficiently
One of our Houston , TX offices was able to use available tenant improvement funds to convert forty-four standard size ( 2x4 ft .) fourtube light fixtures from fluorescent tubes to LED . The annual savings is estimated to be 6,589 kWh of electricity and 46.6 metric tons of CO2e emissions . This is equivalent to the carbon sequestered in one year by 60 acres of U . S . forests .
Sustainability in the Field
Last year , a group of colleagues from our Environmental Sector formed the Sustainability in the Field committee , dedicated to finding solutions to reduce material waste in our field operations . Some of the initiatives the group has been researching include :
■ Using digital applications to reduce paper
■ Field materials recycling
■ Supplier sustainability surveys
■ Integration of sustainable practices in Field SOPs
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