Bunn’s facilities engineering supervisor, the 50 or so “quality work groups” are responsible for starting many of company’s sustainable initiatives. Made up of four to five employees each, they have become “green teams” and each is charged with coming up with one green project each year. “The trash collected to be transported to landfills from work stations and break rooms is a fraction of what it was in previous years,” Bradbury says. “The employees have bought into the program very well.”
The Bunn Springfield Operations recycles office paper at 72 percent recycle efficiency. They go to the extent of weighing all incoming mail, and then weigh all mail that is to be recycled to keep track of what is sent to the landfill. All paper, cardboard and plastic that is to be recycled is bagged and sent to Midwest Fiber Co. in Decatur. There were 218 tons of paper and cardboard recycled in 2008, resulting in a savings of 3,709 trees, 82,916 gallons of gasoline/oil and 1,527,400 gallons of water.
Bunn recycles used batteries, and accepts dead dry cell batteries from its employees for shipment to a recycling center in California. There were 177 pounds of dry cell batteries (3,540 batteries) recycled in 2008, and 209 pounds have been recycled between January and July 2009.
All scrap metal used in the production of product is recycled, as are all used electronic items, circuit boards, computers and other electronic devices. Aerosol containers and other non-production metal that is scrap are sent to Mervis Co. in Springfield.
The amount of trash taken to the landfill is substantially less than in previous years. The company’s recycling efforts have resulted in a reduction of 38,000 cubic feet of material sent to the landfill (approximately 10 full semi loads).
Ninety percent of all container shipping is now done using corrugated cardboard in lieu of styrofoam blocks or peanuts. Given the amount of packaging undertaken by Bunn, this ecological benefit is huge. All onsite drinking cups are now biodegradable paper, not styrofoam.
Another program popular with the employees is the compact fluorescent bulb disposal. These bulbs must be disposed of properly as they contain a small mercury content and shouldn’t be broken or sent to a landfill. The company pays for employees’ bulbs to be disposed. They’re included with the company’s own bulbs and sent to the Safety-Kleen Co. in Champaign. An item of nonperishable food is accepted by the company for each bulb to be disposed by an employee, and is donated to a local food bank.
Bunn’s energy use is monitored and calculated for both consumption and carbon footprint. Monitoring includes calculations for the consumption of electricity, natural gas, water, sewage and diesel fuel. The company is working closely with utility companies to audit energy consumption and install changes to become more efficient.
In the past year light bulb and ballast replacements have been changed to more efficient fluorescent lighting. Metal Halide lighting is now replaced with energy-efficient F- Bay fluorescent lighting in the production areas. Computers, monitors and other workstation electrical equipment is turned off at end of the day.
Bunn now has generator sets installed in long-haul trucks to significantly reduce engine idle time. Also 11 percent biodiesel fuel is now consumed in its truck fleet.
The company participates and supports local initiatives involving energy conservation and environmental practices, including CWLP’s Commercial Solutions Forum, a group comprising the top energy consumers of the local utility. Bunn also supports CWLP’s Energy Forums, the Mayor’s Cool Cities Climate Initiative, and has helped to organize the Illinois Department of Agriculture Community Garden at the State Fair.
With the establishment of the business forum, there is “an opportunity to increase the level of understanding of sustainability within the business community and improve the scope and efficiency of existing initiatives,” according to Kobylarz. “It will create new ideas which can leverage improved environmental responsibility and make a measurable positive difference.”
The Sustainable Springfield Business Forum will analyze the elements of the sustainability movement so business leaders understand developing environmental initiatives and requirements. The organization will identify actions to manage or minimize the impact on businesses, and emphasize opportunities for both environmental and commercial success. It will stress efforts between businesses and employees to share learning, experiences and knowledge. The forum will share bulletin/information boards and other communication tools among participating businesses, and create a shared library. Recycling opportunities will be identified and new ones established. Members will learn how employee participation can be accomplished by the creation of “green teams.”
Additionally the forum will share information regarding energy audits and carbon footprint calculations, which is the total measure of natural gas, water consumption, sewage and company gasoline/diesel fuel usage. Grants or other financial assistance available for energy efficiency investment will be catalogued.
Jim Johnston, a Springfield architect, is founder and president of Sustainable Springfield Inc.
He can be reached at [email protected].
