Wright-Ryan STEP-Up

August 4th, companies from around the State of Maine gathered to discuss their progress within the STEP-Up program sponsored by the Department of Environmental Protection.  Wright-Ryan will be entering into the last quarter of our commitment with the DEP and fully expect to meet or exceed the goals we set for ourselves in 2006.  Andy Seymour represented WR at the meeting.  All employees can expect to see a full summary report of our STEP-Up successes later this year.
Here are some of the results from our fellow STEP-Up participants:
National Semiconductor continues to help environmental efforts at Longcreek in South Portland.  They recently removed an entire parking lot and replaced it with a bio-filtration rain garden. 
Bath Iron Works exceeded their solid waste reduction goal by 6% and their hazardous waste reduction goal by an impressive 11%.  Unfortunately, they are struggling to find ways to reduce their energy consumption and achieved a 2% reduction in comparison to a lofty goal of 8%.
Lyman Morse Boat Builders have switched their fuel source to soybean based bio-diesel fuels provided by Rockport-based Harvest Fuels.  They pay a 3 cent increase but the employees prefer it and productivity has increased overall.  They are exceeding their waste reduction, energy reduction, and hazardous waste reduction goals.  They also branched out of their typical business plan and invested in the creation of the “Power Cube” which is a solar generator producing 600-1200 watts of electricity.  Once perfected, could this be our power source at jobsites??
After presentations from the companies and DEP department officials, the group of 25 toured the new USM Wishcamper Center with Mike Barton.  The group was impressed with the geothermal system and many other features in the new building.