Recently, BCWSA expanded our ongoing commitment to the environment and began our journey to a totally “Green” office.
The Authority’s senior management has formed the Green Committee tasked with finding ways to make the operation of the Authority more environmentally friendly. These include changing our effect on the Earth through reducing our carbon footprint, more efficient recycling, better use of our existing recourses, etc.
Many members of the Authority staff have submitted excellent suggestions on how the Authority can do things bigger, better, and faster when it comes to saving the Earth, and the Green Committee is reviewing each idea. The Committee has already begun implementing several environmentally-savvy changes and will continue to do so.
The Authority has instituted many changes within the office already; we have:
- Replaced almost all light bulbs with compact florescent ones.
- Turned off 50% of the existing main strip florescent lights in the main hallway.
- Replacing the fuel filters in all vehicles with cotton ones that can be washed and provide increased 1-2% MPG per vehicle across the BCWSA fleet.
- Replaced service vehicles with Hybrids.
- Replaced all paper and paper consumables with recycled versions.
- Installed virtual PDF printers on all computers to reduce the need to print reports to paper.
- Developed a scanning system and document management system to reduce the need for paper filing cabinets.
- Recycled all toner cartridges back to the manufacturer.
In addition, all computer equipment is Energy Star and configured for power saving modes. And we are working on:
- Upgrading the HVAC system to a modern efficient system.
- Upgrading the toilets to low flow/waterless.
- Using Wind Energy for electricity.
- Investigating solar panels for electricity generation.
“Everyone at the Authority is excited about taking new and more challenging steps toward making our office Green,” said Benjamin Jones, CEO of the Authority. “It’s natural for all of us to look at where and how we work in an environmentally friendly way, it’s what we do.”