USANA Green: Shrinking Our Carbon Footprint
The concept of “big shoes to fill” often brings to mind the names of great leaders and innovators. It is a compliment of the highest regard. But when it comes to the environment, bigger is not better.
A large carbon footprint presents huge problems for generations to follow, which is why USANA has gone to such great lengths to protect the planet. At every step in the manufacturing process, USANA takes care to cut back and ensure the proper disposal of waste materials, proving that small steps can make a big difference.
Since its establishment in 2007, the USANA Green Team has worked diligently to reduce its environmental impact. The effort now extends to each department of the company. USANA employees and Associates alike have united in their commitment to go green.
With the help of the Green Team, USANA has reduced the amount of energy used by switching over to motion-censored lights and energy-conserving light bulbs. The company currently offsets 100 percent of the electricity used in North America with renewable energy collected from windmills and onsite solar panels. These efforts combined have prevented the release of more than seven million pounds of emissions into the atmosphere.
USANA has also taken on one of the biggest factors in the environmental battle: landfills. To prevent the buildup of unnecessary waste, USANA recycles everything from batteries and glass to electronics and nutrition bar wrappers. Last year alone employees recycled nearly six tons of electronic waste.
Slight changes around the office, such as electronic paychecks, are really adding up as well. “We’ve reduced our paper use by over fifty percent since we started the green program,” said USANA Green Coordinator Jeff Robertson. Not even the lawn has been overlooked. Taking Utah’s dry climate into consideration, the team decided to xeriscape the surrounding property, replacing the front lawn with indigenous plants, which save more than one million gallons of water every year.
While each of these efforts is a huge accomplishment in and of itself, USANA hasn’t stopped there. The company plans to double their efforts and budget for recycling this year. “The next step is to map out our waste streams and figure out what is getting thrown away, where, and by whom,” said Robertson. “That will help us to fine-tune our recycling system so that when someone is getting ready to throw something recyclable away, we’re there with a recycle bucket that they can throw it into.”
To further reduce water usage, USANA is currently in the process of xeriscaping the remaining lawn around the main office. “We are getting bids on window films to put on sun-facing windows to reduce the heat gain that we have during the summer,” said Robertson. “That should save a significant amount of energy in terms of cooling cost.”
The team’s vision even extends beyond the home office. “We’re also looking into ways that we can help employees increase their energy efficiency at home,” said Robertson. The team is currently exploring the option of providing home energy audits to improve efficiency and the use of renewable resources. USANA also encourages employees to commute, carpool, or purchase green vehicles, providing special parking spaces for fuel-efficient cars.
For the past five years, USANA has proven that it is interested not only in the health and well-being of people around the world, but in the health of the environment as well. This deep commitment is evident in the company’s current green initiative and plans to further reduce the carbon footprint to make a safer planet for generations to come.
“USANA’s green program is something that I’m honored to be a part of,” said Robertson. “I’m glad to be a member of a company that takes the safety of the environment seriously.”
Editor’s Note: This is the final in a series of articles about USANA Green. It originally appeared on USANAToday.com. For more information, go to the USANA Green page. To read others in the series, visit USANA Green on What’s Up, USANA?
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Thumbs up! I wish every company was so responsible I look forward to doing the same in other territories…and setting an example their. It makes good cents too! It would be interesting to know the statistics on just how much money you have saved by cutting back on fossil fuels, paper, etc. That would speak volumes to all those dragging their feet. In the end USANA is ahead of the curve. Saving $ and energy. Thailand, Phillipines,Canada France….next!