In 2019 we’re focusing on more than just the daily 9-to-5 at 717 John Nolen Drive, we’re sharing our knowledge and passion for sustainability with local organizations. As a green business, we’ve established many in-house best practices and operational efficiencies that we believe could help other companies. Sparked by our internal efforts and the changing Madison climate, we’re excited to be more involved on the local level this year.
A Brief History
From the time I was a child I had a fond passion for improving energy use and resources. Raised with the philosophy “leave things better than they were before”, I paid close attention to reducing use and finding sustainable alternatives. After founding Acumium in 2001, we kicked off numerous green efforts to upgrade things around the office and create operational efficiencies with low impact on the environment. We are a graduate of the Sustain Dane MPower program, where we honed and advanced our sustainability focus as a company. We also established an internal green team, who provide structure and accountability for our efforts and keep us on track for getting things done around the office.
Green Efforts at Acumium
When we moved into our new location, there were many things that needed improving. From outdated HVAC systems to wasteful water consumption, we kicked off updates throughout the building so that we could operate a more responsible and efficient business. With the addition of LED lighting and solar panels on our carport, we began operating more efficiently and intelligently so that we could reduce waste and be conscious of overhead costs. As additional improvements have been implemented over the past few years like switching over our print pieces to digital, increasing tele-commuting, and producing our own energy, we're now at a point where we're internally running at a good sustainability level.
As our local weather has taken a drastic turn over the years, remember the flooding rains that hit again in 2018, our interest in sustainability has only grown. We started to realize that the changes we were making to the Acumium business could be replicated by other businesses and communities for a larger impact. Understanding this meant it was time to roll up our sleeves and get involved in additional environmental actions and try to make positive changes, locally.
Sustainable Inside and Out
With less focus on internal sustainability improvements this year, we've shifted our work to external sustainability. Specifically, getting more involved in the community to further sustainability goals. Last year, I started serving on the City of Monona Sustainability Committee as a citizen volunteer committee member. It has been awesome to be involved with the committee, making great strides to drive the sustainability focus for Monona. The committee supports the ecological, economic, and social needs of the city as represented through the Sustainable Monona mission statement. The City of Monona has many ongoing projects, but several that involve community outreach and engagement are of special interest to me.
When it comes to energy usage, the Monona resident energy program is really fascinating. In March of this year, Monona residents voted to adopt a clean energy resolution where the community-wide goal includes meeting 100% of the community’s electricity demands from renewable energy by 2040 and 100% of its other energy demands from renewables by 2050. Getting residents opinions and involvement was crucial to get the ruling passed through and we can only go up from here.
These are just a few of the many organizations we partner and volunteer with. We have a long history of partnering with local community groups, and this year we’re very happy to focus on some of the environmental organizations in the area. There’s a lot of work to be done in Madison and each of our local communities, but we’re excited to take steps into new endeavors and make an impact. If you’re interested in learning more about our sustainability efforts, feel free to connect with our team.