Clearly, it's not easy being "green." However, that hasn't stopped Chevron Phillips Chemical's employees from adopting innovative measures in their personal lives to make a difference for the environment. With activities ranging from recycling, growing vegetables, and timing showers to changing light bulbs and riding bicycles there's nothing they won't try for Mother Earth.
Randy Derr, Polymer Extrusion Technician at Chevron Phillips Chemical's Bartlesville Research and Technology Center, replaced all 35 light bulbs in his home last year with compact fluorescent lighting (CFL), resulting in a 30 percent savings in his monthly electric bill. "CFL bulbs are now available with instant on and are as bright as incandescent bulbs, so there is no sacrifice in light quality," Derr said. "Plus, they burn cooler and last significantly longer than conventional bulbs."
Other employees have begun recycling at home to reduce the amount of garbage headed to the landfill. "I recycle just about every little thing possible," said Roger Kremer, Operation Optimization Coordinator for the Performance Pipe division's Bloomfield plant. "I sort papers, cardboard, plastic, glass, cans, and metal down to the smallest forms and recycle them all. Our recycle bin amount always exceeds what is in the garbage bag."
Eduardo Baralt, NAO/PAO Team Leader at the company's Kingwood Technology Center has reduced the amount of trash for a family of five down to one trash can per week by recycling paper, glass, and plastic. He also facilitates the recycling of magazines, journals, junk mail, and non-confidential papers for Kingwood Technology Center's Building 1. When the boxes are full, he takes it to the city's recycling center.
Still other employees protect the environment by walking, biking, or developing alternative energy solutions for their daily lives. Manny Boudreaux, Project Engineer for the NCP Project currently stationed in Japan, walks to work each day and rides his bicycle to navigate the city. Scott Brown, Research Chemist at Kingwood Technology Center rides his bicycle to work two to three days per week to save fuel and stay in shape.
Mark Pyle, Ethylene Hot Side Day Supervisor for the NCP Project, is perhaps the most extreme of Chevron Phillips Chemical's green employees. Through experiments conducted with his wife and daughter, he has designed and installed solar power ventilation systems in his home's attic space, built a small back-up generator to operate on waste vegetable oil, designed and installed a back-up power system to run off of solar power, and built a small wind generator. "There is so much we can do to be more efficient," said Pyle. "My family and I are continually searching for ways to improve efficiencies in our lives and the world around us to ensure a bright future."
Regardless of job location or function, employees from all around the chemisphere are contributing to a better earth.
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