Month: September 2019

The Clean Air Partnership has spent the summer recognizing the efforts and initiatives of local entities that captured the highest total points in the “Champion” track of the St. Louis Green Business Challenge (GBC) this past year. This fall, we are turning our attention to those who scored highest in the GBC’s “Leaders” track, by kicking off our spotlight series with a feature on Tarlton Corporation for their many sustainable innovations and dedication to making the region a better place to live, work and play.

Tarlton Corporation is a St. Louis-based general contracting and construction management firm committed to building futures for their clients, team and community. Since 1946, the firm has completed numerous landmark projects in and around the area, continuing to improve its sustainability efforts by always looking for new ways to be green in all their business operations.

Tarlton is a proud participant of the GBC, along with other organizations that promote sustainable construction and business operations in the region. In 2018, the company received the Achievement Award in the Star Circle of Excellence and an Award of Merit at the Leader Level. To achieve this award, businesses must advance their sustainability efforts and finish the challenge with a leading score.

Multiple accomplishments in sustainability helped Tarlton Corporation place high in the Challenge. Their office building is especially eco-friendly with a rooftop solar array, water bottle filling stations, landscaping with native plants and rain cisterns to collect water. The company also executed a change out of all light fixtures to either LEDs or CFLs, helping to reduce energy usage by almost 40%. In addition, Tarlton has completed more than a dozen Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified projects.

To lead the corporation in sustainability initiatives, Tarlton has a Green Team, which is a committee dedicated to helping find ways to be environmentally conscious and responsible at work and home. They encourage the staff to help at regional green events and host Lunch ‘n Learns that educate employees on how to be energy efficient outside of the workplace.

Furthermore, the company installed a “Make a Difference” board, which is a central hub of information about all Tarlton’s green initiatives, with bins for collecting items like plastic bottle lids, can tabs, rechargeable batteries and box tops for education. The board has a calendar of all upcoming green events and photos of what they have taken part in. Employees at Tarlton also implemented a Grocery Bag Exchange Program, where team members receive a reusable bag for every 50 plastic bags they turn in. In total, the team has collected over 5,000 plastic bags!

To learn more about the link between sustainability and air quality, explore our website, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at @gatewaycleanair. For additional information on the sustainable efforts underway by Tarlton Corporation and how your company can get involved in the St. Louis Green Business Challenge, visit http://stlouisgreenchallenge.com/.

Car Free Day is right around the corner, and people all around the world are preparing to ditch their keys for the day to help reduce traffic congestion and work towards creating a greener environment. Today, with over one billion motor vehicles on the roads around the globe, it sometimes seems as if we cannot escape the pollution, noise and danger that they produce.

Every year on September 22, Car Free Day aims to take the heat off the planet by encouraging people to be less dependent on their cars and try alternatives such as walking, biking, carpooling or utilizing public transit. Although Car Free Day is only a single day out of the year, the goal of the celebrations is to have a lasting effect by inspiring individuals and communities to live more sustainably. Thankfully, there are plenty of resources available to help members of the St. Louis community leave the car keys at home and continue to take voluntary steps that can improve the quality of the air we breathe.

• Metro Transit – The region’s public transit system is designed to eliminate the use of multiple vehicles on the road and offer great alternatives for the work commute or an option to hopping in your car for short trips. Serving St. Louis City, St. Louis County and St. Clair County, Ill., Metro Transit allows riders to walk to a nearby stop, or park and take a train or bus, or a combination of the two, to get where they’re going – safely, comfortably and conveniently. Those who live in Madison County, Illinois will find Madison County Transit to be a great alternative.
• Ridesharing – With transportation-related emissions being one of the biggest contributors to air pollution, RideFinders offers a path to reduce those emissions by providing a free carpool and vanpool ride matching service for commuters to help improve the overall quality of the air. By sharing a ride instead of driving alone, commuters can save money and have a more relaxing trip. Ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft match drivers of private vehicles to those seeking transportation and are also a great option to eliminate the use of multiple vehicles.
• Walk or Bike – Walking and biking are great ways to burn calories instead of burning gas! Not only do they serve as eco-friendly ways to run errands and get around town when the weather is nice, use of these alternatives helps take cars off area roads and reduces the emissions that lead to poor air quality. Experts note that if just 1 percent of those who drive chose to bike regularly instead, automobile emissions would fall 2 to 4 percent.

Drop the keys and pledge to be car-free on September 22 to do your share for cleaner air and help people all across the St. Louis region breathe easier! For more great tips on how to achieve cleaner air all year long, visit https://cleanair-stlouis.com/air-quality-tips/, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter at @gatewaycleanair.