Month: September 2024

Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis (CAM) works to enrich lives and inspire curiosity, creativity, and learning through experiences with contemporary art, while also being dedicated to fostering a sustainable future by integrating environmentally conscious practices. Located in the Grand Central Arts District, CAM provides 100+ events and community engagements per year, ranging from art education workshops in Saint Louis Public Schools to artist talks. CAM recognizes that, in addition to sharing contemporary art with the local community, it can inspire green initiatives through example. That is why this month, the Clean Air Partnership is proud to highlight CAM’s sustainability initiatives that are having a positive impact on the planet and communities it serves. 

“Our CAM Green Team has brought together representatives from multiple departments to achieve one goal: to make our establishment more sustainable, eco-friendly and localized in any way that we can,” said Brandon Barr, Teen and Adult Programs Manager at CAM. “Our hope is that our efforts, joining with other institutions in the Green Business Challenge, will inspire more entities to do the same. Change is needed on a large scale, but it has to start somewhere. We hope that CAM’s small spark can aid in igniting a mass effort to make things better for generations to come.” 

Re-joining the Green Business Challenge in 2023 at the Apprentice level, Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis implemented several green initiatives under the direction of their Green Team, such as establishing a no-idling plan at their loading dock and installing idle-free signage. Likewise, CAM updated signage around existing recycling receptacles throughout the building and installed and distributed sustainability education signs and information for the workplace and at home. 

During the Challenge, CAM made updates to its HVAC system and window shades in the main galleries to protect artwork on view from light and moisture and reduce the museum’s overall energy usage and related emissions. CAM also installed motion sensor light switches in all its public restrooms to further reduce excess energy use. 

Other innovations included a partnership with a local vendor that upholds a green purchasing and compostable single serving policy to take over CAM’s café operations. The museum also eliminated the use of Styrofoam and single use plastic for meetings and events, replacing disposables with glass, aluminum cans and refillable serving options. Additionally, CAM adopted a Green Purchasing Policy for all janitorial, cleaning and maintenance supplies that are sourced from local green vendors.  

To learn more about Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis’ sustainability efforts and how your company can get involved in the St. Louis Green Business Challenge, subscribe to their bi-monthly E-Newsletter or visit stlouisgreenchallenge.com. For more on the link between sustainability and air quality, explore our website, like us on Facebook or follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, @gatewaycleanair. 

CK Power has been a leading manufacturer and distributor of off-highway power products for nearly a century. Headquartered in St. Louis, the company keeps sustainability at the core of everything they do and remains committed to making choices that protect the environment and pass efficiency benefits on to their valued customers. This month, we’re pleased to shine a spotlight on CK Power for earning the title of 2023 St. Louis Green Business Challenge Apprentice for choosing action items from a menu of basic sustainability policies and practices to start the process of greening their business operations.

“The CK Power Family of Companies provides products and services to a wide variety of industries. We take seriously the responsibility to help protect the environment for current and future generations,” said Dewey Barsaloux, facilities manager for CK Power. “As a family-owned company, everything we do centers around our people. We take pride in our family culture and support our employees to protect the environment through education and our recycling programs.”

As a Challenge Apprentice, CK Power met twice with Challenge leaders – once for a “Sustainability 101” training and again for a report-out seminar to learn from peers’ experience and achievements, helping them to integrate recycling tips and other context they learned into their own daily practices.

Over the course of the 2023 Challenge, the company formed a Green Team to lead their sustainability efforts. As a result, employees are now working in a more sustainable environment with a no-smoking policy for indoor working areas and a designated area for smoking outdoors. Additionally, cardboard, cans, paper and bottles are being recycled in working areas, and a water bottle filling station was also installed to cut down on single-use plastic bottles.

Another major accomplishment included energy efficiency improvements across company facilities. CK Power opted for 95% LED lighting in all buildings after updates were made following a lighting audit and Ameren rebate. Similarly, HVAC updates made half of the company’s units work at 17 SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio) or higher, which is a win-win for higher energy efficiency and greater savings!

CK Power also worked with local service producers to recover special waste streams including metals, pallets, used oil and Crystal Clean, as well as participated in pollution prevention training to further reduce environmental impact and promote eco-stewardship.

For more information about CK Power and how your company can get involved in the St. Louis Green Business Challenge, subscribe to their bi-monthly E-Newsletter or visit stlouisgreenchallenge.com. For more on the link between sustainability and air quality, explore the Clean Air Partnership’s website, like us on Facebook or follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, @gatewaycleanair.

Car Free Day is right around the corner, and people all around the world are preparing to ditch their keys on September 22. Today, an estimated 1.4 billion cars travel the roads throughout the world, and even though our vehicles offer a convenient way to get around, they also contribute a dangerous amount of pollution to the planet. Having a day off from driving is highly recommended to raise awareness about these concerns and to help reduce auto emissions.

While Car Free Day may be celebrated a number of different ways, the common goal is to take cars off area roads – benefiting the region with a day of less traffic congestion, a greener environment and reduced energy use – with the hope inspiring lasting change beyond a single day. Thankfully, there are plenty of resources available to help St. Louis area residents leave the car keys at home and explore some alternatives to the solo commute so they can continue to take voluntary steps that can improve the quality of air we breathe year-round:

• Take Transit – Public transit systems in the St. Louis region are designed to help 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. Ridesharing services such as Uber and Lyft match drivers of private vehicles to those seeking transportation and are another great option to eliminate the use of multiple vehicles. Via Metro STL also allows passengers heading in the same direction to hail a vehicle directly from their smartphones using the Via app to get around parts of West, South, and North St. Louis County.
• Walk or Bike – For individuals who live close to work, choosing to walk or bike instead of idling in rush hour traffic helps take cars off area roads and reduces the amount of ozone-forming emissions generated. Walking and biking can also serve as eco-friendly alternatives to run errands and get around town when weather conditions are favorable to help keep air quality in healthy ranges. Walking and biking can also be easily paired with public transit.
• Telecommute – According to the Pew Research Center, roughly 14% of all employed adults in the U.S. work from home all the time. For those that can work from home, continuing to telecommute full-time or at least occasionally is encouraged to help reduce harmful auto emissions that contribute to ozone formation.

Drop the keys and pledge to be car-free on September 22 to do your share for cleaner air. For a host of additional tips on how to achieve cleaner air all year long, explore the Clean Air Partnership’s website, like us on Facebook or follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter, @gatewaycleanair.