Green initiative kicks off with cleanup in honor of Earth Day
Around 80 volunteers from Butler Technologies flooded the streets of the Island neighborhood April 26 as part of the company’s new green sustainability initiative and in honor of Earth Day.
“I think we got a lot of trash,” Courtney Houtz, Butler Technologies marketing lead, said. “I know we got a dumpster full, and one group filled up two trucks as well.”
The United Nations has outlined 17 sustainable development goals for the globe that are designed to be a blueprint to help achieve a more sustainable future for the planet.
“It’s a new direction we are taking,” Houtz said. “We’re saying ‘why not now?’ We think it’s our responsibility to live sustainable and reduce our environmental impact.”
The cleanup that took place around the Island was one step of the company’s sustainable cities and communities goal, which will turn into quarterly company outings Houtz said.
“Instead of working part of the day, it would be a way to give back and have fun,” Houtz said Monday. “Our next one will be coming at the end of this month. I’m not sure yet what is planned for that.
“We’ve talked about going to local animal shelters and volunteering there or in the winter we’d do bell-ringing for the Salvation Army.”
Butler Technologies’ second goal focuses on good health and well-being, and the company is offering employees some benefits to help with that.
“We do what we call a fruit program every week,” Houtz said. “Every Monday we have fresh fruit available to all the employees along with a Planet Fitness membership for everyone.”
According to the company, women make up nearly half of the American workforce, but they make up just 29% of manufacturing jobs. Gender equality is another goal the company is working toward as more than half of its workforce is female.
“We are actually a female-founded company,” Houtz said. “Nadine Tripodi is one of our co-founders, so gender equality is important because of our beginnings. We are striving for more women in leadership roles at Butler Technologies.”
In 2021, Butler Technologies added 16 jobs within the company. A move, company officials say, helps work toward their decent work and economic growth goal.
“We are trying to have the biggest impact we can have on the Butler community,” Houtz said. “As we grow as a company that gives us more opportunity to give back and create more jobs.”
The new jobs include manufacturing, engineering and marketing positions.
As an electronic manufacturing company, Butler Technologies creates a fair amount of waste. Climate action is the fifth goal the company has outlined and it is still looking for new ways to reduce, reuse and recycle its waste during the manufacturing process.
“Our goal is to find a way to recycle the waste,” Houtz said. “We have a new recycling program and last year we diverted 9.6 tons of waste away from local landfills.”
Other United Nations sustainability goals include quality education, zero hunger and clean water and sanitation.
“Obviously 17 goals is a little lofty,” Houtz said. “As we continue to grow, it just gives us more resources and time to focus on our sustainability initiative, so I think we will be adding more in the future.
“I think a lot of manufacturing companies have realized that their carbon footprint might be bigger than other industries. So we are definitely working toward a greener planet.”
Progress on these goals can be tracked on the company’s website under the “about us” page so their customers and community can keep track and hold them accountable, Houtz said.
