Notary Public Underwriters Blog
NPU's Green Energy Initiatives
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- Published: March 28, 2014
Updated: 05/22/2024
How Can a Business Be More Eco-Friendly?
One would think that trying to be sustainable in an energy crisis while also being in an industry that's based on wet ink signatures on paper and proper documentation would not be very easy, but here at Notary Public Underwriters, we have made it a priority to be as environmentally friendly as we possibly can. We call it our green energy initiative. We believe being ecologically friendly can also be economically viable. We are fully committed to setting a positive example for other businesses while reducing our carbon footprint and building a more sustainable earth for future generations.
Solar Power Is Renewable Energy
In May 2007, we installed a 25kW solar photovoltaic system that powered 33% of the business’ energy needs and saved about 27 tons of coal from being burned each year. In 2018, a new 50kW array was installed, which powers a combined total of 100% of the business’ energy needs, saving over 88 tons of coal from being burned each year. This solar energy is not only used to power our facility; it's also used to charge employees' electric vehicles! Our company has dedicated parking spots to allow those with plug-in hybrids and other electric vehicles to charge.
Our co-founder, Jack Diestelhorst, sits on Sustainable Tallahassee's Executive Board of Directors. Sustainable Tallahassee is a local group of like-minded people committed to helping businesses and individuals become educated about green energy options through collaboration with local governments, non-profit organizations, businesses, and community partners.
Jack was featured in this YouTube video, giving a tour of our facility and elaborating on all of our green energy efforts. We are proud that Notary Public Underwriters is, quite literally, a shining example to our community that businesses can be eco-friendly.
Energy Efficiency Is KEY
Even our lighting is energy efficient! We switched all of our bulbs to LED which use about 50% less energy than traditional incandescent, fluorescent, or halogen bulbs.
Additionally, we use motion sensors to help reduce extra light use when no one is in a room. All of the windows in our building are covered in heat- and UV-blocking window film to help reduce the indoor temperature and allow our air conditioning units to run more efficiently. Speaking of our A/C units, they use automatic timers in order to prevent a great surge of energy demand all at once.
Our building has premium insulation added to keep hot air inside in the cooler months and cooler air inside in the warmer months. This is especially important in the Florida heat during the scorching summer months.
The machinery we use for production, like our laser engraver and industrial folder, has also been programmed to be more energy efficient.
By incorporating smart strips at each work station, the NPU staff is able to stem electrical current flow when not in use.
Reducing Paper Use and Shipping Products the Green Way
Where possible, we’ve switched to digital forms instead of printing. When we do print, we recycle, shredding all sensitive information beforehand.
By consolidating orders into single shipments, using biodegradable packing peanuts, as well as recycled packing materials brought in by employees, in the more than 75,000 products we ship each year, we are able to prevent over 360 cubic feet of solid waste from ending up in our landfills and environment annually.
Sourcing Sustainable Notary Stamps
All stamps manufactured by our supplier, Trodat, are completely free from harmful heavy metals such as zinc, cadmium, lead, or PVC, which are harmful to the environment. Efficient use of energy is a big priority for Trodat, as is the careful use of raw materials. Trodat stamps are known for a particularly long service life and therefore need to be replaced less often.
Some of Trodat's green efforts include:
- All raw materials are subject to the Austrian RoHS directive (Restriction of Hazardous Substances)
- A quality, environmental, energy, and safety management system certified by TÜV-Austria ensures permanent monitoring of the raw materials
- Permanent supplier screening as part of the certified management systems
- 100% green electricity
- Economical use of energy and raw materials
- Reduction of waste
- Reuse of valuable materials
Learn more about Trodat's sustainability efforts here.
Don’t Throw It Away; Recycle for Another Day!
The Florida Legislature, through the Energy, Climate Change, and Economic Security Act of 2008, established a statewide target for reducing recyclable solid waste in landfills by at least 75% by 2020. At Notary Public Underwriters, we recycle 100% of our paper, cardboard, aluminum, light bulbs, batteries, cell phones, ink cartridges, and computer components. Through our recycling efforts, we save more than 13 tons of paper, 560 pounds of aluminum, and 6 tons of cardboard from entering a landfill each year.
We’re Keeping Rainwater Clean
According to the EPA, "a rain garden is a depressed area in the landscape that collects rain water from a roof, driveway, or street and allows it to soak into the ground."
Being located in Florida, we get our fair share of rainwater! In fact, according to the Florida State University Climate Center, Florida is one of the rainiest state in the country, and on average we receive over 54 inches of rain a year! In order to prevent water runoff from being polluted and soil from eroding, we built three rain gardens around our building, in addition to the required storm run-off pond. This method of slowing the water down stops pollutants from traveling down roadways by allowing the water to percolate directly into the ground and filter through sand and limestone before it returns to the precious Floridan Aquifer System (FAS), our main source of clean drinking water.
Through our various green energy efforts, Notary Public Underwriters proves that even small steps can make a big impact in the long run. Please consider joining our mission to be more environmentally friendly. Check out the links below to learn more information on how to become more eco-friendly!
Sustainable Tallahassee: https://sustainabletallahassee.org/about-us/
For more information about recycling programs in Florida, visit: https://floridadep.gov/waste/waste-reduction/content/recycling
Start recycling in 5 easy steps: https://www.enviroforensics.com/blog/start-recycling-in-5-easy-steps/
For more information on how to add a rain garden to your landscape visit: https://www.epa.gov/soakuptherain/soak-rain-rain-gardens
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