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| UnCommon Sense Case Studies - Creative Energies |
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CREATIVE ENERGIES
Commercial and Residential Renewable Energies Solutions, Lander, WY
& Victor, ID
creativeenergies.biz
Reasons for Applying
According to co-owners Scott Kane and Andy Tyson, the primary reason
their service business applied for UnCommon Sense was to be more
consistent in their philosophy and actions. They realized that while
their business promotes renewable energy technologies, they, like many
others in the sustainability industry, weren’t exactly
sustainable in their own operations. From a business point of view,
they thought the leadership training program would help them improve as
a role model to other businesses. Creative Energies is asked a lot of
questions about environmental impacts, and they wanted to have more
authentic experiences from which to speak. Plus, they were
growing—going from a three-person shop to eight—and
they “wanted to do it right.”
Benefits Received
Managing their waste stream came easily for them. In the course of
implementing a recycling program, they realized just how dirty and
wasteful their industry could be. Solar panels shipped from their
vendor came encased in several sheets of large cardboard, leaving them
with a staggering pile each month. Once they completed the Responsible
Purchasing Module, they set about searching for a different supplier.
They found one that used corner pads made of recycled materials that
kept the panels safe during shipping and could be sent back to be
reused. They reduced the stream of paper coming from their office by 12
pounds a month, partly by going to electronic documents. And though
their staff doubled in size, the company waste stream remained the
same. The biggest changes at Creative Energies came after the Social
Investment Module. Kane realized “We weren’t
focused on it. We weren’t looking down the road in a way that
I now realize really makes sense: taking care of our own people and
investing back into the community.” They now make sure all
staff members find time for professional development training, and they
empower the staff by including them in significant business decisions.
They’ve also started a community program where staff
initiates and conducts educational workshops on renewable energies at
schools and libraries, all on company time. For Kane, the big-picture
benefits have given them better business-management skills.
“It’s just good business to take the best care of
our staff and to keep them highly invested in where we’re
going.” According to Tyson, UnCommon Sense brought a lot of
knowledge in easily digestible segments, which resulted in a heightened
level of awareness now incorporated into their daily decisions. If
there’s an option to do an “extra” green
install instead of the regular green install, his staff is far more
aware of those alternatives. Both Tyson and Kane now talk to
manufacturers at industry trade shows to help influence a move towards
cleaning up the industry. And they both agree that they now have a
vision they didn’t have before UnCommon Sense. As Kane
states, “We have our eyes on things we know are important. We
have the lay of the land. We still need to navigate it well, but we
better understand where we are.”
Bottom Line Results
• Reduced paper waste stream by
12 pounds a month while office staff doubled
• Significantly reduced
cardboard packaging stream by changing vendors
• Improved employee experience
CLICK HERE TO SEE THEIR FINAL REPORT POWERPOINT PRESENTATION
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