Conserve with Cummins: Tips for Getting "ENVolved"

As part of June Environment Month at Cummins, we're asking all of our employees to "Get ENVolved."  Cummins' mission demands that "everything we do leads to a cleaner, healthier and safer environment" and we know that our employees want to help live that mission. Engaged, empowered employees can have a positive environmental impact at work, home and in their communities.

In 2014, the company adopted its first-ever comprehensive Environmental Sustainability Plan with goals committed to reducing waste, water and energy. Critical to the success of meeting this environmental mission is the active engagement of employees. Cummins operates in 190 countries making employees well-positioned to make meaningful global change.

While we must practice good environmental behavior year-round, Cummins spends the month of June celebrating our commitment to the environment. Here are some easy ways for all of us to take action to reduce our environmental footprint:

• Set your thermostat to 78°F/25°C in hot months and 62°F/17°C degrees in cold months
• Keep tires properly inflated and get regular maintenance checks to ensure maximum fuel efficiency in your car. Choose to bike, bus, or carpool whenever possible.
• The clothes dryer and water heater are the most energy intensive appliances in your house. Air dry clothes as much as possible and use cold water for laundry.
• Unplug your chargers, TV and small appliances to avoid “phantom energy” consumption, which can be up to 10% of total household energy costs
• Drive fewer personal miles or bike to work or to errands
• Conduct an energy “treasure hunt” at work, home, or at a community building to find opportunities to conserve energy

• Drinking water from the tap instead of bottled water prevents the manufacture of 29 million water bottles and 17 million barrels of crude oil.
• Turning off the water faucet while you brush your teeth, shave, or groom can save several gallons of water
• Only wash full loads of laundry and use cold water as much as possible
• Turn off automatic lawn sprinklers at home and at your community center or place of worship to eliminate unnecessary watering
• Use rain barrels to collect and store rain water for gardening
• Conduct a water “treasure hunt” at work, home, or at a community building to fix leaks and find opportunities to conserve water

• Over 1 trillion plastic bags are used every year worldwide and are the single largest source of ocean litter. Using four reusable shopping bags once a week can replace 50 plastic bags.
• Did you know the average American office worker uses about 500 disposable cups every year? Bring your own reusable beverage container.
• Start a compost pile at home to divert food and lawn waste from the landfill and to create nutrient-rich soil to add to your garden.
• If you can't reduce or reuse, please recycle. The energy saved by recycling one glass bottle can run a computer for 30 minutes.