arth Day inspires global awareness of the importance of preserving the Earth's environment. It
originated in 1970, signifying the birth of the modern environmental movement, and is
celebrated annually in March or April. Earth Day’s two founding fathers both shared the vision of an
international call to action for stewardship of planet Earth. This year we celebrate its 40 th anniversary.
Earth Day History: Two Days, One Message
Oldcastle, Inc. was incorporated in 1978, just eight
years after the first Earth Day. There is now greater
public awareness about environmental issues
including climate change, biodiversity, conservation,
pollution and recycling. Oldcastle and parent
company CRH, plc are addressing environmental
concerns and stewardship as a core component of
our Corporate Social Responsibility commitment.
March 20, 2010
In this special bulletin:
History of Earth Day
Oldcastle Initiatives
Oldcastle Product Groups’
Contributions
▪ Architectural: LEED
Certification, Asphalt
Patch, Green Block
▪ Distribution: Forest
Stewardship, IT Green
Team, Sustainable Building
▪ Glass: Environmental
Policy, Energy Efficiency,
Recycling, LEED Projects
▪ Materials: Warm-mix
Asphalt, Wildlife Habitat
Sites, Restoration Projects
▪ Precast: Wastewater
Treatment Solutions
Oldcastle, Inc. a CRH plc company
375 Northridge Road
Suite 350
Atlanta, GA 30350
(770) 804-3363
www.oldcastle.com
The United Nations celebrates Earth Day each year
on the March equinox, when day and night are
equally long, around the world. The tradition was
founded by peace activist John McConnell in 1969,
who conceived the idea as a global holiday to
celebrate the wonder of life
on our planet. The United
Nations first celebrated
Earth Day on the March
equinox in 1970. Earth Day
starts the spring season in
the Northern Hemisphere
and the autumn season in
the Southern Hemisphere.
In 1968, McConnell
incorporated "World
Equality" to foster the idea of equilibrium between
nature and human society. He designed the wellknown “Earth Flag,” (pictured above) inspired by the
first photo of Earth that was published in Life
Magazine. Forty years later, the Earth Flag is still a
part of the Earth Day Ceremony at the United
Nations.
At the 1969 National UNESCO Conference in San
Francisco, McConnell proposed an Earth Day – to
celebrate Earth's life and beauty and to alert
humankind to the need for preserving and renewing
the threatened ecological balances upon which all
life on Earth depends. The proposal won strong
support and was followed by an Earth Day
Proclamation by the City of San Francisco. The idea
was supported by the United Nations and many
others worldwide. The ringing of the United
Nations Peace Bell at the moment of the March
Equinox on Earth Day has become a tradition.
April 22, 2010
Earth Day in the United States is more widely
celebrated annually on April 22 and generally
credited to Gaylord Nelson, a former U.S. Senator
from Wisconsin. He used it as a “teach-in” in 1970
and proposed the first nationwide environmental
protest to force the issue onto the national agenda.
Nelson’s idea evolved over a period of seven years,
starting in 1962, in an effort to persuade President
Kennedy to go on a national conservation tour to
give visibility to
environmental concerns. His
efforts paid off – the
President completed a fiveday, 11-state conservation
tour in September 1963.
However, for many reasons,
the tour did not succeed in
putting the topic onto the
national political agenda.
Six years would pass before
Nelson conceptualized the idea of an organized
Earth Day. The time was right to tap into the
environmental concerns of the general public and
infuse the student anti-war energy into an
environmental cause. Nelson generated widespread
media interest and the wire services carried the
story from coast to coast.
In November 1969, The New York Times published
a lengthy article by environmental reporter Gladwin
Hill on the astonishing proliferation of events:
"Rising concern about the environmental crisis is
sweeping the nation's campuses with an intensity
that may be on its way to eclipsing student
(Continued on page 2)
Oldcastle and the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day
(Continued from cover)
discontent over the war in Vietnam ... a national day of observance of
environmental problems ... is being planned for next spring ... when a
nationwide environmental 'teach-in' ... coordinated from the office of
Senator Gaylord Nelson is planned ... "
As interest in Earth Day grew, Sen. Nelson was provided with
temporary space for a Washington, D.C., headquarters and staffed the
office with college students. He selected Denis Hayes as coordinator of
activities.
Hayes organized massive coast-to-coast rallies. On April 20, 20 million
Americans – Republicans and Democrats, rich and poor, city dwellers
and farmers, young and old – congregated at parks and auditoriums to
demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment. The event brought
together groups with common environmental concerns such as
pollution, power plants, raw sewage, toxic dumps, pesticides and the
extinction of wildlife.
Notably, the first Earth Day led to the creation of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency and the passage of the Clean Air Act,
the Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act.
In 1995, Sen. Nelson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom –
the highest honor given to civilians in the United States – for his role as
the principal Earth Day founder.
Denis Hayes has continued to play an integral role in the Earth Day
movement. In 1990, Earth Day went global and brought environmental
issues to the world stage. As the millennium approached, Hayes agreed
to spearhead another campaign, this time focused on global warming
and a push for clean energy. By Earth Day 2000, 5,000 environmental
groups around the world were on board, reaching out to hundreds of
millions of people in a record 184 countries.
Oldcastle Initiatives
Oldcastle acknowledges the challenges that climate change
presents to humanity and to our businesses and we are
committed to doing our part in developing pragmatic
solutions. Oldcastle operates in a sustainable manner
through steps that involve ongoing systematic plant
upgrades, increasing energy efficiency, reducing waste,
optimizing water usage and recycling secondary materials
and fuels. Each Oldcastle Product Group is developing
products and processes that will help us to succeed as
environmental stewards well into the future. Read on to
learn what Oldcastle product groups are doing to comply
with all applicable environmental legislation, improve
environmental stewardship toward industry best practices,
promote environmentally driven product and process
innovation, and demonstrate good neighbor policies in the
many communities in which we operate.
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Oldcastle Architectural Products® (APG)
LEED Certification
As North America’s largest manufacturer of
concrete masonry products, APG has taken a
leadership role in the development of innovative
and environmentally friendly masonry solutions.
As a responsible member of the U.S. Green
Building Council (USGBC) APG is proud to
provide products that support green building
efforts. Extensive offerings of masonry products
enable architects and building owners to work toward obtaining
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification.
Environmentally Friendly Asphalt Patch
APG’s Bonsal American Group has
partnered with Oldcastle Materials to
produce Sakrete® U.S. Cold Patch, an
environmentally friendly, low VOC asphalt
patch that features more than 50 percent
recycled content and leaves no oily
residue. The product is currently
produced in two states and shipped to
Bonsal American plants for bagging and
distribution to The Home Depot and
other independent retail outlets.
Sakrete® U.S. Cold Patch has earned The
Home Depot Eco Options classification,
indicating that it has met certain environmental performance criteria,
which allows consumers to identify products that have less of an impact
on the environment.
Oldcastle Green Block
Northfield-Bend’s “Oldcastle
Green Block” is a registered and
recognized new green product
for construction projects.
Northfield-Bend has been
developing Oldcastle Green
Block since early 2009. The fourinch concrete masonry unit
contains 20 percent post-consumer recycled glass aggregate by weight –
the equivalent of eight glass bottles.
Saving Water in the Arizona Desert
In the desert of southern Arizona, saving water is a priority. Concrete
Designs Inc. (CDI, pictured below) invited representatives of Tucson’s
Water Department to audit the plant’s water use and conservation.
CDI achieved a water savings
of more than 30 percent,
which earned it a WaterSmart
Business Platinum rating – the
highest rating possible.
CDI designed a custom water
capture system that reclaims
production waste water and
channels it to a central area
where it can be purified and
Oldcastle and the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day
reused. This allows for more efficient usage of Arizona’s limited water
and maintains environmental integrity, virtually eliminating wastewater
disposal. Additionally, the recycling facilities are regularly checked and
monitored to ensure maximum efficiency and proper functioning.
Oldcastle Distribution® (Allied Building Products)
Forest Stewardship Council Chain-of-Custody Certification
In 2008, Allied Building Products was awarded the nationally-recognized
Forest Stewardship Council’s Chain-of-Custody certification.
As a nonprofit organization, the Forest Stewardship Council is devoted
to encouraging the responsible management of the world’s forests and
sets high standards to ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally
responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable way. As a
certified member and Chain-of-Custody distributor, Allied Building
Products grants its customers the option to identify and choose Forest
Stewardship Council’s certified products, knowing there is a system in
place to verify the sources of the wood used to manufacture the
products and provide a link between responsible production and
consumption.
Allied Building Products’ residential and commercial sales teams are
now able to bid on projects that are seeking LEED designation – the
nationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and
operation of high-performance green buildings.
Allied has supplied materials for several large-profile construction
projects, including the West Hawaii Civic Centre, the Colorado State
University – Pueblo Academic Resource Building, the Renaissance
School and British Consulate office in Boston, Mass., and the Sweet Bay
Food Market in Tarpon Springs, Fla.
Innovative Solar Photovoltaic Rooftop System in Atlanta
Allied delivered a 22-kilowatt solar photovoltaic (PV) Solyndra system
to the Advantage Laser Products, Inc. (ALP) facility in Atlanta, Ga.
Allied’s solar energy division distributes solar panels, inverters and
other solar products from a variety of leading manufacturers.
The system incorporated
Solyndra solar panels, a unique
cylindrical solar technology that
incorporates reflected light
from “cool” white roof systems.
These panels optimize
performance by converting
more of the sunlight hitting a
commercial rooftop into
electricity. Solyndra and Allied
recently announced that the
group is Solyndra’s first distributor in North America.
Corporate Green IT Team
In 2008, the IT department kicked off an “IT Green Team” with the
primary responsibility of cutting unnecessary costs, while creating a
company-wide positive mindset. These initiatives fall primarily into
three categories: waste and recycling, energy efficiency and awareness.
In the past two years, more than 45,000 pounds of electronics have
been recycled. Inefficient monitors, as well as personal printers, have
been removed, while multi-functional devices for copying, scanning and
printing are now used company wide. Waste was not limited to
electronics and automation; more than 40,000 pounds of paper was
recycled in the last year at a Fargo, N.D., location alone. Outdated
business reports were disabled, reducing an average of 200 pages of
reports per week in many locations. Styrofoam cups have been banned.
Hundreds of fax machines are being removed by switching to a
universal fax server, reducing not only paper waste, but also cutting
expensive telecommunication costs.
Energy waste is a global issue and one that affects every business.
Simple tasks can help reduce energy consumption, including turning off
unnecessary lights, using energy-saving bulbs, reducing outdoor air flow,
installing energy-saving equipment, reducing the number of servers, and
using power-saving options on printers and copiers helps to reduce
energy consumption.
Environmentally Friendly Rooftop
Make the most of the roof ... that was the idea for the rooftop of the
new Arizona Beverage Company corporate headquarters in Woodbury,
N.Y. Allied Building Products provided materials for an environmentally
friendly “green roof” garden designed to reduce water runoff and assist
in cooling the building. The roof includes layers of Carlisle Fleeceback
membranes, Carlisle green grid trays for plantings, and Perma-pave
pavers to capture and filter rain water to reuse for the roof garden
system.
Promoting Green Sustainable Building
Allied’s Mountain Region “Team Green”
hosted Green Building Expos at six branches
with the goal of bringing together
manufacturers and general contractors,
builders, energy audit companies, roofers
and homeowners to promote and educate
them on the newest and best green, energy
efficient and Energy Star rated products
available.
Oldcastle Glass®
Overarching Environmental Policy
As the leading supplier of architectural glass and aluminum glazing
systems – such as custom-engineered curtain wall and window wall,
architectural windows, storefront systems, doors and skylights – our
policy is to be environmentally friendly to the communities where we
manufacture our products as well as the areas in which they are
installed and maintained. The company makes every effort to be 100
percent compliant with all local, state and federal environmental
requirements, with a staff specialist devoted to compliance. Hazardous
materials training is conducted to minimize risk to all employees and
environmental damage.
Energy Efficiency
Oldcastle Glass® has an active Waste Minimization Plan and is
continually improving its operations to reduce waste and maximize
energy efficiency. Ovens are insulated to the highest possible degree,
and seal tanks in anodizing are covered for heat retention and energy
conservation. Premium efficiency motors power equipment such as
compressors, pumps and chillers. Most plant areas use skylights for
natural lighting and reduce the need for electrical lighting. All new and
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Oldcastle and the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day
replacement lighting uses electronic ballasts and high-efficiency lamps,
and occupancy sensors for lighting are used in all new and remodeled
offices. New and replacement HVAC systems employ energy-efficient
designs.
Providing Glass Products for LEED Projects
Oldcastle Glass® provides glass for some of the first projects to qualify
for LEED certification. Genzyme Headquarters (pictured below) was
the first LEED office building and received a Platinum certification.
Oldcastle Glass® provided materials for the entrance, including
laminated and insulating glass.
Oldcastle Materials®
Warm-mix Asphalt
Asphalt mixtures are critical infrastructure
building materials. They consist of a blend of
approximately 95 percent stone and sand,
which is heated, dried and bound together by
bituminous binder (asphalt). These mixtures
are used to pave highways, airfields, parking
lots, driveways and more. As concern for our
environment grows, sustainable materials such
as asphalt and new production technologies
are becoming even more important to the
environment and the economy.
A new technology has been developed to lower the production and
placement temperatures of hot-mix asphalt. Referred to as warm-mix
asphalt (WMA), it uses an array of materials and methods to
dramatically reduce the temperatures at which pavement materials are
produced. A number of important factors are driving the development and
implementation of WMA. In particular, WMA facilitates “Green
Construction,” as it results in the reduction of energy consumption as well
as plant emissions, and increases the use of reclaimed asphalt pavement.
Recycling in the Manufacturing Process
A percentage of the billet used to produce extrusions has an 80 percent
pre-consumer recycled material content. All aluminum components are
reusable by reprocessing into secondary aluminum for extrusion or
casting purposes. Any PVC components and acrylic skylight domes can
be processed and reused in other PVC extrusions or cast into acrylic
sheet, respectively. Gasket materials have a secondary life in road or
athletic surfaces. Glass products have the potential to be used in paving
materials, road deflectors and reflective paints. Non-tempered glass has
the potential to be refabricated for use as a sheet product.
Water use is minimized by circulating to regressive rinse tanks and all
water is ultimately cleaned and pH corrected with solids removed by a
filtration process.
A byproduct of the anodizing process is aluminum trihydrate, which is
provided to producers of industrial alum and is eventually used in water
treatment plants. Paint solvents are reclaimed and internal paint mixing
capabilities allow excess color formulations to be reformulated.
Chrome is captured and delivered to an outside agency for proper
handling. Aluminum scrap, including saw chips, is captured and sold to
recycling companies. Acrylic wastes are either reformed into acceptable
domes or sold for recycling. Wooden pallets are either reused or
recycled. Cardboard, steel banding, polycarbonate and fiberglass, as well
as miscellaneous metals, such as steel and copper, are recycled. Other
recycled items include beverage cans, printer cartridges and fluorescent
bulbs.
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Improving Biodiversity through Wildlife Habitat Sites
In 2004, Oldcastle Materials established a partnership with Wildlife
Habitat Council (WHC), a conservation organization that helps
corporations and other groups to
establish wildlife habitat sites on
their lands to preserve and enhance
biodiversity. This corporate initiative
directs Oldcastle companies to
designate sites that would be
suitable for biodiversity with the
goal of achieving certification.
As a role model and leader in
biodiversity, Oldcastle Materials
helps to improve the reputation of
our industry and corporation, and
provides concrete examples of our
commitment to sustainability through this partnership.
Habitat projects vary in nature and scope, and are cooperative efforts
between management, employees, community members and local
conservation groups, along with local, state, and federal agencies.
Certification validates wildlife habitat projects to employees and the
community at large.
Oldcastle Materials has eight certified wildlife habitat sites in the states
of Arkansas, New York, Ohio, Connecticut and Missouri, and is
working toward certification at sites in New Jersey, Georgia, Colorado,
Florida and Vermont.
Restoration Projects
Homestake Reservation is located in Colorado near the Continental
Divide and the headwaters of the 77-mile-long Eagle River. The 235
acres in and around the former Eagle County mining towns were
declared an EPA Superfund site in 1986 due to heavy metal loading to the
river. But environmental stewardship has changed the river, which is now
Oldcastle and the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day
enjoyed by outdoor enthusiasts.
After 45 years of mining rock from
the Eagle River floodplain, B&B
Excavating, an Oldcastle Materials
company, had an opportunity to
restore the Eagle floodplain. They
were awarded a contract in
September 2008 and, in spite of
commercial and residential
development in the area, the natural
beauty of the land has been
preserved throughout the valley.
The restoration project used a coordinated program of bank stabilization, stream
channel improvements, riparian vegetation establishment and improved land use
management to improve the habitat. The project offers significant public benefits by
enhancing recreational river access such as overlooks, fly-fishing, boating and hiking, and
has been nominated for several environmental awards.
Porous Pavement
In keeping with its commitment to stay on the cutting edge of technological advances in
the paving industry, Oldcastle Materials is installing porous pavement, which allows rain to
move through the asphalt and into a rock layer placed below the pavement. From there,
the stormwater infiltrates slowly into the soil below, thereby replenishing groundwater
and preventing pollutants from reaching navigable waters. Porous pavement is the latest
in green construction and is a signification step toward coveted LEED certification.
Oldcastle Precast®
Green Solutions for Wastewater Treatment
Oldcastle Precast provides Green Solutions for decentralized and on-site wastewater
treatment applications, whether package-plant style with tertiary treatment or for use
with subsurface discharge. Typical clients consist of commercial, educational,
institutional, and industrial facilities, as well as cluster-housing and subdivisions.
Algaewheel® technology provides a diverse ecological environment for effective
wastewater treatment using the relationship between algae and bacteria. Primary
treatment in the Oldcastle systems is performed by algae, a green plant grown through
photosynthesis, in a symbiotic relationship with bacteria, yielding a very sustainable
design. Algae uses solar energy, produces oxygen and consumes CO2.
WAYS TO HELP THE PLANET ON
EARTH DAY … AND EVERY DAY
SHOP WITH REUSABLE BAGS
MAINTAIN YOUR VEHICLE
USE RECHARGEABLE BATTERIES
TURN OFF LIGHTS
CHANGE YOUR LIGHTS TO COMPACT
FLUORESCENT
PLANT A TREE
RETHINK BOTTLED WATER
DO NOT PRE HEAT THE OVEN
RECYCLE ALUMINUM AND GLASS
HANG DRY YOUR CLOTHES
GO VEGETARIAN ONCE A WEEK
WASH IN COLD OR WARM
USE LESS PAPER NAPKINS
USE BOTH SIDES OF PAPER
RECYCLE NEWSPAPER
BUY LOCAL PRODUCTS
INVEST IN YOUR OWN COFFEE CUP
TURN OFF COMPUTER AT NIGHT
Decentralized wastewater systems are used in locations where connecting to a sanitary
sewer is not possible due to cost, availability or where the municipal system is near
capacity. Decentralized systems provide very effective and sustainable wastewater
treatment near the source.
BRUSH WITHOUT RUNNING WATER
Oldcastle Precast Wastewater Systems benefits include: low energy usage, reduced
greenhouse gas emissions, low maintenance for simple technology and advanced
ecological treatment using environmentally sensitive methods.
DON'T RINSE DISHES BEFORE USING
YOUR DISHWASHER
Conclusion
Individuals and corporations must work together for a sustainable environment. We all
have a role to play in protecting the environment, whether it is by recycling, creating
wildlife habitat sites, conserving resources, composting and reducing waste, or buying
environmentally friendly products. There are numerous ways to channel your efforts into
building a clean, healthy, diverse world at home and at work for generations to come.
Please consider incorporating some of the tips listed on the right into your daily lives.
Author’s note – The background information about Earth Day was gathered through the Internet. There
was some conflicting information with regard to the two Earth Day founders and the preferred date of
celebration. The author in no way recommends one date or one founder over another.
USE YOUR CRUISE CONTROL
RECYCLE OLD CELL PHONES
WRAP CREATIVELY
CUT DOWN ON JUNK MAIL
TAKE SHORTER SHOWERS
ADJUST THE THERMOSTAT
RECYCLE WIRE HANGERS
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