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Corporate Social Responsibility
News
8.27.2007 - 02:00pm ET
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Cogeneration at SC Johnson Prevents Greenhouse Gas Emissions Equivalent to Driving Around the Earth 7,630 Times
Green Energy a Driving Force Behind Company’s GHG Reductions
(CSRwire) RACINE, WI - August 27, 2007 - Reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is
essential to conserving the planet's critical resources. That's why SC
Johnson is committed to finding innovations like powering the company's
largest global manufacturing plant with cogeneration turbines that run on
natural gas and waste methane from a public landfill. The turbines are
making a big impact: they've already prevented GHG emissions equivalent to
that produced by a car driving 7,630 times around the Earth*.
In addition to preventing GHG emissions, SC Johnson's cogeneration power
system has significantly reduced the company's usage of heavily-coal
dependent electricity. The twin cogeneration turbines produce 6.4
megawatts of electrical power and meet the average daily base-load
electrical demand for the company's largest global manufacturing plant -
called Waxdale - which is located in Racine, Wis. Consumers who purchase
well-known products like Windex® glass cleaner and Scrubbing
Bubbles® bathroom cleaner can feel good knowing that these and other SC
Johnson products are made with green energy.
"SC Johnson is one of only about 60 companies in the United States that
has developed an energy recovery system that utilizes otherwise wasted
landfill methane," said Scott Johnson, SC Johnson Vice President of Global
Environmental and Safety Action. "We continually look at alternative
energy sources - everything from wind to biofuel - to power our
manufacturing facilities and reduce our carbon footprint. We are
committed to finding innovative solutions that will enable us to protect
the planet for future generations."
In 2003, SC Johnson was the first consumer packaged goods manufacturing
company to undertake a green energy, cogeneration project using methane
from a public landfill to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The
company added a second turbine in 2005, which is powered primarily by
natural gas. The twin turbines reduce SC Johnson's annual GHG emissions
by 52,000 tons per year.
Since 2000, SC Johnson has reduced its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from
the company's top factories by 42 percent. By 2011, SC Johnson aims to
achieve the following advances:
reduce GHG emissions from worldwide factories by 12 percent on an
absolute basis versus its 2000 baseline
reduce GHG emissions from its U.S. operations by 8 percent on an
absolute basis versus its 2005 baseline
reduce solid waste, air and water emissions by 50 percent versus its
2000 baseline for all worldwide factories
source 40 percent of its global electricity from green energy for all
worldwide factories
In May of 2007, the Center for Resource Solutions recognized SC Johnson
for using Green-e certified energy at Waxdale. The Green-e program is the
leading renewable energy certification and verification program in the
United States. Providers of Green-e certified renewable energy agree to
abide by the Green-e Code of Conduct, and meet strict Green-e disclosure
and truth-in-advertising requirements. All Green-e marketers undergo an
annual verification audit to document that the company purchased or
generated the quantity and type of renewable energy to meet customer
demand and marketing claims.
Environmental commitment is nothing new for SC Johnson. For 121 years,
the company has held steadfast to its environmental commitment and spirit
of innovation. From being one of the first consumer products
manufacturers to join the EPA's Climate Leaders program in 2002 to its
leadership as the first company to remove chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) from
all aerosol products - three years ahead of the 1978 U.S. mandate, SC
Johnson continues to look for innovative ways to safeguard our shared
environment. In 2001, SC Johnson devised the Greenlist&trade process, a
patented raw material rating system, to transform the way the company
measures, tracks and advances its products to further the company's
longstanding commitment to environmentally responsible products. Through
the Greenlist&trade process, SC Johnson continues to lead the way with
responsible raw material choices.
People interested in learning more about SC Johnson's legacy of
environmental stewardship can visit the company's new environment section
of its corporate Web site at www.scjohnson.com The site highlights
SC Johnson's key initiatives, provides in-depth discussions of topics with
worldwide environmental impact, offers videos and interactive games and
identifies ways consumers can lighten their environmental footprint and
strengthen their own communities. Also, available for download on the
site is SC Johnson's 2007 Public Report.
SC Johnson's Public Report captures insights on sustainable development
through third-party Q&As on topics from the environment to social
progress. For example, Janet Ranganathan, from the World Resources
Institute shares her insights on the importance of addressing climate
change. The report also provides information on SC Johnson's sustainable
development initiatives, including reaching more than 600,000 people in
South Africa with malaria education, giving more than $160 million
globally in philanthropic contributions toward efforts that improve
quality of life, and being named among the Top 10 of FORTUNE magazine's
100 Best Companies to Work for in America for the third year in a row.
SC Johnson is a family-owned and managed business dedicated to innovative,
high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term
commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates.
Based in the USA, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers
of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care,
personal care and insect control. It markets such well-known brands as
EDGE®, GLADE®, OFF!®, PLEDGE®, RAID®, SCRUBBING
BUBBLES®, SHOUT®, WINDEX® and ZIPLOC® in the U.S. and beyond,
with brands marketed outside the U.S. including AUTAN®, BAYGON®,
BRISE®, ECHO®, KABIKILLER®, KLEAR®, and MR. MUSCLE®. The
121-year old company, with over $7.5 billion in sales, employs
approximately 12,000 people globally and sells products in more than 110
countries.
* Calculation based on information supplied by the US Environmental
Protection Agency, Office of Transportation and Air Quality, "Emission
Facts: Greenhouse Gas Emissions for Typical Passenger Vehicle," February
2005.
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