Montgomery Watson is an international environmental engineering firm founded more than 150 years ago. The Anchorage office, founded in 1978, consults for government, industrial, and private clients throughout Alaska on projects in municipal water supply, wastewater treatment, and industrial and hazardous waste management.
To ensure success in its Green Star program, Montgomery Watson has implemented several education, outreach, and incentive initiatives to share information. The Alaska Materials Exchange catalog is circulated regularly and it is used as a resource to procure items such as 5-gallon buckets and wood pallets when needed. While going through the process of achieving its Green Star Award, the company provided free lunch to anyone who attended the Green Star meetings, an open forum to discuss ideas and make things happen. In addition, when the company first joined Green Star, it sent a letter with its annual reports outlining the Green Star program and Montgomery Watson’s commitment to its environmental goals.
The company has implemented a comprehensive reuse and recycling program.
- Metal flatware was purchased by the company for use in the office.
- Cardboard boxes are used as recycling containers and are offered to employees for use at home.
- Packing peanuts are reused from office and employees’ home packaging needs.
- Plastic grocery bags are used for litter collection.
- Coffee mugs are used for staff and guests, and custodial staff wash them.
- Kitchen towels are used in the break room and washed periodically by staff at home.
- Rechargeable batteries are purchased for appliances using AA, C, and D batteries.
- Unwanted office furniture is donated to the Salvation Army.
- Unwanted computers were at one time donated to the Martin Luther King Career Center, but now computers are leased and returned to the leasing company in exchange for new ones periodically.
- Outdated letterhead generated during a company name change and a location change was donated to area schools.
- Computer diskettes have been donated to the Anchorage School district data processing department.
- Binders are donated to area schools.
- Field equipment is donated to local schools for their science programs. Often a staff person will visit the school to provide training as well.
- Field operations staff developed a reusable carbon filter body for distilled water filters to reduce waste.
Montgomery Watson also recycles all the common recyclable materials that are collected at the recycling center, including office and mixed paper, newspapers, magazines, aluminum, glass, and cardboard, as well as several specialized items, such as toner and printer cartridges, and compressed gas cylinders. The Green Team places and labels bins, and transports materials to the recycling center.
Montgomery Watson http://www.mwhglobal.com
