Earth Week Update

Earth Week is a great time to take stock of what we have changed or improved in the past year for the health of our planet. At Concept2, we try to keep this goal in mind all year long, so there has been a steady stream of updates to our facility. Here are a few of them:

• We have installed six Electric Vehicle charging stations in our parking areas. This number is serving the current number of employee-owned EVs, but we expect to need more soon. Employees can charge at no cost.
• We have a new water cooler that can also provide seltzer water, further reducing the need to purchase beverages in plastic bottles.
• We continue to compost food scraps and paper towels. Our compost bins are picked up weekly by a local compost farm.
• We’ve gradually switched more and more of our lighting to motion-sensors.
• We are currently working on plans for a third solar installation for the front building this year. This will bring us close to 100% of our electrical needs.

Interestingly, our response to COVID-19 has included a number of additional earth-friendly changes:

• More, in fact nearly all, of our staff are working from home now. It’s likely many of us will come back to the office at least part-time, after the Stay Home order is lifted. Now that we are all set up for it, however, working remotely will be an even more realistic option. In the meantime, we are collectively reducing our carbon footprint by not driving.
• For reasons of hygiene, we are installing sinks that use either a foot pedal or a motion sensor to turn on the faucet. These technologies also tend to save water, because the faucets run only when you need the water.
• Even more motion-sensing light switches are in place around the office.

And always: We build our products to last a long time. The construction and components of our ergs are durable, and the resale value is strong. We do not want our ergs to end up in a landfill!

Likewise, our oars are also designed to last—unless of course you collide with a bridge. Be careful out there!