Alcoans in California Discover How to Make an Impact

Do you wash your clothes in cold water? Turn off the lights when you’re not using them? Take 5-minute showers? Alcoans at two Alcoa Fastening Systems (AFS) facilities – Fullerton and Torrance Operations – learned that by answering yes to those questions they can reduce their home energy use and save money in the process.

During Green Works, Alcoa Foundation partnered with the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) to launch Make an Impact, an interactive environmental education program designed to help individuals save energy and save money, at these Southern California facilities.

In Fullerton, more than 700 employees were introduced to the Make an Impact website, which is home to tips on how to reduce energy use and a best-in-class carbon calculator, a tool used to analyze one’s personal carbon footprint. In addition to Make an Impact, Fullerton employees are offsetting their carbon footprint by planting trees around the plant. “The Make an Impact Program definitely made an impact on AFS Fullerton employees. We have employees bringing ideas to Human Resources on a daily basis. We had approximately 710 employees attend the presentation,” said Darlene Bush, Human Resources Manager at Alcoa Fullerton.

AFS Torrance Operations had more than 750 employees attend the workshops and learn how to calculate potential cost savings on energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint. Make an Impact added to the facility’s extensive list of environmental achievements. Over the past year, AFS Torrance Operations has reduced total landfill waste by 53.5 metric tons, implemented a recycling program for Pig Mats (Oil Absorbent Mats) and conserved 59,000 gallons of water.

“Make an Impact is about engaging employees and raising awareness about small, yet meaningful actions we can all take that, when added together, have a significant impact on the environment,” said Tricia Napor, Principal Manager, Alcoa Foundation. “So far, more than 11,000 Alcoa employees have completed the calculator and committed to actions that together would save 440 million pounds of CO2 – this is the equivalent of the carbon sequestered from planting 5 million trees and an average cost savings of $1,300 per employee.”

What can you do to Make an Impact?

• Reduce your carbon footprint and save money by completing the Make an Impact carbon calculator.
• Submit your story and photo to In 3 Words and tell us how you make an impact every day.
• Share local resources with your colleagues and community.