Creating a Sustainable Future in South Western Kentucky

10/02/2023

Sustainability is commonly defined as meeting society’s present needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It is the way we live our lives and how we ensure that there are enough resources left for future generations. Practicing sustainability is living responsibly, as it can substantially reduce what we spend, and even be profitable in some cases. It teaches accountability, promotes community values and gives people a way to plug in and preserve where they live. In South Western Kentucky, we are on a path to a sustainable future. While our local officials can do things to move in the right direction, they cannot do it alone. Individuals and groups can support sustainability in our community as well as our local businesses.

Many companies in the SWK value sustainability, such as TGASK. TGASK values prevention of pollution, minimizing environmental impacts from their activities, and achieving carbon neutrality. One of their goals is to become carbon neutral by 2030 by:

• Replacing all LP forklifts with full electric lifts
• Installing programmable controls on all HVAC systems (which are currently manual) throughout the plant (15+ units)
• Installing Industrial return air ducts on all 6 units throughout the plant
• Updating the HVAC units to more environmentally friendly styles that are more efficient
• Installing water cooled chillers on the extrusion lines, to help reduce energy consumption
• Dampen the duct work on the compressor units to redirect the heat during the winter months to help reduce natural gas consumption

A few things TGASK are doing for their community’s sustainability is teaming up with Asics shoes to recycle scrap airbag material to make new tennis shoes, reducing waste and water consumption and using renewables. Since starting their recycling program less than 2 years ago, they have reduced their monthly landfill from over 26 tons to less than 12 tons a month. They hope to be less than 6 tons by 2030.

Huhtamaki in Hopkinsville has very serious values about environmental sustainability. “For us, sustainability means considering our impact – both positive and negative – throughout the entire value chain, in terms of the environment, social responsibility as well as business ethics and governance and pro-actively working on becoming a leader in all three sustainability pillars by minimizing the negative impacts of our operations and products on the environment while maximizing the positive impacts on our stakeholders, consumers, and society.” Locally they have focused on reducing their landfill usage for the last year and a half by increasing their recycling efforts.

To encourage our community, the SWK Economic Development Council created the Go Green Business/Industry Recognition Program. This program looks at industries and their efforts and best practices of sustainability. In 2021 our Sustainability Award recipients were:

• Riken Elastomers
• Commonwealth Agri-Energy
• Douglas Autotech
• Huhtamaki

TGASK and Huhtamaki are two of many of South Western Kentucky’s Businesses that are that are leading by example, integrating sustainability into their core values and operations. They are demonstrating that environmental responsibility can go hand in hand with economic success.

As we look ahead, sustainability is not merely an option but a necessity for the continued prosperity of South Western Kentucky. By working together, embracing innovative practices, and prioritizing environmental responsibility, we can ensure that our region remains a beacon of sustainability for generations to come.