The mission of this effort is to identify ways that the company and its employees impact the environment and to focus on various steps that can be taken to mitigate this impact. Research of the issues and discussions between colleagues and like-minded professionals has resulted in a list of "to-do's." Happily, a survey of the different UA locations reveals that already many of the right steps have been taken. Houston, for example, has been using 10% post-consumer paper in all its printers, and Pensacola has outlawed Styrofoam cups. Almost every location has something positive to report. This initial survey will serve as a benchmark against which future progress can be charted.

Again, happily, many of the first steps are low key and significantly cost neutral. They center on how we use paper and our printers and how we can increase the amount of waste that is recycled. Unexpected support has come from property managers in Lake Mary and Rye Brook with respect to recycling and we hope to strengthen and expand these relationships going forward, as well as cultivate similar support in other locations. We have found that such ready cooperation requires little more than asking nicely or expressing interest.

A parallel mission is to educate and inspire employees to a heightened awareness of their individual ability to support a cleaner environment and to take pride in their company and themselves for doing so. To these ends, a "small steps count; it all adds up" campaign has been undertaken using the intranet as a resource where we are creating a "green corner." Soon after this launch, employees will be asked to complete a short online survey that will give us another benchmark with which to measure progress over time.

It's a start … and it is the right thing to do.