Commitment to Sustainable Business Practices and Environmental Stewardship
A healthy environment is more than just a term for Thompson Machine the Tool &Die Group Inc. We recognize it as the foundation of well being for our community and our business and seek to operate in an environmentally sustainable and ecologically conscientious way. We are committed to reducing our environmental footprint and promoting clean energy in our daily manufacturing and business processes. Energy usage is a primary necessity of our industry and is also a significant contributor to environmental degradation. We decided to tackle this central issue and began powering our business through solar power in 2010, and were able to meet 40% of our energy needs. We completed this investment in 2019. We now generate more than 100% of our electrical energy needs through solar power, reducing our carbon footprint significantly. We contribute our excess generation to the grid via our public utility, helping to provide clean energy to the greater community as well. To further reduce our carbon footprint, we transitioned to a four-day work week. The four-day work week not only reduces carbon emissions and commuting costs for employees, it is also an investment in the human capital aspect of our company. The shortened work week provides the employees with an extended weekend, strengthening their wellbeing through more leisure and family time.
Water is one of our most sacred resources, especially here in New Mexico. Industrial manufacturing chemicals can be extremely harmful to the environment and are a central polluting source for our rivers and streams. Thompson Machine voluntarily invested in a water purification system in 2008. We filter our waste water liquids associated with the manufacturing process prior to disposal. This water when returned to the sewer system is chemical free. To further reduce our impact, we removed the grass lawns surrounding the business and invested in xeriscape landscaping, cutting our water usage substantially.
Our commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship can also be found in our dedication to learning about, finding and incorporating sustainable, non-toxic products into our manufacturing processes. Recycling, reduction of waste and the use of environmentally-friendly lubricants are part of our daily manufacturing practices.
Environmental stewardship and use of sustainable products is and will continue to be a priority in the manufacturing processes and methods conducted at Thompson Machine the Tool and Die Group Inc.