Going Green

No wind turbines whir above its buildings, but UW Credit Union, Madison, Wis., is operating on “green power” by purchasing renewable energy credits that support Midwest wind energy production. 

The $2 billion, 203,000-member credit union was the first Wisconsin financial institution on the Environmental Protection Agency’s list of 100 percent Green Power Users.

Supporting renewable energy by purchasing RECs is among several strategies the CU has implemented to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 95.3 percent, says Facilities Manager Cheryl Weisensel.

Other initiatives include:

• installing waterless urinals in its restrooms which, according to its annual report, has contributed to an overall 8.9 percent reduction in water use;
• participating in the Madison B-cycle network—which makes bikes available throughout the city as an alternative to using motor vehicles—by positioning a bike share station outside one of its branches;
• committing to green purchasing, such as paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (www.FSCUS.org);
• replacing office and security lighting with LED bulbs;
• selling 100 LED bulb on Earth Day at reduced costs to employees;
• membership in Sustain Dane, a local organization that supports environmental resources and public education.

“We also recently did a trash audit of our dumpster,” Weisensel says. “We separated and weighed the materials to see how much was trash, what could be recycled, and what, if any, could be composted.” This led the credit union to install a composting process for employees within its corporate headquarters.

Some of these environmentally conscious initiatives come with a price tag: FSC-certified paper is a bit more expensive than other types, and the wind power RECs add about 2.5 percent to overall power costs, she acknowledges. Still, “it’s in everyone’s best interests to support renewable energy”—for the organization and as a model in its community, Weisensel says.

Karen Bankston is a long-time contributor to Credit Union Management and writes about credit unions, membership growth, marketing, operations and technology. She is the proprietor of Precision Prose, Middleton, Wis.