Tag: 3BL

We are proud to announce that the KOHLER Loope toilet was named in Fast Company’s 2024 World Changing Ideas Awards, as a finalist in the Developing World Technology category and honorable mention in the Water category.

The container-based, waterless toilet provides an accessible and affordable option for the more than 1.5 billion people worldwide who are living without safe toileting, particularly those in urban and water-depleted areas. Developed by our team of Innovation For Good engineers and designers, Loope can be easily integrated to meet the needs of people living in informal settlements where proper infrastructure is lacking. The cost-effective and thoughtful design operates without sewage systems or electricity to provide a comfortable, dignified, and gracious experience.

This recognition embodies our Safe Water For All commitment and is a testament to the bold innovators working to bring safe sanitation to all people in all communities.

Learn more about our world-changing idea: https://www.kohlercompany.com/social-impact/innovation-for-good/ifg-products/kohler-loope/

In 2023, three Manufacturing Suppliers at four facilities in the locations of Malaysia and Taiwan offered migrant workers an anonymous survey to gain insight into the workers’ recruitment experience. The surveys were voluntary and available in the workers’ native languages.

The survey responses validated information about the workforce that each site had self-reported. Most of the migrant workers employed at these facilities are women from the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia. The surveys also provided new insights, including that number of labor agents that workers use and their level of satisfaction with those agents: The vast majority reported using one agency, and workers overwhelmingly said they “would recommend the recruitment agent used to a friend.”

Other questions were designed to provide insight into the recruitment practices of the agents and facilities compared to requirements in the RBA Code of Conduct. For example, nearly all workers reported receiving a copy of their employment contract in their native language, attending a pre-departure orientation, and having access to personal documents at any time.

In all cases, the facilities provided training to migrant workers in their native languages on their rights. The aim was to reinforce that these workers should not be obliged to pay employment-related fees, as defined by the RBA Definition of Fees (2021), and should have access to personal documents, as well as highlighting how to communicate feedback or concerns to management.

At AMD, we continue to evaluate the best use cases for worker surveys, while also discussing with peers how collectively we can support our suppliers to have effective grievance mechanisms in place.

Read more at https://www.amd.com/en/corporate/corporate-responsibility/supply-chain-responsibility.html. 

Originally published in AMD 2023-24 Corporate Responsibility Report.

MELBOURNE, Australia, September 6, 2024 /3BL/ – A new survey by Black & Veatch, a global leader in critical infrastructure solutions, suggests that sustainable water management efforts are a priority for the mining sector in Australia.

In the survey, more than 80 percent of respondents indicated that sustainable water management is one of the leading sustainability priorities for their organisation.

Ensuring sustainable water use and supply, and eliminating water pollution, were identified as the most readily addressable sustainability issues.

“The outcomes of unmanaged water issues can result in significant delays to project approvals, impacts to operational productivity, flood damage to critical infrastructure, mining-related impacts to environmental and cultural values, and future closure liabilities,” said Mick Scrivens, vice president, director, Australia Pacific, Black & Veatch.

“Prioritising a stewardship approach using integrated and sustainable water solutions will return dividends for the environment, local communities, mining companies and the broader industry,” Scrivens added.

Yet, more than half of the respondents were unsure if their organisations had these types of sustainability commitments in place, and only 43 percent of respondents confirmed that their organisations had made commitments regarding the use of water.

This finding suggests there are opportunities for mining companies to improve the effectiveness of how their corporate-level water stewardship commitments are translated into well-understood, executable and impactful actions in the field.

Positive steps taken by regional and global mining companies over the years include replacing unsustainable groundwater supplies with desalination sources, improving focus on water recycling and initiatives to reduce operational water intensity, and improving tailings management practices.

“The drivers for water management in the mining industry have shifted over the last ten years, from meeting operational needs and towards solutions that deliver real outcomes in water stewardship and sustainable practice,” said Garrick Field, solutions director, Industrial Water and Mining, Black & Veatch.

An overwhelming 98 percent of respondents emphasised the importance of securing alignment and support from local and First Nations communities on project design and water stewardship initiatives, with half of those saying that such support is “extremely important”.

Black & Veatch provides lifecycle planning, design, construction, operation, and consulting expertise in water, wastewater, and stormwater management to help industrial clients, such as mining and metal processing operators, access the water they require at the right cost, the right quality, whenever and wherever it is needed.

Contact Black & Veatch for more information.

Editor’s Notes: 

The survey is based on the inputs of 63 senior industry executives from across the Asia Pacific region and readers of Australian Mining. Download the “Water for Mining in Australia” ebook here.

About Black & Veatch 
Black & Veatch is a 100-percent employee-owned global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people around the world by addressing the resilience and reliability of our most important infrastructure assets. Follow us on www.bv.com and on LinkedIn, Facebook, X (Twitter) and Instagram.

Media Contact Information: 
EMILY CHIA | +65 6335 6623 P | Chialp@bv.com 
24-HOUR MEDIA EMAIL | Media@bv.com

PotlatchDeltic is dedicated to managing wildfires and helping reduce their severity, frequency, and impacts. In this discussion with Rich McMillan, now retired District Forester from PotlatchDeltic, we look at how we manage wildfire risk in Idaho. When fires occur on our Idaho timberlands, the checkerboard pattern of ownership, typical of the West, allows for unique approaches to firefighting coordination and response. We have implemented increased coordination and heightened measures to prevent fires, minimize damage from fires and protect our forests from loss. We have also engaged, along with other working forest owners, in improving federal wildfire suppression through increased coordination on fire response. This is the first podcast in our Impacts podcast series, which focuses on how we execute our mission through the lens of our four Corporate Responsibility pillars: Forest, Planet, People, and Performance.

While the controller position dates back to the Industrial Revolution, the role became critical in the 20th century as businesses began to grow significantly and accounting standards and regulatory requirements became more prominent.

Following a similar precedent, a position known as the “ESG controller” is taking off – with a responsibility to mature corporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) reporting procedures. As waves of non-financial reporting regulations surge, many companies see value in applying an accounting mindset to data streams that may lack robust oversight and are at risk of regulatory scrutiny.

While hiring ESG controllers remains an early trend, corporate leaders have many questions about this role: How does this differ from a sustainability lead? When is the right time to hire an ESG controller? Is this a long-term need or a short-term solution?

While it may be too early to answer these questions confidently, we can observe that this is a growing trend that companies of any size should prepare for, as with any emerging area of risk.

Why is an ESG controller so critical? 

To date, Fortune 500 companies have been the early adopters in hiring ESG controllers. This makes sense, as the regulatory complexity of these multinational groups necessitates a controller skillset to complement the existing sustainability, legal and accounting functions. However, we also see smaller companies that are beginning to requisition this role. Reporting risks for inaccurate sustainability disclosures exist across markets, and the responsibility to comply with sustainability reporting regulations is a key gap in many organizations – particularly for publicly traded companies.

The ESG controller position sits at the intersection of finance, legal and sustainability – three separate functions that must come together to help a business meet its sustainability regulatory requirements.

Faced with a key position whose role requires a bit of a juggling act, companies need a leader who understands all three functions and can partner efficiently across teams to elevate sustainability reporting within the organization and paves the way for a smooth journey to compliance.

More specifically, an ESG controller is responsible for developing the company’s reporting framework, guiding the flow of the reporting process and ensuring compliance with the same level of rigor that exists in any other reporting function within the company.

Clearly, that is not an easy task when you consider the size and complexity of major companies, the increasing investor demand and the growing regulatory requirements for sustainability in the United States and Europe. Additionally, ESG controllers must consider a staggering number of individual data sources that comprise an organization’s sustainability reporting, all while navigating evolving reporting frameworks and regulations.

In addition to these big-picture considerations, an ESG controller needs to understand a variety of local-level topics within the company, such as:

What is happening across the ESG landscape and how it affects the companyWhat data is being gathered and reportedWhere the data is being sourcedWho is reviewing the data and reportingWhat gaps or assumptions exist within that dataHow to articulate and educate company leaders on trends and changes, including the board of directorsHow to be adaptable to ongoing structural shifts in sustainability reportingHow to know when the company is prepared for an audit over its ESG reporting

Collaboration is critical, of course, as the ESG controller needs to be on the same page as the other organizational leaders to ensure a smooth overall process without unnecessary replication of any roles or responsibilities.

By working together, ESG controllers can help increase the accuracy, timeliness and quality of the data that the company uses to improve its operations and, ultimately, its results. Certainly better, more organized data leads to more beneficial metrics and creates a smoother road to financial, reputational and regulatory success.

Climate reporting is one such area where efficiency gains in controllership can yield several positive outcomes. Many companies collect annual greenhouse gas disclosures after year-end close without any ability to review and manage emissions data over time. An ESG controller can support the development of reporting systems to disclose data in a timely and more accurate manner, creating opportunities for sustainability teams to compare performance, analyze trends and manage emissions sources.

The challenges of today and tomorrow 

Many organizations question what the future will bring for sustainability reporting. For an indication of future state, look no further than the evolution of cybersecurity risk disclosure. Years ago, cybersecurity risks were not considered an area of strategic importance for many businesses. Now, cybersecurity is considered a top risk for most companies with strict reporting requirements for risk management and incident reporting. Climate and other sustainability disclosures are following a similar playbook, where companies need to upskill their internal capabilities and develop the right frameworks while regulations are still in flux. In this context, it seems only natural to have an ESG controller, as you would a chief information security officer (CISO) for information security governance.

That said, one of the biggest challenges in hiring an ESG controller is finding someone who satisfies both the accounting background and the sustainability experience. This is particularly difficult because sustainability expertise is still nascent, and the intersection of these skillsets is rare. Given the early days of this role and the lack of available candidates, engaging a CPA firm with sustainability expertise can be an effective way to provide this skillset.

At Baker Tilly, our ESG and sustainability professionals bridge this skillset divide and ensure companies have mature sustainability reporting that aligns with existing compliance procedures. This strategy allows organizations to avoid the time and expense associated with bringing in full-time employees – at least in the short term – while still accomplishing the critical yet complex tasks associated with an ESG controller.

Baker Tilly projects related to ESG controllership span several priority areas, including:

Reporting readiness for key regulationsAssurance readiness for key regulationsReporting services, including implementation of digital reporting toolsReview of risk management procedures and incorporation of sustainability-related risksReview of internal audit procedures and incorporation of sustainability-related auditsApplication of the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations (COSO) sustainability framework and other controls procedures

To further discuss how Baker Tilly can help your company evaluate its sustainability reporting strategy while navigating an evolving regulatory landscape, contact a specialist today or visit bakertilly.com.

Everyone needs water. But running a water utility is never easy, and many are now going through a period of change and adaptation. From aging infrastructure, to workforce development changes, to regulatory compliance, we’ll highlight some of the challenges water utilities are facing right now and how you can address them.

1. Aging Infrastructure

Much of our modern drinking water systems in the U.S. were conceived at the start of the 20th century, with our wastewater treatment systems following in the latter half. They are now aging and rapidly causing municipalities across the country to invest heavily in upgrades. 

According to the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)’s latest Infrastructure Report Card, the U.S. scored a C+ on drinking water infrastructure and a D+ on wastewater infrastructure. We are currently losing 6 billion gallons of treated water each day through our leaky distribution systems and approximately 81% of our wastewater treatment plants are already at design capacity, with 15% over it. 

While drinking water has improved from our last grade of D in 2017, the grade for wastewater remains the same. Both drinking and wastewater infrastructure have hovered around the D mark since the survey was first formally launched in 1998 (by then our systems were already considered to be aging) and have a long way to go until we reach a healthy and well functioning state. 

In addition to upgrading existing facilities and designing new ones, a successful asset management program can help prioritize maintenance and repairs to keep our infrastructure running better for longer.

2. Technology 

Emerging technology is having a big impact on how our water systems are going to look and function in the future. More modern facilities are implementing smarter metering programs and using AI in digital performance tracking to help anticipate problems before they occur in collaboration with remote expertise to navigate crises with confidence.

With all the technology entering the market, it can be challenging to filter out which products will improve efficiency and which are unsuitable or even a scam. It’s a good idea to verify technologies through pilot testing or simulations before committing to a full-scale installation.

The rate of cyber attacks has also risen over the past year with more than 70% of the systems inspected by EPA in violation of basic cybersecurity requirements, leading to an urgent need for better technological defenses and cyber safety protocols. Implementing information systems with enhanced security protocols can help to protect against external threats, but only by instituting a comprehensive staff training program can utilities ensure that their facilities are truly safe.

3. Workforce Development

Although technology has come a long way, we still need people to run our facilities. 85% of water utilities have less than 4 employees and a third of the current water sector workforce is expected to retire in the next decade. A shrinking workforce means that more tasks are falling behind: leaky pipes may take longer to repair, exhausted operators may make mistakes in treating water, personalized customer service may be replaced by a call robot. The EPA is worried that there won’t be enough individuals entering the water industry to replace them and that valuable water sector knowledge may be lost in the transition. Water companies can and should prioritize recruiting and training a workforce that can take over when the aging workforce retires.

4. Regulatory Compliance

The EPA sets the regulations, states enforce them and local municipalities are in charge of actually running the day-to-day. Moreover, states sometimes enforce additional regulations, leading to a confusing tangle that utilities have to navigate. 

Shifting regulations also result in the potential need for new or upgraded equipment and recalibrating operational procedures. For example, the federal PFAS regulations released in April 2024 have caused a lot of discussion, with utilities scrambling to reach compliance in the 5 year deadline.

If you’re not sure whether your facility is meeting regulations, a comprehensive audit may be useful for identifying which areas are out of compliance and where improvements can be made.

5. Contaminants of emerging concern

As time goes by more contaminants are added to the regulated list including:

Contaminants we did not have the technology to detect beforeNew contaminants being discovered and manufacturedSubstances previously thought harmless are now linked to adverse health effects

The EPA has lists of contaminants that it keeps an eye on and that it thinks are a good candidate for regulation. One group currently being monitored consists of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs). Other contaminants that the EPA is concerned about include perchlorate, surfactants, microorganisms, microplastics and endocrine disrupting chemicals.

Because this list is always changing, it helps to partner with a knowledgeable company that monitors these regulations and works with you to meet compliance, so you can focus on your day to day work.

6. Water source protection

Water quality isn’t the only issue that utilities are facing — water availability is also an increasingly critical challenge. 

Many regions face drought. Moreover, the overuse of aquifers has resulted in groundwater depletion and a lowering water table. Water may become more difficult (and expensive) to pump from wells and more vulnerable to saltwater intrusion. When freshwater is at a higher elevation than seawater, freshwater flows into the ocean; however, when that gradient is reversed, sea water begins to contaminate our freshwater aquifers. As such, recharge programs that return water and treated effluent to aquifers have become increasingly popular and water reuse programs are being considered more seriously in water scarce regions.

7. Climate change

Climate change has intensified weather events, many of which relate to water. Droughts affect water availability, empty or low reservoirs also result in increased contaminant levels. Wildfires release airborne particulates that contaminate nearby water sources. Storms can overtax combined sewer systems leading to the discharge of untreated effluent into waterways. Regions that have not historically experienced winter freezes may have exposed pipes that will burst in sub-zero temperatures. Flooding causes infrastructural damage that puts all of our water systems at risk. 

Moreover, design criteria for water systems traditionally relies on historical climate data projected into the future; our uncertainty about what climate will look like going forward makes this unreliable. Ultimately we need to build resilience into our systems to prevent them from breaking down in unpredictable climate events. 

8. Population dynamics 

Rural areas, with more miles of pipe between each customer, have always been hit harder by population fluctuations. The past few decades have seen migration into cities and urban areas, leaving some rural utilities with a declining user base that no longer covers the cost of operating their systems. On the other hand, in many urban areas despite increasing populations, utilities have been largely successful in implementing water conservation programs and water usage has remained relatively stable.

For smaller utilities with declining populations, consolidation with neighboring utilities can result in economies of scale and more financial resilience; purchased water contracts are also an option when maintaining a treatment plant is too costly. Decentralization is a more novel approach that would localize treatment to cut down on distribution costs and be more flexible to set up and take down in times of population fluctuations.

9. Financing

Municipal utilities face the brunt of the public pressure to keep the costs of essential services low. Water affordability metrics calculate how much the local community can be expected to pay, but the actual cost of water sourcing, treatment and distribution can be very different from what these metrics suggest. 

Increasingly stringent water quality regulations have resulted in upgrades to utilities’ treatment capabilities and aging infrastructure has resulted in escalating maintenance costs. The cost of providing drinking water has increased substantially over the past couple of decades; unfortunately average household income has not increased nearly as much. 

Municipalities may consider contracting out their utility to the private sector, through public-private-partnerships, which could bring private funding and efficiencies of scale to lower operating costs and relieve the burden on the utility.

10. Public trust

Not only do utilities need to evaluate their operations and invest in new or better treatment and distribution technologies, they should also make sure that the public is kept aware of all the steps they are taking to ensure water quality. Clear communication and respect for the public’s right to know what’s going on with their water is the only way to rebuild trust in our water systems. 

Despite all the challenges that utilities are currently facing, both industry and government alike are coming together to help develop new solutions, support utilities and create a modern, resilient water infrastructure system for the future!

Originally published on Aflac Newsroom

For 24 years, team members at 95.5 WSB in Atlanta, the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center and Aflac have poured their hearts into Care-a-Thon, an annual fundraising event benefiting the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. This year, as patients and their families shared heartwarming stories of strength and courage, radio listeners responded resoundingly by calling in pledges and donating online. 

A record-breaking $2.1 million was raised for family support services, research and the Fellowship Program at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center. In 24 years of Care-a-Thon, more than $34 million has been contributed.

“Aflac has a long-standing commitment to support children with cancer and blood disorders — and their families and health care teams. The selfless acts of kindness of the WSB team, radio listeners and volunteers, including Aflac employees and agents, extend Aflac’s culture of care and inspire hope for children with cancer and blood disorders,” said Ines Rodriguez Gutzmer, senior vice president and chief communications officer at Aflac. “Volunteering on the phone bank, I was humbled by the generosity of donors and saw firsthand the smiles Care-a-Thon put on the children’s faces.”

Aflac Chairman and CEO Dan Amos and Kathelen Amos made a special Care-a-Thon contribution that exemplifies their unwavering commitment to the cause and to making a difference in the lives of children. Listen to Dan’s conversation with WSB’s Scott Slade: https://vimeo.com/aflac/review/993499606/3451977edc

It’s not too late to support the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center through WSB Care-a-Thon — donate online at CHOA.org/WSB. Also, learn about other ways Aflac gives back to the community at Aflac.com/AboutAflac.

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In the second episode of the ESG Talk Climate Week series, Amelia DeLuca, Delta Air Lines’ chief sustainability officer, speaks with Andie Wood about Delta Air Lines’ strategies for reducing its direct carbon emissions and efforts to increase sustainable aviation fuel production within the airline industry.

Listen Now

Looking for more? Subscribe to the ESG Talk podcast on Apple, Spotify, and YouTube.

ESG Talk is brought to you by Workiva, the world’s only unified platform for financial reporting, ESG, audit, and risk. Learn more at workiva.com.

By Page Leggett | illumination Contributor

Unless students have a family member who works at a utility, they may not think of Duke Energy as a viable career path. It’s the sort of thing that motivates Melvin Philpot – both in his 43 years at the company and in his role as community outreach committee chair for the American Association of Black Engineers’ (AABE) Florida chapter.

“When middle schoolers walk down their streets and see lineworkers atop utility poles, we want them to think of the energy industry for potentially high-earnings jobs,” said Philpot, products and services manager in Lake Mary, Fla.

More than a decade ago, Philpot attended an AABE-sponsored youth career forum with Duke Energy Managing Director Malcolm Barnes; they liked the idea of introducing students from diverse neighborhoods to viable, good-paying jobs in the energy sector and wondered if Duke Energy could offer something similar.

Michael Lewis, then-EVP of a Duke Energy predecessor company, encouraged them to add a craft and technical component to the curriculum for students who may not be college-bound. And with a $2,000 donation from AABE to help launch the new initiative, the Youth Energy Academy – YEA, for short – was born.

Through hands-on activities and live demonstrations, YEA proactively gains the interest of an emerging workforce by educating young people about the opportunities that exist. The annual career readiness program also aims to advance diversity, equity and inclusion within the energy sector and related STEM fields by engaging eighth through 12th graders who may not have the same opportunities as other students.

“When you’re 15 and 16, you’re sort of looking for someone to tell you what the future holds. That’s where we come in,” said Chiquita Clark, supervisor of South Coastal Work Management at Duke Energy’s Clearwater Operations Center. “We can turn to our community’s youth and say: We’re people who look like you. Let us show you what we do, and if it looks interesting, we can help get you here.”

So many career paths

Clark, a member of AABE Florida, helped plan the 2024 St. Pete Youth Energy Academy, hosted at a Duke Energy power plant in Bartow, Fla. Close to 60 students – the maximum – attended the two-day event.

They heard, by video, from Erin Jackson, a former STEM student and speed skater from Ocala, Fla., who competed in the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics. Jackson is a former AABE scholarship recipient who became the first Black woman to win a Winter Olympic gold in an individual sport in 2022; before that, she earned an engineering degree from the University of Florida.

Other sessions included a plant tour, “A Day as a Line Tech” workshop, an electric vehicle (EV) demonstration and a career panel that brought together a diverse group of employees at all stages of their careers.

The power of partnerships

YEA started small; the first academy attracted eight students. Vice President of Operations Dave Maxon encouraged Duke Energy’s African American employee resource group (ERG) to help develop the concept. Then Mikel Gordon, supervisor for energy efficiency services, joined the effort.

Bringing in partners to provide financial or in-kind support has helped YEA expand. Duke Energy and other neighboring utilities have signed on to help, as have community colleges, schools and nonprofits across the state.

Now it’s grown geographically to include six regions, including Ocala and Tallahassee. Three years ago, an academy was started in Lake Wales, Fla., at the majority Hispanic McLaughlin Academy of Excellence – the only remaining public middle school in Polk County.

“YEA would not have grown as it has – or been as successful – without its primary funder,” Philpot said. “And that’s the Duke Energy Foundation.”

Since 2016, Duke Energy and its Foundation have provided over $120,000 to AABE to support the academy.

‘Their goals are attainable’

At St. Petersburg College (SPC) – another YEA partner – more than 115 students in eighth through 12th grades have expressed an interest in STEM careers. Most are from underserved or low-income neighborhoods and are part of the College Reach Out Program (CROP), which aims to show these students they are college material, said Program Coordinator Keisha Blue.

That message is reinforced for CROP students who attend the academy. “Our students are meeting people who look like them,” Blue said. “They see themselves reflected back – and they get to see that their goals are attainable.”

Nearly all high school students who participate in CROP will graduate from high school, Blue said, and many will enroll at SPC.

“We’re dedicated to staying at the forefront of technology,” said Professor Chad Mairn, founder of SPC’s Innovation Lab. “We introduce artificial intelligence, virtual and augmented reality, cybersecurity and many other emerging technologies to support and enhance the curriculum, which is relevant to contemporary STEM careers but also anticipates and prepares students for careers of the future – even careers that may not exist yet.”

It’s what you know and who you know

Some of the jobs YEA students may land after high school or college are unheard of now. Virtual reality developers, drone operators and sustainability managers didn’t exist a decade or so ago, and all are in demand today.

Bottom line: Students need to be ready for the STEM jobs that have yet to be created. And they need teachers, mentors, role models.

Philpot knows that mentors matter. As one of seven siblings from a single-parent family, he was going to work on railroad cars until a counselor encouraged him to go to community college. He earned his degree at night while working in customer service – “the one job that gives you a full view of the entire company.

“Working on the Youth Energy Academy has been gratifying because, I guess, I’ve helped to plant some seeds and be an ambassador for a great company,” Philpot said.

Clark, too, likes promoting Duke Energy. She joined the company as a contractor in 2014 and as a full-timer the following year. “From the beginning, it’s been like a big family,” she said. “The company is invested in developing employees. All you really have to do is have a desire to succeed.”

The department you start in, she’ll often tell students, doesn’t have to be the department you stay in.

“At Duke Energy, you can start as an admin or office manager and progress to a community relations manager,” she said. “We want students to understand just how many options they have here.”

When these students see a diverse workforce – and a diverse leadership team – they realize there’s a place for them at Duke Energy, too. Perhaps as a lineworker.

But not necessarily.

“Many students assume a Duke Energy career refers only to lineworkers,” Clark said. “And while we do talk about their indispensable work, we also showcase engineers, arborists, chemists, drone operators, helicopter pilots, the corporate communications team. While lineworkers play an essential role in keeping the lights on, there are so many other functions that help ensure our customers are served and our communities are thriving.”

View original content here.

Originally published by Lilith Hudson on Livingetc

Last summer clover lawns took off as a gardening trend, and if you still want a luscious green feel on your lawn, they really are one of the best alternatives to grass. Besides being a far cheap and more low-maintenance lawn option, they’re also far prettier too.

“Clover plants make good grass alternatives due to their hardy nature, requiring less mowing and water than typical grass species,” explains Jeremy Yamaguchi, lawn expert and owner of Lawn Love. “Clover lawns create thick, lush carpets of green foliage and they also produce white flowers and attract beneficial insects such as bees and butterflies.”

From a practical point of view, these types of lawns can also provide natural nitrogen fixation for your soil, helping other plants in your garden to grow healthily. “To plant clover, sow seeds in spring or fall directly into the soil,” adds Tony. “Clover thrives with regular watering until it’s well-established, after which it can tolerate periods of drought.”

“Clover is also low-maintenance and requires less frequent mowing as it grows low and spreads horizontally,” says Matthew Koch, plant expert and Director of Biotechnology, Genetics, and Seed at Scotts. “Additionally, clover has the ability to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere which enriches the soil and promotes healthier plant growth.”

If you’re looking to add clover to your lawn, Scotts Turf Builder Clover Lawn is a low-maintenance grass alternative that doesn’t require a lot of water and can withstand short-term drought conditions.

Continue reading here