As Perficient employees, we are always encouraged to immerse ourselves in the company culture and to get involved with various groups that align with our interests and passions. Team members in our Chicago office wanted to do just that after bonding over their passion for the environment.
Going Green
Nancy McNamara, Katherine Lin, Molly McGreal, Erin Turley, and Laura Vicinanza all shared a passion for being green. They wanted to find an outlet to connect with others with similar interests, but the Chicago office didn’t have a related team in place at the time. As a result, Nancy and her team formed their first-ever Sustainability Committee late in 2019. Their goal is to encourage environmental sustainability efforts both inside and outside of the local Chicago office. They hope to bring people together and work as a team to make the world a better place, one step at a time.
The committee was ready to hit the ground running at the beginning of 2020. Unfortunately, the appearance of COVID-19 forced them to postpone in-office events and rework their initial plans. However, a few bumps in the road couldn’t stop this team. With some creativity and teamwork, they adapted, went virtual, and hosted their very first event on Friday, April 24th.
A Virtual Solution
The presentation focused on five main topics: recycling, composting, reducing energy consumption and conserving water, eating sustainably, and sustainably sourced clothing. Each section focused on how individuals could implement the shared ideas while stuck at home during the quarantine. They also provided options for all different kinds of lifestyles so everyone could participate. Check out some of their ideas and tips:
- Did you know that you can’t recycle anything contaminated with food waste? Including pizza boxes (well, half of them)!
- Conserve energy by switching to LED lights.
- Find locally grown sustainable food at farmers’ markets, Community-Supported Agriculture farms, and at-home gardens.
- Invest in sustainable clothes made from organic fibers.
- Buy from companies that invest in sustainable practices to make a difference.
Over twenty people from the office joined in on the call and many chipped in with some of their own sustainable habits and products that they use daily. Attendees were so compelled by the topic that they continued the conversation on a company social channel after the event ended.
“The event started a discussion that we are excited to continue even when we’re back in the office. We hope these discussions are useful to anyone looking to conserve more in their households and workplaces.”
Erin Turley, Technical Consultant
The Chicago Sustainability Committee covered a wide array of topics throughout the course of the event. The main takeaway they emphasized was for people to try and reduce material consumption and energy usage where possible. Awareness is the first step in working toward a more sustainable and healthier world, and the Perficient Chicago team did a clean-up job of spreading the word and kick-starting the movement.
At Perficient, we continually look for ways to champion and challenge our talented workforce with interesting projects for high-profile clients, encourage personal and professional growth through training and mentoring, and celebrate our people-oriented culture and the innovative ways they serve Perficient and the community.
Learn more about what it’s like to work at Perficient at our Careers page.
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