In all endeavors, from facility construction to office paper use, NOVEC keeps protection of the environment in mind. We pursue an active program of planting trees and shrubs around substations and other facilities to provide screening and aid in erosion control.
Our tree-trimming program follows guidelines set by the Tree Care Industry Association to ensure that all right-of-way clearance is done in a manner that is healthiest for the tree, while still allowing for the safe and reliable delivery of electricity.
Our office recycling program includes everything from computer paper to printer ink cartridges to aluminum cans. Since 1996, NOVEC has recycled wood wire reels that previously were crushed and disposed. By recycling or giving away used wooden reels, NOVEC avoids sending thousands of pounds of waste to landfills and saves trees. In addition, NOVEC avoids paying disposal costs and passes those savings on to its customer-owners.
NOVEC regularly recycles hundreds of thousands of pounds of scrap wire, conductor, and cable by selling the metal to a recycler who melts and reuses it. To help reduce waste added to landfills during the December holidays, NOVEC operates a Christmas greens recycling program. Right-of-way crews process the greens into wood-chip mulch. Each year, NOVEC gives away or recycles more than 10,000 cubic yards of mulch.
To save on heating and cooling costs, NOVEC installed new energy-efficient geothermal systems in two office facilities in 1987 and 1991. These systems continue to save money for the Co-op and its members. NOVEC has also installed the latest generation of energy-efficient lighting in its buildings.
NOVEC "recycles" its vehicle fleet as often as practical by rebuilding and refurbishing its trucks—including the aerial booms on bucket trucks—instead of purchasing new equipment. NOVEC has replaced old bucket trucks with new, state-of-the-art bucket trucks which save on labor costs and feature diesel engines that are easier and less costly to maintain. The trucks help the environment too, because they run on biodiesel—a clean-burning alternative fuel produced from vegetable oil.
