CannedWater4Kids (CW4K) and INX International Ink Co. have joined forces to send a rush delivery of drinking water to help in the Hurricane Harvey disaster relief efforts. A truckload of 52,800, 12-ounce cans of fresh, purified water is scheduled to arrive today at a Red Cross Distribution Center near Houston.
Hurricane Harvey made landfall for the first time on August 25 and landed a devastating blow to the Gulf Coast of Texas. A multiple-day event, the Category 4 storm with 130 mph winds was the most powerful hurricane to hit the US in more than a decade. Damage caused by the high winds, torrential rains and record flooding displaced more than 30,000 people and prompted more than 17,000 rescues.
The effects of Hurricane Harvey will impact southeast Texas for a long time. Fortunately, humanitarian efforts from companies including CW4K and INX are helping the efforts in Texas.
“This is the first of many truckloads we hope to send,” said Greg Stromberg, CannedWater4Kids water charity CEO. “Without hesitation, we helped. It was the right thing to do because clean, safe drinking water is a valuable resource. One doesn’t realize how valuable until it is gone.”
“We are doing our part as good corporate citizens,” remarked Renee Schouten, director of marketing for INX. “It is important to be there for people, in good times and in bad. Providing clean water to communities enduring a crisis will aid in recovery and hopefully give some sense of comfort to those in need.”
Added Stromberg, “Coordinating and financing the water delivery was a team effort. We couldn’t have done it without the help of INX International and the Red Cross organization. Their help and support was incredible.”
CW4K is no stranger to disaster relief. Whether it was the earthquakes in Japan and Haiti, Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey in 2012, or help for the lead-contaminated municipal water supply in Flint, MI, the 501c3 charity was there with clean, safe drinking water packaged in 12-ounce aluminum beverage cans.
Heinzel Group’s operations are characterized by saving resources, environmental protection, energy efficiency and use of renewable sources of energy. Besides the own power generation for pulp and paper production and the green energy obtained from hydropower, the roofs of Laakirchen Papier AG and Zellstoff Pöls AG are now used for the generation of renewable energy through photovoltaic systems. In cooperation with Heinzel Energy, over 9,000 solar modules are installed on around 15,000 m² of roof area which generate more than 3 GWh of green energy per year. Up to 800 tons of CO2 can be saved with both photovoltaic systems and the electricity produced will supply more than 850 households.
When it comes to transporting goods across the world, no other mode of transport is as effective or as economical as maritime transport. Data from the International Chamber of Shipping indicates that nearly 11 billion tonnes of cargo are transported by ship each year, making it indispensable to our daily lives. At the same time, the maritime sector also emits about 940 million tonnes of CO2 annually and is responsible for about 2.5 per cent of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. The sector is scrambling to rapidly reduce emissions by investing in digital technologies, energy-efficient vessels and clean fuels. UPM is dependent on shipping too to get its products to its customers across the world, and oftentimes, the company helps transport other non-UPM cargo as well. As the arm responsible for UPM’s global sea transportation and port operations, UPM Logistics has been time chartering nine vessels in Europe to carry out the company’s cargo shipping needs.
Fossil-free heating is to be installed at SCA’s Bogrundet nursery. The investment includes a large, environmentally-friendly heating system that will operate on pellets. SCA is also receiving a grant from the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency’s Klimatklivet initiative to reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases. The Bogrundet nursery in Timrå is the world’s largest tree nursery and SCA grows about 95 million seedlings here every year. The company has been looking for a climate-friendly and good technical solution for some time to heat the 14 greenhouses and avoid the use of oil.