Emery Oleochemicals Donates Oak Tree Seedlings to Mill Creek Alliance in Celebration of Earth Day 2019
Company's commitment to sustainability embodied by employee with a serious green thumb
CINCINNATI, OH, USA (May 8, 2019) - Emery Oleochemicals has a 179-year history of manufacturing natural-based chemicals since the founding of our company in Cincinnati in 1840. While many people might not think of sustainability or environmentally-friendly endeavors when they think of chemicals, green chemistry and a commitment to being a responsible neighbor is a core value at Emery Oleochemicals. Emery makes particular effort to contribute to a sustainable future for the surrounding communities in which it operates.
Karen Arthur, who is a Safety, Health and Environmental Engineer at Emery Oleochemicals, embodies this value not just in her everyday work life but personally as well. Karen loves gardening and has an impressive and beautiful array of flowers and plants surrounding her own home.
When she noticed the piles of acorns on the ground underneath the mighty oak trees in front of the building that she works in on Emery’s 35-acre site on Este Avenue, Karen saw that as a challenge and an opportunity to try her hand at growing some trees.
Literally starting from those acorns, Karen nurtured them in large metal trays in her office at work and then transplanted them into small plastic containers taken from the recycle bins around the Emery plant. Her next step was determining the final homes for these seedlings. Some she gave away to fellow employees to plant in their own yards at home, but due to the abundance of seedlings, she reached out to Patti Koss, Global Corporate Communications Manager at Emery Oleochemicals for other ideas. Ms. Koss immediately knew who they should be donated to: the Mill Creek Alliance.
Representatives from the Mill Creek Alliance have participated on Emery Oleochemicals’ Community Advisory Panel (CAP) for several years. Through discussions with Tanner Yess, Mill Creek’s Deputy Executive Director & Program Director, and Dave Schmitt, Mill Creek’s Executive Director, Ms. Koss learned of the important work their organization had done and continues to do across many Cincinnati area suburbs that the Mill Creek waterway runs through. In collaboration with local communities, the Alliance strives to create a Mill Creek watershed that is a healthy ecosystem through environmental restoration of water quality as well as plants, trees and wild life.
Mike Cox, Head of Sustainability at Emery Oleochemicals, stated, “We are so pleased with this green endeavor achieved by Karen and appreciate her sharing her passion for nature with the Mill Creek Alliance, who will plant the oak tree seedlings around the pathways they maintain along the Mill Creek watershed so that future generations can enjoy them.”
On donation day, Dave Schmitt, along with several members of his Mill Creek Alliance staff, met with Karen and Mike to receive the oak tree seedlings. "Mill Creek Alliance (MCA) is thrilled to receive the gift of these oak seedlings from Emery Oleochemicals. We share Karen’s and Emery's passion for sustainability and have had a wonderful relationship with the company through their Community Advisory Panel. The seedlings will become part of MCA's ongoing restoration of the Mill Creek watershed and its communities. Karen's nurturing of these trees will benefit many people in the very neighborhoods which surround Emery's campus, and we look forward to continuing to work with the company for many years to come," said Dave.
Pictured from left to right: Linda Keller (Mill Creek Alliance), Bennett Kottler (Mill Creek Alliance), Tanner Yess (Mill Creek Alliance), Mike Cox (Emery Oleochemicals), Dave Schmitt (Mill Creek Alliance), Karen Arthur (Emery Oleochemicals), Alan Edwards (Mill Creek Alliance)