Last year, 62 460-watt metal halide lighting fixtures were replaced with 62 351-watt fluorescent light fixtures. Since making the switch, the facility has seen reductions of 59,200 kilowatt-hours (KWH) and 84,656 pounds of CO2, which is equal to removing 7.32 cars from the road and planting 11.54 acres of trees annually.
"We are committed to making continuous, long-term improvements and upgrades to our facilities in order to meet and exceed the environmental standards we set for ourselves as a company," said Ish Ahamed, vice president of Diageo's Plainfield Plant. "This lighting initiative is one that will help us realize our goal of reducing emissions from fuels and electricity by 50 percent."
The lighting initiative is in addition to a recycling and byproduct reuse initiative, which helps the Plainfield facility achieve "Zero Waste to Landfill." Earlier this year, the recycling program was expanded and now includes office paper, cardboard, packing materials, aluminum cans, plastic wrap, and plastic and glass bottles. This spring, the byproduct reuse program was implemented and spent seeds and berries are being sent from the Plainfield plant to a local composting site in the area. Together, these two programs will help the Plainfield facility keep nearly 200 tons of trash out of landfills per year.
About Diageo
Diageo brands include Johnnie Walker, Guinness, Smirnoff, J&B, Baileys, Cuervo, Tanqueray, Captain Morgan, Crown Royal, Beaulieu Vineyard and Sterling Vineyards wines.