SEE GREEN recycling started on October 1, 2008 at AEP River Operations in Convent, LA. Technological advances and the onset of “single stream” recycling have allowed our AEP team to recycle more than two barge loads worth of recyclables from our boats!
The idea of “single stream” recycling (all waste in one container vs. separate containers) has made this process possible and more efficient. Presently, this process is only available in certain areas of the country. As more areas respond to the need for “single stream” recycling, we hope to see our numbers go from 90% of onboard waste being recycled to 100% being recycled.
Currently all of AEP River Operations towboats, from West Virginia to New Orleans, are participating in recycling all or a portion of their onboard wastes. We have many other facilities as well that assist in making our program a success.
We have also taken it a step further and have recycled 70,000 pounds of vessel mooring lines. These lines would have packed landfills or even caused danger to boats by getting tangled in their propellers.
It’s easy to SEE GREEN at your own company or in your own community. It only takes one person to lead the way to cleaner rivers and smaller landfills! You can start by contacting your local waste management provider and asking if they offer recycling, or even “single stream” recycling. Then you can set up containers for recyclables to be collected throughout your facilities or your town. Make sure the containers are labeled clearly with what waste is acceptable, so only recyclable materials are collected. Next, coordinate with your recycling service to empty the containers on a regular basis.
Finally, make sure to get the word out to your company or community that recycling has started and communicate to all what materials are to be collected in the recycle containers. You will be on your way to lighter loads to the landfills and a brighter future in no time! For more in depth information on how you can SEE GREEN in your company or community, contact Port Captain Mark Murphy at mmurphy@aepriverops.com.
Another way to SEE GREEN in your community is to volunteer at local river cleanup events. Our partner, Living Lands and Waters, hosts many river cleanup events throughout the inland river system. Click HERE for more information on Living Lands and Waters events. AEP River Operations employees regularly participate in river cleanup events throughout the year. We hope to see you on the river’s edge soon!
Did you know that barges offer the greenest, most fuel efficient mode of transportation?
Barges are more environmentally friendly than trucks and trains. The illustration on the right shows the ton-miles per gallon of fuel in barge, train and truck transportation. A towboat moves one ton of freight 616 miles on one gallon of fuel. A train moves the same ton of freight only 478 miles per gallon of fuel consumed. Furthermore, a truck is only able to move one ton of freight 150 miles using one gallon of fuel.
Picture this: Just one barge loaded with 1500 tons of bulk cargo keeps 58 large semi trucks off the road. When a towboat pushes 15 barges all together, with each barge loaded with 1500 tons of cargo, that keeps 870 large semi trucks off the road. Less trucks on the road equates to less chance for vehicle accidents, less traffic, less pollution in the air, and less wear and tear on our nations’ highways.