Green Activities

Company-wide activities

In 2008, MEI formed a dedicated "Green Team" to implement environmental programs on a global basis.  In the U.S., MEI initiated a trade-in program for older Series 2000 validators.  Over 5,000 units (3 tons) of used MEI validators have been recycled and the numbers continue to grow.  Instead of being disposed of in landfills, the products are disassembled and the components returned to the market.  As a result of MEI's leadership in recycling, some bottlers are beginning to send their old vending machines to a recycler, rather than to a metal scrap yard.

Global activities for the year include:

• Paper reduction and waste segregation:  Implementation of 2-sided printing; use of recycled paper; recycling and waste segregation for appropriate disposal.
  
• Reduction of power consumption:  Replaced power-hungry CRTs & projectors with low power, low heat emitting LCDs or laptops; turn computers and lights off at night; motion sensor lights.
  
• Encouragement of carpooling and use of public transporation
• Replacement of paper cups with mugs
  
• Company participation in "greening your business" event
• "Green" awareness days

MEI Mexico Facility- Main Manufacturing Plant

During the past year, MEI’s Querétaro, Mexico plant was awarded the Industria Limpia Award (Clean Industry Certification), the Mexican government's highest level of recognition for environmental excellence.  The plant has introduced a number of environmental initiatives, and has seen a 43 percent reduction in overall power consumption compared with numbers in 2007.  Total savings are: 184,380 Kwh (about 79 TONs of CO2).  Highlights include:

• Significant investments in water conservation, including initiating a recycling system that uses air conditioning condensation to irrigate gardens.
  
• Installation of solar lighting system in the parking lot.
• Recycling programs for 100 percent of all materials consumed at the facility, including organic food wastes.
  
• Four internal programs ongoing:  Waste segregation, use of only recycled paper, Energy Saving (turning off equipment when not in use), battery disposal containers.

      Family / Community Oriented Programs at Mexico site

• Family visit each month highlighting green strategies to save electricity and water, awareness events for the kids, distribution of eco-kit (fluorescent lightbulbs)
• Conferences for everyone in the plant in order to create an effective cultural change (Sustainability, Energy and Water Preservation).
• Internal contest for PET (plastic bottle) collection, resulting in 1.9 TONs recovered from communities around the facility!!!
• Safety and environmental week. 
  
• Drawing contest for kids.  Theme:  How do you preserve Water at home?.  18 participants ranging between 4 and 13 years old, all relatives of MEI Mexico team members.  Working towards creating and reinforcing environmental culture.