Sterling, VA –March 11, 2009 – JK Moving & Storage Inc. (JK) announced today that the Crystal City Business Improvement District (Crystal City BID) will receive the inaugural 2008 JK Environmental Sustainability Award.
The award grew out of more than ten years of JK developing and following through on their own sustainable practices. This has involved every aspect of their business from trucks and equipment to facility management, and the creation of a sustainability task force comprised of industry experts, environmental leaders, and JK’s own employees. With ten years of moving toward sustainability under their belt, JK diverted more than 440,000 tons of waste from area landfills in 2008 alone and has become a hub for information collection and guidance when clients want to make similar shifts toward more sustainable practices. All JK clients, including community partners, industry leaders and Fortune 100 companies were considered for this honor.
When asked about the changes he spearheaded over the past ten years, and why the award has only now come to fruition, Steve Kuhn, Executive Vice President of JK responded, “The first part of our internal Environmental Values Statement was the commitment to ‘Walk the Talk’. Now that we have done that for a decade and proven ourselves, we feel it is our public duty to provide others with the opportunity and means to participate in our programs.”
Criteria for the 2008 Award were based on SMART objectives, all of which can be implemented into community or workplace programs, like those at JK.
S - Support community efforts around sustainability
M - Make a change. Set small attainable goals.
A - Adopt your surroundings. Get started where you live, work, and play.
R - ReUse. Recycle, donate and give away what you can, don't just throw things away.
T - Tell others. Share ideas and experiences…everyone can make a difference, and get involved
at some level.
This year’s winner stood out among the rest. From the launch of their Crystal Green Program in March 2008 which sought to reduce energy demand and the area's carbon footprint, to the number of events which followed, the Crystal City BID embodied the spirit and purpose of sustainability at its best.
Among the many Crystal City BID initiatives reviewed during the award judging, a few highlights stood out. In April 2008, they organized a volunteer clean up day with Canon U.S.A and Arlington County FreshAIRE which brought new life, including a litter-free welcome to the area, and a new park (Long-Bridge Park). Then in May they created the Crystal Farms Program to bring Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) to employees and residents of the area. They then followed with a landscaping partnership to add, save, and reinforce “green” practices laying out a program that best utilized “environmental” practices for property maintenance. But, one of the most impactful initiatives was the Crystal Green Power Purge. Held in the summer of 2008, the Power Purge provided area businesses and residents with an opportunity to safely, securely, and sustainably recycle unwanted electronics. The Crystal City BID reportedly collected more than 50,000 pounds in materials from close to 300 community visitors. All of which were recycled state-side, adhering to guidelines approved by the Department of Defense.
“We are very pleased to be considered for this award.” said Angela Fox, President & CEO of the Crystal City Business Improvement District. “Our role as the BID in Crystal City is to showcase and grow the assets of the area. Being green is something you have to focus on every day, and we live and breathe it. We are especially proud of the way that JK continues to support us in these efforts, and look forward to working together toward new programs in 2009.”
JK will officially present the 2008 award during an open house at their Sterling headquarters offices on March 26, 2009 at 12:30 p.m.
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About the Crystal City Business Improvement District
Established in April of 2006, the Crystal City Business Improvement District (BID) is creating a soul for Crystal City. A public-private partnership, the BID is providing a higher level of service to visitors, workers and residents in Crystal City - driving to become world-class destination in both Arlington and the greater DC region. For more information, visit www.crystalcity.org.