Green Business Profile
Tarpin Lumber Owner: David Pratt Address: 2267 Bowman St, Innisfil Website: http://www.tarpin.com Number of employees: 75 Tarpin Lumber knows what it means to be green. In business since 1986, Tarpin provides lumber, building materials and custom roof trusses to builders in the Barrie and GTA areas. Their efforts on a variety of green initiatives have paid off in many ways. They’ve turned their eco eye to everything from energy audits to recycling to transportation. What they have done to go green Many of their efforts started with a Lean and Green audit. Working with Innisfil Hydro, the company became an early adopter of smart meter technology. They switched lights in rooms that are used only occasionally to motionsensors, and they installed a timer for yard lighting. Indoor fixtures were also changed to the new fluorescent bulbs. “We use a lot less electricity. It saves us money, but also saves energy as well,” says David Pratt, President of Tarpin. Tarpin also saves money, and sends less to the landfill, by recycling paper and cardboard; at the landfill, Pratt notes, you pay by weight. They have always recycled steel strappings for scrap metal, he says, “but we are certainly more cognisant than we were.” Clean wood cut-offs go to be ground up and made into mulch. Wood pallets are put by the curb for people to use as firewood. These steps eliminate both trucking fees and weigh fees for garbage. “We still have waste disposal, but anything we can do to cut it down—that’s what we are looking at.” Leftover lumber from job sites comes back to Tarpin, and they recover what they can. Once nails are cut off, boards are cut into shorter lengths they can use. “There are labour costs, but not disposal costs.” They encourage sites to return unused wood, providing steel racks to job sites with the intent of cutting down on waste.
The Green Economy Centre of South Simcoe
To mark lumber, Tarpin uses a special paper strong enough to stand up to outdoor conditions and won’t blow off trucks on the highway. “We don’t use paint any more – we were spending a large amount on paint and it’s not good for the environment.” While the paper is not cheap, it’s less expensive than paint, and they can print on it using regular printers, which looks more professional, Pratt says. Tarpin tries to use rail as much as possible to take trucks off the road. “Each rail car is the equivalent of about three trucks – a very efficient way to move goods.” When they have to use vehicles, a tracking system gives drivers the most efficient way to get to job sites, which saves time and fuel costs. Benefits of going green One benefit they have found from the recycling is that their yard is kept clean and neat. And for dust control, limestone is graded and soaked with environmentally safe calcium chloride. Less dust means less wear and tear and repair cost for the machinery, and it’s more comfortable for people when dust is not blowing around the yard. Pratt has also noted that staff are more aware of this kind of endeavour and are very encouraging. “It’s part of what makes staff feel like they are just not here to help make a profit.” Recommendations Pratt’s advice for businesses is simple: “It is important to know that being more green doesn’t drive your costs up.” For more information about incentive programs to help with green initiatives, cost-saving tips, free business consultations, or a list of energy auditors, contact the Green Economy Centre toll-free at 1-800-509-7554.
Going Green. Growing Strong.
