Lamey-Wellehan has worked on sustainability for many years. The company began a recycling program in 1993, and has since recycled 95% of all the material that comes in to their stores. In 1994 it was awarded the Governor’s Waste Management Award in recognition of their efforts. In 1995 a new store in Falmouth was opened, and that store was the company’s first – and so far the most complete – effort at intense recycling. Projects included a sign that had been reclaimed and updated, recycled content carpeting was selected, furniture was reupholstered and fixtures re-finished. In 2003 Lamey-Wellehan joined the Governor’s Carbon Challenge, and has worked hard at changing light fixtures, using programmable thermostats, stretching the temperature comfort range to 68 winter and 75 summer, finding insulation spots, putting in freight entrance vinyl screens, moving the company cars to hybrid designs, using bio-diesel in our truck, and tracking all carbon emissions.

Recently Lamey-Wellehan was again recognized by the State of Maine for their achievements, and, despite two very cold winters, has reduced carbon emissions from 2003 to 2009 by some 23%. The company’s stated goal is an 50% reduction by 2020, so the plans in place to accelerate the pace. In all recent relocation and remodeling projects, all carpets are of recycled material and care has been taken to refurbish fixtures and equipment rather than replace with new.

The company has taken a leadership role in our communities, and introduced Cool Communities to both Lewiston and Auburn, and helped develop the effort on a state wide basis. For this effort, Jim Wellehan was awarded the Sierra Club Business Leader of the Year in 2007. In this process, he has given lectures at various conferences on energy reduction. The company has switched to bio-degradable, vegetable-based plastic shopping bags in 2006 which will not provide long-term damage to the environment. The Lamey-Wellehan re-uses all shipping boxes when shipping out web orders and urges customers to recycle.

Uniquely, Lamey-Wellehan has for the last 12 years provided a four year scholarship for a young Maine person committed to Maine’s economy or ecology. On the Federal level, the company joined EERE, a program to provide leadership and direction in retail energy matters, and Jim Wellehan and his company are excited to participate in this very worthwhile activity.

In late 2009 the company opened a new store in Scarborough, Maine to replace its Maine Mall location. Even before the move, the light fixtures in the Maine Mall location were replaced or retrofitted, cutting electrical usage from 85,000 annually to 62,000 annually (KW). The new Scarborough store is 1/3rd larger than the store it replaced but after 8 months it is on track to using 55% of previous store's energy. This new store was strongly insulated with an R-40 roof and R-20 walls, natural illumination from skylights, LED fixtures, lighting and signage. For the stockroom, efficient T-8 fixtures are used along with occupancy sensors and dual-loop light sensors. The carpeting is 70% recycled and the squares will be themselves recycled when replaced. Almost all the store cubes, chairs and tables are refurbished from older units, as was most of the stockroom shelving. When new shelving had to be purchased, they came from a sustainably managed forest in New Hampshire.

The wonderful result of all this attention is not only a lower demand on the earth’s resources but a much lower cost structure. The new Scarborough store will not only be more energy efficient than its predecessor but will be more profitable. “Every environmental step that the company has taken has improved our bottom line, year after year” said Jim Wellehan.

Lamey-Wellehan encourages all individuals and companies to make choices that will help insure a future for generations to come. Even little efforts will help! People can ride a bike instead of driving, carpooling, recycling, turning off unnecessary lights, making double-sided copies, keeping the thermostat low in the winter and high in the summer – all these can help reduce our environmental footprint.

When shopping at Lamey-Wellehan, ask not to have your purchases put in a bag (unless you plan to reuse the bag at home). For that matter, if you don’t need the shoe box consider leaving it at the store where it will get recycled or perhaps collected by local schools for craft projects.

Links to other sites for additional reading:
• http://www.coolmaine.org/
• http://www.efficiencymaine.com/
• http://www.worldwatch.org/