The Texas Aggregates & Concrete Association (TACA) – the leading state trade association for the aggregate, concrete, cement and associated industries – welcomed more than 50 attendees to its Environmental & Sustainability Seminar on Sept. 23 – 24 at the Marriott Riverwalk in San Antonio, Texas.
Industry professionals delivered topical presentations on the environmental and sustainable regulations and issues facing TACA members today. This included the Biden Administration’s environmental policies. It also included how to be audit-ready in a post-COVID world; the business of conservation; the federal government’s Environmental Justice initiatives; noise-related issues in the aggregates industry; using pro-active community relations to limit potential liability; and how natural gas and hydrogen can support “Energy Transition.”
The Business of Conservation
One of the conference sessions was “The Business of Conservation” led by Joni Carswell, CEO and President of Texan by Nature. This session explored how Texas businesses can create opportunity to increase profitability, while advancing sustainable usage of the state’s natural resources. Carswell works with industry partners across the state. This includes those in both the construction and aggregates industry, to create a “return on conservation.”
“Texas is unique in that we have wide-open spaces, with 11 distinct regions. From grasslands to forests to rivers to coastline. These enable us to create long-term sustainable public/private partnership programs that are a model for the world,” Carswell told participants.
“Sustainability,” she told TACA members, “is a broader vision that celebrates conservation. But that is also good for enhancing industry reputation and community relations and, in many cases, your balance sheet.” TACA member companies agree, with many having instituted exemplary programs that celebrate biodiversity and environmentalism.
CEMEX’s El Carmen Land & Conservation Co.
She cited CEMEX’s El Carmen Land & Conservation Co. as “one of the best and brightest.”
Nestled between Big Bend National Park and Black Gap Wildlife Management Area lies approximately 27,000 acres of desert landscape brimming with the incredibly diverse flora and fauna of the Chihuahuan Desert. Black bear, mountain lions, bighorn sheep, as well as hundreds of species of resident and migratory birds, call El Carmen Land and Conservation Company (ECLCC) home. “While maintaining a wild landscape on this level might not seem like a normal corporate investment, to the owners of ECLCC,” said Carswell, “it was the natural thing to do; not only good for the environment, but also for their bottom line.”
ECLCC is a partnership between both CEMEX USA and Josiah Austin and has a mission to restore the lower desert landscape and protect ecological corridors in a transboundary area located as the connecting link between Texas and Mexico. ECLCC works with numerous conservation partners, including Texan by Nature and Texas Parks and Wildlife. The group works with these partners to restore native wildlife and birds through land restoration, water developments and also habitat enhancement.
Vulcan Materials Company
She also lauded Vulcan Materials Company’s extensive waste diversion, recycling and material use programs. They have overseen the recycling of more than 1.85 million gallons of oil and 42 tons of batteries. Additionally, they have recycled 85,000 light bulbs, and also 830 tons of oil filters since 2016. “Its commitment to quality control of waste disposal through carefully selected partners is really making a difference to the environment, and saving them time and money. It is a win/win situation,” said Carswell.
“These examples are just a few of the innovative programs and partnerships that have been implemented by TACA member companies,” said TACA President and CEO Josh Leftwich, “proving that strategic and science-based environmentalism and sustainability is good for business.”
As part of TACA’s seminar, members also built bikes for disadvantaged San Antonio children. Members of TACA’s Emerging Leaders Academy built 100 bikes as a yearly community service initiative. This is a key part of the program. This year, participants assembled the bikes at Beck Industrial in Converse, Texas. They then distributed them through SA Youth, a local children’s organization. Over the years, TACA has donated 400 bicycles to statewide charitable organizations through its Emerging Leaders Academy. This group also strives to ensure a strong leadership pipeline of top industry leaders.
For more information on how TACA member companies enhance our daily lives, please also visit www.tx-taca.org.
About TACA
The Texas Aggregates & Concrete Association (TACA) is the main resource for the aggregate, concrete, cement and other associated industries in Texas. The association represents its member companies by providing industry information to the public, media, policymakers and regulators; advocating for industry issues; ensuring member companies commit to conducting business with integrity, respect, transparency and honest communication; and creating industry training courses and materials that help members effectively manage their businesses.
