Green Ideas in a Less-than-Green Industry

Posted by A. Caleb Hartley

Being green in a less-than-green industry is something that is often frustrating, but sometimes rewarding!  As a training professional in transportation and aviation, the day-to-day operations can be very disheartening to someone who is sure that there is a better way - even if no one else seems interested in finding it.

So I always am on the lookout for companies that are doing the right thing environmentally and still maintaining success in an industry not known for it’s Earth-friendliness. 

With that in mind, I ran across HiRAIL Corporation while leafing through a transportation industry magazine.  HiRAIL manufactures the rubber fittings that butt-up against rail-road tracks when the tracks intersect with a road.  These are called grade crossings.

According to Walt Barry, Vice President of HiRAIL, the company’s rubber crossings contain 85% recycled rubber from used tires and rubber buffings (rubber buffings are a result of re-treading a used tire so it can be used again safely). 

Raw Material - shredded tires & rubber buffings

Mr. Barry goes on to explain:

Our current yearly usage is equal to approximately 500,000 used tires which do not have to be discarded in landfills. Using recycled material to produce our product rather than virgin (new) rubber, saves material resources and reduces the contribution to global warming caused by the manufacturing process of virgin (new) rubber.

Additionally, the rubber crossing is also 100% recyclable when it has worn enough to warrant replacement.  Though Mr. Barry did not specify whether or not this is the case, I would hope that anytime HiRAIL replaces any of its previously installed products with new, it does indeed recycle the old one and use it to create another new crossing for some other grade elsewhere!  If this is the case, HiRAIL is most definitely on the cutting edge in the transportation industry as far as taking responsibility for their company’s product at all points of the lifecycle. 

Final Product - recycled grade crossing!

The idea is much like the “grune punkt” system in Germany, in which manufacturers of products are responsible for the packaging of their products and must ensure that it is recycled or disposed of properly. This has resulted in much less packaging being used, and also leads to more thoughtful manufacturing of products.  HiRAIL, if it is not already there, is well on its way!

As an environmentaslist in transportation clothing, I would like to thank HiRAIL for what it is already doing to help conserve our environment, and encourage them to keep innovating and making their product more and more green.  Mr. Barry - you are leaders in an industry that is in dire need of green leadership! 

Thank you.

Namaste,
A. Caleb Hartley

What do you think of this?  Is this just a small win in the face of an unsolvable problem, or do you think that HiRAIL is on the right track (excuse the pun).  Leave a comment and let us know!