Tag: green

Happy Holidays from Melink

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

As CEO of one of the greenest companies on Earth, I want to take this opportunity to thank our many customers!  Together, we are changing the world one building at a time … by saving energy and reducing the carbon footprint of millions of square feet every year.

Since the spirit of the Holidays is about giving, let me share some ideas about how you can accelerate your journey to a clean energy future at your business and home:

  • Replace your high-usage lights with LEDs.
  • Improve your building envelope with additional attic insulation and triple-pane windows.
  • Upgrade to a geothermal HVAC system when it is time to replace your existing system.
  • Install a heat-pump water heater – and connect to your geothermal system after it is upgraded.
  • Purchase only high-efficiency appliances.
  • Install a solar PV array on your roof, ground, or parking lot to offset your remaining electrical loads.
  • Select the green power option from your local utility for any power you buy form the grid.
  • Purchase or lease only hybrid and preferably electric cars, vans, and trucks.
  • Install EV charging stations at work to educate and inspire your employees and visitors.
  • Install a battery storage system to reduce peak demand charges and ensure against power outages.

Every homeowner and business can reduce its energy/carbon use by 50% or more.  In fact, many of the largest and most successful businesses, universities, and governments across the U.S. and world have already achieved carbon neutrality.

This is about our economy, security, environment, and health!  We can be part of the problem or part of the solution.  Be a leader, do the right things, and your brand and business will benefit.

Thanks again for the privilege and honor of working with all of you. We’re humbled by your passion and trust to make the world a better place for us and future generations.

Cheers!

Steve Melink

CEO

Melink Corporation        

Our Melink Culture

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

By Steve Melink

Our culture is everything.  It is our vision, mission,
and values all wrapped in one.  It is who we are, what we do, and why we
do it.  It is how we treat and support one another.  It is our
brand.  We can’t separate the parts and still have the whole.

But the foundation is one word: Integrity.  Everything
we say and do should model honesty and respect for others at all times.
We should always strive to show positive intentions.  Negativity, gossip,
and pettiness are counter-productive.  We choose to be genuine and
sincere.

It starts with simple things like acknowledging one another
… with eye contact, a smile, and saying the most important word in the English
language to the other person: their name.  It’s the ordinary hello, thank
you, and have a good day … with an extraordinary result.  Trust.

These small words, gestures, and actions when multiplied
thousands of times over the course of days, weeks, and months … by individuals,
teams, and ultimately all of us … help make our company the safe and healthy
workplace we all want and need.

And this promotes a sense of family.  This is where we
can be ourselves.  This is where we can learn, grow, and flourish.
This is where we can fall, but then be picked up by our peers and
leaders.  This is where we can and will do our best work and make a
difference in the world.

Last, our culture is intentional.  It is not an
accident.  It takes leadership from all of us and takes years to
build.  Let’s never take it for granted.  Let’s build on this
foundation and make it better.  We are a best place to work!

Purchasing an Electric Car

Posted on by Lindsey Burbee

You may have noticed by my title – I’m senior accountant at Melink-  that I’m involved with finances. It’s in my nature to look for a good return on the money I invest in products and services. So, when I decided it was time to purchase my first electric vehicle (EV), I conducted a good amount of research.

I decided on a used 2013 Chevy Volt, and it has been everything I hoped. Being diligent in charging my Volt – at home and at work – I was even able to drive 3,000 miles on one tank of gasoline.

Electric Chevy charging

When considering an EV, the most important thing to determine is your realistic commute. That will help you weigh the pros and cons of the limitations of a pure electric car. Starting with a zero-charged battery, an EV (pure electric and gas backup models) will take anywhere from four to 22 hours to fully charge for a 40-200 mile range depending on the model and charger you select. Take it from me, invest in a 240V charger if you want the shortest charge time.

In the United States, there are about 20 models of mainstream EVs available for purchase.