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3rd Federal Bank’s Go GrEEn* blog is intended to chronicle our employees’ experiences as we go about becoming more “green” in our personal and work lives. The blog serves as a source of inspiration, education and even humor as we work together toward the bank’s common goal of becoming green “from the inside out.” Join us, and feel free to comment on our blog with tips and techniques for living green and committing to sustainability. *The “EE” in 3rd Federal Bank’s Go GrEEn blog stands for “Energy Efficiency,” “Environmental Excellence” and “Ecologically Evolved.”

Green Tips from A to Z 8/26/2010 By Amy Sarver, Consumer Loan Rep A fter drying clothes, clean your lint filter to save energy, cash and reduce fire hazard. B uy in bulk and save big on waste and money. C heck out local farmers markets – it saves on fuel and helps farmers in your community. Read More

How do you get a replacement curbside recycle bin and yard waste bin? 8/19/2010 By Tammy McDonald, Teller Trainer For the past year, I have been missing my curbside blue recycle bin that I was issued when recycling was introduced. It blew away in a windstorm, never to return. Since then, I have been using an extra trash can I have. Well, I decided it’s time to get a replacement. So I contacted my trash pick-up company, Waste Management. I was nicely informed that my Township Municipal Authority (Police Station) would be the place to contact. Read More

Remodeling Responsibly 8/16/2010 By Carolyn Maniscalco, Assistant Marketing Manager When you move into a new home, as I recently did, remodeling is usually one of the most popular home improvement projects. We were anxious to have our bathrooms, kitchen and living area customized to our liking. Since remodeling projects are usually some of the biggest and most expensive jobs you can start on your home, it’s a good idea to do it right and incorporate as many green friendly ideas as you can. There are quite a few environmentally healthy options and actions you can take to help do your part with your next major home improvement project. Here are some of the things we are considering as we remodel our home… Read More

One Person’s Trash is Another’s Treasure 8/2/2010 (Comments 1) By Candice Quigley, Recruiter I am going to write about something that really bugs me lately in my neighborhood. I always see people putting good and useful items at their curb the day before or day of trash pickup, and it irks me that they don’t think to maybe just put it out a few days before, because someone might notice it and take it home to reuse. Read More

Bank Customer Visits Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill 7/22/2010 By Dana Dobson, Vice President Marketing and Go Green! Committee Chair “Jungle Joe” Fortunato, founder of Bucks County Zoo & Conservation Society and a 3rd Federal Bank business customer, recently visited Louisiana to get a firsthand look at the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and its effect on wildlife and natural habitats. Here are some highlights from his eyewitness account: Read More

Thoughts on Kindle, saving energy, and ocean front property in Kansas 7/8/2010 By Henry Cervino, Branch Manager, Cross Keys When last we spoke, I was about to purchase an Amazon Kindle, an electronic reader whose main purpose is to put out of business such iconic companies as Kimberly-Clark and Weyerhaeuser. While I was deciding which size screen to buy, Steve Jobs, whose main purpose in life is to control the universe, released the Apple iPad. In doing so, he put a crimp in the future of Kindle by making a deal with book publishers basically setting the price of e-books close to the discounted price of retro-style hardcover books. Thanks Steve. So, now I am at a crossroads. Should I put truckers, printers and retailers out of business or stay-the-course with my favorite method of reading? No contest. Now, how shall I show my commitment to saving Mother Earth through “Greening” my life? Read More

Greening Your Red, White and Blue Day 7/1/2010 By DJ Cleaver, Marketing Specialist and Go GrEEn! Committee Member As we all know Sunday is the 4th of July, and what better way to honor the nation we love by protecting and conserving its natural resources? I found some tips from the Sierra Club that will help you plan a bright-green red, white and blue celebration. Read More

Have you done your Spring Cleaning yet? 6/17/2010 (Comments 1) By Jennifer Deal, Administrative Assistant Most of us use commercial cleaning products to clean things, like our kitchen cabinets, windows, mirrors etc. Some of the chemicals found in these cleaning products are hazards to your heath and the environment as well. Researchers from the Environmental Working Group tested and determined that some cleaning products contain chemicals that have never been evaluated for human safety. So imagine what we put into the environment every time we use one of those commercial products. Read More

Hamilton Branch Implements Paper-Saving Measure 6/14/2010 By Tanett Bryant, Assistant Manager, Hamilton Branch As you know we use paper constantly throughout the day to print reports, take messages, print statements, etc. The Hamilton staff came up with the idea to tickle telephone messages whether it’s calls from outside of 3rd Federal Bank or within. Read More

Christmas in June 6/7/2010 By Stan Plytynski, Vice President Commercial Credit Manager I live in Hamilton Township, NJ and we have a very active re-cycling center for Township residents. You can drop off leaves, branches, car batteries, used motor oil, paper, etc. We have the added benefit of free mulch and compost throughout the spring and summer . Every January, I leave our 4 Christmas trees on the front curb to be picked up to go to the Center. These trees eventually wind up in the free mulch I take in the spring. Maybe one year, I’ll find that one tree ornament we forget to take off ! Read More

NEW Woodhaven Branch Grand Opening 6/3/2010 Join us June 5th from 9am - 1pm for the grand opening of our newest and greenest branch! We are celebrating with special promotions and events to highlight this amazing new "green" building! Read More

Recycling Helps People in Need 5/27/2010 By Donna Albright, Accounting Manager and Go GrEEn! Committee Member Most people think of recycling as properly disposing of paper and plastic and using environmentally friendly products. But Re-use is also a type of recycling that not only helps the environment, but can also help people in need. Read More

Save Water / Save Money 5/24/2010 By Kathryn Tammaro, Loan Servicing Specialist One of the easiest ways to Go Green, save energy and help preserve our environment is by saving water. By implementing simple conservation practices, you can save money on your utility bill as well as contribute to community conservation efforts. Read More

How to Stay Cool in the Hot Summer Months 5/20/2010 By Melissa Wilbur, Credit Analyst With the temperatures creeping up, we’re all looking for ways to keep cool in our homes and on our commutes. Because air conditioning releases CFCs which are harmful to the environment and also uses a significant amount of energy (home) and gas (autos) I thought I would look into some alternative ideas for keeping cool. We may have to give in and turn on the air at some point this summer, but here are some ideas I found on how to avoid doing that any sooner than necessary. These are all pretty simple concepts and probably common knowledge, but hopefully reading about them will encourage some of us to do our part to reduce our impact on the environment and save us a few pennies at the same time! Read More

The Green of Youth 5/17/2010 By Scott Little, Vice President Commercial Loan Officer Being green starts at a young age and in Quakertown we’re teaching our Cub Scouts in Pack 185 to be good stewards of the Earth. On Sunday, May 2nd, the Cub Scouts of Pack 185 and their leaders cleaned up Quakertown Memorial Park after the annual cancer fundraiser, Relay for Life, was held over the weekend. Sixteen scouts and their leaders fanned out across the park with trash bags and made the park sparkle. The Relay for Life clean-up is an annual tradition with Pack 185 and teaches our scouts that community service and a clean environment are important. Read More

A Spring in Your Step 5/13/2010 (Comments 1) By Claudia Beeman, Branch Manager, Doylestown Spring time means cleaning out closets to make room for summer clothes, but what do you do with all those old pairs of shoes (you know what I am talking about ladies…) Believe it or not, even shoes are recyclable! They are chopped up and made into new basketball courts, tracks, fields and playgrounds, isn’t that amazing! Read More

My Desktops are Going Green 5/10/2010 By Valerie Carfagno, Administrative Assistant and Recycling Captain As you may or may not know, part of my duties is to review security reports and maintain logs of these reviews (which is a general good practice for any bank) , but they are also required by the auditors. The auditors require that we provide "proof" of these reviews, which requires the printing of these reports that are generated daily. As those of who have ever visited my work area can attest, this produces many binders of paperwork that eventually are stored and retained for the appropriate time periods. Read More

A Way to Garden “Green” 5/6/2010 By Liz Kaspern, Senior Vice President Retail One of my hobbies is gardening and I am researching for ways that I can be “green gardener” My sister, Jane Burger, has been a strong advocate of the green movement for many, many years. Following is her advise on a key area for a every gardener – Composting!! Read More

New Woodhaven Branch Construction Update 5/3/2010 By Ty Wilkins, Woodhaven Branch Manager Check out the construction progress of our new Woodhaven branch. Read More

Going Green with Home Remodeling 4/29/2010 By Neci DeVore, Branch Manager, Girard and Recycling Captain My husband is a plumber and he has a lead referral source called Service Magic. Working with them has been invaluable in a lot of ways. They provide articles of interest, resources, and they also keep you up to date on home improvement market trends that homeowners are requesting in your local area. Of course one of the hot topics is going green in home improvements.. So I started reading the articles, in the event we (hubby J) received any plumbing requests from potential customers that were green conscious. Besides learning to be green at work and home with paper, plastic and glass I have really broadened my horizon to a scope much bigger than that. Being energy efficient is just as important as the paper, plastic and glass recycling. I am sharing part of an article they published on Service Magic. Some of the things listed you may be doing already, if not, I hope you find it helpful. Read More

Convenience is Key 4/26/2010 By Carolyn Wright, Assistant Marketing Manager and Go GrEEn! Committee Member Recycling can be a chore. If your recycling bin is not easily accessible, recycling is easy to forget. Since moving into my new home, I’ve found that I’m recycling more consistently because my recycling bin is in my garage, directly outside of my kitchen. Every time I open a can or bottle, I immediately throw it into the bin outside the kitchen door. If you’re finding that recycling is just not convenient, try relocating your recycling bin to a more accessible place. Or place a separate bin next to your trash can just for recyclables! Read More

INK: How 3rd Federal Bank Can Be GREEN 3-Fold 4/22/2010 By Chip O’Connell, ACH Specialist and Recycling Captain With the recent publication in the American Banker of 3rd Federal Bank’s effort to be a Green Bank, I posed a question to myself, being a Green Team Member. “How can 3rd Federal be even more environmentally proactive for Earth Day?” After some further research I came up with one answer that makes 3 positive outcomes. The answer will make the entire bank a part of the effort and save money for the bank while we become more environmentally proactive to raise our GREEN status. The solution begins where you are sitting right now and the process is only a few clicks away. Read More

Recycling Update at Newtown Branch 4/15/2010 By Caitlin Matlack, Newtown Teller and Recycling Captain Here at the Newtown branch we recycle all our paper products, but there is no recycling pick up for plastic products. We as a branch came up with a solution by collecting all the plastic bottles and containers in a reusable 3rd Federal Bank bag, and then I take the bag home once a week to be picked up at my house. Read More

How to Recycle in Philadelphia 4/12/2010 By Lou DePaul, Branch Manager, Mayfair In my last blog, I expressed my passion for recycling at home, work and just about everywhere else to help preserve Mother Earth. This time I would like to present a simple follow-up on just how easy it is for residents and businesses (who have Residential Street Trash Pick-up like we do at Mayfair) to recycle in the great City of Philadelphia. Read More

More About LEED Certification 4/8/2010 By Wayne Bishop, Vice President Facilities Manager & Purchasing and Go GrEEn! Committee Member Here are some little known requirements on the road to LEED certification. Read More

Recycling Can Make the World See Clearer! 4/6/2010 By Linda Barlow, Cross Keys Branch, Teller and Recycling Captain In the Cross Keys branch, we have a wooden box into which people put old eyeglasses. About once a month, someone from the Lions Club comes and collects the eyeglasses. The clubs recycle these glasses at 17 different centers worldwide. After the tsunami in 2004, this service club sent over 100,000 pairs of eyeglasses to those in the affected regions who may have lost their glasses in their haste to escape. Read More

New Woodhaven Branch Construction Update 3/22/2010 By Ty Wilkins, Woodhaven Branch Manager Check out the construction progress of our new Woodhaven branch. Read More

Green Bathrooms: By the numbers 3/15/2010 By Cindy Kelshaw, Vice President Sales My husband and I are thinking about remodeling our bathroom. As I was looking for information on how we could make our bathroom “GREEN,” I came across this article from Ready, Set, Green, TreeHugger.com. Read More

Will green building activities continue after ARRA funding ends? 3/11/2010 By Stephen Gregory, Vice President Commercial Loan Officer and Go GrEEn! Committee Member Green Building Insider recently surveyed state chapters of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) on several topics relating to green building activities and policies. The survey revealed mixed feelings and surfaced concerns that green building efforts will stall once American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding starts to dry up. Read More

Keep Green While On Vacation 3/1/2010 By DJ Cleaver, Marketing Specialist and Go GrEEn! Committee Member In the next few weeks, I am off to the warm tropical climate of beautiful Hawaii. This will be my first time to the 50th state. I really can't wait. Enough is enough with this cold weather… Because Hawaii is so naturally pristine I thought I would do some research on how to keep green while on vacation. I found this great organization, the Green Hotels Association, which has a list of green travel tips. Here are my favorites: Read More

New Woodhaven Branch Construction Update 2/23/2010 By Ty Wilkins, Woodhaven Branch Manager Check out the construction progress of our new Woodhaven branch. Read More

Phones for Haiti 2/18/2010 By Patty Dykes, Vice President, Retail Support and Go GrEEn! Committee member Here is something I ran across that will not only help with the recycling effort but assist those in need. The American Red Cross has partnered with ReCellular, a phone recycling company, and launched a disaster relief program called “Phones for Haiti.” Read More

New Woodhaven Branch Construction Update 2/16/2010 By Ty Wilkins, Woodhaven Branch Manager Check out the construction progress of our new Woodhaven branch. Read More

Recycling is Family Affair 2/4/2010 By Candice Quigley, Recruiter and Go Green Committee Member My family is big into recycling and always has been. Even before the township started picking up cans and bottles we were doing it. I remember going down to Otter Recycling in Bristol when I was young to drop off all of our cans and bottles. So of course anytime we have a party we are very conscious of how we are going to handle all of the waste from a large gathering of people. We recently had a graduation party for my sister and set up a recycle station with signs for cans and bottles and also plastic ware. Read More

From Haste and Waste to Green and Mean 2/2/2010 By Dana Dobson, VP Marketing and Go Green Committee Chair 3rd Federal Bank is way beyond going green. We are green and mean. Greening with meaning. It began two years ago when our employees decided they wanted to walk the talk, have us “be” green from the inside out, taking real action, not just spouting our tagline, “Go Green!” Read More

eBooks, Newspapers and the Screaming of the Trees 1/7/2010 (Comments 4) by Henry Cervino, Branch Manager, Cross Keys First of all, let me start by saying this is not an anti-green, anti-environment blog. As a product of the ‘60s and ‘70s protest and demonstration eras, I learned early on about the inherent dangers of over-consumption and waste. Having sat through dozens of 3+ hour waits for gasoline during two gas shortages, I understand the better mileage your car gets, the less time you’ll spend on line. My home is very well insulated, my current vehicle gets 23+ MPG (although my wife’s car gets only 18 but her commute is just 14 miles round-trip). I turn off the water while brushing my teeth and in-between strokes of my razor (yes, even bearded men shave). I take only warm showers and have a ceiling fan in every regularly used room. Ask my kids about their formative years and how insistent I was that they didn’t waste paper towels and that they turn off the lights when leaving a room. Yes, I am as green as my tastes allow me to be. Read More

‘Tis The Season To Recycle Your Christmas Tree 1/4/2010 By Carolyn Wright, Assistant Marketing Manager and Go GrEEn! Committee Member As the holidays wind down, towns in our area are revving up recycling events to reuse Christmas trees. Read More

New Woodhaven Branch Construction Update 12/18/2009 By Ty Wilkins, Woodhaven Branch Manager Check out the construction progress of our new Woodhaven branch. Read More

Sister to Sister 12/17/2009 by Elizabeth Kaspern, Senior Vice President, Retail Banking Manager I have to admit -- I am one of those people who has NOT been focused on “green" issues. It is something I never thought about! I realize I have to start making a change, so I asked my sister, Ellen, for her advice. She has been an advocate for the environment for many years and I value her input. Following is her response... Read More

Recycling Pays! 12/14/2009 By Dana Dobson, Go Green Committee Chair Recycling always rewards us by conserving natural resources and saving the City money. Now you can also earn personal rewards just for recycling regularly and right. With the new Philadelphia Recycling Rewards program, powered by RecycleBank, the more you and your neighbors recycle the more rewards points you earn. Read More

Why Going Green is so vital for our existence!!!!!!!! 12/7/2009 By Claudia Beeman, Doylestown Branch Manager In 2004, the science-fiction film “The Day After Tomorrow” captured the interest of millions of people around the globe, not because of those breathtaking effects covering the entire picture, but because the humanity finally was coming to grips of the fact that Global Warming is real, is happening and it will probably devastate the entire planet if we don’t do anything to stop and reverse its catastrophic effect. Read More

Scouts Do Their Part in Upper Bucks 12/3/2009 By Scott Little, Vice President Commercial Loan Officer Most of these blog entries are about how we can Go Green at work. This one is how we’re helping to keep the planet green in my corner of the world in Upper Bucks County. I am the Asst. Cubmaster for Pack 185, Quakertown, PA. Recently our Webelos II volunteered to take on a conservation project. In 1967, the American Legion Quakertown Post 242 built a scout cabin on eight acres in Haycock Township, Camp Quabasco. Over the years, numerous scouts have used the site for overnight camping trips. In recent years the site hasn’t been used as often and had become littered, overgrown and in disrepair. Read More

Recycling Earns Money for Community 11/30/2009 By Neci DeVore, Girard and Northern Liberties Branch Manager and Recycling Captain Earning cash for recycling efforts - Recycling is the process of taking a product at the end of its useful life and using all or part of it to make another product. But before it gets to that other new product there are other things that can be done. While reading the local paper one day I discovered that there are places that you are encouraged to take and drop off your recycled paper. Read More

Stop Junk Mail! 11/23/2009 (Comments 1) By Linda Barlow, Teller, Cross Keys How many people really like junk mail and/or read it? In an informal, non-scientific survey of my family and friends, I would find no one who likes junk mail! I have even proposed that I should have my recycling bin right next to my mailbox on some days. Read More

You turned back your clock, what about your fans! 11/19/2009 By Candice Quigley, Recruiter and Go GrEEn! Committee I just read this article that reminded me of something so simple that I always forget to do. According to Hunter Fans, if you reverse the direction of your fan, you can lower the thermostat on your heating/cooling unit by at least five degrees "without losing comfort." This could save up to 10 percent on your monthly heating bill this winter, especially since 80 percent of homes in America have ceiling fans, but currently fewer than one in five homes know to turn back their fans. Read More

Green Thinking 11/16/2009 By Valerie Carfagno, Administrative Assistant, Information Technology There is no doubt we have made great strides at being “green” in many ways here at 3rd Federal Bank. Our new Woodhaven Branch groundbreaking just took place and this branch will be LEED certified, meaning that we will be using environmentally friendly products and recycled construction materials to name a few. Read More

Breaking Ground in Woodhaven 11/12/2009 By Kent Lufkin, President & CEO and Go GrEEn! Committee On October 29, the bank celebrated a momentous occasion – the groundbreaking of the new Woodhaven branch, 3rd Federal Bank’s first-ever branch designed for LEED certification! Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, along with Office of Sustainability Director Katherine Gajewski, various bank staff, our board of directors, and a number of the community’s green thought leaders participated in the groundbreaking ceremony. Read More

To Mother Earth 11/9/2009 By Lou DePaul, branch manager, Mayfair I love you mother earth. I will do my little part to protect you every day. Here are some of the ways I show my love: I love to Recycle !!! My Family loves to recycle !!! My Branch loves to recycle !!! Read More

Green Lending 11/5/2009 By Steven Gregory, Commercial Loan Officer It’s difficult not to notice the shift towards greener investment on many levels. 3rd Federal Bank continues to take an active role in this emerging market. To that end, I have made great progress acquiring knowledge and developing expertise in green lending programs. Read More

One step forward and 2 steps back. 10/26/2009 By Donna Albright, Accounting Manager and Go GrEEn! Committee Member At the beginning of the Go Green initiative at 3rd Federal Bank, I was so proud of the accounting department for making some simple changes that saved both time and paper waste for the entire department. Then, a few months ago, we got an “upgrade” to our accounting software that required more time on our part and produced more paper waste than we could control – at first. Read More

A Scanner Green 10/22/2009 By Jules Ferraro, Customer Service Representative, Newtown and Recycling Captain I was talking to Jeanne Foran in the commercial loans department the other day. For a new business checking account I needed the usual documents, and learned her department had them - LLC operating agreement, SS4, etc. I had expected to get a fax, but instead, I was surprised and pleased to receive, via email, PDFs of the above documents along with tax ID information for the signers. Read More

How to Compost 10/13/2009 By Cindy Kelshaw, Vice President, Retail Sales Manager My husband and I have been recycling for many years. Not only do we believe in it, but the area where we live has started recycling programs. Like most homeowners in our city, we recycle the usual – bottles, tin cans, paper, cardboard etc. But we wanted to do more. So we thought, “Why not create our own compost pile with yard waste and certain foods?” Read More

Tips for Greener Driving 9/24/2009 By Patty Dykes, Vice President, Retail Support and Go GrEEn! Committee member While doing some research I came across some tips for greener driving. Read More

What Happens to Old Tires? 9/21/2009 By Wayne Bishop, Vice President, Facilities Manager and Go GrEEn! Committee member Have you ever thought about what happens to your old tires on your vehicle? In the US nearly 300 million tires are disposed of each year. The tire disposal fee we pay on new tires helps to ensure that the retailer disposes of the used tires in an environmentally friendly way. Read More

Insulating Windows 9/17/2009 By Candice Quigley, Recruiter and Go GrEEn! Committee Member I am starting to think about getting my house ready for the winter and one of those things I usually do is get those heat shrink plastic window kits for my windows. My windows are older and I want to make sure I am not losing heat out of them. I dread doing this because the heat shrink plastic is really annoying to work with, plus when I peel it off in the spring, there is tape residue on the frames and the paint peels off. I was really excited to hear about this idea of window inserts or “winserts” that you can make and reuse, thus saving all that wasted plastic in the spring and my window frames. Read More

First Floor at Corporate Forming Habits 9/14/2009 By Jeanne Foran, Vice President, Commercial Loan Operations and Go GrEEn! Committee Member As the Go Green Captain for the 1st floor of our Corporate Center I make the rounds every night to check that the lights, desk calculators, printers and computer monitors been turned off. Read More

Reuse Those Interoffice Envelopes 8/17/2009 By Joseph Healey, Branch Manager, Bridesburg I’ve asked around to see what happens to our interoffice envelopes when both sides are completely filled and was told that we throw them out. Wouldn’t it be simpler and less costly to create an excel spread sheet then print an 8.5x11 sheet of paper with the same information as the envelopes? Read More

Are You In With Your Recycling Bin? 8/13/2009 By Carolyn Wright, Assistant Marketing Manager and Go GrEEn Committee Member When I moved to Northampton Township about a year ago, I found out that the township controlled the trash and recycling pick-up. So, I contacted them to find out more about what kind of recycling program they had. They told me I could purchase a blue recycling bin from them for $10... And so, I purchased the bin. As the months went by, Read More

New Paper and Cardboard Recycling Program 8/10/2009 By Candice Quigley, Recruiter and Go GrEEn! Committee member We have implemented a new paper and cardboard recycling program here at our corporate campus that we are just thrilled about. We found a company that recycles all of our non-confidential office paper as well as all of our cardboard boxes. This will allow us to recycle all of our non-confidential papers - including the bags of shredded paper we remove from our shredders. We used to just throw it away and now we are filling a big toter here every two weeks with recyclable material that is not going into the landfill! It was definitely a team effort to get this off the ground but we are really pleased with the way it all worked out. The best part -- it’s FREE! Read More

A Quick Way to Reduce Paper Waste in the Branches 8/6/2009 (Comments 1) By Julius Ferraro, Customer Service Representative, Newtown and Recycling Captain Every month, each branch has a branch meeting. For this meeting, there is an agenda containing all of the information to be covered, sent by the security officer to branch management. Instead of printing out a copy of this agenda for each staff member, print out half as many, or less, and have people share. Then, a copy of the agenda can be emailed to every staff member so that they have access to the information. My copies of the agendas tend to go into the recycling bin pretty quickly anyway. I don’t have space allocated for all of that paperwork and it gets cumbersome. With the new system, if I ever want to review, say, “Fire Safety,” I can do a quick email search and review the attachment. Read More

Recycle – Do it Right! 8/3/2009 by Valerie Carfagno, Administrative Assistant and Recycling Captain All of us in the IT Department have been involved in with the recycling of paper since the inception of our Go Green initiative. Recently, both confidential and non-confidential documents and cardboard are being recycled. When you consider the number of boxes of statement paper, envelopes and statement stuffers that are delivered here monthly, it adds up to quite a bit of cardboard. In addition, we receive regular shipments of computer equipment, peripherals and accessories -- all which come in cardboard boxes. Thanks to this new program, all of these materials are staying out of landfills! Read More

Don’t You Just Love eStatements? 7/28/2009 By Dana Dobson, VP Marketing and Go GrEEn! Committee Member I may be an employee of 3rd Federal Bank, but I’m a 3rd Federal Bank customer, too, and I’ve got to say that I just love eStatements! Over the years, whenever I received my paper statement in the mail, it wound up in a file folder that got fatter and fatter as the years went by. Rarely, if ever, did I go back into that file to look at a paper statement. I didn’t need to – online banking gives me all the information I need. And – egads! – I used to throw old paper statements right into the kitchen trash! I purchased a cross-cut paper shredder from the office supply store this weekend and had a wonderful time shredding all of those old statements! And, I especially enjoyed taking all those full, lightweight bags of shredded statements down to the recycling dumpster. Read More

eStatements Good for Customers and Bank 7/15/2009 By Stephen Dalziel, Assistant Manager, Northern Liberties and Recycling Captain Over the past several months our IT department has been working hard to set up eStatements, paperless versions of customer statements that can be accessed online. Not only will eStatements reduce the amount of paper that 3rd Federal Bank consumes, but eStatements will also be immediately available, allowing our customers to access their statements without having to wait for postal delivery. Read More

Ewing Branch Reduces and Reuses 7/13/2009 By Sheila Buck, Ewing Branch Manager and Recycling Captain A couple of months ago, the Ewing Office took an inventory of its stock room. Not only have we gone through our supplies and returned the extra supplies and supplies that we don’t use to the corporate office for re-distribution, but we also went to the dollar store and picked up plastic bins and labeled each bin with the supplies that are inside the bin. Read More

Scoring Points for LEED Certification 7/9/2009 By Wayne Bishop, Vice President, Facilities Manager & Purchasing and Go GrEEn! Committee Member Planning for 3rd Federal Bank’s “green” building in Woodhaven is progressing. To obtain LEED certification for a newly constructed building, points are awarded to various phases of a project with the ultimate goal being to obtain the required number of points to obtain certification. Read More

They’re Never Too Young to Recycle: 7/6/2009 By Kelli Asman, Teller, Woodhaven Branch and Recycling Captain I have a smart nephew. He will be two this August. He does what any kid his age would do, eats a lot, takes naps, watches cartoons, brushes teeth, learning to go on the potty, throws trash out, and even recycles. Read More

Cross Keys Branch Makes Progress 6/26/2009 By Linda Barlow, Teller, Cross Keys and Recycling Captain The Cross Keys branch is making progress on its “green” efforts. We have signs next to many light switches to remind ourselves and we have now gotten into the habit of turning off lights not in use. We now use the back sides of papers to print out things for internal use. We have had some light bulbs replaced with longer-lasting bulbs. We have made a habit of turning off all monitors and machines at the end of the day. Our big challenge remains finding a source for recycling paper. However, we will continue our efforts in all areas. Read More

Drink a Cup of Kindness (to the Environment) 6/8/2009 (Comments 1) By Susan Martinka, Administrative Assistant and Go GrEEn! Committee Member How many of us are using coffee mugs or personal water containers? In effort to reduce the purchase of styrofoam and paper products we have been asking the employees to use their own coffee mug or water container. Read More

Retail Support Walks the Talk 6/4/2009 By Patty Dykes, Vice President, Retail Support and Go GrEEn! Committee Member The Retail Support Team has implemented several initiatives to become 3rd Federal Bank’s leading GREEN TEAM. We are recycling our plastic bottles and soda cans. Each desk, copier and fax machine location has two receptacles; one for recycled paper the other for regular waste. Read More

Considerations for LEED Certification 6/2/2009 By Wayne Bishop, Vice President, Facilities & Purchasing and Go GrEEn! Committee Member Planning for 3rd Federal Bank’s new, all-green Woodhaven branch (slated to open in late 2009) is well under way, and we are learning a great deal in the process. This will be a LEED certified facility. LEED is an internationally recognized certification system that measures how well a building performs across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. (http://www.usgbc.org) Read More

First Floor is First Rate 5/7/2009 By Jeanne Foran, Vice President, Commercial Lending Operations and Go GrEEn! Committee Member In an ongoing effort to cut back on our use of energy, we have asked everyone to turn off their computer monitors, calculators, printers, lights, etc. each night before leaving. We have also requested those in offices to turn off their lights when they are going to be out of the office for any considerable period of time. Read More

Thinking Green 5/1/2009 By Julius Ferraro, Customer Service Representative, Newtown and Recycling Captain Any institution is bound to carry with it old systems and regulations which are no longer efficient, do not live up to current standards, or which are not even necessary any longer. When an old system presents a security issue, there are committees which quickly catch it and propose a change. When a system is inefficient, there are people set to cutting costs who may catch it and make it less expensive. But when an old system is merely wasteful, it often takes a concerned individual to catch it, because its elimination is not necessary to the survival of the institution. Read More

Even our SMALL effort to be GREEN here at 3rd Federal Bank can play a BIG part in the future of the environment in Pennsylvania 4/20/2009 By Chip O’Connell, ACH Specialist and Recycling Captain Facts about Office Paper As much as 93% of all office waste is paper, most of it recyclable, 77% of paper waste generated in offices is recyclable. Read More

Transportation Survey Results 4/8/2009 By Candice Quigley, Recruiter and Go GrEEn! Committee Member According to About.com, Americans spend more than 100 hours a year commuting and they spend more time driving to work than taking vacations! Surprised at these statistics? If so, you’re not alone. Patty Dykes, vice president, retail support and I found these statistics shocking, so we’re spearheading a bank wide effort to go a little greener by cutting down on emissions, improving air quality and saving energy. As members of the Transportation and Air Quality Subcommittee of the 3rd Federal Bank Go GrEEn Committee, we focused our initial efforts on surveying our staff to determine their daily commuting habits. We got some interesting results. Read More

Getting LEED Certification 3/31/2009 By Wayne Bishop, Vice President, Facilities Manager & Purchasing and Go GrEEn! Committee Member As the facilities manager at 3rd Federal Bank, I have been deeply involved in the process of building our new green branch in northeast Philadelphia, which is slated to open later this year. Obtaining a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for a new building involves following specific guidelines developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Points are assigned to all phases of the planning and construction in order to obtain LEED building certification. After completion of building construction, the USGBC will review detailed documentation compiled during each phase of a project to ensure that the building standards were followed. Read More

3rd Federal Bank to Build a LEED-certified Branch 3/24/2009 By Kent Lufkin, President & CEO and Go GrEEn! Committee Member 3rd Federal Bank has committed to building a green building, also known as a LEED-certified building, for the relocation of its Woodhaven branch from an inline store at a strip-mall to a new, stand-alone facility on a bank pad site at the same location. The new branch, which is currently being designed by a contactor, architect, and LEED-certified consultant, will be at the corner of Knights & Woodhaven Roads in Northeast Philadelphia. The new facility will only be about 40 yards from the branch’s current location. There are different levels of LEED (green certification), and we are hopeful that we'll achieve a Silver level. Read More

Some Interesting Facts 3/19/2009 By Jennifer Deal, Administrative Assistant and Go GrEEn! Committee Member Don’t Ask for ATM Receipts: If everyone in the United States refused their receipts, it would save a roll of paper more than 2 billion feet long or enough to circle the equator 15 times. Read More

Earth Hour 3/16/2009 By Kelli Asman, Teller, Woodhaven and Recycling Captain So -- on Saturday, March 28th, Earth Hour will happen. Millions of people around the globe will be taking a stand on climate change. Sound exciting? You bet! Read More

Grocery Bags Catching On 3/12/2009 (Comments 1) By Susan Martinka, Administrative Assistant and Go GrEEn! Committee member Purchasing and using the cloth/insulated shopping bags is now an ingrained process in our household. At first there was some resistance by my spouse for the purchase cost of the bags, so I just bought one each time I visited the grocery store. There was also some hesitation on his part that they would actually be used or just forgotten. We keep the bags in the trunk of the car that we take when we do our weekly grocery shopping. Then, when we unpack the groceries, the bags are immediately placed back in the trunk for the next trip. Read More

Making Strides in Marketing 3/2/2009 By Carolyn Wright, Go GrEEn! Committee Member When I started at the company just over one year ago, I couldn’t believe how much paper was wasted on a daily basis. There seemed to be no recycling program in place and paper was filling the trash cans everyday. Read More

Going Green Going Great! 2/26/2009 By Dana Dobson, Go GrEEn! Committee Chair The “Go GrEEn!” initiative at 3rd Federal Bank continues to thrive and it has been an interesting and educational experience. Our aim to “Go GrEEn!” has, for the most part, been directed inward towards our employees and corporate culture. It’s an effort to truly BE green from the inside out. Read More

Who Moved My Recycling Box? 2/2/2009 By Neci DeVore, Branch Manager, Girard and Recycling Captain The last time I wrote my blog I was in the informational gathering stage. Still doing that, but felt I should at least start the process. So I got three boxes and labeled two for paper and one for cans and bottles that we put in the kitchen. I put a sign on the kitchen wall with an arrow pointing to the recycle box, as a reminder. I felt good, I was getting it started. Everyone was using them. We were starting to do our part. Read More

Clever Recycling Ideas from New Britain 1/29/2009 By Amber Kozrad, Teller, New Britain and Recycling Captain I am new to 3rd Federal Bank, so this whole “going green” program is very new to me, but I have thought of a few ideas at the New Britain branch to help start the recycling effort. Read More

Feasterville’s Small Steps are Big 1/26/2009 By Lindsay Mongiello, Teller, Feasterville and Recycling Captain I am very proud to be the recycling captain at the Feasterville office. Since going green, we have been recycling glass, plastic and newspapers. I have also put up the “Switch off as you leave” stickers all around the branch and have had the other employees at the branch getting involved too. We are all very much aware of our part and are trying to make a difference. Read More

Getting Off the Ground Floor – On the Second Floor 1/22/2009 By Candice Quigley, Recruiter and Go GrEEn! Committee member As recycling captain of the second floor here at corporate we have had many recycling challenges and are still trying to come up with creative ways to resolve them. We are striving to get to a point where all of our paper, plastics, and cans are recycled. It’s not as easy as you would think. Read More

Just a few updates from the Mayfair Branch 1/15/2009 By Stephen Dalziel, Customer Service Representative, Mayfair and Recycling Captain Last year at Mayfair we started to “recycle”. We have all contributed in recycling: paper, plastic and glass bottles. Our manager, Lou DePaul, really helped to create a “recycling” atmosphere here at the branch. We had major contributions from our great teller, Frank. Frank was able to go to a Philadelphia city recycling center to pick up a large blue recycling bin. We too implemented a “lights off” program, thus saving on electricity. By switching the main lobby lights off after the bank closes and switching off the lights in the basement, like many at 3rd Federal Bank. Read More

Every Little Bit Helps 1/13/2009 By Valerie Carfagno, Administrative Assistant, Information Technology and Recycling Captain I have a been aware of the need to recycle for many years and would like to think that I do my fair share toward that effort. When I had my kitchen remodeled two years ago, I made sure that recycling bins were part of the design to make it easier to do, and low flow faucets have been in my home for a long time. Read More

Cross Keys Recycling Efforts 1/9/2009 By Linda Barlow, Teller, Cross Keys and Recycling Captain Since I am fairly new to 3rd Federal Bank, it was an honor to be chosen by my branch to be the Recycling Captain for the branch. Personally, my family has done recycling for years at home, even when this involved taking recycled items to a central distribution point. Now, I have the opportunity, as well as the challenge, to initiate recycling at the Cross Keys branch. Yes, this will be a challenge... Read More

Northern Liberties Ahead of the Game 1/5/2009 By Nina DeCosta, Branch Manager, Northern Liberties and Go GrEEn! Committee Member The Northern Liberties community has been ahead of the green game for almost five years. The neighborhood association in this community participates in a paper/cardboard recycling program that provides revenue for the community. Read More

Recycling Challenges in Newtown 12/31/2008 By Julius Ferraro, Customer Service Representative, Newtown and Recycling Captain At the Newtown branch we don’t have a recycling bin. They don’t pick up recycling out here and so we do the best we can: we turn out the lights when we’re not in a room, and any paper waste we put aside to take over to the huge shredder at Corporate, because everything shredded there is recycled. Read More

Accounting Department Reduces Paper 12/29/2008 By Donna Albright, Accounting Manager and Go GrEEn! Committee Member The Accounting Department is doing its part to go grEEn. A few months ago, we started paying attention to the amount of paper we use and waste. With just one brief "brainstorming" session, we were immediately able to stop printing 29 sheets of paper wasted each morning for previewing and reporting. We now preview online and print only what we need to store (working on that) and use email for report distribution. Read More

What is your carbon footprint? 12/22/2008 By Patty Dykes, Vice President, Retail Support Services and Go GrEEn! Committee Memeber The Go GrEEn! Committee regularly discusses and evaluates ways to minimize 3rd Federal Bank’s carbon footprint. WHAT IS YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT? Read More

Green greetings from the “fish bowl!” 12/18/2008 By Kathy Gallagher, Teller, Fishtown and Recycling Captain Instead of “Captain Planet,” we have “Captain Kathy.” Her followers are Sharon (water), Maureen (heart), Lois (fire), Melody (earth), and Katie (wind). When this team combines forces, we make the GO GREEN TEAM!! We make sure our “fish” in the fishtown environment are protected by the GO GREEN TEAM. Read More

Switch off as you leave 12/12/2008 By DJ Cleaver, Marketing Specialist and Go GrEEn! Committee Member As part of our Go GrEEn initiative, we are proud to announce that we have installing “Switch Off as You Leave” light switch plate stickers. They are a friendly reminder to turn off our lights as we go on with our busy day. Each sticker includes the “Switch Off as You Leave” message, a picture of our super-green mascot, 3rd Fred, and our 3rd Federal Bank logo with “GO GREEN!” motto. They were placed above all light switches in areas where the lights can be turned off throughout the day and not affect co-workers and bank business. Such areas include storage rooms, copy areas, meeting spaces, bathrooms, break rooms, kitchens, single offices, and conference rooms. Stickers were not placed in hallways, stairwells, cubes and areas where multiply people share the same light source. Read More

Northern Liberties Holiday Event 12/8/2008 By Nina de Costa, Branch Manager, Northern Liberties and Go GrEEn! Committee member The Northern Liberties Business Owners Association, NLBOA, of which I am president, just held its 2nd Annual Holiday Kick Off. In keeping with the "green spirit" of the neighborhood and 3rd Federal Bank, we provided a 40- foot Xmas Tree and Giant Menorah at our neighborhood park. All are powered by solar energy, supplied by Solaris Energy. In addition to the solar power, the tree will be recycled for mulch. A grand time was had by all! Read More

Looks like I’m it! 12/2/2008 By Neci Devore, Branch Manager, Girard and Recycling Captain I signed up to be the recycling captain at Girard. Since we as a company feel a responsibility to go green, then it’s important that our branch do its best to participate. Read More

Employee Transportation Survey 11/20/2008 By Candice Quigley, Recruiter and Go GrEEn! Committee Member Patty Dykes and I are the members of the Transportation and Air Quality Committee. We recently surveyed all 3rd Federal Bank employees regarding their transportation habits. Our goal was to help the ‘Go GrEEn! Committee’ review and measure 3rd Federal Bank’s carbon footprint to help us determine if we can save energy through current or alternative transportation modes. Read More

Evidence that We’re Using Less Paper 11/14/2008 By Susan Martinka, Go GrEEn! Committee Member Our use of less paper has also influenced the number of ink cartridges the company is ordering for personal printers. Read More

Saving Money and Helping the Environment 11/13/2008 (Comments 1) By Jennifer Deal, Administrative Assistant and Go GrEEn! Committee Member Have you ever thought of buying one of those reusable cups at Dunkin’ Donuts, Wawa etc…I never did until I was in our first Go GrEEn! meeting. During our first meeting we had a round table discussion about recycling and the issue of Styrofoam cups came up. Read More

Go GrEEn Committee Meeting Highlights 9/26/2008 By Dana Dobson, Go GrEEn Committee Chair Following are some highlights from our September, 2008 Go GrEEn! Committee meeting: Read More

Recycling 9/22/2008 By Jeanne Foran, Vice President, Commercial Lending Operations As a member of our Go GrEEn Committee, I am in the process of recruiting Recycling Captains throughout our branch network. Read More

Great article about our “Go GrEEn!” initiative 9/19/2008 By Dana Dobson, VP Marketing An article about 3rd Federal Bank’s “Go GrEEn” initiative appeared today on a website recently launched by the TechWeb network, which covers “green” strategies for the financial services industry. Read More

Enlightened Self Interest 9/4/2008 By Paul Matzko, Teller The statistics that Candice Quigley provided in the last post (“Great Statistics”) testify to the ability that we each have to affect the environment that we all share. Every member of the global community is helped or harmed by how we treat the world around us. That truth is powerful in its own right, but ultimately insufficient to motivate more than a small segment of the population. Thus the average American can be confronted by statistics about recycling and energy consumption without changing the way he or she behaves. Why are we so apathetic? Read More

GREAT STATISTICS! 8/21/2008 (Comments 1) By Candice Quigley, Recruiter I saw these statistics in an email newsletter I receive regularly from a recruiting firm, and thought I’d pass them along. Read More

The “Go Green” Legacy: Past, Present and Future 8/13/2008 (Comments 1) By Kent Lufkin, President & CEO It was five years ago that 3rd Federal Bank adopted its Go Green! tagline and the bright lime green color. Prior to that, we were still green, just a darker shade. We also quickly recognized that “Go Green” created an immediate connection to the environment. Read More

Today's Go GrEEn Committee Meeting 8/8/2008 By Nina DeCosta, Branch Manager, Northern Liberties Our GrEEn Committee is really beginning to evolve. Folks are coming up with more ways to be green and a process to do it. It's merely about; Awareness, Education, Action and Consistency. It's amazing to see how the smallest collective effort can prove to have such an impact on our daily lives with energy saving, air quality and recycling. Imagine if every single person and business entity committed to just the small behavior changes...Wow, it would have a tremendous, positive affect on our lives and the environment. Read More

Best Practices in an Internet Banking Channel 8/6/2008 (Comments 1) By Kevin M. Roddy, Vice President, Information Technology Part of 3rd Federal Bank’s “Go GrEEn” initiative is to enlighten our customers about the safety and convenience of Online banking, Online bill pay, eBills, and eStatements. There is no denying it – the world is becoming more digital and electronic. Someday, banking online will be routine and it will seem silly that we ever used pieces of paper to pay bills or check our balances. But we’re not there yet – there is still a lot of fear of and resistance to online banking in general, and it’s no wonder, given the recent news stories about unsecure Internet banking sites. Read More

Greenwashing “bad.” Sustainability “good.” 7/28/2008 (Comments 0) By Dana Dobson, VP Marketing The difficult is what takes a little time; the impossible is what takes a little longer. (George Santayana) A wise person recently gave me some “Listen to me, kid – I’ve been there” advice regarding the bank’s Go GrEEN initiative. First, he proposed that our efforts to change our corporate culture and become a green organization ought to be a slow and well-thought-out process. Read More

CFL Clean-Up and Disposal 7/18/2008 (Comments 1) By DJ Cleaver, Marketing Specialist There have been many questions around 3rd Federal Bank about Compact Florescent Lights (CFLs), and their disposal. Energy Star, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy with the mission to help save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices, recommends the following clean-up and disposal guidelines: Read More

Progress, Not Perfection 7/16/2008 By Dana Dobson, VP Marketing Science is organized common sense where many a beautiful theory was killed by an ugly fact. (Thomas H Huxley) The first step in recovery is admitting you have a problem. Our problem is paper addiction, and it’s a humdinger. The good thing is, though, that we have a unanimous consensus to face this reality with courage and conviction and do whatever it takes to beat it. Read More

The “Greening” of 3rd Federal Bank 7/11/2008 (Comments 1) By Dana Dobson, VP Marketing Daring ideas are like chessmen moved forward; they may be beaten, but they may start a winning game. (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe) At 3rd Federal Bank, we say, “Go Green!” We’ve been saying it since 2004, when CEO Kent Lufkin spearheaded an ambitious re-branding campaign that turned our corporate color (a dark, conservative hunter green) into an attention-grabbing bright, neon lime green. Read More

Green Tips from A to Z

8/26/2010
By Amy Sarver, Consumer Loan Rep

A fter drying clothes, clean your lint filter to save energy, cash and reduce fire hazard.

B uy in bulk and save big on waste and money.

C heck out local farmers markets – it saves on fuel and helps farmers in your community.
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How do you get a replacement curbside recycle bin and yard waste bin?

8/19/2010
By Tammy McDonald, Teller Trainer

For the past year, I have been missing my curbside blue recycle bin that I was issued when recycling was introduced. It blew away in a windstorm, never to return. Since then, I have been using an extra trash can I have. Well, I decided it’s time to get a replacement. So I contacted my trash pick-up company, Waste Management. I was nicely informed that my Township Municipal Authority (Police Station) would be the place to contact.
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Remodeling Responsibly

8/16/2010
By Carolyn Maniscalco, Assistant Marketing Manager

When you move into a new home, as I recently did, remodeling is usually one of the most popular home improvement projects. We were anxious to have our bathrooms, kitchen and living area customized to our liking. Since remodeling projects are usually some of the biggest and most expensive jobs you can start on your home, it’s a good idea to do it right and incorporate as many green friendly ideas as you can. There are quite a few environmentally healthy options and actions you can take to help do your part with your next major home improvement project. Here are some of the things we are considering as we remodel our home…
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One Person’s Trash is Another’s Treasure

8/2/2010
(Comments 1)

By Candice Quigley, Recruiter

I am going to write about something that really bugs me lately in my neighborhood. I always see people putting good and useful items at their curb the day before or day of trash pickup, and it irks me that they don’t think to maybe just put it out a few days before, because someone might notice it and take it home to reuse.
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Bank Customer Visits Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill

7/22/2010
By Dana Dobson, Vice President Marketing and Go Green! Committee Chair

“Jungle Joe” Fortunato, founder of Bucks County Zoo & Conservation Society and a 3rd Federal Bank business customer, recently visited Louisiana to get a firsthand look at the catastrophic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico and its effect on wildlife and natural habitats. Here are some highlights from his eyewitness account:
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Thoughts on Kindle, saving energy, and ocean front property in Kansas

7/8/2010
By Henry Cervino, Branch Manager, Cross Keys

When last we spoke, I was about to purchase an Amazon Kindle, an electronic reader whose main purpose is to put out of business such iconic companies as Kimberly-Clark and Weyerhaeuser. While I was deciding which size screen to buy, Steve Jobs, whose main purpose in life is to control the universe, released the Apple iPad. In doing so, he put a crimp in the future of Kindle by making a deal with book publishers basically setting the price of e-books close to the discounted price of retro-style hardcover books. Thanks Steve. So, now I am at a crossroads. Should I put truckers, printers and retailers out of business or stay-the-course with my favorite method of reading? No contest. Now, how shall I show my commitment to saving Mother Earth through “Greening” my life?
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Greening Your Red, White and Blue Day

7/1/2010
By DJ Cleaver, Marketing Specialist and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

As we all know Sunday is the 4th of July, and what better way to honor the nation we love by protecting and conserving its natural resources? I found some tips from the Sierra Club that will help you plan a bright-green red, white and blue celebration.
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Have you done your Spring Cleaning yet?

6/17/2010
(Comments 1)

By Jennifer Deal, Administrative Assistant

Most of us use commercial cleaning products to clean things, like our kitchen cabinets, windows, mirrors etc. Some of the chemicals found in these cleaning products are hazards to your heath and the environment as well. Researchers from the Environmental Working Group tested and determined that some cleaning products contain chemicals that have never been evaluated for human safety. So imagine what we put into the environment every time we use one of those commercial products.
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Hamilton Branch Implements Paper-Saving Measure

6/14/2010
By Tanett Bryant, Assistant Manager, Hamilton Branch

As you know we use paper constantly throughout the day to print reports, take messages, print statements, etc. The Hamilton staff came up with the idea to tickle telephone messages whether it’s calls from outside of 3rd Federal Bank or within.
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Christmas in June

6/7/2010
By Stan Plytynski, Vice President Commercial Credit Manager

I live in Hamilton Township, NJ and we have a very active re-cycling center for Township residents. You can drop off leaves, branches, car batteries, used motor oil, paper, etc. We have the added benefit of free mulch and compost throughout the spring and summer . Every January, I leave our 4 Christmas trees on the front curb to be picked up to go to the Center. These trees eventually wind up in the free mulch I take in the spring. Maybe one year, I’ll find that one tree ornament we forget to take off !
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NEW Woodhaven Branch Grand Opening

6/3/2010
Join us June 5th from 9am - 1pm for the grand opening of our newest and greenest branch! We are celebrating with special promotions and events to highlight this amazing new "green" building!
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Recycling Helps People in Need

5/27/2010
By Donna Albright, Accounting Manager and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

Most people think of recycling as properly disposing of paper and plastic and using environmentally friendly products. But Re-use is also a type of recycling that not only helps the environment, but can also help people in need.
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Save Water / Save Money

5/24/2010
By Kathryn Tammaro, Loan Servicing Specialist

One of the easiest ways to Go Green, save energy and help preserve our environment is by saving water. By implementing simple conservation practices, you can save money on your utility bill as well as contribute to community conservation efforts.
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How to Stay Cool in the Hot Summer Months

5/20/2010
By Melissa Wilbur, Credit Analyst

With the temperatures creeping up, we’re all looking for ways to keep cool in our homes and on our commutes. Because air conditioning releases CFCs which are harmful to the environment and also uses a significant amount of energy (home) and gas (autos) I thought I would look into some alternative ideas for keeping cool. We may have to give in and turn on the air at some point this summer, but here are some ideas I found on how to avoid doing that any sooner than necessary. These are all pretty simple concepts and probably common knowledge, but hopefully reading about them will encourage some of us to do our part to reduce our impact on the environment and save us a few pennies at the same time!
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The Green of Youth

5/17/2010
By Scott Little, Vice President Commercial Loan Officer

Being green starts at a young age and in Quakertown we’re teaching our Cub Scouts in Pack 185 to be good stewards of the Earth. On Sunday, May 2nd, the Cub Scouts of Pack 185 and their leaders cleaned up Quakertown Memorial Park after the annual cancer fundraiser, Relay for Life, was held over the weekend. Sixteen scouts and their leaders fanned out across the park with trash bags and made the park sparkle. The Relay for Life clean-up is an annual tradition with Pack 185 and teaches our scouts that community service and a clean environment are important.
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A Spring in Your Step

5/13/2010
(Comments 1)

By Claudia Beeman, Branch Manager, Doylestown

Spring time means cleaning out closets to make room for summer clothes, but what do you do with all those old pairs of shoes (you know what I am talking about ladies…) Believe it or not, even shoes are recyclable! They are chopped up and made into new basketball courts, tracks, fields and playgrounds, isn’t that amazing!
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My Desktops are Going Green

5/10/2010
By Valerie Carfagno, Administrative Assistant and Recycling Captain

As you may or may not know, part of my duties is to review security reports and maintain logs of these reviews (which is a general good practice for any bank) , but they are also required by the auditors. The auditors require that we provide "proof" of these reviews, which requires the printing of these reports that are generated daily. As those of who have ever visited my work area can attest, this produces many binders of paperwork that eventually are stored and retained for the appropriate time periods.
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A Way to Garden “Green”

5/6/2010
By Liz Kaspern, Senior Vice President Retail

One of my hobbies is gardening and I am researching for ways that I can be “green gardener” My sister, Jane Burger, has been a strong advocate of the green movement for many, many years. Following is her advise on a key area for a every gardener – Composting!!
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New Woodhaven Branch Construction Update

5/3/2010
By Ty Wilkins, Woodhaven Branch Manager

Check out the construction progress of our new Woodhaven branch.
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Going Green with Home Remodeling

4/29/2010
By Neci DeVore, Branch Manager, Girard and Recycling Captain

My husband is a plumber and he has a lead referral source called Service Magic. Working with them has been invaluable in a lot of ways. They provide articles of interest, resources, and they also keep you up to date on home improvement market trends that homeowners are requesting in your local area. Of course one of the hot topics is going green in home improvements.. So I started reading the articles, in the event we (hubby J) received any plumbing requests from potential customers that were green conscious. Besides learning to be green at work and home with paper, plastic and glass I have really broadened my horizon to a scope much bigger than that. Being energy efficient is just as important as the paper, plastic and glass recycling. I am sharing part of an article they published on Service Magic. Some of the things listed you may be doing already, if not, I hope you find it helpful.
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Convenience is Key

4/26/2010
By Carolyn Wright, Assistant Marketing Manager and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

Recycling can be a chore. If your recycling bin is not easily accessible, recycling is easy to forget. Since moving into my new home, I’ve found that I’m recycling more consistently because my recycling bin is in my garage, directly outside of my kitchen. Every time I open a can or bottle, I immediately throw it into the bin outside the kitchen door. If you’re finding that recycling is just not convenient, try relocating your recycling bin to a more accessible place. Or place a separate bin next to your trash can just for recyclables!
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INK: How 3rd Federal Bank Can Be GREEN 3-Fold

4/22/2010
By Chip O’Connell, ACH Specialist and Recycling Captain

With the recent publication in the American Banker of 3rd Federal Bank’s effort to be a Green Bank, I posed a question to myself, being a Green Team Member. “How can 3rd Federal be even more environmentally proactive for Earth Day?” After some further research I came up with one answer that makes 3 positive outcomes. The answer will make the entire bank a part of the effort and save money for the bank while we become more environmentally proactive to raise our GREEN status. The solution begins where you are sitting right now and the process is only a few clicks away.
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Recycling Update at Newtown Branch

4/15/2010
By Caitlin Matlack, Newtown Teller and Recycling Captain

Here at the Newtown branch we recycle all our paper products, but there is no recycling pick up for plastic products. We as a branch came up with a solution by collecting all the plastic bottles and containers in a reusable 3rd Federal Bank bag, and then I take the bag home once a week to be picked up at my house.
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How to Recycle in Philadelphia

4/12/2010
By Lou DePaul, Branch Manager, Mayfair

In my last blog, I expressed my passion for recycling at home, work and just about everywhere else to help preserve Mother Earth. This time I would like to present a simple follow-up on just how easy it is for residents and businesses (who have Residential Street Trash Pick-up like we do at Mayfair) to recycle in the great City of Philadelphia.
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More About LEED Certification

4/8/2010
By Wayne Bishop, Vice President Facilities Manager & Purchasing and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

Here are some little known requirements on the road to LEED certification.
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Recycling Can Make the World See Clearer!

4/6/2010
By Linda Barlow, Cross Keys Branch, Teller and Recycling Captain

In the Cross Keys branch, we have a wooden box into which people put old eyeglasses. About once a month, someone from the Lions Club comes and collects the eyeglasses. The clubs recycle these glasses at 17 different centers worldwide. After the tsunami in 2004, this service club sent over 100,000 pairs of eyeglasses to those in the affected regions who may have lost their glasses in their haste to escape.
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New Woodhaven Branch Construction Update

3/22/2010
By Ty Wilkins, Woodhaven Branch Manager

Check out the construction progress of our new Woodhaven branch.
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Green Bathrooms: By the numbers

3/15/2010
By Cindy Kelshaw, Vice President Sales

My husband and I are thinking about remodeling our bathroom. As I was looking for information on how we could make our bathroom “GREEN,” I came across this article from Ready, Set, Green, TreeHugger.com.
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Will green building activities continue after ARRA funding ends?

3/11/2010
By Stephen Gregory, Vice President Commercial Loan Officer and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

Green Building Insider recently surveyed state chapters of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) on several topics relating to green building activities and policies. The survey revealed mixed feelings and surfaced concerns that green building efforts will stall once American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding starts to dry up.
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Keep Green While On Vacation

3/1/2010
By DJ Cleaver, Marketing Specialist and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

In the next few weeks, I am off to the warm tropical climate of beautiful Hawaii. This will be my first time to the 50th state. I really can't wait. Enough is enough with this cold weather…

Because Hawaii is so naturally pristine I thought I would do some research on how to keep green while on vacation. I found this great organization, the Green Hotels Association, which has a list of green travel tips. Here are my favorites:
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New Woodhaven Branch Construction Update

2/23/2010
By Ty Wilkins, Woodhaven Branch Manager

Check out the construction progress of our new Woodhaven branch.
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Phones for Haiti

2/18/2010
By Patty Dykes, Vice President, Retail Support and Go GrEEn! Committee member

Here is something I ran across that will not only help with the recycling effort but assist those in need. The American Red Cross has partnered with ReCellular, a phone recycling company, and launched a disaster relief program called “Phones for Haiti.”
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New Woodhaven Branch Construction Update

2/16/2010
By Ty Wilkins, Woodhaven Branch Manager

Check out the construction progress of our new Woodhaven branch.
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Recycling is Family Affair

2/4/2010
By Candice Quigley, Recruiter and Go Green Committee Member

My family is big into recycling and always has been. Even before the township started picking up cans and bottles we were doing it. I remember going down to Otter Recycling in Bristol when I was young to drop off all of our cans and bottles. So of course anytime we have a party we are very conscious of how we are going to handle all of the waste from a large gathering of people. We recently had a graduation party for my sister and set up a recycle station with signs for cans and bottles and also plastic ware.
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From Haste and Waste to Green and Mean

2/2/2010
By Dana Dobson, VP Marketing and Go Green Committee Chair

3rd Federal Bank is way beyond going green. We are green and mean. Greening with meaning. It began two years ago when our employees decided they wanted to walk the talk, have us “be” green from the inside out, taking real action, not just spouting our tagline, “Go Green!”
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eBooks, Newspapers and the Screaming of the Trees

1/7/2010
(Comments 4)

by Henry Cervino, Branch Manager, Cross Keys

First of all, let me start by saying this is not an anti-green, anti-environment blog. As a product of the ‘60s and ‘70s protest and demonstration eras, I learned early on about the inherent dangers of over-consumption and waste. Having sat through dozens of 3+ hour waits for gasoline during two gas shortages, I understand the better mileage your car gets, the less time you’ll spend on line. My home is very well insulated, my current vehicle gets 23+ MPG (although my wife’s car gets only 18 but her commute is just 14 miles round-trip). I turn off the water while brushing my teeth and in-between strokes of my razor (yes, even bearded men shave). I take only warm showers and have a ceiling fan in every regularly used room. Ask my kids about their formative years and how insistent I was that they didn’t waste paper towels and that they turn off the lights when leaving a room. Yes, I am as green as my tastes allow me to be.
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‘Tis The Season To Recycle Your Christmas Tree

1/4/2010
By Carolyn Wright, Assistant Marketing Manager and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

As the holidays wind down, towns in our area are revving up recycling events to reuse Christmas trees.
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New Woodhaven Branch Construction Update

12/18/2009
By Ty Wilkins, Woodhaven Branch Manager

Check out the construction progress of our new Woodhaven branch.
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Sister to Sister

12/17/2009
by Elizabeth Kaspern, Senior Vice President, Retail Banking Manager

I have to admit -- I am one of those people who has NOT been focused on “green" issues. It is something I never thought about! I realize I have to start making a change, so I asked my sister, Ellen, for her advice. She has been an advocate for the environment for many years and I value her input. Following is her response...
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Recycling Pays!

12/14/2009
By Dana Dobson, Go Green Committee Chair

Recycling always rewards us by conserving natural resources and saving the City money. Now you can also earn personal rewards just for recycling regularly and right. With the new Philadelphia Recycling Rewards program, powered by RecycleBank, the more you and your neighbors recycle the more rewards points you earn.
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Why Going Green is so vital for our existence!!!!!!!!

12/7/2009
By Claudia Beeman, Doylestown Branch Manager

In 2004, the science-fiction film “The Day After Tomorrow” captured the interest of millions of people around the globe, not because of those breathtaking effects covering the entire picture, but because the humanity finally was coming to grips of the fact that Global Warming is real, is happening and it will probably devastate the entire planet if we don’t do anything to stop and reverse its catastrophic effect.
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Scouts Do Their Part in Upper Bucks

12/3/2009
By Scott Little, Vice President Commercial Loan Officer

Most of these blog entries are about how we can Go Green at work. This one is how we’re helping to keep the planet green in my corner of the world in Upper Bucks County. I am the Asst. Cubmaster for Pack 185, Quakertown, PA. Recently our Webelos II volunteered to take on a conservation project. In 1967, the American Legion Quakertown Post 242 built a scout cabin on eight acres in Haycock Township, Camp Quabasco. Over the years, numerous scouts have used the site for overnight camping trips. In recent years the site hasn’t been used as often and had become littered, overgrown and in disrepair.
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Recycling Earns Money for Community

11/30/2009
By Neci DeVore, Girard and Northern Liberties Branch Manager and Recycling Captain

Earning cash for recycling efforts - Recycling is the process of taking a product at the end of its useful life and using all or part of it to make another product. But before it gets to that other new product there are other things that can be done. While reading the local paper one day I discovered that there are places that you are encouraged to take and drop off your recycled paper.
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Stop Junk Mail!

11/23/2009
(Comments 1)

By Linda Barlow, Teller, Cross Keys

How many people really like junk mail and/or read it? In an informal, non-scientific survey of my family and friends, I would find no one who likes junk mail! I have even proposed that I should have my recycling bin right next to my mailbox on some days.
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You turned back your clock, what about your fans!

11/19/2009
By Candice Quigley, Recruiter and Go GrEEn! Committee

I just read this article that reminded me of something so simple that I always forget to do. According to Hunter Fans, if you reverse the direction of your fan, you can lower the thermostat on your heating/cooling unit by at least five degrees "without losing comfort." This could save up to 10 percent on your monthly heating bill this winter, especially since 80 percent of homes in America have ceiling fans, but currently fewer than one in five homes know to turn back their fans.
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Green Thinking

11/16/2009

By Valerie Carfagno, Administrative Assistant, Information Technology

There is no doubt we have made great strides at being “green” in many ways here at 3rd Federal Bank. Our new Woodhaven Branch groundbreaking just took place and this branch will be LEED certified, meaning that we will be using environmentally friendly products and recycled construction materials to name a few.
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Breaking Ground in Woodhaven

11/12/2009
By Kent Lufkin, President & CEO and Go GrEEn! Committee

On October 29, the bank celebrated a momentous occasion – the groundbreaking of the new Woodhaven branch, 3rd Federal Bank’s first-ever branch designed for LEED certification! Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, along with Office of Sustainability Director Katherine Gajewski, various bank staff, our board of directors, and a number of the community’s green thought leaders participated in the groundbreaking ceremony.
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To Mother Earth

11/9/2009
By Lou DePaul, branch manager, Mayfair

I love you mother earth. I will do my little part to protect you every day. Here are some of the ways I show my love:

I love to Recycle !!!
My Family loves to recycle !!!
My Branch loves to recycle !!!
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Green Lending

11/5/2009
By Steven Gregory, Commercial Loan Officer

It’s difficult not to notice the shift towards greener investment on many levels. 3rd Federal Bank continues to take an active role in this emerging market. To that end, I have made great progress acquiring knowledge and developing expertise in green lending programs.
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One step forward and 2 steps back.

10/26/2009
By Donna Albright, Accounting Manager and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

At the beginning of the Go Green initiative at 3rd Federal Bank, I was so proud of the accounting department for making some simple changes that saved both time and paper waste for the entire department. Then, a few months ago, we got an “upgrade” to our accounting software that required more time on our part and produced more paper waste than we could control – at first.
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A Scanner Green

10/22/2009
By Jules Ferraro, Customer Service Representative, Newtown and Recycling Captain

I was talking to Jeanne Foran in the commercial loans department the other day. For a new business checking account I needed the usual documents, and learned her department had them - LLC operating agreement, SS4, etc. I had expected to get a fax, but instead, I was surprised and pleased to receive, via email, PDFs of the above documents along with tax ID information for the signers.
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How to Compost

10/13/2009
By Cindy Kelshaw, Vice President, Retail Sales Manager

My husband and I have been recycling for many years. Not only do we believe in it, but the area where we live has started recycling programs.

Like most homeowners in our city, we recycle the usual – bottles, tin cans, paper, cardboard etc. But we wanted to do more. So we thought, “Why not create our own compost pile with yard waste and certain foods?”
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Tips for Greener Driving

9/24/2009
By Patty Dykes, Vice President, Retail Support and Go GrEEn! Committee member

While doing some research I came across some tips for greener driving.
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What Happens to Old Tires?

9/21/2009
By Wayne Bishop, Vice President, Facilities Manager and Go GrEEn! Committee member

Have you ever thought about what happens to your old tires on your vehicle? In the US nearly 300 million tires are disposed of each year. The tire disposal fee we pay on new tires helps to ensure that the retailer disposes of the used tires in an environmentally friendly way.
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Insulating Windows

9/17/2009
By Candice Quigley, Recruiter and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

I am starting to think about getting my house ready for the winter and one of those things I usually do is get those heat shrink plastic window kits for my windows. My windows are older and I want to make sure I am not losing heat out of them. I dread doing this because the heat shrink plastic is really annoying to work with, plus when I peel it off in the spring, there is tape residue on the frames and the paint peels off. I was really excited to hear about this idea of window inserts or “winserts” that you can make and reuse, thus saving all that wasted plastic in the spring and my window frames.
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First Floor at Corporate Forming Habits

9/14/2009
By Jeanne Foran, Vice President, Commercial Loan Operations and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

As the Go Green Captain for the 1st floor of our Corporate Center I make the rounds every night to check that the lights, desk calculators, printers and computer monitors been turned off.
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Reuse Those Interoffice Envelopes

8/17/2009
By Joseph Healey, Branch Manager, Bridesburg

I’ve asked around to see what happens to our interoffice envelopes when both sides are completely filled and was told that we throw them out. Wouldn’t it be simpler and less costly to create an excel spread sheet then print an 8.5x11 sheet of paper with the same information as the envelopes?
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Are You In With Your Recycling Bin?

8/13/2009
By Carolyn Wright, Assistant Marketing Manager and Go GrEEn Committee Member

When I moved to Northampton Township about a year ago, I found out that the township controlled the trash and recycling pick-up. So, I contacted them to find out more about what kind of recycling program they had. They told me I could purchase a blue recycling bin from them for $10... And so, I purchased the bin. As the months went by,
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New Paper and Cardboard Recycling Program

8/10/2009
By Candice Quigley, Recruiter and Go GrEEn! Committee member

We have implemented a new paper and cardboard recycling program here at our corporate campus that we are just thrilled about. We found a company that recycles all of our non-confidential office paper as well as all of our cardboard boxes. This will allow us to recycle all of our non-confidential papers - including the bags of shredded paper we remove from our shredders. We used to just throw it away and now we are filling a big toter here every two weeks with recyclable material that is not going into the landfill! It was definitely a team effort to get this off the ground but we are really pleased with the way it all worked out. The best part -- it’s FREE!
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A Quick Way to Reduce Paper Waste in the Branches

8/6/2009
(Comments 1)

By Julius Ferraro, Customer Service Representative, Newtown and Recycling Captain

Every month, each branch has a branch meeting. For this meeting, there is an agenda containing all of the information to be covered, sent by the security officer to branch management. Instead of printing out a copy of this agenda for each staff member, print out half as many, or less, and have people share. Then, a copy of the agenda can be emailed to every staff member so that they have access to the information. My copies of the agendas tend to go into the recycling bin pretty quickly anyway. I don’t have space allocated for all of that paperwork and it gets cumbersome. With the new system, if I ever want to review, say, “Fire Safety,” I can do a quick email search and review the attachment.
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Recycle – Do it Right!

8/3/2009
by Valerie Carfagno, Administrative Assistant and Recycling Captain

All of us in the IT Department have been involved in with the recycling of paper since the inception of our Go Green initiative. Recently, both confidential and non-confidential documents and cardboard are being recycled. When you consider the number of boxes of statement paper, envelopes and statement stuffers that are delivered here monthly, it adds up to quite a bit of cardboard. In addition, we receive regular shipments of computer equipment, peripherals and accessories -- all which come in cardboard boxes. Thanks to this new program, all of these materials are staying out of landfills!
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Don’t You Just Love eStatements?

7/28/2009
By Dana Dobson, VP Marketing and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

I may be an employee of 3rd Federal Bank, but I’m a 3rd Federal Bank customer, too, and I’ve got to say that I just love eStatements! Over the years, whenever I received my paper statement in the mail, it wound up in a file folder that got fatter and fatter as the years went by. Rarely, if ever, did I go back into that file to look at a paper statement. I didn’t need to – online banking gives me all the information I need. And – egads! – I used to throw old paper statements right into the kitchen trash! I purchased a cross-cut paper shredder from the office supply store this weekend and had a wonderful time shredding all of those old statements! And, I especially enjoyed taking all those full, lightweight bags of shredded statements down to the recycling dumpster.
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eStatements Good for Customers and Bank

7/15/2009
By Stephen Dalziel, Assistant Manager, Northern Liberties and Recycling Captain

Over the past several months our IT department has been working hard to set up eStatements, paperless versions of customer statements that can be accessed online. Not only will eStatements reduce the amount of paper that 3rd Federal Bank consumes, but eStatements will also be immediately available, allowing our customers to access their statements without having to wait for postal delivery.
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Ewing Branch Reduces and Reuses

7/13/2009
By Sheila Buck, Ewing Branch Manager and Recycling Captain

A couple of months ago, the Ewing Office took an inventory of its stock room. Not only have we gone through our supplies and returned the extra supplies and supplies that we don’t use to the corporate office for re-distribution, but we also went to the dollar store and picked up plastic bins and labeled each bin with the supplies that are inside the bin.
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Scoring Points for LEED Certification

7/9/2009
By Wayne Bishop, Vice President, Facilities Manager & Purchasing and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

Planning for 3rd Federal Bank’s “green” building in Woodhaven is progressing. To obtain LEED certification for a newly constructed building, points are awarded to various phases of a project with the ultimate goal being to obtain the required number of points to obtain certification.
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They’re Never Too Young to Recycle:

7/6/2009
By Kelli Asman, Teller, Woodhaven Branch and Recycling Captain

I have a smart nephew. He will be two this August. He does what any kid his age would do, eats a lot, takes naps, watches cartoons, brushes teeth, learning to go on the potty, throws trash out, and even recycles.
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Cross Keys Branch Makes Progress

6/26/2009
By Linda Barlow, Teller, Cross Keys and Recycling Captain

The Cross Keys branch is making progress on its “green” efforts. We have signs next to many light switches to remind ourselves and we have now gotten into the habit of turning off lights not in use. We now use the back sides of papers to print out things for internal use. We have had some light bulbs replaced with longer-lasting bulbs. We have made a habit of turning off all monitors and machines at the end of the day. Our big challenge remains finding a source for recycling paper. However, we will continue our efforts in all areas.
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Drink a Cup of Kindness (to the Environment)

6/8/2009
(Comments 1)

By Susan Martinka, Administrative Assistant and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

How many of us are using coffee mugs or personal water containers? In effort to reduce the purchase of styrofoam and paper products we have been asking the employees to use their own coffee mug or water container.
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Retail Support Walks the Talk

6/4/2009
By Patty Dykes, Vice President, Retail Support and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

The Retail Support Team has implemented several initiatives to become 3rd Federal Bank’s leading GREEN TEAM. We are recycling our plastic bottles and soda cans. Each desk, copier and fax machine location has two receptacles; one for recycled paper the other for regular waste.
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Considerations for LEED Certification

6/2/2009
By Wayne Bishop, Vice President, Facilities & Purchasing and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

Planning for 3rd Federal Bank’s new, all-green Woodhaven branch (slated to open in late 2009) is well under way, and we are learning a great deal in the process. This will be a LEED certified facility. LEED is an internationally recognized certification system that measures how well a building performs across all the metrics that matter most: energy savings, water efficiency, CO2 emissions reduction, improved indoor environmental quality, and stewardship of resources and sensitivity to their impacts. (http://www.usgbc.org)
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First Floor is First Rate

5/7/2009
By Jeanne Foran, Vice President, Commercial Lending Operations and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

In an ongoing effort to cut back on our use of energy, we have asked everyone to turn off their computer monitors, calculators, printers, lights, etc. each night before leaving. We have also requested those in offices to turn off their lights when they are going to be out of the office for any considerable period of time.
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Thinking Green

5/1/2009
By Julius Ferraro, Customer Service Representative, Newtown and Recycling Captain

Any institution is bound to carry with it old systems and regulations which are no longer efficient, do not live up to current standards, or which are not even necessary any longer. When an old system presents a security issue, there are committees which quickly catch it and propose a change. When a system is inefficient, there are people set to cutting costs who may catch it and make it less expensive. But when an old system is merely wasteful, it often takes a concerned individual to catch it, because its elimination is not necessary to the survival of the institution.
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Even our SMALL effort to be GREEN here at 3rd Federal Bank can play a BIG part in the future of the environment in Pennsylvania

4/20/2009
By Chip O’Connell, ACH Specialist and Recycling Captain

Facts about Office Paper
As much as 93% of all office waste is paper, most of it recyclable, 77% of paper waste generated in offices is recyclable.
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Transportation Survey Results

4/8/2009
By Candice Quigley, Recruiter and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

According to About.com, Americans spend more than 100 hours a year commuting and they spend more time driving to work than taking vacations! Surprised at these statistics? If so, you’re not alone. Patty Dykes, vice president, retail support and I found these statistics shocking, so we’re spearheading a bank wide effort to go a little greener by cutting down on emissions, improving air quality and saving energy. As members of the Transportation and Air Quality Subcommittee of the 3rd Federal Bank Go GrEEn Committee, we focused our initial efforts on surveying our staff to determine their daily commuting habits. We got some interesting results.
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Getting LEED Certification

3/31/2009
By Wayne Bishop, Vice President, Facilities Manager & Purchasing and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

As the facilities manager at 3rd Federal Bank, I have been deeply involved in the process of building our new green branch in northeast Philadelphia, which is slated to open later this year. Obtaining a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for a new building involves following specific guidelines developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Points are assigned to all phases of the planning and construction in order to obtain LEED building certification. After completion of building construction, the USGBC will review detailed documentation compiled during each phase of a project to ensure that the building standards were followed.
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3rd Federal Bank to Build a LEED-certified Branch

3/24/2009
By Kent Lufkin, President & CEO and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

3rd Federal Bank has committed to building a green building, also known as a LEED-certified building, for the relocation of its Woodhaven branch from an inline store at a strip-mall to a new, stand-alone facility on a bank pad site at the same location. The new branch, which is currently being designed by a contactor, architect, and LEED-certified consultant, will be at the corner of Knights & Woodhaven Roads in Northeast Philadelphia. The new facility will only be about 40 yards from the branch’s current location. There are different levels of LEED (green certification), and we are hopeful that we'll achieve a Silver level.
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Some Interesting Facts

3/19/2009
By Jennifer Deal, Administrative Assistant and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

Don’t Ask for ATM Receipts: If everyone in the United States refused their receipts, it would save a roll of paper more than 2 billion feet long or enough to circle the equator 15 times.
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Earth Hour

3/16/2009
By Kelli Asman, Teller, Woodhaven and Recycling Captain

So -- on Saturday, March 28th, Earth Hour will happen. Millions of people around the globe will be taking a stand on climate change. Sound exciting? You bet!
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Grocery Bags Catching On

3/12/2009
(Comments 1)

By Susan Martinka, Administrative Assistant and Go GrEEn! Committee member

Purchasing and using the cloth/insulated shopping bags is now an ingrained process in our household. At first there was some resistance by my spouse for the purchase cost of the bags, so I just bought one each time I visited the grocery store. There was also some hesitation on his part that they would actually be used or just forgotten. We keep the bags in the trunk of the car that we take when we do our weekly grocery shopping. Then, when we unpack the groceries, the bags are immediately placed back in the trunk for the next trip.
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Making Strides in Marketing

3/2/2009
By Carolyn Wright, Go GrEEn! Committee Member

When I started at the company just over one year ago, I couldn’t believe how much paper was wasted on a daily basis. There seemed to be no recycling program in place and paper was filling the trash cans everyday.
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Going Green Going Great!

2/26/2009
By Dana Dobson, Go GrEEn! Committee Chair

The “Go GrEEn!” initiative at 3rd Federal Bank continues to thrive and it has been an interesting and educational experience. Our aim to “Go GrEEn!” has, for the most part, been directed inward towards our employees and corporate culture. It’s an effort to truly BE green from the inside out.
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Who Moved My Recycling Box?

2/2/2009
By Neci DeVore, Branch Manager, Girard and Recycling Captain

The last time I wrote my blog I was in the informational gathering stage. Still doing that, but felt I should at least start the process. So I got three boxes and labeled two for paper and one for cans and bottles that we put in the kitchen. I put a sign on the kitchen wall with an arrow pointing to the recycle box, as a reminder. I felt good, I was getting it started. Everyone was using them. We were starting to do our part.
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Clever Recycling Ideas from New Britain

1/29/2009
By Amber Kozrad, Teller, New Britain and Recycling Captain

I am new to 3rd Federal Bank, so this whole “going green” program is very new to me, but I have thought of a few ideas at the New Britain branch to help start the recycling effort.
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Feasterville’s Small Steps are Big

1/26/2009
By Lindsay Mongiello, Teller, Feasterville and Recycling Captain

I am very proud to be the recycling captain at the Feasterville office. Since going green, we have been recycling glass, plastic and newspapers. I have also put up the “Switch off as you leave” stickers all around the branch and have had the other employees at the branch getting involved too. We are all very much aware of our part and are trying to make a difference.
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Getting Off the Ground Floor – On the Second Floor

1/22/2009
By Candice Quigley, Recruiter and Go GrEEn! Committee member

As recycling captain of the second floor here at corporate we have had many recycling challenges and are still trying to come up with creative ways to resolve them. We are striving to get to a point where all of our paper, plastics, and cans are recycled. It’s not as easy as you would think.
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Just a few updates from the Mayfair Branch

1/15/2009
By Stephen Dalziel, Customer Service Representative, Mayfair and Recycling Captain

Last year at Mayfair we started to “recycle”. We have all contributed in recycling: paper, plastic and glass bottles. Our manager, Lou DePaul, really helped to create a “recycling” atmosphere here at the branch. We had major contributions from our great teller, Frank. Frank was able to go to a Philadelphia city recycling center to pick up a large blue recycling bin. We too implemented a “lights off” program, thus saving on electricity. By switching the main lobby lights off after the bank closes and switching off the lights in the basement, like many at 3rd Federal Bank.
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Every Little Bit Helps

1/13/2009
By Valerie Carfagno, Administrative Assistant, Information Technology and Recycling Captain

I have a been aware of the need to recycle for many years and would like to think that I do my fair share toward that effort. When I had my kitchen remodeled two years ago, I made sure that recycling bins were part of the design to make it easier to do, and low flow faucets have been in my home for a long time.
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Cross Keys Recycling Efforts

1/9/2009
By Linda Barlow, Teller, Cross Keys and Recycling Captain

Since I am fairly new to 3rd Federal Bank, it was an honor to be chosen by my branch to be the Recycling Captain for the branch. Personally, my family has done recycling for years at home, even when this involved taking recycled items to a central distribution point. Now, I have the opportunity, as well as the challenge, to initiate recycling at the Cross Keys branch. Yes, this will be a challenge...
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Northern Liberties Ahead of the Game

1/5/2009
By Nina DeCosta, Branch Manager, Northern Liberties and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

The Northern Liberties community has been ahead of the green game for almost five years. The neighborhood association in this community participates in a paper/cardboard recycling program that provides revenue for the community.
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Recycling Challenges in Newtown

12/31/2008
By Julius Ferraro, Customer Service Representative, Newtown and Recycling Captain

At the Newtown branch we don’t have a recycling bin. They don’t pick up recycling out here and so we do the best we can: we turn out the lights when we’re not in a room, and any paper waste we put aside to take over to the huge shredder at Corporate, because everything shredded there is recycled.
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Accounting Department Reduces Paper

12/29/2008
By Donna Albright, Accounting Manager and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

The Accounting Department is doing its part to go grEEn. A few months ago, we started paying attention to the amount of paper we use and waste. With just one brief "brainstorming" session, we were immediately able to stop printing 29 sheets of paper wasted each morning for previewing and reporting. We now preview online and print only what we need to store (working on that) and use email for report distribution.
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What is your carbon footprint?

12/22/2008
By Patty Dykes, Vice President, Retail Support Services and Go GrEEn! Committee Memeber

The Go GrEEn! Committee regularly discusses and evaluates ways to minimize 3rd Federal Bank’s carbon footprint. WHAT IS YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT?
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Green greetings from the “fish bowl!”

12/18/2008
By Kathy Gallagher, Teller, Fishtown and Recycling Captain

Instead of “Captain Planet,” we have “Captain Kathy.” Her followers are Sharon (water), Maureen (heart), Lois (fire), Melody (earth), and Katie (wind). When this team combines forces, we make the GO GREEN TEAM!! We make sure our “fish” in the fishtown environment are protected by the GO GREEN TEAM.
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Switch off as you leave

12/12/2008
By DJ Cleaver, Marketing Specialist and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

As part of our Go GrEEn initiative, we are proud to announce that we have installing “Switch Off as You Leave” light switch plate stickers. They are a friendly reminder to turn off our lights as we go on with our busy day. Each sticker includes the “Switch Off as You Leave” message, a picture of our super-green mascot, 3rd Fred, and our 3rd Federal Bank logo with “GO GREEN!” motto. They were placed above all light switches in areas where the lights can be turned off throughout the day and not affect co-workers and bank business. Such areas include storage rooms, copy areas, meeting spaces, bathrooms, break rooms, kitchens, single offices, and conference rooms. Stickers were not placed in hallways, stairwells, cubes and areas where multiply people share the same light source.
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Northern Liberties Holiday Event

12/8/2008
By Nina de Costa, Branch Manager, Northern Liberties and Go GrEEn! Committee member

The Northern Liberties Business Owners Association, NLBOA, of which I am president, just held its 2nd Annual Holiday Kick Off. In keeping with the "green spirit" of the neighborhood and 3rd Federal Bank, we provided a 40- foot Xmas Tree and Giant Menorah at our neighborhood park. All are powered by solar energy, supplied by Solaris Energy. In addition to the solar power, the tree will be recycled for mulch. A grand time was had by all!
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Looks like I’m it!

12/2/2008
By Neci Devore, Branch Manager, Girard and Recycling Captain

I signed up to be the recycling captain at Girard. Since we as a company feel a responsibility to go green, then it’s important that our branch do its best to participate.
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Employee Transportation Survey

11/20/2008
By Candice Quigley, Recruiter and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

Patty Dykes and I are the members of the Transportation and Air Quality Committee. We recently surveyed all 3rd Federal Bank employees regarding their transportation habits. Our goal was to help the ‘Go GrEEn! Committee’ review and measure 3rd Federal Bank’s carbon footprint to help us determine if we can save energy through current or alternative transportation modes.
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Evidence that We’re Using Less Paper

11/14/2008
By Susan Martinka, Go GrEEn! Committee Member

Our use of less paper has also influenced the number of ink cartridges the company is ordering for personal printers.
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Saving Money and Helping the Environment

11/13/2008

(Comments 1)

By Jennifer Deal, Administrative Assistant and Go GrEEn! Committee Member

Have you ever thought of buying one of those reusable cups at Dunkin’ Donuts, Wawa etc…I never did until I was in our first Go GrEEn! meeting. During our first meeting we had a round table discussion about recycling and the issue of Styrofoam cups came up.
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Go GrEEn Committee Meeting Highlights

9/26/2008
By Dana Dobson, Go GrEEn Committee Chair

Following are some highlights from our September, 2008 Go GrEEn! Committee meeting:
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Recycling

9/22/2008
By Jeanne Foran, Vice President, Commercial Lending Operations

As a member of our Go GrEEn Committee, I am in the process of recruiting Recycling Captains throughout our branch network.
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Great article about our “Go GrEEn!” initiative

9/19/2008
By Dana Dobson, VP Marketing

An article about 3rd Federal Bank’s “Go GrEEn” initiative appeared today on a website recently launched by the TechWeb network, which covers “green” strategies for the financial services industry.
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Enlightened Self Interest

9/4/2008
By Paul Matzko, Teller

The statistics that Candice Quigley provided in the last post (“Great Statistics”) testify to the ability that we each have to affect the environment that we all share. Every member of the global community is helped or harmed by how we treat the world around us. That truth is powerful in its own right, but ultimately insufficient to motivate more than a small segment of the population. Thus the average American can be confronted by statistics about recycling and energy consumption without changing the way he or she behaves. Why are we so apathetic?
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GREAT STATISTICS!

8/21/2008
(Comments 1)

By Candice Quigley, Recruiter

I saw these statistics in an email newsletter I receive regularly from a recruiting firm, and thought I’d pass them along.
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The “Go Green” Legacy: Past, Present and Future

8/13/2008
(Comments 1)

By Kent Lufkin, President & CEO

It was five years ago that 3rd Federal Bank adopted its Go Green! tagline and the bright lime green color. Prior to that, we were still green, just a darker shade. We also quickly recognized that “Go Green” created an immediate connection to the environment.
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Today's Go GrEEn Committee Meeting

8/8/2008
By Nina DeCosta, Branch Manager, Northern Liberties

Our GrEEn Committee is really beginning to evolve. Folks are coming up with more ways to be green and a process to do it. It's merely about; Awareness, Education, Action and Consistency. It's amazing to see how the smallest collective effort can prove to have such an impact on our daily lives with energy saving, air quality and recycling. Imagine if every single person and business entity committed to just the small behavior changes...Wow, it would have a tremendous, positive affect on our lives and the environment.
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Best Practices in an Internet Banking Channel

8/6/2008
(Comments 1)

By Kevin M. Roddy, Vice President, Information Technology

Part of 3rd Federal Bank’s “Go GrEEn” initiative is to enlighten our customers about the safety and convenience of Online banking, Online bill pay, eBills, and eStatements. There is no denying it – the world is becoming more digital and electronic. Someday, banking online will be routine and it will seem silly that we ever used pieces of paper to pay bills or check our balances. But we’re not there yet – there is still a lot of fear of and resistance to online banking in general, and it’s no wonder, given the recent news stories about unsecure Internet banking sites.
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Greenwashing “bad.” Sustainability “good.”

7/28/2008
(Comments 0)

By Dana Dobson, VP Marketing

The difficult is what takes a little time;
the impossible is what takes a little longer.
(George Santayana)

A wise person recently gave me some “Listen to me, kid – I’ve been there” advice regarding the bank’s Go GrEEN initiative. First, he proposed that our efforts to change our corporate culture and become a green organization ought to be a slow and well-thought-out process.
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CFL Clean-Up and Disposal

7/18/2008
(Comments 1)

By DJ Cleaver, Marketing Specialist

There have been many questions around 3rd Federal Bank about Compact Florescent Lights (CFLs), and their disposal. Energy Star, a joint program of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy with the mission to help save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices, recommends the following clean-up and disposal guidelines:
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Progress, Not Perfection

7/16/2008
By Dana Dobson, VP Marketing

Science is organized common sense where many a beautiful theory was killed by an ugly fact.
(Thomas H Huxley)

The first step in recovery is admitting you have a problem. Our problem is paper addiction, and it’s a humdinger. The good thing is, though, that we have a unanimous consensus to face this reality with courage and conviction and do whatever it takes to beat it.
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The “Greening” of 3rd Federal Bank

7/11/2008
(Comments 1)

By Dana Dobson, VP Marketing

Daring ideas are like chessmen moved forward; they may be
beaten, but they may start a winning game.
(Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)

At 3rd Federal Bank, we say, “Go Green!” We’ve been saying it since 2004, when CEO Kent Lufkin spearheaded an ambitious re-branding campaign that turned our corporate color (a dark, conservative hunter green) into an attention-grabbing bright, neon lime green.
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