Going Green: a broad philosophy and social movement centered on a concern for the conservation and improvement of the natural environment, both for its own sake as well as its importance to civilization.

Go Green with First Community Bank and Trust

Headlines about global warming and environmental issues consistently occupy space in just about every newspaper. No matter where you stand on these issues, there is one undeniable fact: everyone makes an impact, both positive and negative, on our planet.

At home, around the workplace, and just about everywhere else, there are always ways to reduce the negative impact we create. Most communities have recycling programs included with weekly trash pick-up. Businesses implement procedures to reduce the amount of energy used, including energy-saving computers and office equipment or more efficient lighting. Schools often use the financial incentives of recycling to raise funds, as well as awareness, to benefit their institutions and students. Everywhere you look, people are trying to make a difference so that future generations will have a planet that still works.

The banking industry is trying to do their part as well by participating in the “green coalition” which was formed by the Electronic Payments Association and is comprised of leaders in the financial and consumer billing industries, including CheckFree, the industry leader in online payments. The coalition’s purpose is to educate consumers about the positive environmental impact of choosing electronic bills, statements, and payments over paper.

What we are doing

At First Community Bank and Trust it takes over 20 mature trees to produce the amount of paper and envelopes we use annually just for checking and savings statements. On top of that, there are also the costs of the fuel and resources to deliver the paper to the bank, the ink and electricity required to print the statements and then the fuel and resources required to mail each statement. All of these have an impact on our environment.

For many years, First Community Bank and Trust has implemented “green” practices as well. Here is a listing of ways we are moving towards a more "green" bank:

• Most of the paper used in the bank is commercially shredded and recycled. This is not only for security purposes, but also to reduce the amount of trash contributed each week.
• We are also looking at ways to reduce our use of paper by scanning original documents, rather than duplicating them. This will eventually allow for electronic, rather than physical transmission of information as well as saving the paper it would take to file these documents.
• We are beginning to purchase recycled envelopes for our statements and letters we mail. Look for the Recycle Envelope logos on some of our envelopes.
• We use recycled paper to print and mail our semi-monthly newsletters.
• Online Statements: We offer electronic delivery of checking statements to all customers for free.
• First ePay: We offer online bill pay.
• Most of the bank’s employees receive their own bank statements online and utilize First eBanc and First ePay, our online banking products.
• We recycle our old monitors and computers using a company called Vintage Tech Recyclers Inc. Thier main focus is to keep electronics out of landfills and help recover some of electronic assets. Nearly 60% of our electronics can be reused and the other 40% can be fully recycled back to its original raw state.

We continue to look for new ways to help our planet and also enhance our customers' banking experience.

What you can do

If we all take a few steps to change our habits, then we all as a whole can make a difference. Here are a few quotes from some banking industry heads.

Stuart Williams, co-chair of the Electronic Payments Association coalition

• “Although consumer use of electronic bills, statements and payments is growing, many consumers do not realize the full impact their household could make by simply asking to turn off paper bills and statements once they have adopted online banking,” said Stuart Williams, manager payment service, CheckFree, and co-chair of the coalition. A 2007 survey by Javelin Strategy and Research revealed that if all U.S. households received and paid their bills electronically, the country would:
  • Save 16.5 million trees each year, or the amount of lumber needed for 216,054 typical single-family homes;
  • Reduce the toxic air pollutants by 3.9 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalents, akin to taking 355,015 cars off the road;
  • Reduce by 1.6 billion pounds the solid waste generated in a year, equal to 56,000 fully loaded garbage trucks.

 

Craig Vaream, co-chair of the Electronic Payments Association coalition

• "Recent studies find that consumer use of online banking and bill payment along with electronic invoicing can have a positive impact on the environment, saving trees, fuel and water.” In addition to saving natural resources, electronic banking provides other benefits as well. “Electronic payments are secure, can simplify management of finances, and provide a layer of privacy that reduces risk of fraud and identity theft”, Vaream added. In addition, electronic banking can save valuable personal resources such as time and money. Paying bills online is a snap compared to the chore of writing out each check, addressing the envelopes, filing the paperwork and going to the post office to buy stamps and mail the payments. With electronic bill pay, all of the bills are paid with just a few clicks of the computer mouse.

How you can help

Through initiatives such as electronic banking, consumers can take individual action that can collectively lead to a real impact on the environment. We believe that it is everyone’s responsibility to make reasonable efforts to better our world. First Community Bank and Trust acknowledges this responsibility by offering products and services that can reduce the negative impact on the environment. Direct Deposit, On-line Statements, electronic banking with First eBanc, and on-line bill pay with First ePay are great ways to save time, money and the environment. For more information on electronic banking or any of our banking products, please stop in or call us at 708.946.2246 or 708.258.0530.