Improving the environment one mussel and bee at a time
Cummins Inc. employees take pride in supporting their communities through unique initiatives reinforcing the company’s environmental sustainability strategy.
Strengthening global communities has long been an important objective for Cummins. Company employees around the world participate in numerous community initiatives through Cummins’ Every Employee Every Community (EEEC) program.
A global network of more than 200 employee-led Community Involvement Teams (CITs) work with Cummins leaders and community partners to assess environmental issues facing their communities and organize employee efforts to make a difference.
Here are some highlights from recent EEEC events that used small creatures to tackle big environmental challenges:
A LITTLE MUSSEL GOES A LONG WAY
This fall, Cummins employees in Columbus, Indiana, gathered to transplant kidneyshell mussels into the Mississippi River basin. Coordinated by Scott Saum, Program Manager, Cummins Water Works, the project was guided by experts from The Nature Conservancy (TNC).
Cummins Water Works is the company program to address the global water crisis. It established a partnership with The Nature Conservancy to improve water quality and increase groundwater levels in the Mississippi River Basin.
The kidneyshell mussel is a medium to large, freshwater mussel, similar to the shape of a kidney. They grow to about 12 centimeters (5 inches), and are great indicators of environmental health, with some species living to 100 years. The mussels eat algae and bacteria, cleaning and filtering water of pollutants, resulting in healthier aquatic ecosystems. Their complex life cycle provides a meaningful snapshot of waterway health conditions.
“Being passionate about environmental conservation, I regularly seek EEEC volunteer opportunities in this domain,” said Akash Desai, Engine Optimization Senior Technical Specialist at Cummins. “The mussel tagging event was ideal in that it blended my interest with a unique opportunity to learn and network.
“Not having seen mussels before, it was eye-opening how important a role these tiny creatures, a seemingly passive organism, can play in local ecology,” Desai added. “This is the essence of EEEC, where small volunteer engagements along with engaged community members have significant, long-term impacts.”
Native to Indiana, the kidneyshell mussels, about 1.5 to 2.5 years in age, are currently listed by the state as a species of special concern. Event activities included tagging and measuring them for reintroduction into Indiana’s waterways, via the North and South Forks of Wildcat Creek in Kokomo, Indiana. The creek is part of the Mississippi River Basin.
Small, flexible, colored, plastic tags were applied to the shell of the mussels, which included an individual number for each mussel to be identified and measured. Some mussels were also outfitted with Passive Integrated Transponder (PIT) tags glued onto their shells.
These tags can be read with a bar code-type reader to detect a mussel’s location. Since mussels can bury themselves in riverbeds, a PIT tag helps researchers find a subset of mussels months or years after reintroduction.
In total, 403 mussels were tagged and successfully placed in their new home by representatives of The Nature Conservancy and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources. After the mussels have been in their new surroundings for six months, they will be recovered and measured again to determine their growth and survival rates.
KEEPING BEES HUMMING IN GERMANY, NORWAY
Over recent decades, bee populations have been declining due to habitat loss, air pollution, changes in weather patterns and the excessive use of agrochemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers. Studies show a lack of honeybees in agricultural areas is limiting the supply of some food crops, suggesting the decline in these pollinators may soon have serious ramifications for global food security and the maintenance of biodiversity.
People around the world are working to create environments that help bees thrive as well as educate people about their importance. Cummins employees in Germany and Norway are no exception, enthusiastically doing their part to protect bees in local communities.
In Germany, volunteers developed five bee colonies behind the Cummins Emission Solutions (CES) plant in Marktheidenfeld. Three team members also serve as beekeepers, as well as educators, inspecting hives, conducting bee population counts and removing honeycombs.
Other employees extract honey from the honeycombs, bottling and labeling the harvest. So far this year, the hives have produced 98 kilograms (216 pounds) of spring honey and 46 kilograms (101 pounds) of summer honey, offered to employees for a donation and given away to local community partners.
The Marktheidenfeld team also hosted a “Bee Day” on site for local youth, including both an educational component as well as bee-themed games to help bring the education to life. Beekeepers explained the lifecycle and importance of bees and the role they play in our ecosystem, all while exhibiting the bees in action.
Employee volunteers in Norway jumped on the bee band wagon as well, building six bumblebee boxes and planting bee-friendly flowers to support bee colony growth. The team continues their efforts in protecting and encouraging bee activity by maintaining the boxes while weeding and watering the surrounding plants.
These are just a few of the many initiatives underway by Cummins employees as they work together to address environmental issues and strengthen their communities.
Tamra Knudsen
Tamra Knudsen is a Brand Journalist for Cummins with extensive experience in the Capital Goods sector, serving over 20 years in various corporate communications roles. She began her career in accounting, moving into numerous positions within finance, marketing and administration, until she discovered her niche in the field of communications. Her passion is to create transparent and meaningful content that educates, informs and engages readers on a variety of topics for both external and internal audiences.
Tamra graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Parkside, with a BS in Business Administration and Management.
