Florida Crystals Employees Mark Arbor Day by Planting Trees

Blog Article

As part of Florida Crystals’ commitment to sustainability, it was our privilege to plant trees with a local nonprofit to help celebrate the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day.

Twenty-one employees from Florida Crystals and its subsidiary, ASR Group, gathered April 29 at Dreher Park in West Palm Beach, just 10 minutes from our Clematis Street headquarters, to plant 20 native Florida trees with Community Greening. This was our first time participating with the organization, which has worked with volunteers to plant thousands of trees in public parks, schoolyards, residential yards and urban orchards throughout Palm Beach County.

“Partnering with groups like Community Greening does more than just ‘meet our obligation’ on Arbor Day, Earth Day or Earth Month; it helps us understand our influence,” said Dr. Daryl Sabourin, Sr. Director, Sustainability of ASR Group.

In honor of Arbor Day, we planted two gumbo limbo, two live oak, seven mahogany, seven paradise and two slash pine trees. With two or three employees teaming up to plant each tree, our volunteer crew made quick work of the project as they completed the task in an hour.

Mercy Langdale and her husband Michael Langdale worked together to plant two trees. 

“This is a company built by teamwork, and all of us participating in the Community Greening event is a great example of that teamwork,” Mercy said, adding that she enjoyed meeting people from different departments and facilities. “Recycling and acting in a responsible way to support the earth is important to me. I try to act responsibly in both my private life, and as an employee.” 

Our volunteers didn’t just plant trees, Daryl said. 

“We provided protected sanctuaries for migratory birds,” he said. “We filtered storm water to protect offshore nurseries, which ensure ocean health. We provided a carbon capture point to address climate change. We installed air filtration systems and a noise abatement buffer between the neighboring community and the highway. 

“Finding such balances with nature is what the pursuit of sustainable development is all about,” he said. “I am proud to work for a company that values that.”

Community Greening will water the trees for the next six months until they are established, said Mark Cassini, the organization’s Co-Director and Co-Founder. At any time, Community Greening takes care of 1,000 to 1,500 trees per week, he said. The group has planted close to 10,000 trees in the decade since its founding.