Foot Levelers' Blue Goes Green

New Single Stream Recycling Program, Production Improvements, and More Helping to Transform the Company Into a Greener Manufacturer

ROANOKE, VIRGINIA—Foot Levelers is excited to announce the results of ongoing environmentally- focused initiatives. Several programs have come to fruition this month, including a brand new Single Stream Recycling Program and new “Project LED.” Plus, the company continues to see dramatic decreases in waste, thanks to production improvements.

1. New Single Stream Recycling for Our Employees: On March 29^th, Foot Levelers kicked off a new, more efficient mixed recycling program through our partner Waste Management. Single stream recycling takes away the time and headache of sorting different materials into different bins, and is proven to increase participation in recycling by up to 50%. Foot Levelers is one of the first companies of its size in the Roanoke Valley to adopt single stream recycling.
2. New “Project LED”: We’ve embarked on a 36-month plan to replace 1,000+ fluorescent lights throughout our facility with more environmentally-friendly LED tubes. LED tubes are mercury-free; are 30% more energy-efficient than fluorescent; and on average, last 67% longer. LEDs have also been shown to improve a person’s mood, energy, and alertness—great news for Foot Levelers’ hardworking employees. (The 36-month plan was conceived for maximum “green impact” and minimum unnecessary waste: each fluorescent bulb is replaced with an LED as it burns out, so as not throw away a still-functional product).
3. 31.8% reduction in casting kit-related waste realized; that’s over 18 tons of cardboard saved in 2015 alone: Since 2009, Foot Levelers has decreased the number of foam/cardboard casting kits it provides customers by over 1/3^rd, dramatically reducing the company’s carbon footprint in terms of manufacturing, distribution/mailing, and customer use of the kits. Increasingly, Foot Levelers’ customers are using a 3-dimensional imaging system, the Foot Levelers 3D BodyView, to capture and send patient foot images electronically, eliminating the need to “cast.” These images are used to make Foot Levelers’ signature product: custom-made foot orthotics.

“These new programs are helping move Foot Levelers toward its goal of being a more environmentally- friendly manufacturer,” said Steve Stone, Vice President of Operations. “It’s the right thing for the environment, it’s the right thing for business, and it’s something our team can all get behind.”