Sustainability at Wyrick Robbins
Wyrick Robbins pledges to lessen the law firm’s impact on the environment and to become a leader in North Carolina’s legal industry by promoting responsible stewardship toward the environment and its natural resources. "Successful law firms must find ways to reduce or negate their carbon footprint. By partnering with GreenPlaces, we now have a plan to achieve a net zero impact."- Larry Robbins, Partner
2,682.00 metric tons
of carbon offset since 2021
That's like taking 583.00 cars off the road, permanently.
Pacajai REDD+ Rainforest Project
Based in the state of Para in northern Brazil, the Pacajai REDD+ Project aims to prevent the deforestation of native rainforests that can typically be attributed to unregulated harvesting, illegal land clearing, and other human activities. Since its start in 2008, the project has supported local community resource management, provided energy efficient cook stoves for those living on project land, helped educate on pasture and cattle management, and much more. Along with these initiatives, the land boundary is continuously monitored to help identify and prevent any further deforestation or illegal activities.
Refrigerant Reclamation Project
Hudson Technologies is working to reduce the overall environmental impact refrigerants have on our world by reclaiming and reusing hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) - the most commonly used refrigerant and a powerful greenhouse gas when released into the atmosphere. Hudson processes used refrigerants to remove oil and water so that they meet specifications for new refrigerant gas, and once restored, they are used in the maintenance of existing and newly manufactured products. By reclaiming, recertifying, and reusing refrigerants - 400,000 lbs to date - this project is reducing greenhouse gas emissions and waste, and promoting a more sustainable means of HFC use and management.
Grid Connected Solar Project
Centered in the Charanka Village in the state of Gujarat, this solar grid project is the first of its kind for India. The solar plant produces 25 megawatts (MW) of electricity and is connected to the Indian electricity grid - meaning the country is diversifying its energy sources and creating a more resilient grid. Through the use of power purchase agreements, nearby residents and workplaces can choose to have their energy sourced from this sustainable energy solution.
Kootznoowoo Forestry Project
The Kootznoowoo Project protects 20,159 acres of forest located on the Dolomi and Dora Bay stretches of Prince of Wales Island in Alaska. 8,000 acres of this project are classified as an old-growth forest - forests with large, old (alive and dead) trees that are virtually undisturbed by human impact. These forests serve as an ecological staple to local animals and nearby communities. This project is unique because it is owned by the native Haida and Tlingit people, who have inhabited this land for over 1,000 years, and managed alongside the United States Forest Service. This joint protection responsibility ensures that indigenous territories are protected and natives voices are heard. This land is home to twelve fish bearing streams and is saturated with various types of berry bushes that are historically significant in the Dolomi and Dora Bay.
New River Landfill Gas Methane Destruction Project
The New River Solid Waste Management Facility is an active municipal solid waste sanitary landfill in Dublin, Virginia. The landfill opened in 1997 and annually accepts on average 150 tons of municipal solid waste. The project consists of an active landfill gas collection and control system (GCCS) in Area A of the facility. The GCCS consists of 16 vertical extraction wells. The Landfill Gas (LFG)was originally flared, but since 2008 an electric generation station has been installed that receives the LFG. With yearly non-methane organic compound (NMOC) emissions of 24.1 Mg, the landfill is not required by EPA regulations to reduce emissions.
IdleAir Emissions Reduction Project
This project supports 118 Advanced Truckstop Electrification (ATE) locations across the U.S. ATE is an idling reduction solution that allows a driver to completely shut down the main propulsion engine of the diesel truck, eliminating all of the air pollution associated with diesel engine idling. This helps reduce the carbon emissions from engines that would otherwise be idling to keep the cabin comfortable during rest stops for drivers.
49.5 MW Wind Power Project
This project supports the creation and operation of wind turbines in multiple regions in Pakistan which ultimately supply power to the grid. The total installed capacity of the project activity is 49.5 MW equipped with 33 WTGs of 1.5 MW installed capacity each. Prior to this project, the only source of energy in the region was fossil fuel intensive. The project activity is expected to reduce emissions of GHGs by an estimated 91,085 tCO2e per year by displacing equivalent amount of the electricity from the grid.
Phlogiston Phase I
This project reduces GHG emissions as a result of the enhancement of an existing control technology at a single adipic acid plant (AAP) that destroys N2O emissions above the baseline destruction rate that would otherwise have been vented to the atmosphere. Prior to the project activity, the exhaust from the adipic acid process was directed to a Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) unit or a Thermal Reduction Unit (TRU). The SCR destroys nitrogen oxides (NOx) as part of the facility's Clean Air Act Title V permit requirements; however, the SCR is ineffective at abating nitrous oxide (N2O). The TRU destroys N2O and NOx to a much lesser extent. As a result, in order to comply with the facility's Title V permit, the SCR was operated, historically, for a significant fraction of the year. Phase I of the project activity involves the installation and operation of a new absorption column at Ascend Performance Materials Operations LLC that will convert NOx to nitric acid via a high-pressure water absorption process. This absorption column will allow the Thermal Reduction Unit (TRU) to accept a higher percentage of the flow from the adipic acid plant, resulting in a higher quantity of N2O destroyed.
THERM Advanced Refrigeration
This project revolutionizes US grocery stores by replacing harmful refrigerants with natural ones, slashing greenhouse gas emissions drastically. It marks a significant step towards sustainability, reducing operational costs and energy consumption. Over its lifetime, the initiative will prevent emissions equivalent to millions of tons of CO2, fostering a healthier environment. It also promotes industry-wide shifts towards eco-friendly practices, contributing to economic growth and inspiring further innovation in green technologies.
Paradigm Cookstoves Project
Launched in 2008, The Paradigm Project is a social enterprise providing products, services and opportunities that address basic human needs in the poorest markets of Africa. In Kenya, Paradigm created EzyLife - a company that distributes locally-appropriate, energy efficient cooking technologies to address the financial and environmental problems arising from open fire cooking and traditional stoves used in poor communities. The local jobs that have been created as a result of this project provide lasting benefits including reduced consumption of natural resources and positive impacts for women and girls. Paradigm became one of the first verified projects in the world in 2019 when its social outcomes were verified by an independent agency. Verifications have counted nearly 300,000 people positively impacted by the program, 6.2 million hours and over $3 million dollars in firewood costs saved.
Why Wyrick Robbins
Wyrick Robbins is a full-service law firm with a collaborative culture and a focus on growth-oriented businesses. We strive to translate our values into action, with a focus on sustainability, community, diversity, equity & inclusion.
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