For over thirty years, Rich May has been at the forefront of providing a full range of legal services to the energy industry, especially relating to energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives and projects.
In keeping with this ethos, and because we value the natural beauty of New England’s mountains, coastline, rivers and lakes, Rich May makes a concerted effort to mitigate climate change and resource depletion. We believe that strong, continuing and visible efforts by all businesses and individuals are needed to address energy and climate change issues that, according to many well-respected organizations, are the biggest problems the world has to face. Rich May joins other leading businesses and voices in efforts to make meaningful sustainability efforts and to combat climate change.
In 2007, Rich May was one of the initial 19 signatories to the Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyers’ Eco-Challenge. In signing that Challenge, we agreed to undertake to the greatest extent possible a number of efforts, including:
- Energy conservation
- Paper reduction
- Recycling
- Greenhouse gas reduction
- Environmentally conscious purchases
- Sustainable practices
- Education
- Support for environmental conservation
We continue and have expanded those efforts through office-wide smart lighting control technology and other efficiency measures, provision of financial incentives to employees to take public transportation, maintenance of a robust recycling program, including encouragement of paper use reduction through duplex printing and increased reliance on electronic documentation and communications. We have conducted in-house sustainability education, most notably, by hosting a presentation by Union of Concerned Scientists’ authors of “Cooler Smarter – Practical Steps for Low-Carbon Living.” In addition, Rich May provides support for a range of sustainability and land-conservation organizations such as Climate Action Business Association (first law firm member), Essex County Greenbelt, the Essex County Trail Association and The Trustees of Reservations.
One unique organization that Rich May has supported through in-kind efforts is the non-profit Willka Yachay. Willka Yachay serves the indigenous Q’eros Nation of the high Andes in Peru by bringing electricity to their villages to provide lighting for their schools and community buildings, through solar panels for power and small solar-powered lights, call “D’Lights.” Specifically, Rich May attorneys made significant efforts to establish an ongoing relationship between Willka Yachay and global renewable power companies that support such underdeveloped world electrification endeavors.
Most recently, Rich May has taken direct and innovative steps toward carbon reduction and mitigation of climate change by “greening” electricity usage both in Rich May?s offices and in the homes of our employees through the purchase of certified renewable energy credits covering both office and employee home electric usage. We are not aware of any other law firm that provides the employee/sustainability benefits of providing green electricity to its employees.
Through these and other efforts, we have met the requirements of ABA-EPA Law Office Climate Challenge, EPA’s Green Power Partnership Program, and EPA/DOE?s ENERGY STAR® Program. Rich May is the only law firm that is a 100% EPA Green Power Partner in New England and one of only 22 across the country.
Rich May continues to review what it can do to enhance its sustainability efforts and to influence pro-active change throughout our community.
