A message from Rich Barbaria, President of Strategic Sustainable Solutions...

You may be wondering how and why I have become so passionate about the environment and helping industry become sustainable.

The why is really simple. The truth is I’ve always cared about the environment but really did not think of it as being “green”. I have owned or worked in manufacturing facilities for over 38 years and have always done things that today would be labeled “sustainable”.  It may seem a bit corny but what really pushed me to make it a career was becoming a grandfather for the first time. Re-discovering the world through the eyes of my granddaughter made me see again the beauty of the world and released the passion to help keep the world a cleaner and safer place. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not a tree hugger – maybe a shrub now and then – but I have learned you don’t have to become radical to make a difference. If you just do what you can when you can you will contribute to a better world for all.

After spending all those years in industrial setting, I have seen the waste that is generated and the impact that waste really has on both the environment and the bottom line. I have seen toxic chemicals used when other means are available with no real thought into using an alternative. The statement – “We have always done it that way and that’s what works.”, is heard all too often. I have visited facilities where employees are exposed to health risks and they are not even aware of the ways they can protect themselves.

A few years ago I decided to offer my services to help some friends make their companies better for the environment. As I started to address these situations, it quickly became apparent that these changes were also improving the bottom line. What I also found was there was not a single program available that would address all of the related issues that came to the table when starting out just trying to improve a company’s environmental impact.

It was at that point I knew I needed to develop that program and it has now evolved to what I call the P.A.C. system. After several revisions and years of testing in real manufacturing settings, it advanced into a step by step, continuous improvement system that will work in any manufacturing facility. You can learn more about the system by clicking on the button marked “Our Program”.

Today I am proud to say that we have a group of trainers, consultants and researchers that are all working to help you "Increase your Profit through Sustainable Practices". I hope you will allow us to help you with your efforts but even if you decide to try to go it alone, I wish you luck and great success.