SUSTAINABILITY

SEE Centennial is shaping the path for a sustainable future.

We are committed to providing customers, business owners and employees with an exceptional experience, while incorporating environmentally sustainable operating practices and energy-efficiency measures at our property.

SEE Centennial is built on three cornerstones of Sustainability, Efficiency and the Environment. At Hawthorn, we recognize our role in environmental stewardship, both as a property manager and a vibrant member of the communities we serve.

How are we doing so far? In 2021, our efforts added up:

• Supporting an environmentally friendly demolition of the former Sears building with the goal of more than 70% waste diversion in 2021. Achieved over 80% was diversion.
• Recycling all materials possible. As demolition takes place, for example, the dirt and metal are being separated onsite and disposed of accordingly.
• Instead of throwing away any unused, yet still functional, lamps or other materials from the parking lot lighting, the center is reusing those materials where needed in other parking lot areas.
• Recycling 164 tons of cardboard alone, the equivalent of saving 2,785 mature trees, 98,280 kilowatt hours of energy use, and 65,520 gallons of oil.
• And diverting 52% of the center’s waste – 563 tons of waste products that otherwise would have gone to landfills, including 150 tons of roof gravel creatively redeployed in landscaping projects.
• Hawthorn teamed up with SWALCO, Kohl Children’s Museum and PADS of Lake County for an Earth Day Expo on April 20, 2019. The event featured a special sing-along and meet n’ greet from the Beat Bugs with a plastic bag, toiletry or shoe donation to one of our sponsors. Hawthorn raised over 500 pairs of shoes to be recycled with SWALCO as to not end up in landfills as well as over 1,000 toiletries to be donated to PADS, and over 3,000 plastic bags to be made into sleeping mats for the homeless.
• Hawthorn continues to partner with District 73 for the Crayon Initiative. These crayons are then sent to The Crayon Initiative to be melted down and re-made for donation to Children's Hospitals. So far, we’ve collected over 600 pounds of crayons for donation.
• Hawthorn introduced a book drive with Bernie’s Book Bank and collected 1k gently used books for children in need.
• Hawthorn continues the upkeep of our live GREEN wall. A live plant wall complete with low energy grow lights and fencing made from unwanted pallets.

While we are proud of what we have accomplished so far, we are always working to institute new programs designed to decrease our carbon footprint, reduce waste, conserve natural resources, reduce our energy use, and save money.

Look for the SEE Centennial logo to identify initiatives that support our commitment to the environment.