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Legacy Environmental Services
Legacy looks to leave mark on green movement
St. John, IN – Carl and Lorrie Lisek’s goal is to create a future legacy for their kids by focusing on helping the environment through prevention and education.
Launched in 2003, Legacy Environmental Services blends Carl’s background in environmental cleanups with Lorrie’s experience in finance and sales and marketing. The team works with municipalities, schools and large and small businesses to help them identify their environmental footprint and then develop a plan to become more "green."
"We had the idea: instead of traditional cleanups, let’s help prevent, help the environment," Carl said. "We started to be green … what we felt was green prior to becoming what green is today."
Legacy assesses clients’ needs and works with them on program development, pollution prevention, green commerce, recycling/source reduction, renewable energy, OSHA/training, regulatory compliance, alternate fuels and grant development.
"We work behind the scenes recommending things to improve the quality of life," Carl said. "What we focus on with clients: not trying to take anything away. We are just trying to change their habits."
"Everyone working together will make a difference and I think there is always something you can do no matter what size your business is," Lorrie added. "We’ve been successful in helping clients locate grants that will help cover costs. Really, it’s the right thing to do. That’s how we sum it all up. Dollars and cents has to play a part … sometimes you have to do it just because it’s the right thing to do."
Through their roles as coordinators of South Shore Clean Cities, Carl and Lorrie work toward their goal of environmental education. The U.S. Department of Energy program partners with local businesses and government to help them with goal-setting, coalition-building and processes to establish the foundations for a viable alternative fuels market.
During their time with Clean Cities, they have helped bring E85 gas stations to Indiana and they helped implement the nation’s first Biofeuls Corridor Project. Interstate 65, between Gary and Mobile, Ala., allows drivers to travel the entire corridor using E85 ethanol or B20 biodiesel. Drivers are no more than a tankful away from the next biofuels pump.
"We’ve just seen Clean Cities grow. When we started, we were only responsible for three counties and now we cover 20 counties in Indiana," Carl said. "Clean Cities is (here) to help educate and coordinate resources. It’s been very interesting because we’ve got to work with all types of folks, from start-ups to large corporations, that are trying to green their fleets."
As the Liseks look forward to growth, they continue to build on relationships fostered through their NWI SBDC business advisor, LeAnn McCrum. Lorrie said the SBDC has also been a source of guidance as Legacy works on moving toward the next level.
"Small businesses don’t always have the resources to contract with different firms to help you achieve goals, and you really don’t know what you need," Lorrie said. "By working with the SBDC, they help us to develop that plan and help us see what directions we might be going and what might be viable for us. Maybe things that we don’t even think about.
"And to be able to build those partnerships – because (the SBDC is) working with other companies and there might be parallels with us and another company that if we pooled our efforts, there might be work out there. As small businesses, we could partner together to accomplish these new goals."
For more information on Legacy Environmental, visit www.legacyenv.com.
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