Today we had the opportunity to visit two companies that provided us with a glimpse into what goes on in their operations.

Titan, a company that produces cement, informed us of their Kamari Plant where they go through the step by step process of extracting limestone from nearby areas, crushing the stones into a powder, sending into a kiln of up to 1500 degrees Celsius to create cement mixture, and distributing it through vertical integration to UK, US, and Greece. Yet, Titan was aware that with such heavy energy consumption machines that they must take steps to go about combating their CO2 emissions. In order to ensure they were working in a sustainable manner, they looked into alternative fuels like used types, solid fuel made of sludge and saw dust, and dried sewage sludge. 

We also went to Athens Airport, a net-zero emissions airport that is completely self-sufficient due to it being powered by solar panels that produce more power than 25 Athens houses combined. This gives reason as to why the creation of their new terminal is being constructed under LEED conditions to meet and exceed sustainability goals. On top of that, we had the pleasure of touring the crisis room, which prides itself on providing clear and concise communication to families, victims, and survivors when things go wrong. We were also informed of the treaty that differentiates the process different countries undergo while entering into the airport. One thing that stuck out to me was the airport’s mission to ensure that management interacts with passengers throughout their flight, where last year they interacted with 9.8 million passengers who came through. 

All that said, I would find it extremely engaging to get such a first hand experience and these companies have stressed to me that with innovation comes a need for sustainability. As I progress through my journey as a professional engineer, I look forward for assessing how the actions that I am taking are impacting the environment and actively taking steps to avoid continuing to pollute our world. Also, having this opportunity alone truly stresses the idea that I will carry with me to look into ways to give back to the community. Whether that be by giving tours to inspiring professionals like myself, dispersing extra energy produced by solar panels to neighboring facilities like the airport, or conducting rehabilitation projects like building trees the way Titan did.