Dart Container led a project to use gas recovered from the Conestoga and Lanchester municipal landfills as a source of renewable energy to produce boiler fuel, electricity and steam. Through this initiative, Dart is producing enough energy that would be able to power more than 6,000 homes. Furthermore, the air quality benefits are equal to eliminating the consumption of 54 million gallons of gas per year.

“This is an innovative project that transforms landfill gas into renewable energy benefiting our communities,” said State Senator Mike Brubaker (R-36). “We appreciate Dart Container’s leadership and commitment to create a more sustainable future.”

Since 2004, Dart has invested more than $20 million in this project. Dart originally partnered with Granger Energy Services in 2004 to use gas from the Lanchester landfill to fulfill energy requirements at its Leola plant. In 2008, a pipeline to the Conestoga landfill was added. After this pipeline was added, there were close to 24 miles of landfill gas pipeline that fueled two remote thermal oxidizers, nine boilers, and two oriented polystyrene ovens at the Dart plant. In 2010, Dart added two combustion turbine generators fueled by landfill gas.

“Dart is dedicated to working with partners and finding solutions to common challenges that will help enhance the communities in which we do business,” said Clarence Wenger, Dart Plant Manager. “And the landfill gas to energy cogeneration project is just one of the solutions we’ve worked with the community to launch.”

After eight years, Dart Foundation’s support has brought the renovations of the Catboat Club headquarters close to an end. Hurricane Ivan 2004 destroyed the Harbour Drive building, which is the headquarters for the Maritime Heritage Foundation as well. Dart’s contribution also helped rebuild the club’s fleet of catboats. The donation consisted of a $100,000 cash grant and three-year events sponsorship deal worth $75,000 ($25,000 each year). Local suppliers in the Cayman Islands contributed material and time to the renovations.

Jerris Miller, the Catboat Club president, said the club renovations wouldn’t have been possible without the support from the Dart Foundation and Camana Bay. “While we found great support from the suppliers on the Island in terms of material and time, we needed money to pay for labour in order to pull it all together,” he said.

The new club will be finished with the wattle-and-daub method and is located at the “Careening Place”, the area used to fix and clean the bottom of schooners. The building will have a museum, large workshop, restaurant and clubhouse. It will be used for boatbuilding and youth sailing programs.

The National Trust for the Cayman Islands paid $800,000 for 2.77 acres of land in Little Cayman where many of the island’s endangered rock iguanas and turtles nest. The Robert C. Dart Foundation provided a $312,000 grant, which covered the remaining amount required to purchase the land. Dart Cayman put the trust in touch with the Robert C. Dart Foundation, which is based in Mason, Michigan.

“Funding for the purchase began with the Little Cayman district committee, who established the Little Cayman Land Fund and we thank all those who contributed to the fund in 2011 and 2012, especially Gladys Howard, who worked tirelessly on this project,” said Carla Reid, chairwoman of the National Trust. “Thanks also to Janet Walker who spearheads the trust’s general Land Reserve Fund, and to all those who contributed to it in 2012, who raised over $100,000 towards this purchase.”

The land is located at Preston Bay near Pirates Point Resort and is known as the primary nesting location for Sister Islands rock iguanas; about 40% of nesting activity occurs at Preston Bay.

“We are trying to be proactive to make sure that the Sister Islands’ rock iguanas do not go the same way as the blue iguanas on Grand Cayman did. Ultimately, a captive breeding facility is always a lot more expensive than what we are doing,” Ms Reid said.

Dart Realty, owned by Ken Dart, partnered with the Cayman Islands Government to form the ForCayman Investment Alliance.  The Cayman Islands Government is committed to a policy that will revive the country’s economic activity by creating jobs, encouraging investment, enhancing opportunities for the community and creating opportunities for small businesses.

Specifically, the Alliance will improve the island’s infrastructure and develop new property.  Dart plans to develop a new hotel in the Seven Mile Beach corridor and redevelop the former Courtyard by Marriott into a five-start resort.  Camana Bay will also be expanded to include single-family homes, townhouses, and condominiums.

Several highways will be extended to improve the island’s infrastructure.  Esterley Tibbetts Highway will extend to Batabano Road in West Bay.  Willie Farrington Drive will eventually connect with Reverend Blackman Road.  Additionally, a new road will be developed to Barkers National Park.

As part of the improvements to the infrastructure, Dart Realty will remediate the George Town landfill and open a new waste management facility in Bodden Town.  Lastly, Dart will donate money to fund local community programs.

Dart Realty, Ortanique and Michael’s Genuine provided drinks and food for the event celebrating a newly published book.  The Department of Environment and the Cayman Islands Ministry of Environment held a viewing of the new book on Cayman flora at the National Gallery.  The book contains more than 400 color photographs and describes 415 native taxa.  There are 29 species unique to the Cayman Islands.  The flora in this book is found across Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, three islands located in the western Caribbean.  The author also provided a list of threatened plants in the Cayman Islands.