Alliance Security is in the business of keeping people safe. Last week, the Cranston-based company showed it cares about protecting the environment, as well.

The company offers eco-friendly products like smart thermostats and other energy efficient solutions for homeowners, yet that didn’t stop its employees from wanting to do more when it comes to being kind to the planet. To make this happen, Alliance started small and in its own backyard.

That’s where you’ll find a section of the Washington Secondary Bike Path, the second largest in the state. It consists of four trails, with the Cranston bikeway behind Alliance’s office.

Sadly, it’s littered with plastic cups, cigarette butts, food wrappers, and other trash.

In celebration of Earth Day 2016, Alliance Security gathered its employees to do something about this problem. With rakes and trash bags in hand, employees signed up for one of three cleanup sessions throughout the day.

“This place is my heart. Not only do we protect homes and families, we’re also passionate about improving the places around us. We’re simply trying to look after people who use the bike path,” said Melissa Cruz, sales manager at Alliance Security.

Alliance Security has been in the 60,000-square-foot building at 85 Garfield Ave. for nearly a year. The idea behind the Earth Day cleanup effort was sparked as Cruz was getting out of her car one morning.

“I noticed some trash, and so I grabbed a bag and just started filling it,” she said. “I then brought it up to AllianceCARES.”

AllianceCARES, a group of employees that organizes activities related to community involvement, informed Cruz that one of her colleagues was actually thinking the same thing. John Auth, head of security at the company, had done a little cleanup of the surrounding property two days prior.

“I decided to take action and lead by example,” said Auth, who has been with Alliance Security for nearly seven years. “The hope was for others to be inspired to take initiative and help out.”

Cruz and Auth were asked to co-lead a company-wide cleanup of the bike path to take place on Earth Day, which coincidentally was just a week away at the time.

“We sent out a company-wide email and asked for volunteers,” said Cruz, who was pleased to see immediate interest and excitement for the idea.

Alliance Security started in 2003 and now has over 500 employees. Earlier this month, this fast-growing company was named the 2016 Corporate Social Responsibility Award winner – a national honor recognizing outstanding charity work among the security industry. A couple of weeks ago, Alliance Security accepted the 2016 National Crime Victims’ Rights Awareness Week Award from Attorney General Peter Kilmartin and the Crime Victims Service Providers Steering Committee. This was for Alliance Security’s domestic violence work alongside the Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

“We’re just looking for ways to build on a culture of people helping each other,” Auth said. “At Alliance, we’re a family, which is the reason why I’ve remained here for so long.”

Cruz, who is in the process of making the bike path cleanup a once-a-month activity, said: “Anyone can make a difference. It just depends on how badly you want to make it happen.”

Alliance is currently hiring.

Visit alliancesecurity.com to learn more.