Tuesday, June 28, 2011

A Greener Mission

When I stepped into the lobby at Greenerprinter last week, the natural lighting and mission style furnishings hinted that this was a different kind of printing plant.  After touring the facility and meeting several team members, I realized that it was the sense of mission that really makes this Berkeley, California printer unique.


Greenerprinter's mission is to demonstrate that a manufacturing business can operate in harmony with the planet while providing a transparent and sustainable environment. The Greenerprinter’s team believes in a triple bottom line: People, planet and profit. Profit is not the motive, but the means to the end. They recognize that they have a responsibility to be a part of the solution to the environmental challenges that we all face.


Located in the San Francisco Bay Area, with its proximity to so many natural wonders, Greenerprinter founder Mario Assadi had always felt a strong connection to nature and the environment. After the birth of his second child he became passionate about making sure the business was as sustainable as it was successful. As he explains, “I felt it my responsibility as a business owner to see that my children could grow up enjoying the natural beauty of the Bay Area that I had come to love.”             


Some of the specific environmental initiates at Greenerprinter include:        
  • Offering recycled paper. They stock only papers that contain a high percentage of recycled content. In fact, most are 100% recycled.
  • Using soy and vegetable-based inks, low in Volatile Organic Compounds.
  • Operating as a carbon-neutral business via carbon offsets of shipping emissions and investments of Renewable Energy Credits to offset emissions from operations.
  • Investing in state-of-the art equipment to minimize waste in the printing process.
  • Using technology to implement streamlined operations that optimize efficiency.
  • Minimizing chemical use in the platemaking and printing processes.
  • Doing all of their printing on-site, which enables them to maintain consistency and quality and closely monitor the environmental impact.
  • Supporting the green movement as a whole by partnering with organizations that promote the transition to a green economy, such as the Green Festivals, Bioneers, West Coast Green, and the Sustainable Industries Economic Forums.  

       
The event that I attend at Greenerprinter was an open house to announce the introduction of lay-flat photo books and fliers produced with Mohawk Panoramic papers which uses binding technology from my company, Convertible Solutions. The Panoramic Options paper which Greenerprinter has selected is made from 100% recycled material and fits perfectly with their environmental mission.



What is the underlying mission of your organization?  Is is obvious to visitors to your facility or website?


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