Re-Thinking Packaging

How we package signage is often an overlooked part of the process when it comes to sustainability. Packaging is an extremely important part of getting signs to their destination without being damaged. This however does not mean that sustainability cannot be incorporated into the process. Today there are many different types of packaging products available.

Sealed Air is one of the leading companies when it comes to sustainable packaging. Instapak Packaging Foam is a light density, high performance protective packaging material, which saves on shipping costs and packaging weight. Among the many advantages of using Instapak, Sealed Air has a Foam Return Program with 9 recycling locations in the United States (26 globally). This recycling program was established over 10 years ago as a way for packing to be disposed of in an environmentally responsible way.

Park Place Sign in Hannibal, MO has recently implemented the use of Instapak Packaging Foam. According to Bill Baker, President of Park Place Sign, “We have been very pleased with the protection that this method has provided when shipping our products. We will also be implementing a information sheet to be provided in every box regarding the return or recycling of the material.”

For more information of Instapak and Sealed Air’s recycling program CLICK HERE. There is a white paper that gives a good deal of insight into sustainable packaging that can be found by following the link to Sealed Air's website.

SEGD Green Paper

SEGD Green Committee

Gary Anzalone, Precision Signs
Dawn Craft, ASI-Modulex
Thomas Horton, Gensler
Maura Mathews, Two Twelve Associates
Naomi Pearson, Pentagram
Michael Santos, Nova Polymers
Harry Spetnagel, Gensler
Leslie Gallery Dilworth, SEGD
Craig Berger, SEGD

INTRODUCTION

The SEGD Green Paper is the result of a collaborative effort by the SEGD Green Committee, a group of active SEGD members including designers, fabricators, and materials manufacturers. The committee began as a group of individuals working on their own, in areas such as leadership in other green organizations, development of green products, and development of green design practices in their own firms. This group pooled their unique talents to create the educational program outlined in this document.

During initial SEGD Green Committee meetings, it became clear that developing a “green guide” to environmental graphic design would be a huge challenge. How should we address other green organizations such as the U.S. Green Building Council? What about materials, methods, and innovations that have not been tested effectively? How do we educate designers and fabricators without offering prescriptive solutions?

The group decided to address these challenges by creating The SEGD Green Paper, designed to provide a strategic framework, resources, and inspiration for promoting sustainability in EGD. The SEGD Green Paper is the counterpart to SEGD’s earlier publication, The ADA White Paper, and represents another benchmark in SEGD’s continuum of providing educational resources to the EGD community.

Visit the SEGD Website for the entire Green Paper

Recycling - Plastic Trader Enterprises

There are several options for disposing of large amounts of scrap materials. Plastic Trader Enterprises, for example, is a company that buys and sells plastic scrap material. They recycle and regrind a variety of different plastics from multiple industries. There are many manufacturers of products that are constantly looking for regrind material to incorporate into their product - a perfect win/win for everyone.

Materials wanted
CLICK HERE

Available services

CLICK HERE

2009 State of Green Business Forum

On February 2, 2009, some leaders from business, government, nonprofits, and academe gathered in San Francisco for the 2009 State of Green Business Forum, featuring the launch of State of Green Business 2009, showing how, and how well, U.S. companies are implementing environmental initiatives. Speakers and panels from leadership companies and think tanks shared their insights and experiences on such topics as green design innovation, water as a business issue, buildings and energy efficiency, green jobs, the new Obama administration, and more.

The event opened with an overview of the second annual State of Green Business 2009 report which can be downloaded on GreenBiz.com. The remainder of the day consisted of five individual panels - Innovation As a Green Strategy, Is Water the New Carbon?, Energy Efficiency Rises Again, The Green Jobs Opportunity, President Obama and the Green Economy.

The Innovation As a Green Strategy discussion was the most interesting of the five. The panel consisted of a diverse group with a fascinating insight into green strategy. The discussion focused on integrating green thinking into a companies business model and changing the overall culture all the way through the supply chain. This concept leads to a few other thoughts which will be shared in a future post.

Environ Biocomposites Sustainable Panels

Environ Biocomposites Manufacturing (EBM) manufactures highly engineered and environmentally friendly panel products. EBM's unique manufacturing process utilizes recycled materials and abundant renewable agricultural resources. Located in Mankato, Minnesota, EBM’s world class manufacturing facility is over 180,000 square feet and uses state-of-the-art production methods, including low temperature drying that reduces the risk of fire, and utilizes fewer fossil fuel resources than conventional methods.

There are 4 products produced by Environ Biocomposites that can be used for signage.

MICROSTRAND™ - commodity wheat panels

MICROSTRAND™ materials make an excellent replacement for various custom particleboard and/or plywood applications.

BIOFIBER™ Wheat - decorative panels made from select wheat straw

BIOFIBER Wheat is created from a rapidly renewable agricultural resource, wheat-straw, which offers a rich golden alternative to traditional hardwood or panel products. BIOFIBER is extremely versatile and can be used in a variety of decorative interior applications. Learn more about BIOFIBER Wheat's environmental impact.

Dakota Burl® - decorative panels made from sunflower hulls

Dakota Burl® composite is a unique bio-based material, which exhibits the beauty and elegance of traditional burled woods. The material is created from an agricultural fiber, sunflower hulls, making this a beautiful environmental option to hardwood. Dakota Burl® can be used naturally or stained with conventional wood stains to achieve a wide range of distinctive colors. Stained or natural, Dakota Burl® offers a beautiful, visually textured alternative to traditional wood. Dakota Burl® is ideal for a wide variety of interior applications.

Environ biocomposite®

The Environ biocomposite® product line is made from recycled newsprint, a soy-based resin and color additives. Environ biocomposite® is sold in 3'x6' sheet stock and available in various thicknesses. CLICK HERE for color availability.

LEED credit and point opportunities

CLICK HERE for more information

Digital Signage

Below are a few YouTube videos about digital signage. These videos give a great perspective on how this new evolving technology is being used. There are considerable benefits to being able to change messages instantly without replacing graphic components in the system.

There has however been controversy over how environmentally friendly these new digital sign are relating to the energy they consume. Billboards are changing from analog to digital. This change is creating energy concerns but can the new advances in solar technology combat this or at least reduce the additional energy needed? Remember that billboard are lit at night and still consumer energy.

More to come on this topic.

Digital Signage - The Future Is Now - Scala


Retail Digital Signage



Digital Signage Report May 2007 in USA



NEC Interactive Digital Signage Solution