APCO Invenergy Project

APCO, Atlanta, GA, recently created exterior identification signage for six Invenergy wind farms in Texas and New York. Invenergy is the largest independent wind energy developer in the United States.

According to APCO's recent news release "Sign designer Steve Kismohr of Harley Ellis Devereaux in Chicago was looking for an exterior sign solution that was modular and long lasting and APCO's PolySign system was a perfect fit. With a 7-year warranty and an even longer expected life span, the signs will withstand the elements to provide a lasting solution. When and if changes to the signs are needed, the removable panels are easily refurbished.For the Camp Springs Energy Center in Scurry County Texas, Invenergy elected to install its main identification sign on a large granite boulder (above right) which was already on site, an eco friendly solution eliminating the need for custom fabrication and providing a unique look. The Camp Springs Energy Center itself consists of 87 GE 1.5 SLE wind turbines and generates 130.5 MW of electricity, enough to power 50,000 homes."

Growing Packaging?

Last week I attended East Pak at the Jacob Javits Center in NYC. One the things I was looking for was new and innovative packaging materials.

Many companies cliamed they were green and some did have intresting things. One company however stood out from the rest, Ecovative Design. This company has developed 2 unique products; Greensulate organic insulation material and EcoCradle which is a compostable packaging material made with renewable resources.

- EcoCradle™ can be produced in almost any shape or size with minimal retooling, using less energy in production and creating less manufacturing waste.

- EcoCradle™ isn't comprised of fossil fuels and requires very little energy to produce.

- EcoCradle™ utilizes neglected resources from local waste streams.

- EcoCradle™ is meant to be thrown away. Throw it in the trash or your garden as a fertilizer.

This product caught my attention as the campnay that is producing it has a great philoshy and they are really working on devloping real products with a real environmental impact. Click Here for more info on EcoCreative Design

What's your Green Message?

What is your Green message? What do the signs you design and build say about you and your company? Are you pushing new ideas on your customers and creating change in the sign world?

I have a good friend who says that to be successful at anything in life you must give people what they need, not necessarily what they want. This philosophy applies to the signs we design and build everyday.

Pushing clients toward modularity and other environmentally friendly methodologies is not always easy but it must be done in order to start changing the way the industry operates. Over the last few years things have changed to where a story can be built around the "why" something needs to be a specific way - long term cost savings, energy reduction, PR etc.

So, do your clients know your Green message?

Biodegradeable Foamboard

The Gilman Brothers Company in Gilman, CT has developed two unique foamboard products; Insite® and Duraplast® BIODEGRADABLE . These products are used in the signage and digital graphics markets and provide an eco-friendly alternative to other comparable products.

DURAPLAST® BIODEGRADABLE

An all-plastic, 100% BIODEGRADABLE, 100% recyclable foamboard consisting of a biodegradable polystyrene foam center, faced with water-proof biodegradable polystyrene liners. This foamboard is also completely recyclable. It is categorized as PS6 and is compatible with most municipal, commercial and industrial programs. Moisture proof and highly warp resistant. Foam contains 15% recycled content. For more info CLICK HERE

Insite® BIODEGRADABLE

Standard, paper-faced memory foamboard with Gilman's BIODEGRADABLE rigid foam center and SFI certified paper liners. There is no trade-off between the positive environmental attributes of Insite® BIODEGRADABLE and its physical performance. With the exception of it's biodegradable properties, Insite® BIODEGRADABLE performs the same as Insite® Reveal® foamboard. For more info CLICK HERE.