How To Be A Green Sign Company

In the January issue of Sign Builder Illustrated there is a Green Supplement that has several articles related to green issues including one that I wrote called "How To Be A Green Sign Company." 

As we move into 2011 there is still a lot of uncertainty around what companies need to do to be more environmentally conscious. This article along with the other articles in this issue give insight into what other companies are doing which hopefully inspires you to do the same.

After reading my article a college had the following comments which I thought I'd share - "When you look at green the easiest way to accomplish large goals is to be minimalistic about your approach-  If you re-evaluate your product line and ask Do I  need this or how can I condense  this product - that is where the win – win comes from -  Saving money and reducing resources."

How to Recycle Tricky Materials: Our Guide to Recycling - Nature and Community - MOTHER EARTH NEWS

How to Recycle Tricky Materials: Our Guide to Recycling - Nature and Community - MOTHER EARTH NEWS

Leading the way with Greener Signage: ASI

GreenBuilg.com Article
Leading the way with Greener Signage: ASI

Posted September 23, 2010 8:10 AM by Alex Wilson
Related Categories: Alex's Cool Product of the Week

ASI offers interior signs made from renewable and recycled materials and exterior signs with PV lighting. Photo: ASI. Click on image to enlarge

Clear signage can help us find our way, it can inform us, and--in a green building--it can highlight environmental features. That signage can also, itself, make a statement about the environment.

ASI is one of the industry innovators sign fabrication, and nowhere is that innovation more apparent than in its green product lines. The company offers three distinct lines of environmentally friendly signs: the ASI Solar Series, InTac Eco, and Terra.

The ASI Solar Series is designed for exterior applications where self-contained internal illumination is desired. Integral photovoltaic (PV) modules and self-contained lead-acid batteries power these signs with no need for trenching or wiring. Aluminum housings, LED lighting, interchangeable face panels, acrylic lettering, and zero operating costs are among the features. The company claims that full nighttime illumination will be provided for up to eight days without sunlight.

ASI Solar exterior signs use LED lighting and integral PV modules and battery storage. Photo: ASI. Click on image to enlarge

InTac Eco is a line of interior signs that combine Greenguard-certified materials, low-VOC paints, and a large color palette to choose from. These signs are made from renewable biopolymer, wood, or paper. Eco Plant is a compostable, bio-based plastic (biopolymer) derived from non-food agricultural crops; it is available in thicknesses of 1/32" and 1/16" (0.79 and 1.6 mm), has a maximum service temperature of 104°F (40°C), comes in a matte-white finish and can be painted or receive digitally printed graphics. Eco Wood is a wood-fiber material that is available in 1/4" (6.4 mm) thickness and 12 standard colors, but cannot be painted or receive digitally printed graphics; it carries Greenguard Children & Schools certification. Eco Paper is a paper-wood composite that is available in nine colors and thicknesses of 1/8" and 1/4" (3.2 and 6.4 mm); it carries Greenguard Children & Schools and FSC certifications and can receive digitally printed graphics.

ASI InTac Eco interior signs are made from a renewable bioplastic. Photo: ASI. Click on image to enlarge

Terra signs, also for interior use, are made from 3form ecoresin™, a 40% pre-consumer-recycled co-polyester material that can be specified with embedded sustainably harvested plant materials. Available ADA-Ready® with tactile letters or Braille in thicknesses of 1/16", 1/8", 1/4", and 3/8" (1.6, 3.2, 6.4, and 9.5 mm), Terra signs carry SCS certification for recycled content and Greenguard Indoor Air Quality certification. Select Terra patterns use Fair Trade materials sourced by 3form from Third World countries in which farmers are paid a fair wage for their crops or Full Circle materials developed in collaboration with skilled artisans in Third World countries. 15 "standard" colors and patterns are available for the base material, with 18 colors for tactile lettering as well as custom options. Terra's Fair Trade materials include Tiger Thatch, Bear Grass and Bear Grass Lite; Full Circle materials include Banana Fiber and Fossil Leaf.

With all of these sign options, a variety of standard styles and sizes are available, along with custom options.

ASI Terra interior signs use 3form ecoresin, which is a 40% recycled polyester with embedded plant materials. Photo: ASI. Click on image to enlarge

ASI maintains environmentally responsible manufacturing practices throughout their operations, including use of recycled materials whenever possible, minimizing waste, responsibly managing water, and reducing use of chemicals in production. Founded in 1965, ASI is represented in 40 U.S. cities and has global partners in 35 countries. "Green" is heavily featured on the company website.

In highlighting the green features of your buildings--as well as other signage needs--why not use signs that embody those green features?

For more information:

ASI
Dallas, Texas
800-274-7732 (patches through to local affiliate)
www.asisignage.com

See more on this product in the GreenSpec Guide

Alex Wilson is the executive editor of Environmental Building News and founder of BuildingGreen, LLC. In addition to this product-of-the week blog, he writes the weekly Energy Solutions blog. To keep up with his latest articles and musings, you can sign up for his Twitter feeds. .

Three R's in Green

I wrote an article for this months issue of segdDESIG magazine that focused on the 3 R's in Green - Reduce, Re-Use and Recycle.  These three topics really cover the gammit related to environmental consciousness and touch on everything from landfill contribution to value engineering to modularity.

Many of the examples sited in the article have been discussed on this blog in the past.  Breaking things up in these three topics - Reduce, Re-Use and Recycle proves to be an easy and fun way to discuss environmental consciousness related to recycling and material waste.

Reduce - design and build for better material yield.  Begin with the end in mind and allow for more possibilities at the end of a products life. 

Re-Use - design with life cycle in mind - if a system needs to be in place for X amount of years and the reality is that components will change, build so the core can continually be Re-Used.  Can a product be disassembled allowing components to be re-used for other projects?

Recycle - sounds like the easy one but it's not.  Very little of what we build gets recycled because of the nature of the products we make, how they're made and how they're installed.

Maybe Recycle is the third R because if the other two R's are done, recycling what's left won't be so hard.

NovAcryl GR Press Release

One of my goals for 2010 was to develop and introduce a new line of photopolymer substrates that meets the growing need for greener solutions in signage.  This means that quality and aesthetics not be compromised, and most importantly, no increase in cost.

Contrary to popular belief, this is not a crazy goal but one of necessity for survival in today's world - creating new products and services that meet our clients goals while matching the worldview of the evolving market we serve.

Nova Polymers Introduces
a New Green Alternative Solution for ADA Signage

NovAcryl® GR™ Photopolymer is the latest addition to Nova's diverse line of photopolymer substrates for ADA Compliant Room Identification Signage

Fairfield, NJ -- NovAcryl® GR™ is a new line of photopolymer sign material for high-resolution raised graphics and ADA-compliant room identification signage. NovAcryl® GR™, offered exclusively by Nova Polymers, allows sign designers and fabricators the ability to create a green sign solution without design limitations or increased costs.

NovAcryl® GR™ is a result of Nova Polymers partnering with 3form®, a leader in the manufacturing of eco-friendly substrates, to offer an environmentally conscious and affordable product that can be used for signage projects that require a green solution or will be used inLEED Certified facilities.

NovAcryl® GR™ is environmentally and user friendly. This unique sign material is processed in plain tap water and bonds to 3form® Clear Ecoresin panels, which are non-toxic, Greenguard Certified and contain a minimum of 40% recycled content.

"The introduction of NovAcryl® GR™ will fill a void in architectural and wayfinding signage by allowing the industry to use standard photopolymer signage the same way they have been for years with the added benefit of environment consciousness. NovAcryl® GR™ will process and look exactly like standard photopolymer signage; the only difference will be the fact the base substrate is clear Ecoresin instead of virgin PETG", says Dave Miller, Business Director for Nova Polymers.

About Nova Polymers, Inc.

Nova Polymers is the largest North American manufacturer and distributor of photopolymer sign products. Nova Polymer is also a leader in educating the fabrication and design community about ADA regulations and environmental issues related to signage. For more information on NovAcryl® GR™ and other contemporary solutions for high-resolution raised graphics and ADA-compliant signage, visit www.NovaPolymers.com or call toll-free 888.484.6682.

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segdDESIGN Sustainability Issue

Open publication - Free publishing - More graphic

The May issue of segdDESIGN No. 28/2010 — the Sustainability Issue — is now available.  If you haven't seen this yet, please take a look as you will notice something a little different about this issue.

The focus of this issue is on sustainability and environmental graphic design. The issue is printed on 100% post-consumer recycled-content paper (both cover and text). Processed chlorine-free and made with BioGas energy, the paper is certified by EcoLogo, the Forest Stewardship Council, and Permanent Paper. Also, it was printed using vegetable-based inks and zero-VOC aqueous coatings.  

The issue’s focus is on sustainability, including Guest Editor Naomi Pearson’s foundation article on Life Cycle Assessment and feature stories on model “green” EGD projects such as the Green Depot store, The Nature Conservancy’s Design for a Living World exhibition, and Portland’s TriMet transit system, among others. 

In tandem with the issue’s publication, the SEGD Sustainability Forum has launched its new SEGD Green Resource Ghttp://greenresourceguide.segd.org/, a site focused on sustainability and EGD. It outlines SEGD’s Green Audit approach, focuses on strategies geared toward sustainability, and provides a wealth of resources for EGD practitioners striving to minimize the environmental impacts of their work.

This issues is a true success and provides information, stories and content specifically related to EGD. 

The Evo Element Reincarnation Exhibit Recycling Program

Evo Exhibits is a trade show exhibit company that offers a complete line of green exhibits that are made from eco-friendly materials called Elements. They also have a program called The Evo Element Reincarnation Exhibit Recycling Program where they will take out exhibits, dismantle them and recycle the components.

The amount of waste that is produced in the trade show industry is larger than many of us image. Evo Exhibits has created a "report on the impact of the green movement on the trade show industry" called “An Inconvenient Booth.”

Recycling Quotes

I have been recently been doing some research on recycling and came across a couple of quotes that I thought I'd share. I would certainly like to hear any others that you may have come across.

"But our waste problem is not the fault only of producers. It is the fault of an economy that is wasteful from top to bottom—a symbiosis of an unlimited greed at the top and a lazy, passive, and self-indulgent consumptiveness at the bottom—and all of us are involved in it." -- Wendell Berry

"Recycling is more expensive for communities than it needs to be, partly because traditional recycling tries to force materials into more lifetimes than they are designed for - a complicated and messy conversion, and one that itself expends energy and resources. Very few objects of modern consumption were designed with recycling in mind. If the process is truly to save money and materials, products must be designed from the very beginning to be recycled or even "upcycled" - a term we use to describe the return to industrial systems of materials with improved, rather than degraded, quality." -- William McDonough and Michael Braungart

"The case for recycling is strong. The bottom line is clear. Recycling requires a trivial amount of our time. Recycling saves money and reduces pollution. Recycling creates more jobs than landfilling or incineration. And a largely ignored but very important consideration, recycling reduces our need to dump our garbage in someone else's backyard." -- David Morris of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance

"Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without." -- New England proverb

"Keep a green tree in your heart and perhaps a songbird will come." — Chinese proverb

Disposing Mercury Bulbs

The disposal of Mercury filled lamps has been a hot topic for some time now. There are currently 10 states that have banned the disposal of mercury-contained lamps in landfills. LED technology is replacing the use of traditional lamps in signage but there are still many of these lamps used today.

Air Cycle Corp, Broadview, IL, has several products and services for diposing and recycling lamps and other items. They have a great website with a ton of informtion on their products and a lot of general information regarding recyling - State Regulations, Videos and more.

It is definatley worth taking a look at their site - http://www.aircycle.com/. They also have a great blog - I've added the Feed to this blog.

TreeHugger Boxes

I spend a good deal of time talking to different people and browsing the Internet in search of new, innovative products and solutions. While the primary reason for doing this is work related, I will admit it has become more. Sometimes I am amazed by the things I find and the people who are doing them.

TreeHugger Boxes in Dallas, TX is a relatively new business that focuses of repurposing boxes. They have a great website and business model that provides a unique and green way to buy, sell and repurpose corrugated boxes. They do not have a store front and do all their business via the web - an underutilized concept in business today. TreeHugger Boxes has a small operating footprint serving the local Dallas area.

I could go on but I encourage you to take a look at their website. Somethings strike you the right way and this has for me. Thinking outside of the box has always been a winning formula in business. It's great to see innovative people who are doing good for the environment while providing a valued service - not to mention making a buck along the way.

CLICK HERE for more info on TreeHugger Boxes

LexJet Sustainable Solutions

Lexjet Sustainable Solutions has developed specific products and programs for the digital print market. They offer a variety of substrates and recycling programs for different materials including banner and ink cartridges.

LexJet Recycling Programs: These programs recycle potential waste directly into consumer products. They represent the most sustainable solutions currently available as they reduce environmental impact throughout the entire product life cycle.

LexJet Recyclable Media: These printable materials are recyclable at most local recycling facilities. It is important that you work in partnership with your local waste management company to determine exactly which products they can and cannot recycle.

LexJet PEFC/FSC Certified Papers: PEFC certified timber and paper products are an independently verified assurance to customers that they are buying wood products from sustainably managed forests.

Plastic Lumber Signage

Last summer my wife and I decided it was time to replace our deck. We wanted to use plastic lumber which has many benefits over traditional wood decking. With 2 little kids and several animals in our lives, using a material that has not been chemically treated and incorporates recycled materials was a perfect fit.

While doing a search on plastic lumber I came across a company in Akron, Ohio called The Plastic Lumber Company. These guys make traditional things like park benches and such. They also have a complete line of modular exterior sign systems using plastic lumber including custom architectural signage.

The Plastic Lumber company offers a variety of products with many standard colors to choice from. They build routed, digital and modular solutions with a unique environmental spin. CLICK HERE for more info on The Plastic Lumber Company.

Custom Routed Sign75" x 120"
Designed for City of Holland, Michigan (1995)

by M.C. Smith Associates and Architectural Group, Inc.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

Custom Routed Sign56" x 112"
Designed by the City of Barberton, Ohio (1996)

by GPD Associates

Akron Ohio

Green Signage in Produce

Incorporating recycled materials along with materials that can serve another purpose at the of their life cycle is a growing phenomenon. The concept of re-purposing materials fits with building environmentally conscious systems and reducing the amount of overall waste in a project. Most of us only think of recycling in terms of recycled content or if the material can be sent to a recycling center. The concept of re-purposing materials has many unique advantages.

Acorn Sign Graphics in Richmond, VA has embraced the methodologies behind sustainable design and has worked on several green project. Below are a few pictures of signage Acorn developed for a natural food grocery store.

According to Acorn’s President Beth Gillispie, “Ellwood Thompson’s, a natural foods grocery store whose philosophy is to be as sustainable as possible throughout the business—their products and their built environment. The design challenge is to make a modern store feel like a farmer’s market. We have worked with the owner/architect to redesign all their interior and exterior signage. Notice the frame system holding the point of purchase produce signs running along the walls and in the center displays. The structure is fabricated from steel rebar reclaimed from a large construction site. We had the rebar powder coated (more green friendly than paint) clear to contain the rusting and prevent rust from contaminating the produce or the hanging signage—but still allow the natural rust coloration to show through as a design element. Almost all steel is made of recycled material; this steel rebar is reclaimed as well—in its third life if you will. The system uses mechanical fastenings: see screws in center console assembly as well as the clips for the sign holders. The hanging clips are anodized aluminum carabiners, making it possible for the market to easily add to or reduce the number of signs. The sign holders are custom fabricated from clear PETG (recyclable material), heat bent to form the sandwich to hold each sign insert. This gives the store complete flexibility to make their own changeable 8.5x11 (recycled) paper inserts. So, reclaimed material, recyclable material (all parts), mechanical fasteners, durable, modular and changeable. Also notice the larger signs: direct to substrate printed on board panels (all eco-friendly materials and processes)."

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.

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

Banner Creations Ecophab™ Banners

Banner Creations is a digital printer located in Minneapolis, MN. They have developed an environmentally conscious printable banner material called Ecophab™ which is made from Ecofi recycled materials. Click here to see the Ecophab™ Photo Gallery.

Ecophab™ is a great example of a true up-cylced product. This means that the product after being recycled is used for an equal or greater purpose. Ecophab™ uses recycled soda bottles or polyethylene terephthalate (PET) containers that are collected from recycling center. These bottles are melted down and turned into fiber strands that are then woven in a printable fabric. Banner Creations prints all Ecophab™ banners with water base inks.

Ecophab™ was used as a case study in the Green Paper that was published by the SEGD last years. This case study shows a project that Banner Creations did for the Minnesota State Fair’s Eco Experience Exhibit in 2006 and outlines the environmental benefits of the material based on the keys areas of focus for environmental graphic design.

More information
Photo Gallery

3form 100 Percent - Post Consumer Recycled Material

As Green as it Gets

3form 100 Percent® is made from 100% post-consumer recycled high density polyethylene. With over 1000 milk bottles going into each panel, it can help projects earn up to 2 LEED credits for recycled content (4.1 & 4.2).

And it just got better

This is a truly sustainable material with a refreshingly sophisticated aesthetic, proving that high design can really be low impact.

Choose from two collections

Base: A truly refined material made from 100% raw recycled waste. With contemporary colors and a sleek shimmer, 100 Percent Base is at home in any installation.

Blend: Uniquely combined colors in striking contrasts create an up-cycled material that swirls sustainability into any space.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY OF 100 PERCENT
EARN LEED CREDITS (MR 4.1 & 4.2) WITH 100 PERCENT

VIEW BASE AND BLEND PATTERN COLOR AVAILABILITY

Nyloboard Recyled Composite Board

Nyloboard is changing the building industry the way fiberglass changed the boating industry!

Nyloboard is a technologically advanced manufacturer of an innovative composite board. There are no other products on the market that use Nyloboards' patented manufacturing process to combine recycled nylon fibers with synthetic VOC free resins to produce a state-of-the-art composite panel called Nyloboard.

-The nylon fibers that are used to produce Nyloboard are collected from Carpet manufacturers. The carpet products are pre-consumer. They have never been sold or even left the manufacturers facility until they are shipped to Nyloboard.

-No special tools are needed for working with Nyloboard. Simply use the tools you already own. However, no tweezers are needed because Nyloboard does not splinter like wood.

-In addition to being painted or stained, Nyloboard also bonds with glues and other contact adhesives to hold laminates and overlays. The possibilities are endless.

-Unlike wood products, Nyloboard does not warp when it comes in contact with liquid. Because Nyloboard is constructed from Nylon fibers the liquid does not penetrate to cause bowing or edge swelling.

-Nyloboard is not made from wood or wood products. It does not mold, rot, or warp. Nyloboard does not hurt the environment by causing deforestation. In fact Nyloboard is preventing tons of nylon carpet from being dumped into landfills every year.

Reclaim: 3form Recycling Program

3form takes responsibility for its products over their entire life-cycle. Our Reclaim program reuses and recycles materials removed from installations or panels damaged in production. It is a bi-directional process that prevents panels from entering the landfill and extends their useful life.

Available in a set of standardized sizes and subject to 3form’s rigid quality control standards, this project presents a rare opportunity for consumers and designers to acquire unique panels ready for a second use.

At 3form

- All 3form panels are shipped with labels and instructions for installers
- Imperfect panels or those damaged during production are trimmed of flaws and resold in smaller standard sizes on our reclaim website.

On-site
- Installers place the label in a discreet location, such that it will only be seen upon dismantling
- When a project is dismantled, the contractor sees the label and notifies 3form, who then arranges for return shipping back to 3form facilities

Back at 3form
- Panels are inspected and, where possible, refurbished for donation or resale at a discounted price on our website.
- Panels not in condition to be resold will be refurbished, donated, recycled, or disposed of in the most responsible possible way.

3form donates ten percent of all proceeds from Reclaim panels to the Rocky Mountain Institute(RMI). To learn more visit RMI.org

PURCHASE RECLAIM