Earth Friendly Visual Solutions
Earth Day is a day to celebrate the environment and take a look at how we can improve our ecological footprint. FASTSIGNS franchisees are conscious of the environment and constantly looking for ways to incorporate earth friendly signage and eco-friendly materials.
Concern about environmental impact led Mark and Jennifer Chisholm of FASTSIGNS® of Seattle-Queen Anne to collaborate with One Tree Planted, a nonprofit environmental charity. Upon completion of each project–no matter the size–the Chisholms have a tree planted through the charity.
Using Sustainable Materials
Allying with environmental groups like One Tree Planted is just one way businesses can reduce environmental impact. FASTSIGNS centers can also elect to use more eco-friendly materials.
“We certainly try to use eco-friendly materials,” Mark Chisholm said.
With one project for Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, for instance, they created reusable magnetic name tags instead of throwaway name tags, Chisholm said. In addition, they occasionally have customers requesting sustainable materials.
“Anything we can use as a ‘green’ material will be good for the environment,” said Lance Tucker, Technical Services Manager Tech & Supply Chain at Propelled Brands, the multi-franchisor of FASTSIGNS.
There are, for example, alternate materials for commonly used products like PVC, which can release toxic chlorine-based chemicals into the air, water, and food chain.
Many customers opt for projects to be done with PVC-free materials such as aluminum and wood. Aluminum is recyclable and wood materials like MDO (medium density overlay) and plywood are biodegradable.
Other options include UV curable print technology and eco-solvent inks, both of which release less waste into the air and promote a cleaner environment.
Many products like aluminum are highly sustainable as well. They’ll last a long time, which means they won’t have to be scrapped for something new in a short time.
Reduce Waste Materials and Energy Use
Other than using environmentally friendly materials, reducing waste can have a great impact on the environment. Mark Chisholm made reducing waste a top priority after opening his center in Seattle-Queen Anne FASTSIGNS center in 2020, which led him and Jennifer to get involved with One Tree Planted, as well as trying to use environmentally friendly materials whenever possible.
Reducing waste can also mean buying products in bulk or with minimal packaging or even changing your processes by shutting off unused equipment and lights at the end of the day or on weekends. Your environment will also be safer when hazardous materials are disposed of properly.
FASTSIGNS is fully committed to sustainability through such efforts as using materials that are renewable or have low environmental impact, recycling and recovery efforts, and adopting environmentally friendly changes in the supply chain.
If you are looking for a custom visual solution for your business and would like to lessen your environmental footprint we are here to help. Make Your Statement with FASTSIGNS.