When we think about green strategies and how we will implement them at VirTex, we try to address them in the order that is the lowest cost and the most environmentally friendly.
The first question is how can we use less? Ways of reducing include implementing paperless processing, changing methods of handling chemicals so as to minimize evaporation and closed loop processing.
The next question is can an item be reused, while still maintaining the quality and presentation of a product? Several years ago during the dot com bust, a company called bike.com went out of business right behind us. They gave us all of their shipping boxes so they did not go to waste. We shipped small sample quantities and products in these boxes for over a year, sometimes covering it with a label, sometimes not. Pallets that we receive shipments on are saved for outgoing shipping. There are many things that can be reused if you look.
The last is can it economically be recycled? It’s easy to recycle cardboard and paper at a very slight cost premium to waste disposal. Plastic has always been one of those items recycling companies reluctanly take, due to the cost of recycling, sorting, etc.
I recently saw an article in The Guardian about a Welsh company named Closed Loop Recycling that is finding ready buyers for its recycled plastic due to the rising cost of oil. They are talking about adding four more plants in the next five years.
Check out the article and let me know what you think about this.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/sep/15/waste.recycling
Brad
