During this year’s HD Expo in Miami (maybe link to HD Expo page), hospitality companies displayed new products and had a chance to look at the future of the industry. Shaw Hospitality, a vertically integrated mill providing flooring solutions, showed off its eco-evolution line which they claim to be the hospitality industry’s first 100 percent sustainable print base. They are marketing eco-evolution as a cradle-cradle product, meaning that at the end of the product’s life it does not end up in the landfill. We think this is an important step towards reducing the environmental impact of the hospitality industry, and just one of many tactics being employed to “green” the company.
Shaw Industries, which includes subsidiary Shaw Hospitality, has finally begun to highlight and discuss its sustainable practices via its recently release and first ever sustainability report (link to shaw industries green page). According to Shaw, since 2007 they have reclaimed more than 244 million pounds of post-consumer carpet, 85 percent of which then was recycled to produce more carpet. In the report Shaw has outlined goals for itself including:
Reducing total waste to landfill 60 percent by year-end 2011
Committing to an overall goal of zero waste to landfill
Reducing energy use 25 percent by 2017
Sourcing 10 percent of all energy from renewable sources by 2017
Reducing its water use 40 percent by 2016
These are lofty, but accomplishable goals if Shaw remains on its current path. By the end of this year the company plans to reduce waste to landfill by 20 percent, and since 1999 has cut its water use by 45 percent. They accomplished this water reduction by installing recovery basins in each finishing facility to capture waste water, which can be used instead of freshwater for some purposes. This process saves Shaw nearly 7,000 gallons of water per week at each carpet finishing facility. Waste and resource reduction doesn’t simply make the company seem more environmentally friendly, it saves Shaw money. In 2008 alone $623,000 was saved in energy costs through post-industrial carpet and “wood flour” waste-to-energy processes.
Any company that is reducing its environmental impact deserves a little credit. Shaw Industries deserves additional praise for its ambitious waste reduction goals and for recognizing the need to conserve water resources. Adopting AirDye® technology would further help Shaw meet its reduction targets, and would prevent chemicals and dyes from contaminating post treatment water. However, we are impressed by Shaw’s efforts, and look forward to watching the company meet its reduction targets. Hopefully, others in the industry will follow suit. Download the entire sustainability report here: (http://www.shawgreenedge.com/)
During this year’s HD Boutique in Miami, hospitality companies displayed new products and had a chance to look at the future of the industry. Shaw Hospitality, a vertically integrated mill providing flooring solutions, showed off its Eco Evolution line of carpet which they claim to be the hospitality industry’s first 100 percent sustainable print base. They are marketing Eco Evolution as a cradle-to-cradle product, meaning that at the end of the product’s life it does not end up in a landfill. We think this is an important step towards reducing the environmental impact of the hospitality industry, and just one of many tactics being employed to “green” the company.
Shaw Industries, which includes subsidiary Shaw Hospitality, has begun to highlight and discuss its sustainable practices via its recently release and first ever sustainability report. According to Shaw, since 2007, they have reclaimed more than 244 million pounds of post-consumer carpet; 85 percent of which then was recycled to produce new carpet. In the report, Shaw includes among its goals:
- Reducing total waste to landfill 60 percent by year-end 2011
- Committing to an overall goal of zero waste to landfill
- Reducing energy use 25 percent by 2017
- Sourcing 10 percent of all energy from renewable sources by 2017
- Reducing its water use 40 percent by 2016
These are lofty, but accomplishable goals if Shaw remains on its current path. By the end of this year, the company plans to reduce waste to landfill by 20 percent. And right up our alley, since 1999 they have cut water use by 45 percent. Shaw installed recovery basins in each finishing facility to capture waste water, which can be used instead of freshwater for some purposes. This process saves Shaw nearly 7,000 gallons of water per week at each carpet finishing facility.
Waste and resource reduction doesn’t simply make the company more environmentally friendly, it saves Shaw money. In 2008 alone, they saved $623,000 in energy costs through post-industrial carpet and “wood flour” waste-to-energy processes.
Any company that is reducing its environmental impact deserves a little credit. Shaw Industries deserves additional praise for its ambitious waste reduction goals and for recognizing the need to conserve water resources. Adopting AirDye® technology would further help Shaw meet its reduction targets, and would prevent chemicals and dyes from contaminating post-treatment water. However, we are impressed by Shaw’s efforts, and look forward to watching the company meet its reduction targets. Hopefully, others in the industry will follow suit.
What do you think of Shaw’s efforts and what is your company doing to reduce waste, energy use, and water consumption? Perhaps we’ll highlight your business next.
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