Stamping "Green"

Last week we celebrated Earth Day and today I told you about how our family has saved 1,000 square feet of rain forest in just a few short weeks. Of course, you come here to see information about stamping and so I have something a little different to share with you.......

I've told you how proud I am that so many of the products we sell are "made in America", but that's just the beginning......

Here's a quick look at Stampin’ Up!’s eco-conscious practices

These days, everywhere you turn, people are “going
green” and putting into practice ideas that can make
a difference in the environment and conserve energy.
But what is Stampin’ Up! doing to “go green”? You
may have been asking this question, and
I want to help you answer it!
Rubber
Rather than dumping our excess rubber in a landfill, we donate it
to Courage Reins, a nonprofit organization that provides horseback
riding therapy for physically or mentally challenged children. They
take our ground rubber and sell it to groups and individuals for use
in playgrounds and horse stables. The money they receive from the
sale of this rubber goes to fund their programs. You can find more
information about Courage Reins at www.couragereins.org.
Wood Blocks
Our wood blocks are not only created from a renewable resource,
we engage in a sustainable practice to get those wood blocks. We
work with a tree farm in which the maple trees are grown specifically
for the purpose of harvesting wood!
Card Stock and Paper
You’re probably already aware that the paper we use for shipping is
100 percent recycled. But did you know that our card stock includes
recycled material? It’s true! Our card stock includes recycled paper
that’s left over from other paper runs, which would otherwise end
up in a landfill. The darker the color of card stock, the more recycled
material is in the card stock. (Who would have thought that Basic
Black was our greenest color?)
In addition, we work with a paper broker who ensures that the
mills we use for our Designer Series paper and card stock engage
in environmentally friendly practices. Our broker is even certified
through the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), the Forest
Stewardship Council (FSC), and the Program for the Endorsement of
Forestry Certification (PEFC). These certifications help us know that
our paper comes from sustainably managed forests and mills that are
taking steps to lessen their carbon footprint. One of our mills even
generates its own power.

Stampin' Up! Buildings
We are very fortunate to have wonderful facilities at Stampin’ Up!
that help us reduce our environmental impact. First, systems in both
the Riverton and Kanab buildings filter any pollutants that may
result from stamp production. Second, our buildings were designed
with energy conservation in mind. Both buildings have geothermal
wells, which help us maintain building temperature, cutting down
on our use of heating oil or natural gas. In addition, all lights are on
sensors and timers, so we don’t waste electricity when employees are
away from the office.
In the desert climate in Utah, it’s also extremely important that
we watch our water use. For this reason, we’ve incorporated native,
water-wise plants in our landscaping. If you’ve visited the home office,
you may have noticed that we have wildflowers growing in front of our
building instead of grass! Our sprinkler system is timed to minimize
evaporation, which helps reduce the amount of water we use to
maintain our landscape. Indoors, artificial plants mingle in with the
live ones in the area around our atrium water feature. This allows us to
have a lush garden while minimizing the amount of water we use.
carbon footprint.

Stampin’ Up!, strive to reduce our carbon footprint as much
as possible. This means that we try to engage in shipping practices
that will require fewer greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, to
be released into the atmosphere. First, UPS picks up shipments from
our Distribution Center each day during nonpeak traffic hours. This
cuts down the amount of gasoline UPS needs to use to get our orders
out the door. You can learn about what UPS is doing to make their
practices more eco-friendly at http://sustainability.ups.com.
For stamp shipments from Kanab to Riverton, we “carpool” with
companies who are sending shipments from the Salt Lake City
area to Kanab. For example, Sysco delivers food to Kanab and
surrounding towns and, normally, their trucks would return empty
to Salt Lake City. Instead of driving back without cargo, Sysco trucks
bring stamps from Kanab to Riverton!
As you know, one of our guiding principles at Stampin’ Up! is
Change, and with that principle in mind, we are always looking for
ways to improve our business practices to do what’s right for our
demonstrators, employees, community, and environment.

I hope you've enjoyed this little "Green Tour"