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New Option Offsets Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Buy 18 square yards of carpet, plant a tree. This simple exchange, which takes
into account the carbon dioxide (or greenhouse gas) emissions emitted during
the lifecycle of the carpet AND the carbon dioxide absorbed by a tree, is the
basis for a new climate neutral program by Interface called Cool Carpet™.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions, the primary contributor to global warming,
is a key effort for Atlanta-based Interface, Inc., a leader in the
environmentally responsible manufacturing of carpet and other textiles. Since
1996, Interface has reduced total greenhouse gas emissions in operations
worldwide by 29 percent, through improved energy efficiency and increased use
of renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind and biomass power.
“We’ve reduced our negative footprint by one-third by reengineering our systems
and products with new technologies and materials,” said Interface Chairman Ray
Anderson. “But 90 percent of the emissions associated with the lifecycle of our
products occur outside our manufacturing process. Until technologies emerge to
reduce those emissions further, we are offsetting the negative effect by
investing in projects where greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced – thereby
bringing the net effect of the emissions to zero.”
Interface has partnered with the Climate Neutral Network, a third party
certifier who validates the emission offset projects. All greenhouse gas
emissions reductions from Interface's projects are certified by the Climate
Neutral Network as Climate Cool™ products which achieve a net zero impact on
the Earth's climate.
As a result, Interface customers who are concerned about the long term effects
of their investment can specify climate neutral Cool Carpet. Interface
has calculated the greenhouse gas emissions associated with the lifecycle of
the carpet it manufactures, and will offset those emissions with investments in
high quality, greenhouse gas reduction projects, such as installing
energy-efficient boilers or lighting in public schools, or planting trees which
absorb greenhouse gases. Cool Carpet is standard on the entire Interface i2™
collection, and is available on any other Interface®, Bentley®, Prince Street®
or Heuga® brand products made in the United States, the United Kingdom or the
Netherlands, for a minimal charge, up to 20 cents per square yard.
The facilities team at the University of Texas Health Science Center in
Houston, Tex., specified Interface’s Entropy® product, part of the i2
collection, in new facilities, and received the first certificate issued for Cool
Carpet by Interface.
“Interface’s products meet our facilities’ standards for indoor air quality,
reuse and recycling of existing materials, reduced environmental footprint of
manufacturing processes, and not overwhelming the landfills during the
manufacturing process or at the end of the product’s useful life,” said Linda
Paisley, materials specialist with the office of facility planning and campus
development for University of Texas – Houston.
For more information on Interface’s environmental initiatives, visit:
www.interfacesustainability.com.
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