American architect Frank Lloyd Wright once wrote, “The best friend on earth of man is the tree. When we use the tree respectfully and economically, we have one of the greatest resources on earth.” As a company with a print division, we completely agree with this—after all, trees make up a big part of our business! But we especially connect with his sentiment of using trees respectfully, which is why we’re proud of our many green initiatives. Not only are they eco-friendly, but they’re also client-friendly. In honor of Arbor Day, we’ve decided to highlight a few ways MOSAIC keeps our work and our Earth beautiful.
Forest Stewardship Council Certification
It’s no secret that the printing industry relies on thriving forests to do their work. While paper has become increasingly biodegradable and easily recyclable over the years, it can still be the product of deforestation or poor forestry maintenance if it’s not sustainably sourced.
Through our certification with the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®), we ensure not only the responsible management of forests but also that the rights of animals and indigenous peoples who live in and around the forests are respected. For over a decade, we’ve sourced paper from forests that protect endangered species, are areas of high conservation value, and have portions of land set aside as forest reserves. By doing this, we are working to secure long-term sources of paper for not just ourselves, but the entire world.
Solvent Recovery System
A solvent recovery system takes the liquid waste generated by printing presses and extracts useful raw materials out of the product waste stream. Solvent recovery systems cut down the use of raw materials by recovering chemicals that can be reused in production, saving a myriad of natural resources. While the process itself may seem simple, our solvent recovery system makes a noticeable difference. By recovering 90% of our press solvents, MOSAIC’s solvent recovery system has drastically reduced the amount of printing waste from 118 drums to less than one drum annually!
Carbon Neutral
“Carbon neutral” has become a cultural buzzword recently—and for good reason. Humans produce what’s known as a carbon footprint (the level of CO2 and other carbon compounds emitted by a person or group) in a variety of ways, but primarily through the burning of fossil fuels, such as natural gas, coal, or oil. This is why MOSAIC’s carbon-neutral policy is two-fold: we don’t just look for ways to reduce our company’s carbon footprint, we also find ways to offset it. Each year, we calculate how much energy we have used in running our business, and then we purchase an equivalent stake in companies that invest in wind power.
We also examine all the ways in which we are producing CO2—from the gas used to heat our offices, flight times when traveling, employees’ commutes, and all things in between—and determine our collective carbon emissions. MOSAIC then invests in local companies and programs that engage in and innovate environmentally-conscious practices. Through this, we are not only offsetting our carbon footprint but also uplifting the community around us!
Green Power Partnership
“Green power” is electricity produced from environmentally friendly resources such as geothermal, solar, wind, and low-impact hydropower. These resources create electricity with a better environmental profile than more conventional means of energy creation, meaning they protect the health of both humanity and the environment. Our lifelong dedication to environmental protection inspired us to join the Environmental Protection Agency’s Green Power Partnership Program in 2008, and we’ve remained committed to using green power ever since. In fact, we utilize 100% green power!
Annual Recycling
While we’re proud to say that MOSAIC recycles over 630 tons of aluminum, plastic, and (most importantly) paper each year, our efforts to reduce and reuse go beyond recycling bins! All of the lights in our 50,000-square foot facility are LED, which are 100% recyclable. We also have the capability to print on recycled paper that contains seeds, meaning our print works not only look good, but they do good as well.
MOSAIC believes in treating our planet with the respect and care it deserves. By undertaking initiatives that use the tree respectfully and economically, we aim to do as much good for the Earth as we do for our clients.