In a more environmentally-friendly world, forestry and fiber companies like Mohawk Fine Papers that boost their "green" credentials, such as by using higher amounts of post-consumer waste or achieving sustainable forest certifications, should also see a green spike to their bottom lines.
For those businesses and consumers that make their paper purchases based on environmental impact, Mohawk Fine Papers claims the world's most comprehensive line of recycled and environmentally preferable papers made with renewable energy and post-consumer fiber.
The paper maker said the Mohawk Loop line offers the largest selection of 100 percent post-consumer waste (pcw), which includes a new coated Mohawk Silk made with 50 percent pcw. The paper line consists of 35 shades, eight finishes, and the most popular weights.
The carbon neutral Mohawk Loop line is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and manufactured with Green-e certified wind power. Green Seal certification is pending. The papers are also packaged in Mohawk's new environmentally responsible packaging materials.
The paper company also claims to be the first mill to make coated paper with post-consumer waste, the first mill to be certified by Green Seal, and the first to support wind power projects through the purchase of renewable energy credits.
Mohawk earned the EPA's Green Power Partner of the Year award in 2009 thanks to its adoption of renewable energy. The company started offsetting its annual electricity consumption in 2007.
In India, ITC's pulp & paper and paperboard manufacturing facility at Bhadrachalam has been awarded the FSC Chain of Custody certificate, which boosts the green credentials of its fine paper and paperboard lines in an eco-driven environment, reports Economic Times.
In other news, Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) has certified more than 500,000 acres of forests under Indiana's private forest management program. The FSC forest management certification for the State of Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) covers 528,332 acres of Indiana forests and 7,800 landowners.
This means these FSC-certified forest owners are now able to supply products to customers seeking environmentally responsible products bearing the FSC trademark.
Indiana DNR has also earned the first state-administered group chain of custody certificate for 39 small sawmills and logging businesses, which process the harvested wood from certified forests, giving these small business owners a market-driven boost as they supply wood for green products and green building, said SCS.
Indiana's 154,000-acre State Forest system was certified previously by both FSC and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, reports Indiana DNR.
ECO2 Forests also became the first sustainable forestry company to be accepted to the International Green Energy Council. This is in part due to the company's reforestation and avoided deforestation projects that reduce the environmental impact of deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.
