Sustainability is a multifaceted issue.  It’s not just about recycled content or trees saved. It’s not just about what kind of inks or chemicals you use, or how you dispose of them. It’s not just about workplace safety or philanthropy. It’s not just about supply chain efficencies of green initiatives. It is ALL of these things and more.

Contact your Sales Representative if you would like a copy of the Booklet written by John Widera, Chairman of CalBox Group, titled  “Surviving the Environmental Impact of a Paper World”. 

Be a Green Designer

  1. Reduce the trim size.  If practical, think of ways to utilize the blank spots on the paper sheet.  Modifying your packaging through changes in design and material can alter the dimensions or your weight which ultimately affects freight cost, environmental emissions, and energy use.
  2. Specify chlorine-free paper, recycled paper or FSC certified new (virgin) papers.  Learn how they are manufactured so you can make the optimal choice for each project.
  3. Think of ways to cut down on the number of structural elements in a mail package or master box (cube utilization)
  4. For offset printing specify vegetable-formulated ink or water-based flexo ink with soy based resin for printing on corrugated sheets.
  5. If possible use lighter weight paper; same size- less fiber.
  6. Develop packaging prototypes, where applicable.  Conducting careful testing will help ensure the package is accurately designed for increased product protection with minimal product loss and less resource usage.
  7. Balance sustainability with function.  Less paper, less packaging, less cost.
  8. Design with proper knowledge of production criteria to produce an economical and sustainable product.
  9. Ship with companies that utilize clean fuel vehicles (LNG or bio-diesel burners or hybrids) to minimize transportation- related impact.

We are not and can never be owners, only caretakers of this beautiful planet of 6 billion people.  There really is no choice: business must learn to succeed financially and also ecologically.  Otherwise, we jeopardize our irreplaceable natural resources, as well as the future generations that depend upon them.

Everything rests on our ability to produce consistent environmentally plant-friendly packaging for our customers.
That’s our ball game.

That is why we, the Cal Box Group have dedicated ourselves to promote sustainability initiatives utilizing state-of-the-art, low energy machines and facilities.  Our employees are trained to reduce waste and our best suppliers also recycle. We all thing Green and Lean.

 

Paper - A Renewable Resource

From a raw material standpoint, paperboard as a tree product offers a constantly renewable resource.

Today trees are being farmed like crops.  Every day, a million trees are planted.  That amounts to half a billion trees each year.  We also suspect that most of our forests are now being certified to ensure environmentally friendly and socially responsible forestation.  The use and re-growth of trees in the modern paper industry is not deforestation.  Trees are an important renewable resource for our industry. We care deeply about ensuring a steady supply as well as a healthy ecosystem.  Paper Mills used by Calbox Group buy from suppliers who practice sustainable forestry, which means the forest is re-grown as fast, or faster, and then it is cut (FSC Certified).  A well managed forest, in which trees are selectively thinned to allow room for the remaining trees to get ample sunlight, can actually absorb more CO2 from the atmosphere then in an unmanaged forest.

Paper truly is the only inexpensive, biodegradable packaging material.

All our elite board people come from SFI certified sustainable forest and tree farms that have a low carbon footprint.  The best paper and board for corrugated boxes come from our corrugators in L.A and Phoenix.  Here we stress the value of energy efficiency by operating the state-of-the-art energy efficient corrugator only at night (the first such work schedule on the west coast).

98% of the paper waste in all of our 5 plants is automatically collected at each manufacturing operation and sent to a baler.  The resulting 1,100 pound DLK (double line kraft) bales are then sold to recycle-paper mills to make new paper.

Each of our plants have a water waste treatment system that takes effluent (dirty water) and brings it up to drinking water quality levels.  Any material extracted from the effluent is treated to ensure it is non-hazardous and safe.

With our state-of-the-art efficient machinery it takes less sheets to do set-ups, and less sheets are destroyed from fewer “jam ups”.  Together this reduces waste. 

We use only press-ready water based inks.  Any left-over ink in inventory is recycled to be reused as new black ink.