GREEN POLICY

At B+N we believe that great design has enormous power and we are trying to use it to change the world, one store fixture at a time. Our design philosophy is built on the balance of sustainable materials, global sourcing of resources, and flexible pragmatic designs. These three concepts are the cornerstones of our company’s environmental program.

Sustainable Materials

We are constantly researching and making available the latest materials for “green” responsible production. Our project managers are currently undergoing LEED certification training, and we are able to provide information and options to any client that agrees with our need to use environmentally considerate materials. The ability to produce fixtures from sensibly farmed (FSC certified) or post consumer raw materials, the choice of Formaldehyde, VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds), and PVC free materials, show our core desire to manufacture responsibly. Having much of our production based in California, we participate in the state’s aggressive environmental laws and power consumption rules.

B&N has put every effort into ensuring that we are ecologically responsible with our printed materials. We encourage and promote the electronic download of our product catalog via the web. We will, however, send out our printed catalog, confident that it is produced from recycled material. All inks are petroleum-free soy–based. Our printer recycles their make-ready paper, and has an aggressive power-reduction policy. The paper our catalog is printed on is Utopia U2/XG, which is an “extra” environmentally-sensitive sheet. U2/XG is FSC Certified, containing 30% Post-Consumer Recovered Fiber, and is manufactured with electricity in the form of renewable energy (Green Power) – specifically, electricity generated by renewable resources such as wind power, hydro, & biogas (methane). More information on this paper can be found at http://www.appletoncoated.com/

Local Resources to Global Sourcing

Working with local resources, we are able to reduce transit emissions which in turn reduces the overall carbon footprint of our company. B&N makes a strong effort to utilize freight forwarding companies that have aggressive fossil fuel/carbon reduction policies. Some of these companies have reduced their emissions via solar power, hybrid vehicles and fuel conservation policies. One freight carrier alone “expects to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 33 to 66 million metric tons, and nitrogen oxide emissions by up to 200,000 tons by the year 2012, while saving 150 million barrels of oil annually”.

As a California-based manufacturer, our production meets or exceeds the codes put forth from our state’s environmental mandate; not because it is the law, but because it is the right thing to do. Our domestic factories recycle sawdust, acrylic, and aluminum as well as promoting an ongoing reduction of wasteful materials. Sourcing globally gives us the ability to produce goods closer to available resources, whether they be natural, man-made or labor based. We remain committed to producing our goods with integrity, and only partner with manufacturers who approach their work in the same manner. Our overseas manufacturers are pioneers in socially- and ethically-responsible practices.

Pragmatic Designs and Flexibility

The ability for a product to excel at its intended task offers us the greatest opportunity to keep the world green. Attention is paid to the entire life span of the products. By listening to our customers and producing products that meet their needs, we keep unwanted goods out of the waste stream and limit the need for customers to purchase more. Life cycles are considered in the initial design phases, quality is intrinsic to our products. The inherent flexibility of our modular systems extend their usefulness as our clients needs change. Products from 10 years ago are interchangeable with our latest designs.

As a company, we have instilled an employee awareness program to better educate ourselves in the pursuit of environmental sustainability.

Looking to the Future

As the global consciousness towards manufacturing accountability grows, B&N will continue to innovate and continue to produce intriguing products, and will do so with sustainability as our foundation.

Awareness….educating our clients as their needs educate us.

Reduction…manufacturing processes and programs.

Innovation…our foundation, providing options from new opportunities.