Environmentally Friendly
Click here if you would like a copy of the book written by John Widera, the owner of California box. “Surviving the Environmental Impact of a Paper World”. Some of the information below has been taken from this book.
Be a Green Designer
- 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.
- 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.
- Think of ways to cut down on the number of structural elements in a mail package or master box (cube utilization)
- For offset printing specify vegetable-formulated ink or water-based flexo ink with soy based resin for printing on corrugated sheets.
- If possible use lighter weight paper; same size- less fiber.
- 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.
- Balance sustainability with function. Less paper, less packaging, less cost.
- Design with proper knowledge of production criteria to produce an economical and sustainable product.
- Ship with companies that utilize clean fuel vehicles (LNG or bio-diesel burners or hybrids) to minimize transportation- related impact.
Learn more about our design team at each location here.
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.
Our corporate culture consists of environmental, economic and social responsibility, and requires our associates, supervisors and managers to constantly strive to:
- Be leaders and good examples
- Be coaches and teachers
- Listen and learn
- Ask questions
- Care about people, our company and our earth
- Be team builders
- Think 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 Cal Box 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 and FSC certified sustainable forest and tree farms that have a low carbon footprint. The best paper and board for corrugated boxes come from Cal Box’s corrugator in L.A. 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.
Sustaining the earth for the future generations.
At present the human race is confronted by the question of it's own global legacy. The quality of living for future generations will be determined by whether the current generation:
- Chooses to live sustainably (prevent & recycle waste).
- Conserve it's natural resources (reduce consumption).
- Nurtures the earth's biodiversity (being responsible).
- Protects the air and water (from toxic waste).
Indeed, we support the effort to decrease landfill waste by increasing recycling of paper-based packaging in our businesses, and continually improving upon our existing voluntary recycling programs and practices.