Only over the last few years have Eco Audits been used to show the public precise values in environmental protection and conservation.
The debate over paper vs. plastic bags was an interesting discussion for us to better grasp the front-to-back extent of our consumption habits. Talking about lost acres of clear-cut forests, or the massive accumulation of non-degrading, petroleum-based plastic bags in the oceans, waterways, and landfills, it painted a picture much more compelling to Mr. & Mrs. Joe Common. (You may recall one "winner" was Reuse, especially a natural fiber built-to-last basket.)
But planet-friendlier manufacturing choices are _not_ a new thing. We are simply expressing this in novel new ways that get more people to comprehend and respond.
After recent months of researching the production history of projects since 1996, environmental savings have been determined for _all_ the board game brands produced and distributed by Kvale Good Natured Games. An inventor and publisher of earth-friendly board games in Saint Paul, Kvale Games also distributes the Bioviva Editions brand within the US, another company that has long employed strong positions on sustainable methods and materials.
Dusting off the old purchase orders from 12 years back to determine material choices was probably a tedious project. Not as thrilling as finding old DNA evidence to solve a crime! But environmentalists surely take pride in this type of research, knowing that the end result shows we have been making a difference.
So my figurative hat is tipped to all team members and vendors who helped produce these pretty impressive statistics. Read on to learn...
Using 100% recycled paper rather than virgin paper fiber common within other traditional board games has a significant impact. For example, the energy our games have collectively saved is equivalent to the power use of 73 homes for a full year.?
Based upon the use of 100% recycled paper in all items at Kvale Games, the comprehensive savings to the planet are:
1,397 tons trees (9,665 fully grown);
6.7 billion BTUs of total energy;
848,464 lbs of CO2 / greenhouse gases;
452,541 lbs of solid waste;
and 3.5 million gallons of water.
We're categorized as a 'small? board game company according to the toy industry! Can you then imagine the affect any of the more recognized mid- or large-size games would have on our planet?
These statistics are based on using recycled material in cards and contents that traditionally do use virgin fiber. And yet, we've not even explored the subject of petroleum used in the plastic parts and pieces, nor the degradation problems when any of those end up in landfills.
To be quite fair, there is always room for improvement for any person and any business, environmentalist or not. In my home and my business, I am always finding little things that we could handle better for our planet. But its not Environmentalist Boot Camp for us -- it is an educational process and pleasure, especially when you have a five-year old daughter to explore the 3 Rs of conservation.
Toothbrushing with water faucet open or closed is a discussion with clear comparisons. Cutting down hundreds of acres of forest to produce a play/entertainment product, or simply capturing material that was en route to the landfill and "reworking" it into that _same_ play product with less raw material -- not too much more difficult to understand.
I think people are ready to start taking a closer look at their toy purchases after 22+ million US toy recalls in 2007, followed by another 6 million halfway into this year. Why not a safe AND eco-friendly choice going forward?
