Climate change has become one of the leading environmental challenges for industries worldwide. Scientists agree that greenhouse gas emissions, primarily carbon dioxide, are having a negative impact on the Earth’s temperature. CO₂ concentrations have increased steadily since the mid 1800s. That increase became more rapid in the mid 1900s. The twenty hottest years on record are all after 1982.

Two leading causes of the carbon dioxide increase are deforestation and the combustion of fossil fuels to create energy.

Because paper is a highly disposable item, produced in vast quantities in a very resource and energy–intensive process, Mohawk has a responsibility to be a good environmental steward. We believe that conserving energy, supporting emission–free energy projects and responsible forestry practices are fundamental to mitigating climate change.

Two ways: the use of energy generated by fossil fuels and irresponsible forestry practices.

When electricity or thermal energy is created by burning coal, oil or gas, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. Papermaking requires a huge amount of both indirect energy (electricity we purchase from the grid) and direct energy (thermal energy we make by firing boilers). These processes release carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the atmosphere.

Forest protection is key to controlling climate change. Because forests naturally absorb carbon dioxide, the loss of trees has a great impact on the carbon balance. Trees convert carbon dioxide into carbon and then store it (sequestered) in biomass and soils. Changes in land use (deforestation primarily in tropical rainforests) currently constitute about 30% of CO₂ emissions traceable to human activity. At least 37.5 million acres of rainforests are lost annually, an area the size of Georgia. Source: UNEP

We support and promote the efforts of the Forest Stewardship Council, Rainforest Alliance, and other environmental organizations that are fighting deforestation and illegal logging.

We have made significant investments to conserve energy and reduce fuel consumption. We voluntarily replaced the New York steam plants with low–emission natural gas–fired boilers, which immediately reduced fuel consumption by 14% and reduced combustion emissions by 43%. Our NY mills have also decreased energy use per ton of paper by 12.5% over the past 5 years.

We are a national leader in the support of emission–free wind energy. Mohawk Fine Papers purchases RECs to match 100% of the electric power required for all our operations.

We offset fleet mileage (company trucks plus rental and lease cars) through Native Energy’s Wind Builder program. As of May 1, 2007, Mohawk’s fleet of five trucks has been converted over to a biodiesel fuel mix, which reduced unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter when compared with emissions from regular petroleum diesel fuel. The biodiesel fuel mix used by Mohawk also reduces sulfur oxides and sulfate air emissions by approximately 20%.

In addition to purchasing enough Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to match 100% of the electricity used in our operations, the thermal energy used in the manufacture of several grades is offset with Verified Emissions Reduction credits (VERs) that fund renewable, emission-free energy projects. Through this process, Mohawk is seeking to manufacture these papers with a net zero climate impact. Mohawk grades carrying the Carbon Neutral designation are made carbon neutral within Mohawk’s production processes.

We are an EPA Green Power Partner and are setting further emission reduction targets under the EPA’s Climate Leaders program. We have also been accepted into the EPA’s Environmental Performance Track (P–Track) program for our Ohio facility. Participation in the P–Track program is under consideration for our NY operations also.

We continue to increase our use of postconsumer fiber by creating desirable lines of paper with 30% and 100% postconsumer fiber.

Carbon neutral is an emerging trend for both companies and individuals around the world. When you add polluting emissions to the atmosphere, you can effectively subtract them by purchasing carbon offset credits. These carbon offsets fund additive, emission–free energy projects such as wind farms and solar installations. By purchasing these credits, companies and individuals can apply them against their own emissions and reduce their net carbon impact.

The terms sound easy: "going carbon neutral" or "having a carbon footprint of zero" but it is a rigorous process. Carbon neutral describes an entity which has had its carbon dioxide emissions 1) calculated 2) reduced where possible and 3) offset through the purchase of real, verified, and additional carbon offset credits.

In addition to purchasing enough Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to match 100% of the electricity used in our operations, the thermal energy used in the manufacture of several grades is offset with Verified Emissions Reduction credits (VERs) that fund renewable, emission-free energy projects. Through this process, Mohawk is seeking to manufacture these papers with a net zero climate impact. Mohawk grades carrying the Carbon Neutral designation are made carbon neutral within Mohawk’s production processes.

A carbon offset is an emissions reduction credit. These credits are sold through organizations that invest in renewable energy projects or in energy efficiency initiatives. The Kyoto Proctocol mandates that carbon offsets must be real, verified and additional to what would have otherwise occurred. The carbon offset market allows businesses to recognize and financially support the shift from fossil fuel to renewable energy.

A carbon offset credit represents one ton of greenhouse gas emission reductions or avoided emissions. These credits can be verified through two leading organizations: the European–based Gold Standard and the US–based Environmental Resources Trust.

Mohawk supports the use of non-polluting wind-generated electricity through the purchase of Green-e certified Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) from windpower projects. Today, 100% of the electricity used to manufacture the Mohawk grades that carry the “Windpower” designation is matched with RECs.

In addition to purchasing enough Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) to match 100% of the electricity used in our operations, the thermal energy used in the manufacture of several grades is offset with Verified Emissions Reduction credits (VERs) that fund renewable, emission-free energy projects. Through this process, Mohawk is seeking to manufacture these papers with a net zero climate impact. Mohawk grades carrying the Carbon Neutral designation are made carbon neutral within Mohawk’s production processes.

Mohawk's VER purchases are verified to meet the standards of the Environmental Resources Trust’s GHG (Greenhouse Gas) Registry. The VERs are directly tied to projects that reduce greenhouse gases and that wouldn’t have happened without the carbon market. The source of Mohawk’s 7,000 tons of carbon equivalent VERs is the DesPlaines Landfill and Emission Reduction Project, which is located outside of Chicago, IL, near O’Hare airport. This facility generates new, clean power from landfill gas.

The Kyoto Protocol mandates that carbon offsets must be "real, verified and additional to what would have otherwise occurred." Additionality is a characteristic of an offset market which creates incentives for environmentally–beneficial projects that would not have been possible otherwise. Within the carbon trading industry, additionality means "going beyond business as usual." While there are a number of factors that contribute to the quality of the offset, additionality is a key in assessing its merit.

GHGs are any gas that absorbs infrared radiation in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases include, but are not limited to, water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane, nitrous oxide, chlorofluorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, ozone, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride.

The Greenhouse Gas Effect is produced as greenhouse gases allow incoming solar radiation to pass through the Earth's atmosphere, but prevent most of the outgoing infra–red radiation from escaping into outer space.

Carbon dioxide is the most prevalent greenhouse gas attributed to human activities. The major source of CO₂ emissions is fossil fuel combustion. CO₂ emissions are also a product of forest clearing, biomass burning, and non–energy production processes such as cement production.

Carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere increased 35% from approximately 280 parts per million (ppm) in pre–industrial times to 379 ppm in 2005 according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) 2005 State of the Climate Report. Present CO₂ concentrations are higher than at any time in at least the last 420,000 years. (International Panel on Climate Change, IPCC 2001)

CERs are offsets which meet mandatory standards specified for trading in a regulated market such as required under the Kyoto Protocol. VERs are offsets which meet similar criteria and serve the same function in voluntary markets.

Carbon offsets can be validated and verified by credible organizations. Two leading organizations are the European–based Gold Standard and the US–based Environmental Resources Trust. The VERs that Mohawk purchases are verified to meet the standards of the Environmental Resources Trust’s Greenhouse Gas Registry. The GHG Registry Standard is based on guidelines developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the international scientific body supporting the Kyoto Protocol.

A carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gases produced by a human, an organization, or an activity. It is calculated in units of carbon dioxide and is the sum of two parts: the direct/primary footprint and the indirect/secondary footprint.

The primary footprint measures the direct CO₂ emissions from the burning of fossil fuels for energy and transportation.

The secondary footprint measures the indirect CO₂ emissions from the whole lifecycle of the products we use.

Green vegetation, primarily forests, sequester carbon through the natural process of photosynthesis. Carbon sequestering is trapping greenhouse gases or permanently withdrawing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. (http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Climate_Change/)

Climate Leaders is an EPA industry–government partnership that works with companies to develop long–term comprehensive climate change strategies. Partners set a corporate–wide greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goal and inventory their emissions to measure progress. By reporting inventory data to EPA, Partners create a lasting record of their accomplishments. Partners also identify themselves as corporate environmental leaders and strategically position themselves as climate change policy continues to unfold.

• http://iaspub.epa.gov/trs/trs_proc_qry.alphabet?p_term_nm=C
  &p_reg_auth_id=1&p_data_id=11564&p_version=1
• http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Climate_Change/
• http://www.cleanair–coolplanet.org/ConsumersGuidetoCarbonOffsets.pdf

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Renewable energy, or green power, is electricity that is generated by resources that are readily replenished and produce little or no pollution, such as carbon dioxide emissions. Wind, solar, biomass and low–impact hydro are all examples of green power. It is often referred to as renewable, emission–free, and carbon–free energy.

Windpower is a type of renewable energy that is generated by wind turbines. These state–of–the–art wind mills catch the wind and as the blades spin, a generator converts the mechanical energy into electricity. A cable then carries the electricity to the power grid. Windpower is the fastest–growing energy source in the world. At present it is the least expensive, most developed, and fastest to build.

Wind power is clean, abundant and reliable. It is a renewable source of energy, it does not produce any greenhouse gas emissions, and because wind turbines use less than 5% of the land where they are sited, they minimize habitat destruction, help preserve open space, and allow for multiple uses of the land such as agricultural farming.

Some people argue that wind turbines increase bird mortality, spoil the landscape, and are noisy. Over the past few years wind farms have made great progress in decreasing bird mortality by better placement. Wind turbines are now quieter than the earlier generation of turbines and are being sited where they are less visible. (www.yes2wind.com)

In 2003, Mohawk became the first paper mill, and one of the first large–scale production facilities in the US to support renewable windpower through the purchase of Green-e certified Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) from windpower projects. Green-e is the nation’s leading independent certification and verification program for renewable energy products. Green-e verifies Mohawk’s purchases of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) and certifies the RECs to be sure that they meet strict environmental and consumer protection standards. Today, 100% of the electricity used to manufacture the Mohawk grades that carry the “Windpower” designation is matched with RECs, which translates to the output of 24 windmills. The carbon savings is equivalent to 138 million miles not driven each year or the carbon uptake of a 24,400 acre forest.

The use of renewable energy reduces the global risks of climate change. Wind–generated electricity, or windpower, replaces fossil–fuel generated power in the energy grid. By specifying paper from mills that purchase RECs, companies are supporting the growth of renewable energy sources.

Mohawk purchases windpower RECs from renewable energy market leaders. The power from projects they represent is sold to the grid, displacing an equivalent amount of power that would otherwise be produced with fossil fuel. A REC is an authorized document that represents a defined amount of electricity (usually one megawatt–hour) at a renewable energy facility. The RECs that Mohawk purchases are independently verified through the Center for Resource Solutions’ Green–e program.

Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) are created when a renewable energy facility generates electricity. A REC is an authorized document that represents a defined amount of electricity (usually one megawatt–hour) at a renewable energy facility.

What you pay for when you buy renewable energy certificates is the benefit of displacing polluting types of electricity from the electric grid. About 95% of the electricity in the US is produced by burning coal, oil or gas which all release carbon dioxide into to the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. By purchasing RECs, we are financially supporting renewable energy, lessening our dependence on fossil fuels, and preventing greenhouse gas emissions. (www.green–e.org)

Yes. Green–e is the nation’s leading independent certification and verification program for renewable energy projects. The Green–e Renewable Electricity Certification Program is administered by the non–profit Center for Resource Solutions based in San Francisco, California. Green–e certifies renewable electricity products that meet the environmental and consumer protection standards established by the program. When consumers see the Green–e logo, they can be sure that the renewable electricity product is verified annually for its renewable power content and that the electricity provider selling the power has met the Green–e program's environmental and consumer protection standards. (www.green–e.org)

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Forest protection is key to controlling climate change. Because forests naturally absorb carbon dioxide, the loss of trees has a great impact on the carbon balance. Trees convert carbon dioxide into carbon and then store it (sequestered) in biomass and soils. Changes in land use (deforestation primarily in tropical rainforests) currently constitute about 30% of CO₂ emissions traceable to human activity. At least 37.5 million acres of rainforests are lost annually, an area the size of Georgia. Source: UNEP

In many forests around the world, logging still contributes to habitat destruction, water pollution, displacement of indigenous peoples, and violence against people who work in the forest and the wildlife that dwells there. Many consumers of wood and paper, and many forest products companies believe that the link between logging and these negative impacts can be broken, and that forests can be managed and protected at the same time. (www.fscus.org)

Commercial logging is not the only activity that contributes to deforestation, and if done in a responsible manner, its impacts are negligible. Land clearing for agriculture, excessive vegetation removal and overgrazing, and new infrastructure, mining, energy development all contribute to deforestation.

The Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) was created in 1993 following the Rio Earth Summit to change the practice of responsible forestry worldwide. The FSC principles and criteria include conserving biological diversity, conserving old growth forests, protecting the well–being of indigenous groups, and slowing global climate change. The FSC has established a credible certification program that guarantees that the product comes from a well–managed forest. (www.fsc.org)

Originally founded by the American Pulp and Paper Association, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) program became fully independent in 2007. It is based on the premise that we can protect our forests while producing the wood and paper products our economy needs. The SFI program integrates the perpetual growing and harvesting of trees with the protection of wildlife, plants, soil, water, and air quality. Over 126 million acres of land are certified by independent, third–party audits to meet the rigorous SFI standard. (http://www.sfiprogram.org/)

No. Mohawk is a non–integrated paper mill, which means that we do not own forests or manufacture our own pulp. When we buy pulp, it has already been processed and formed into thick sheets. We buy a variety of postconsumer and virgin hardwood and softwood fiber pulps.

As one of the largest consumers of market pulp, Mohawk requires its suppliers to provide documentation demonstrating sound environmental practices and responsible forestry management. This information is verified through surveys and periodic progress updates.

In addition, we have attained certification under the Forest Stewardship Council’s Chain of Custody standard. This allows Mohawk to produce writing and printing papers manufactured in compliance with FSC standards.

The public has become increasingly interested in making responsible choices when purchasing wood products, primarily paper. The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) was created in 1993 following the Rio Earth Summit to change the practice of responsible forestry worldwide. The FSC principles and criteria include conserving biological diversity, conserving old growth forests, protecting the well–being of indigenous groups, and slowing climate change.

The FSC has established a credible certification program which guarantees the product comes from a well–managed forest. The FSC has created a logo to ensure that the paper used in a publication has been harvested in a responsible manner. For a publication to carry the FSC logo, the paper used must pass through a complete "chain of custody" from an FSC–certified forest through its harvest and pulping process, to an FSC–certified paper manufacturer, merchant, printer and/or converter. All parties must have Chain of Custody certification through a third–party auditor for FSC standards.

Mohawk’s makes several FSC–certified papers carrying either the FSC–Recycled label or an FSC–Mixed Sources label.

To earn FSC certification, a product made with pulp or paper must pass through a complete "chain of custody" (CoC) from an FSC–certified forest to an FSC–certified pulp manufacturer to and FSC–certified papermaker, merchant, and printer. In order to identify products with the FSC label, all processes in the CoC must be independently verified and have CoC certification. SmartWood is the certification body for Mohawk, and carries out on–the–ground, detailed assessments of operations and their social, environmental, and economic components.

A printer must have FSC Chain of Custody certification in order to obtain a brand pack containing FSC logos and use guidelines from their FSC program auditor. In general when using logos, they must contain the FSC logo, copyright symbol, promotional claim, registration number, and FSC copyright claim. A printer’s FSC auditor must approve the FSC statements and use of the logo.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) has created forest management standards throughout the world. By certifying wood products, the FSC is able to promote responsible forestry management. For paper, this may mean using wood fiber from FSC–certified forests, it may mean using postconsumer waste fiber to protect forest resources, or it may mean a mix of the two, which could also include fiber from controlled wood sources. Controlled wood is not FSC certified, but is controlled by the company to exclude controversial sources.

The FSC has three basic labeling options for paper:
1. FSC Pure Label: 100% virgin fiber comes from FSC–certified forests.
2. FSC Mixed Sources Label: fiber comes from FSC–certified forests in addition to recycled fiber and/or fiber from non–FSC–certified controlled sources.
3. FSC Recycled Label: 100% of fiber comes from postconsumer waste in accordance with FSC standards.

Use of the FSC label must be arranged with an FSC–certified printer when using FSC–certified paper purchased through an FSC–certified merchant. Be sure to build some extra time into your production schedule when your goal is to include this logo on your job. Each label has specific wording for the fiber content and its source.

Originally applied to virgin fiber papers, FSC Chain of Custody certification is intended to help paper buyers ensure that the paper they buy does not come from controversial sources. The FSC has developed criteria for certification to support the belief that "forest resources and associated lands should be managed to meet the social, economic, ecological cultural and spiritual needs of present and future generations. FSC’s mission is to give consumers the ability to confidently choose products that do not contribute to the degradation of forest lands," (fscus.org). Since recycled pulp is derived from a postconsumer product it reduces pressure on virgin resources and is recognized in FSC’s Chain of Custody program

Yes. Mohawk Fine Papers is certified to manufacture printing and writing papers which meet FSC standards. Please contact your Mohawk merchant with specifications for a special–making order of any Mohawk grade. A minimum order of 20,000 pounds is required.

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Recycled paper uses less water and energy and takes pressure off of landfill space and forest resources. Recycling is a significant success story that often goes untold. In 1993 29% of printing and writing paper was recovered for recycling. In 2005 that number had jumped to 44% or 13 million tons. Other types of paper, including corrugated and newsprint have even higher recovery rates. In fact, in 2006 the total recovery rate for all paper in the U.S. was over 53%. (http://stats.paperrecycles.org/)

Recycled paper production has a substantially lessened environmental impact compared to virgin paper production. Some benefits of using recycled paper include: reduced use of forest resources, less air pollution, less water pollution, less water consumption, less energy consumption, and less solid waste created.

Green Seal is an independent non–profit organization dedicated to safeguarding the environment and transforming the marketplace by promoting the manufacture, purchase and use of environmentally responsible products and services. Green Seal sets standards, monitors advertising claims and certifies products made with postconsumer waste (www.greenseal.org). Mohawk’s uncoated papers made with 30% or more recycled fiber, and coated papers made with 15% or more postconsumer waste fiber have received the Green Seal certification under their standards for printing and writing papers. (www.greenseal.org)

Access www.conservatree.com, an organization nationally known as an expert on environmental paper and environmentally preferable product procurement issues. (www.conservatree.com)

Yes. Today’s recycled papers meet high standards for whiteness, opacity and ink holdout at a cost comparable to paper with no postconsumer content. Recycled papers are comparable in their runnability to their virgin–fiber counterparts and require very few ink adjustments on press.

Paper can be recycled multiple times, however, a certain percentage of the wood fibers in postconsumer paper break in the recycling process, so new [postconsumer] fiber is added over time to maintain strength (the quantity and type depending on the paper product). (Rocky Mountain Institute, www.rmi.org)

The current guidelines that the EPA has set for government paper purchases is 30% postconsumer fiber for uncoated paper and 10% postconsumer fiber for coated paper. (www.epa.gov/cpg/about.htm)

Paper recycling offers abundant environmental advantages compared to virgin paper systems. The Paper Task Force has compared two complete systems of virgin and recycled paper use. These systems are (1) the production of virgin paper and its disposal in landfills or incinerators, and (2) the operation of paper recycling collection programs and the manufacturing of paper with recycled content. This comparison was made for each of the grades of paper examined in this project. The Task Force’s extensive research shows that paper recycling significantly reduces releases of numerous air and water pollutants to the environment, reduces solid waste, and conserves energy and forest resources. These environmental advantages generally are found across all comparable grades of recycled and virgin paper studied by the Task Force. (www.environmentaldefense.org)

Virgin wood fiber paper is manufactured without the use of any recycled or alternative fibers. Trees are the typical source of the virgin fiber used in the papermaking process. However, virgin fibers can be sourced from agricultural by–products and alternative fibers (www.recycledproducts.org.) If the wood comes from a forest that has been certified under credible third party forest certification programs, the paper mill and its customers can be sure that the natural resources have been managed respectfully. (www.recycledproducts.org)

Postconsumer material is a material or finished product that has served its intended use and has been discarded for disposal or recovery having completed its life as a consumer item. This is a preferred fiber because it is used in the production of new products instead of being incinerated or sent to a landfill. Recovered office paper waste makes up the majority of postconsumer fiber content that is used to make recycled copy and printing papers (www.recycledproducts.org.). Postconsumer fiber materials include recyclables collected in commercial and residential recycling programs, such as office paper, cardboard, newsprint and packaging materials.

Broke is classified as trimmings, shavings, or poor–quality paper produced in the initial paper manufacturing process that is not for sale–in fact, it never leaves the mill. Broke is not counted as recycled or recovered material. Broke is returned as an input to the beginning of the papermaking process and is used in creating new paper.

Pre–consumer fiber materials have not been used and then recycled by a consumer. These materials include: paper and envelope trimmings; de–inked pre–consumer material recycled by the printer or convertor; books, magazines, and newspapers which are never sold to a consumer.

Although recycled fiber is generally more expensive than virgin fiber, manufacturers typically do not charge more for recycled papers over virgin-fiber papers in comparable grades. However, you may not be able to find high postconsumer waste content in lower-quality paper grades and may need to trade up in quality to achieve higher postconsumer waste content paper.

Recycled papers today are made to the same standards as their virgin counterparts. Again, there may be print differences between grade or mill but those differences are generally not due to the presence or absence of recycled fiber.

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In the past, the production of bright white paper required the use of pulps that had been bleached with elemental chlorine. This bleaching process resulted in by–products that have been found to be environmentally harmful. To reduce these by–products throughout North America, pulp producers have virtually eliminated elemental chlorine bleaching methods and have replaced them with more environmentally benign technology primarily "ECF" (elemental chlorine free) bleaching processes.

• ECF (elemental chlorine free) – These are pulps or papers that may have been bleached with chlorine compounds such as chlorine dioxide (ClO₂), as opposed to elemental chlorine (Cl₂).
• PCF (process chlorine free) – These are papers that contain postconsumer recycled fiber that was processed without the use of any additional chlorine or chlorine compounds. If these papers also contain a percentage of virgin fiber, the virgin fiber must have been processed without the use of any chlorine or chlorine compounds.
• TCF (totally chlorine free) – These are pulps or papers that are bleached without the use of chlorine or chlorine compounds.

Mohawk’s environmental staff has been given the authority to affect change and ensure that products are manufactured as responsibly as possible. They are charged with the evaluation of every aspect of our business–from selecting energy–efficient light bulbs to completely replacing our steam plants to evaluation of production formulations prior to implementation.

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For any specific job, Mohawk’s Environmental Savings Calculator will calculate the savings from choosing recycled fiber in lieu of virgin fiber and/or paper manufacturing processes offset with the purchase of VERs and RECs that support renewable energy projects. Results can be viewed in terms of: trees not cut down; air emissions eliminated; energy not consumed; waterborne waste not generated; water/wastewater flow saved; and solid waste not generated.

The factors used come from publicly available sources at:
http://www.epa.gov/cleanenergy/egrid/index.htm
http://www.environmentaldefense.org

They are combined with mill-specific factors to give accurate results.

Your company may choose to highlight their responsible paper choice by including an appropriate attribution statement on your publication. Attribution statements can reference recycled fiber, renewable energy, carbon neutrality, and third party certifications as appropriate.

At least two weeks lead time is suggested. Mohawk windpower, recycled, carbon neutral, and environmental calculator icons are available upon request.

• For FSC projects, Mohawk will review attribution statements but the printer must submit design with both the logo and the attribution statement to their FSC program auditor for approval. Mohawk does not supply FSC logos. The printer must get these from their FSC auditor.
• Green-e is the nation's leading independent certification and verification program for renewable energy products and purchases. The Green-e logo is a nationally recognized symbol to help consumers identify superior, certified renewable energy products. Green-e does not allow secondary use of their logo.
• Customers printing on Green Seal certified papers may use the Green Seal logo containing the text "Proudly Printed on Green Seal Certified Paper." To obtain the logo, go to www.greenseal.org and follow these steps:
   
  1. Go to Publications & Resources > Logos & Graphics > Download Graphics
  2. Review terms & conditions and click “I Accept”
  3. Register for a username and password. For product category, select "printing paper"
  4. Click “Submit”
  5. You will receive an email with your username and password.
  6. Repeat steps 1-3, log in and select the logos for "Proudly Printed on Green Seal Certified Paper"

Although we model many of our management processes after the International Organization for Standardization, neither Mohawk’s quality nor environmental system are third party certified to ISO standards.

Mohawk’s EMS is modeled around a number of the CERES principles (www.ceres.com): we have placed a large focus on increasing the use of recycled fiber, decreasing energy use and waste generation, increasing use of renewable energy and increasing the use of pulps from certified sources. Documented policies and procedures are communicated within the company and this information is readily available on our internal network. EHS staff is in frequent communication with manufacturing, maintenance & engineering departments regarding operational issues. Environmental staff is also included in planning related to product R&D, marketing and sales initiatives. Within the company a systematic process is used to review projects with environmental impacts.

Although Mohawk’s corporate EMS is not certified to ISO14001, the EMS for our Ohio manufacturing facility has been externally audited and that mill has been accepted into the EPA’s Environmental Performance Track (P–Track) program. Participation in the P–Track program is under consideration for our NY operations also.

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