The EcoMAX Green Leadership Awards were designed to recognize individuals and organizations for leading the way with energy-efficient and green initiatives.
Friday, Aug. 28, 2009: MAX honored Davis Direct, Inc. with the 2009 EcoMAX Green Leadership Award for the following sustainable business practices:
FSC Certification – Davis Direct is the only printer in the River Region to achieve FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certification. FSC is widely regarded as one of the most important initiatives to promote responsible forest management and provides the link between responsible forest production and the end user of the products.
Certification is a lengthy process that involves establishing documented procedures to ensure that finished products carrying the FSC label maintain traceability from the source forests. Davis Direct has an FSC chain of custody certification, which traces FSC certified timber through the production process.
Davis Direct had to implement changes from quality management to record keeping in order to comply with the rigorous FSC standards including: verification of materials; proper use of the trademark; and segmented workflow for FSC trademarked projects.
In addition to the FSC Certification process, Davis has recently implemented a Solvent Recovery System. The print process involves cleaning each printing press and printing plates with a solvent. The new recovery system allows Davis Direct to recycle approximately 95% of its solvents, preventing waste and saving money each month by reducing the amount of new solvent that is ordered.
Production Recycling – 100% of Davis Direct’s production is recycled resulting in approximately 225 tons of recycled paper products each year. Each printing station contains its own recycling container for pre-production and post-production waste. The aluminum printing plates are also 100% recycled, resulting in approximately 13,000 lbs per year. Even the ink cartridges from mailing services at Davis Direct are sent off to “GreenDisk” to be recycled or refilled.
Sustainable Inks – Davis also prints many of its jobs using sustainable inks, containing linseed and soy bean oils instead of petroleum products.
2008 Green Leadership Awards
In 2008, MAX recognized the following recipients with the first EcoMAX Green Leadership Awards:
Senator Wendell Mitchell and Representative Greg Wren for their commitment to educating Alabamians about conserving energy. Senator Mitchell serves as the Chairman for the Joint Energy Committee, and Representative Greg Wren serves as the Vice Chairman. The Joint Energy Committee now includes 14 legislators and almost 200 participants on 7 separate subcommittees that are committed to continue the efforts of conserving energy in Alabama.
Jenkins Brick and Tile Company for conserving energy by using methane gas from local landfills to fuel its production. Today the use of methane gas at both the Montgomery plant and the Jordan Plant in St. Clair County results in total annual greenhouse gas reduction equivalent to planting over 45,000 acres of forest, removing the emissions of over 31,000 vehicles or preventing the use of over 387,000 barrels of oil. In addition to landfill gas use, Jenkins Brick has implemented a rainwater capture system at its plants to reduce the strain on local water supplies. The company also uses Dry Injection Fabric Filters, which are substantially more effective at removing chemical compounds.
The Waters for being a residential leader in energy-efficiency and green home building. The Waters development has been carefully planned to preserve trees, hundreds of acres of park area, and native plants. In 2007, The Waters completed a thorough energy audit on the first homes built in the community and compared energy savings features of each home. The homes feature traditional architecture with metal roofs, and porches which help reduce heat gain. Many homes also have Geo Thermal HVACs, spray foam insulation, and reclaimed flooring. The Waters is currently in partnership with the Alabama Home Builders Association to provide a demonstration home for its green building program with the 2008 Energy Key Home.
