Expansion Management

Go Ahead and Sneeze, the Tissue Was Produced with Wind Energy

April 17, 2010

Well we can all feel good about choosing tissue paper made by Cascades Tissue Group.

Just this week the company doubled their purchase of wind energy for production of their North River towel and tissue line.

By purchasing 20,000 megawatt hours (MWh) of Green-e certified renewable energy credits annually, which is a 182% increase over current levels, the company reduces its indirect carbon emissions by over 43 million pounds.

What does that mean relative to how many cars would be taken off the road (our usual measure)? That number is 3,745 cars.

The North River brand is made of 100% recycled paper. And if you were to purchase 100 cases (22 pounds net weight) you would save 19 trees, 4,415 pounds of landfill waste, energy from a 100W bulb for six years, 1,918 pounds of carbon dioxide emissions and almost 18,000 gallons of water.

The parent company, Cascades, Inc. also is careful about their materials. In 2009 they used 2.1 million short tons of recycled fiber in 2009, helping to preserve over 35 million trees. It reuses each drop of water up to 40 times, using 80% less water than the North American industry average, according to the company.

And this is especially important since the paper industry is the fourth largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions among U.S. manufacturing sectors, according to the DOE.

The company also has created 26 separate energy efficiency projects in 2009 amongst its plants using a special energy investment fund created five years ago. The initiatives saved over 1% of the company’s total energy consumption, or 283,000 gigajoules.

About the Author

Adrienne Selko Blog | Senior Editor

Focus: Expansion Management & the Biotech & Life Sciences Industries

Email: [email protected]

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Senior Editor Adrienne Selko manages IndustryWeek’s Expansion Management, delivering ideas and information about how successful manufacturers leverage location to gain competitive advantage. She explores the strategies behind why companies located their headquarters, research institutes, factories, warehouse and distribution centers and other facilities where they did, and how they benefit from the decision.

Adrienne is also the editorial coordinator of the IndustryWeek Expansion Management Roundtable events, which unites economic development professionals to network and discuss the latest trends in site location.

As well, Adrienne tells the stories of successful companies in the biotechnology and life sciences industries.

In the past, Adrienne has managed IndustryWeek’s award-winning website, overseeing eNewletters, webinars, and contributed content. Before joining the staff, Adrienne was managing editor of corporate publications at a large regional financial institution. She also ran a public relations and marketing company that published a best-selling healthcare book.

Adrienne received a bachelor’s of business administration from the University of Michigan and is especially interested in wellness and natural health.