Atlanta, GA, February 22, 2006--Interface, Inc., announced that it is furthering its sustainability mission by adding an estimated 33,000 tons of emission reduction credits (ERCs) to its existing portfolio of projects to offset the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions associated with its Cool Carpet products.
Since 2003, Interface’s customers have bought more than 15 million square yards of Cool Carpet globally, retiring more than 250,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions from a balanced portfolio of offset projects. Interface's ERC purchases to date equate to 54,000 cars not driven for a year, or 28 million gallons of gas not consumed.
The new investments will be made through NativeEnergy in Midwest wind farms and family-owned dairy farms in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Among the dairy farm projects is the Schrack Family Farm, a continuous dairy operation of the Schrack family since the American Revolution.
After rigorous review by the Climate Neutral Network’s Environmental Advisory Board, NativeEnergy’s ERCs from these sources qualify for inclusion in Interface’s Cool Carpet Portfolio. Critical to the eligibility of the ERCs is that the projects can demonstrate “additionality”-- that project implementation is not just “business as usual.” The Network’s advisory board includes representatives of the World Wildlife Fund, the Nature Conservancy, Conservation International, the Rocky Mountain Institute and other prominent NGOs.
Interface calculated the amount of CO2 emissions from raw materials, manufacturing, transportation and customer use and had the emissions verified by the Climate Neutral Network. Interface then offset those emissions by purchasing Climate Cool certified ERCs from NativeEnergy’s renewable energy projects.
Interface sees its sustainability practices, particularly with Cool Carpet, as a major step toward addressing climate destruction. “Addressing the global warming impact of carpet goes far beyond planting trees to remove CO2 from the atmosphere,” says Mike Bertolucci, president, Interface Research Corporation.
“A more enduring solution involves the pragmatic and scientific approach Interface has taken to calculate the total emissions from the life cycle of the carpet and secure and retire the necessary amount of certified offsets to neutralize those impacts.”
Wind farms and methane energy projects are win-win sources of cost-effective, greenhouse gas reduction. They provide much needed energy while helping reduce problems associated with animal waste and industry’s dependence on natural gas, coal, and foreign supplied oil. Renewable energy sources reduce pollution by displacing energy that would otherwise have to come from fossil fuel combustion. Farm methane abatement projects prevent the release of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, from manure storage lagoons, by digesting the manure anaerobically, producing even more methane, but then capturing and burning it to generate electricity and useful thermal energy.
Tom Boucher, NativeEnergy President & CEO, says, “Businesses like Interface are supporting our renewable energy projects by investing in these emerging projects because it’s the right thing to do for our energy and economic security and environmental protection.”
Interface offers Cool Carpet in the U.S. through Interface Flooring Systems, the world’s leading manufacturer of modular carpet (LaGrange, GA and Belleville, Ontario, Canada) and Bentley Prince Street, a leading producer of broadloom and modular products in City of Industry, CA. All i2 products sold by Interface Flooring Systems and all Bentley Prince Street products purchased within the State of California automatically include the Cool Carpet attribute for no additional charge. The attribute is available on any Interface or Bentley Prince Street product for a small upcharge.
