Crayola Focuses on Green in Sustainability Initiative

America’s most colorful company has gone greener this year, offering every employee and customer and neighbor many ways to witness the greening of one of America’s favorite brands.

“As a company, we have always been environmentally conscious,” says Eric Zebley, member of Crayola’s environmental sustainability team. “But this year, we have extended our commitment so that we meet substantial goals to not only reduce waste but to save on costs as well.”

The company also has amplified its corporate environmental message, focused toward consumers, with programs and communication that raise the level of awareness about the importance of adhering to the four R’s – reuse, recycle, reduce and renew – for better care of the planet. Crayola’s actions are consistent with its corporate values. The company also hopes to be an example for American businesses and families to adapt sustainability measures and recognizes this as good business practice.

Solar Energy

When Crayola officials presented to the Forks Township Board of Supervisors in August 2008, expressing their desire to fire up a new solar energy program to be used to power a portion of its Forks manufacturing and corporate facilities, the message rang out both locally and globally. America’s favorite brand was taking a proactive step on the road to energy independence. At the time, presenters of the plan emphasized the project had to be completed by the end of 2008 in order for the company to take advantage of solar energy tax credits. Those tax credits have now been extended for eight more years, so the company still plans to complete the project by first quarter 2009. The solar program was not doable without help from the government and the federal energy tax credit program.  Without the federal energy tax incentives, there would be no project. 

Fotowatio USA, Inc. is the contractor for the plan. The Crayola 2.5-megawatt photo volcanic array covers 16 acres of a 127-acre parcel.  It works year round but if the snow is deep, panels must be brushed off.  The panels are angled to catch southern light.  They are not visually imposing and do not reflect light; they absorb it.  There are no moving parts.  Each panel can be monitored remotely.  The panels quietly generate power when the sun is shining and even when it is cloudy.  There is a small control station where the inverters convert DC current to AC.  Maintenance of the system is minimal. 

Any additional generated electricity will be sent back to the grid. Local utility MetEd is said to be enthused about the project because of the load that will be pulled off the grid. The Forks Township Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 in favor of the project, considered a "win-win" because solar power helps the Commonwealth, the USA and Forks Township.
Regarding neighborhood impact, this solar project is considered "about as clean and quiet as you can get."

Material Reuse

The nature of the design of many basic Crayola products is their ability to be manufactured with minimal waste. Take these examples, for instance:

1. Wax is re-used and steam is captured and recycled in crayon manufacturing.
2. Reforested trees are used in the production of wood for colored pencils.
3. Plastic scraps from marker casings are crushed into tiny pellets and put back into production.

The recycling and reuse efforts do not stop there. Over 2.5 million lbs. of corrugated board is recycled each year.  700,000 lbs. of shrink wrap and other plastics are recycled annually.  Plus, Crayola recycles more than 110,000 lbs. of scrap metal each year, including barrels much used on the production floor.

In the office, recycling of aluminum cans, office paper, plastic and electronics is a priority. They are captured in separate waste streams for recycling purposes.

Marketing Efforts

Above all else, the Crayola brand is known for creativity. It promotes the value of imaginative thinking, the benefits of learning by coloring outside the lines. Such thinking outside the box has led the marketing teams at Crayola to innovate marketing programs in a number of ways.

A 2008-2009 art exhibition entitled, Green: Earth’s Favorite Color, has been introduced to almost 30,000 elementary schools across the nation in order to generate creative forward-thinking solutions and expression of concern and celebration by children about Mother Earth. The program – with an online art gallery and a retrospective book highlighting the highest levels of creative submissions and imaginative thought – are part of the program. Thousands of submissions from most the 50 states are anticipated by the new year.

“Such a program further expresses our passion that Crayola is a sustainable brand,” says Zebley. “This helps to build the reputation and perception that America’s favorite creativity company is “working to ensure today’s kids have a healthy environment for their creative tomorrows.  It also reinforces the message that creativity is an integrated part of learning and that this theme relates to art, science, technology and civic education.”

The company’s website has added an entertaining sub site that explains to children how Crayola is helping to take care of the planet. To see it, go to www.crayola.com/about/environmental/index.cfm.

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