Mohawk and Carbon Neutral?

Since 2003 Mohawk has been a leader in the support of emission–free, renewable energy. In addition to voluntarily capping emissions and making significant investments to reduce energy and emissions, Mohawk is one of the top 25 largest purchasers of wind-generated electricity RECs among manufacturing companies in the U.S. On June 1, 2007, Mohawk Fine Papers increased its purchase of wind–generated electricity RECs from 60,000,000 kWh to 100,000,000 kWh annually. This is enough to match 100% of the electric power required for all of Mohawk’s operations in its New York and Ohio facilities.

In March of 2007, Mohawk joined the U.S. EPA Climate Leaders program to further develop greenhouse gas reduction goals. As an extension of our voluntary commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to support renewable electric power, Mohawk began to offer products that are made carbon neutral. Today, Beckett Cambric, Beckett Expression, Beckett Concept, Beckett Enhance, Beckett Ridge, Strathmore Writing, and Strathmore Script are made carbon neutral within our production processes by offsetting thermal manufacturing emissions with VERs and the emissions from purchased electricity with Green–e certified windpower RECs.What is carbon neutral?

Carbon neutral is an emerging international trend that can describe products, operations and activities, which have had their emissions calculated and reduced where possible. The remaining carbon dioxide emissions are then "offset" through credits that fund renewable, emission–free energy projects such as wind farms and solar installations. The carbon offset market allows businesses to recognize and financially support the shift from fossil fuel to renewable energy.
As a partner in the EPA Climate Leaders program, Mohawk is completing an "emission inventory." The results of this rigorous process will provide the basis for further emission reductions and carbon offsets. Mohawk purchases VERs which support renewable energy projects. These offsets are third–party verified to meet the standards of the Environmental Resources Trust’s GHG (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.

For Mohawk's carbon neutral qualification, Mohawk offsets both the electricity and the thermal energy used to make paper. Beckett Cambric, Beckett Expression, Beckett Concept, Beckett Enhance, Beckett Ridge, Strathmore Writing and Strathmore Script are made carbon neutral within our production processes by offsetting thermal manufacturing emissions with VERs and emissions from purchased electricity with RECs from Green–e certified windpower projects.