At The Lakeside CollectionŽ, we take our role as one of America's premier catalog marketers seriously. As such, we recognize our responsibility to conserve and protect our natural resources, and have made significant strides toward a "greener" future. From our commitment to responsible paper procurement and catalog manufacturing, to ecologically conscious packaging programs, recycling initiatives and more, The Lakeside CollectionŽ has established a conservation program that continues to grow. We've made great progress, and though we still have more to do, it is our goal to conduct our business with a sense of mindfulness and appreciation for the world and its natural resources.
Catalogs and Marketing
Over the years, The Lakeside CollectionŽ has partnered with nationally-recognized leaders in environmental stewardship to develop a more eco-friendly catalog program. We have significantly reduced paper consumption over the past several years through adjustments to the printing and distribution of our catalogs, including reductions in catalog sizes and paper basis weights. In addition, we've made significant increases to web and e-marketing initiatives, replacing supplemental print mailings.
Paper Procurement: As we continue on our journey toward a greener future, we will maintain partnerships with paper suppliers who are in 100% compliance with all Federal, State, and local environmental and forestry laws and regulations. We will partner with mills who demonstrate excellence in their Sustainable Forest Management practices, who meet or exceed supply chain management standards, and who work toward continual reduction of energy consumption and environmental emissions. We will continue to explore opportunities to use recycled fiber in appropriate grades.
Catalog Manufacturing and Distribution: For the past several years, The Lakeside CollectionŽ has utilized materials and technologies in the manufacturing of our catalogs that increase efficiency and reduce waste. Such efforts include the use of #5 groundwood paper stocks, roto-gravure printing with Enviro/Tech? inks, computer-to-plate technology and enhanced database analytics to maintain clean and accurate mailing lists. In addition, we have formed partnerships with printers who have been locally and nationally recognized for their leadership in environmental initiatives, and who are dedicated to the recycling of scrap metals, cardboard pallets, shrink-wrap and printing plates, as well as reclaiming solvents and inks for recycling or reuse.
Electronic Marketing: The internet has become one of the primary sales channels of The Lakeside CollectionŽ, and as such we offer every catalog online, as well as a vast array of products that never appear in printed catalogs. In addition, we continue to pursue online marketing opportunities.
Shipping Materials & Packaging
In our continued efforts to save resources, The Lakeside CollectionŽ has always taken a conservative approach to product packaging. Whenever possible, we have replaced typical full-color, complex point-of-sale retail packaging with plain bags and boxes. This has helped to conserve materials, as well as reduce potentially harmful inks and processes that do not add to the value of the products themselves.
In addition, we have made great strides in our shipping supplies. For many years, we have recycled 100% of our out-of-use corrugated cardboard cartons, reclaiming over 5,000 tons of corrugated annually for reuse. Through our purchasing policies and partnerships with award-winning environmental leaders in the packaging supply industry, we have increased our use of recycled shipping materials. Today, over 75% of all of our outbound shipping cartons are constructed of 100% recycled fiber, our loose-fill packing material is made from 100% recycled materials and we continue to consider eco-friendly alternatives.
Recycling & Conservation
The Lakeside CollectionŽ is more than a business, it?s a family - and our recycling and conservation efforts begin at home in our corporate offices.
There are many ways in which we each do our part to protect our natural resources, but here are just a few:
- Mixed paper recycling program
- Corrugated recycling program
- Toner/ink cartridge recycling program
- Office supply and equipment recycling program
- Aluminum recycling opportunities
- Free transportation for our employees to and from mass transit stations
- Investments in electronic workflow solutions to reduce paper and waste
In addition, The Lakeside CollectionŽ partners with our valued customers in this ongoing effort. We have recently added a line of "Live Green? products to our vast product offering, which features organic, recycled, solar-powered and educational items that are conducive to an environmentally conscious lifestyle. We also encourage our customers to utilize our electronic ordering and customer support solutions, to share their catalogs with friends, and to recycle the promotional or packaging materials they receive from The Lakeside CollectionŽ.
