CannedWater4Kids (CW4K) and INX International Ink Co. have joined forces to send a rush delivery of drinking water to help in the Hurricane Harvey disaster relief efforts. A truckload of 52,800, 12-ounce cans of fresh, purified water is scheduled to arrive today at a Red Cross Distribution Center near Houston.
Hurricane Harvey made landfall for the first time on August 25 and landed a devastating blow to the Gulf Coast of Texas. A multiple-day event, the Category 4 storm with 130 mph winds was the most powerful hurricane to hit the US in more than a decade. Damage caused by the high winds, torrential rains and record flooding displaced more than 30,000 people and prompted more than 17,000 rescues.
The effects of Hurricane Harvey will impact southeast Texas for a long time. Fortunately, humanitarian efforts from companies including CW4K and INX are helping the efforts in Texas.
“This is the first of many truckloads we hope to send,” said Greg Stromberg, CannedWater4Kids water charity CEO. “Without hesitation, we helped. It was the right thing to do because clean, safe drinking water is a valuable resource. One doesn’t realize how valuable until it is gone.”
“We are doing our part as good corporate citizens,” remarked Renee Schouten, director of marketing for INX. “It is important to be there for people, in good times and in bad. Providing clean water to communities enduring a crisis will aid in recovery and hopefully give some sense of comfort to those in need.”
Added Stromberg, “Coordinating and financing the water delivery was a team effort. We couldn’t have done it without the help of INX International and the Red Cross organization. Their help and support was incredible.”
CW4K is no stranger to disaster relief. Whether it was the earthquakes in Japan and Haiti, Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey in 2012, or help for the lead-contaminated municipal water supply in Flint, MI, the 501c3 charity was there with clean, safe drinking water packaged in 12-ounce aluminum beverage cans.
Two Sides North America (TSNA), a non-profit organization advocating for the sustainable attributes of print, paper, and paper-based packaging, is pleased to announce Visual Media Alliance (VMA) as its newest member. This partnership highlights VMA’s commitment to tell the sustainability truths around paper, print, packaging, and direct mail to the greater industry and membership they serve in Northern California. “VMA is excited to be a new member of Two Sides, shared Shannon Wolford, Director of Sales and Membership. “We fully support their mission of dispelling environmental misconceptions regarding print, paper, and packaging. The content and research provided by Two Sides will be extremely valuable to VMA members as they strive to practice sustainable manufacturing. It is inspiring to know that we are part of a broader movement working toward a sustainable future.”
In our interview series Meeting our Certified Companies, we hear from companies from around the world, large and small, which are proud to be a part of PEFC, and to help safeguard our forests through their commitment. In our latest interview, Natàlia Carmona, Director of Food Quality and Safety at Spanish cardboard packaging manufacturer Alzamora Group, shared her thoughts on sustainability and respect for the environment.
The Koehler Group is planning to fully convert its power plant at its Oberkirch/Germany location to biomass in the coming years. This change is part of Koehler’s sustainability strategy, which includes the goal of producing more energy from renewable sources than is required for its paper production operations by 2030. Koehler Group CEO Kai Furler is thrilled with the plan: “By switching from bituminous coal to biomass as the primary fuel for our location here in Oberkirch, we will be cutting more than 150,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions a year.” The company has had a number of extremely successful projects designed to reduce the energy consumed in its paper production operations for many years now. A few years ago, the company declared that it would be producing more energy from renewable sources than required for its own needs by 2030. This is why the company is now converting its coal-fired power plant at the Oberkirch location to biomass. With its Fuel Emissions Trading Act, the German government made it more difficult to use fossil fuels, which is why Koehler will be implementing its plans for the conversion three years earlier than originally planned.