Environmental Commitment

OUR PRODUCTS AND PACKAGING
    Every step in the Snail’s Pace production process is designed to be as environmentally responsible as possible, and we strive to make the most ecologically sound choices in materials. We use only FSC-certified recycled papers and soy-based inks for our products. Most of the paper we use in the Snail's Pace line is produced to be carbon neutral, through the purchase of Verified Emission Reduction credits and Renewable Energy Certificates that support renewable windpower. Even our packaging puts the earth first—from the plant-based, compostable bags we put our cards in, to the recycled boxes, bags, packing materials and tape we use to ship your order. We’ve also taken steps to ensure our “All for the Church” fundraising program operates in an earth-friendly manner. Groups have the option of running their fundraiser completely online; and the prizes students can earn—including recycled notebooks and 100% organic cotton tees—are chosen to benefit the student and protect the environment.
  
    In April 2011, a purchase of Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs) was made to offset 100% of the electricity used by the Archabbey and Abbey Press, including that used to produce Snail’s Pace paper goods. The RECs attributed to Snail’s Pace production alone represent the generation of 1,600 megawatt hours (MWh) of electricity from renewable resources, particularly wind. By displacing the need to generate electricity using fossil fuels, this REC purchase will help avoid the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Additionally, this purchase assists wind-energy facilities in the Midwest with production costs and provides funds to promote the advancement of wind-energy technologies.

FSC CERTIFICATION
    In creating a line of paper-based products that would reflect the values of the Saint Meinrad Archabbey and our Benedictine tradition, one thing was clear: everything
about them would have to be respectful of our natural environment, and of the people
who make them. We wanted our products to be recycled, renewable, sustainable, eco-friendly, socially responsible. That’s where FSC Certification comes in.

    FSC stands for the Forest Stewardship Council, a non-profit organization developed to protect the world’s forests. FSC certified products (wood and paper) are produced according to rigorous standards that apply to every step in the process, so that overall, the end product represents the highest attainable level of earth-friendliness and social responsibility.

    FSC’s “chain of custody” approach affects every part of the manufacturing process, from how timber is grown and harvested, how it’s transported, how the paper is milled, how the product is stored, printing methods used, and how the people who make the products are treated. Specific criteria apply to each step in the chain,
and an FSC-certified product must meet all of them.

    FSC Certification takes “recycled” to a whole new level, and it is by far, one of the most rigorous and effective ways to safeguard the environment and human rights as we produce our products. Snail’s Pace paper goods produced in our on-site printing facility, Abbey Press, are printed only on FSC-certified paper using soy-based inks. You’ll know these products are certified because they proudly bear the FSC logo.

Click here to see the FSC’s 10 Principles and Criteria for Forest Management.
Click here to learn more about the Forest Stewardship Council.

OUR ENVIRONMENTAL EFFORTS
Our commitment to the environment extends far beyond the responsible printing processes and practices we employ. Carrying on the rich Catholic tradition of caring for Creation, Saint Meinrad Archabbey works daily to serve its surroundings.

• Throughout the Archabbey and Abbey Press, aluminum, glass, plastic, paper and cardboard are collected daily and recycled. Br. Stephen Shidler began aluminum recycling efforts in 1978—by March 1995, he’d collected more than 1 million cans. Saint Meinrad’s Relay for Life team continues Br. Stephen’s efforts today, using the money raised to support the American Cancer Society.

• In recent years, approximately 555 acres of crop and pastureland have been converted into forest in cooperation with the Natural Resource Conservation service through its wetlands reserve program. More than 220,000 trees have been planted, helping to recover carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and offset pollution.

• Saint Meinrad’s fleet of vehicles has been reduced considerably, and many of the trucks and vans have been replaced with “mini trucks” that are more fuel efficient and have less negative impact on the environment.

• Since 2006, motor, hydraulic and gear oil from seminary cars have received second life in waste-oil furnaces used to heat several buildings on the Abbey grounds, reducing and, in some cases, eliminating the need for natural gas. The Archabbey also accepts used oil from co-workers and others in the community.