Carrier Corp. announced it will switch to using post-consumer recycled paper content in all of its U.S. locations. Post-consumer recycled paper is created from paper that has served its intended use and would otherwise be disposed of in a landfill or incinerator. This change at Carrier is projected to save over 600 tons of wood or 4,000 trees and 1.8 million gallons of water on an annual basis. In addition, Carrier will source paper for its U.S. operations from forests that are certified to sustainable standards.

“Carrier supports the relentless drive to conserve resources on World Environment Day and every day,” said Carrier President Geraud Darnis. “Our new environmental paper program provides an additional opportunity to preserve resources and supports our fundamental belief that green products must start at a green company.”

The timing of Carrier’s announcement is particularly poignant as the United Nations 2011 World Environment Day theme is Forests: Nature at Your Service, and using recycled paper and promoting sustainable forestry practices reduces the pressure on the world’s forests. Interestingly, Carrier’s original 1902 design for modern air conditioning was an application for a Brooklyn printing plant which helped conserve paper by reducing scrap and rework in the printing process, improved efficiency and launched over a century of sustainable innovation.

Carrier’s environmental paper program in the U.S. will require up to 30 percent recycled-content paper in product manuals, catalogs, literature, office copy paper, envelopes, business cards and other applications. Carrier’s new procurement process also ensures that paper purchased be harvested from sustainably managed forests.

“We commend Carrier’s commitment to an environmental paper program,” said Corey Brinkema, president, Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC) U.S. The FSC is an independent, non-governmental, not-for-profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. “One of the most effective ways for corporations to support environmental transformation is to adopt a green procurement policy which sources paper from forests and forest product producers certified by the FSC.”

"We have always encouraged our employees to use paper resources efficiently and limit waste, but this initiative allows us to conserve resources on a larger, corporate scale," said John Mandyck, Carrier vice president for Sustainability & Environmental Strategies. “Carrier’s environmental paper program demonstrates that we can make a big difference for our natural environment in the choice of products for our homes and businesses."

www.carrier.com/green