HOME ABOUT GOING-GREEN

What does it mean to be Eco-Friendly?

An Eco-Friendly company constantly strives to make business decisions that work to establish a symbiotic relationship with the environment and towards the conservation of our natural resources.

Vigilant has dedicated itself to becoming an environmentally conscious organization; to utilize eco-friendly materials, work within the guidelines of the USGBC, and produce products that will benefit its users without harming the environment.

We work hard every day to create sustainability in our environment, community and within our customer’s projects.

Click a logo above for more information on our affiliation

Vigilant’s efforts with sustainable products start with:

Solid Mahogany and other materials – Vigilant uses the highest quality, sustainable wood species that are not endangered and by their use do not threaten the environment. The mahogany species used in our wine racking and cabinetry follow the path of sustainability.

NAUF (no added urea formaldehyde) – Formaldehyde is a colorless gas and volatile organic compound found in many common products. Although formaldehyde is a natural element, too much can lead to an unsustainable environment. As of January 1, 2010, Vigilant has replaced all composite woods with NAUF PureBond material.

PureBond – Creates its composite material with soy based adhesives and any additional components are formaldehyde free. PureBond is CARB 2 certified and is compliant with LEED program guidelines for low-emitting materials.

Low VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) – Many organic compounds like trees, plants and soils emit VOCs. With ventilation being limited in enclosed buildings, harmful VOC levels may remain, making the environment potentially unsafe to occupants. This frequently occurs in new construction and products. In an effort to “go green” Vigilant utilizes stain and finish that emit low VOC levels, contributing to a safer and better environment.

Greenguard certified finish (indoor air quality certified) – Greenguard is one of the most strict certification programs, testing for over 2000 volatile organic compounds and chemicals. Vigilant utilizes water-based finishes that are Greenguard certified. Greenguard is recognized by many green building organizations. In particular, Greenguard products help obtain points in LEED'slow-emitting materials category.

How Vigilant reduces energy and waste on the office side?

With growing concerns about our environment, Vigilant has decided to become environmentally proactive by reducing the amount of energy, water and paper used. The company has already made small improvements on the office side as shown below.

• Changed light bulbs to low energy fluorescent lights.
• Recycle coffee grounds, filters, cardboard, bottles, cans, paper and toner cartridges.
• Recycle copy paper in the printers, and use double–sided paper or digital media instead of printing.
• Use and purchase recycled office products.
• Installed light sensors in the bathrooms as well as air hand dryers, universal paper towels and toilet paper dispensers.
• A few universal foam soap dispensers have been installed.
• Shut off all lights and computers when not in use.
• A garbage disposal has been put in the break room sink to reduce our garbage.

How Vigilant reduces energy and waste in the manufacturing facility?

Being environmentally conscious has been nothing but beneficial for Vigilant. We have been conserving resources and cutting down on our waste to make the environment more friendly. Vigilant produces a large amount of products daily and we have made sure we are helping the environment out as much as possible, while making these products. The following is a eco-friendly list of the actions Vigilant has taken on the manufacturing side.

• Installed energy efficient lighting, which is 33% brighter and uses 50% less electricity.
• Reduced the size of flat cardboard by 10 inches.
• For our products we use gorilla glue and CSH wood glue, both are considered more environmentally friendly and minimize exposure of solvents to the staff.
• We choose the highest quality, sustainable wood species that are not endangered and by their use do not threaten the environment. Mahogany is one of the most user-friendly woods available and is environmentally non–toxic.
• Donate leftover MDF scrap pieces to a school for the handicap in Exeter, NH.
• Discontinued blue packing foam and switched to pulp cardboard.
• Purchased a second compressed air holding tank, which allows the air compressor to run less hours per day.
• Materials are now ordered in bulk to cut back on the deliveries made.