Long before governments issued regulations protecting the environment and many years before the introduction of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) the people at Sea Gull Lighting were demonstrating a profound respect for the environment through a series of practical and innovative activities.

Our motive behind these activities was as straightforward then as it is today. Simply speaking, it is the right thing to do.

Some of our environmental initiatives include:

• A tree planting program to replace those cut to produce our catalogs and literature
• Maximizing the use of powder paint finishes on metal parts in our production facilities. Sea Gull Lighting’s responsible manufacturing practices and earth-friendly programs demonstrate our commitment to the protection and conservation of the environment.
• Advanced power management systems at all company facilities, featuring ENERGY STAR® labeled products and solar power
• Recycling manufacturing materials and office supplies

It is a commitment that our customers have a right to expect and should require from all of their suppliers.

The environment is an issue that we take most seriously. We demand it from ourselves and from all of our suppliers. "Earth Friendly" is not just a saying at Sea Gull Lighting, it is an essential component of our corporate philosophy. Our objective is to contribute to a 'greener future' by what we can accomplish today. We do this for our employees, our customers and our children. Nothing can be more precious. At Sea Gull Lighting we firmly believe that we bear a responsibility for the protection of the environment. We research, develop and invest in new technologies that can diminish the environmental impact of our manufacturing processes. We also implement extensive waste audits to evaluate new ways for Sea Gull Lighting to divert waste from landfills.

From design, to product development, to manufacturing, we are focused on environmental performance. The product life cycle, the environmental impact of our product packaging and the use of recycled and recyclable materials are areas of particular concern.

Environmental directives are initiated by Sea Gull Lighting’s Management Committee, a diverse cross section of participants recruited from various areas of Sea Gull Lighting companies.

We realized long ago that a clean and safe environment provides a healthy quality of life for everyone.

Environmental consciousness is an essential focal point that Sea Gull Lighting, its employees and suppliers are asked to rise to every working day…

Why? … because it is the right thing to do.

At Sea Gull Lighting, we recognize that any organization wishing to achieve business excellence must demonstrate a measurable commitment to the environment. How? Sea Gull Lighting's answer is to show genuine care and concern for the environment by planning and acting responsibly and by making a positive contribution.

The mandate for Sea Gull Lighting is to:

1. Establish and maintain this environmental policy for all Sea Gull Lighting companies
2. Ensure compliance to all legislative and regulatory environmental requirements
3. Minimize hazardous waste and toxic emissions at all our plants
4. Continually strive to improve our environmental performance by providing leadership and training for our people

Degreasing Stations:
Sea Gull Lighting's de-greasing stations are a showcase for environmentally-friendly waste management.

Not only is this facility fully automated to control water purity, all chemicals are monitored by a micro-processor. This ensures minimum waste and consistent bath chemistry. Consistent bath chemistry maximizes the life of the solution, minimizes contaminants and keeps the discharge well below recommended limits. Continuous monitoring by highly trained staff and state-of-the-art electronic equipment keep mechanical and chemical solutions at optimal operating levels.

Chlorofluorocarbons:
As you know, a protective filter known as the ozone layer surrounds the earth and acts as a barrier from the sun's harmful rays. Almost every spring since 1982, massive holes in the ozone are detected in the Antarctic. Scientists now agree that Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) have been a major contributor to this hole and the further depletion of the ozone layer. In response to this impending crisis, the Canadian government's "Montreal Protocol" established 1996 as the deadline for the elimination of the use of CFC's and was adopted internationally as a target date.

At Sea Gull Lighting, we were cheering the government's efforts. Why? Because we had already recognized the dangerous environmental impact of CFC's. As a matter of fact, we had eliminated their use from our foam molding plant in 1993! In doing so, we were one of the first manufacturers of molded foam in North America to institute ozone-friendly processes.

Metal Finishing Sea Gull Lighting uses a powder paint coating process to produce beautiful finishes on many of our lighting fixture components. Powder coating provides a high quality finish with excellent chemical and corrosion resistance. It is also environmentally friendly.

How is it environmentally friendly?

• Sea Gull Lighting's products are powder coated with a durable epoxy polyester hybrid. The powder in its raw form is classified as non-hazardous.
• No solvents are used in the mixing, application or clean up stages of the powder coating process. This keeps the air free from toxins so that it can be recirculated.
• Powder coating is a waste-free process, eliminating the need to vent, filter or recover any solvents – very energy efficient.
• About 98 percent of the excess paint powder is reused eliminating waste.
• Most importantly, powder coating secures healthy working conditions for our employees!

Packaging:
We think about protecting the environment even while we're protecting our products.

All companies use shipping cartons and various kinds of packaging to protect their products during transport and storage … and Sea Gull Lighting is no exception. At Sea Gull Lighting, however, we are committed to using only recycled cardboard for our shipping cartons. To be classified as "recycled," a product must contain at least 50 % recycled material.

That's not all… Here are some other ways that Sea Gull Lighting's packaging program preserves our environment:

• Sea Gull Lighting's shipping cartons are made of recycled paper. They too can be recycled.
• Our cartons are imprinted with water-based inks, which do not use harmful solvents, or contain heavy metal pigment. These inks are easier to break down for recycling.
• By using different-sized cartons, we are able to reduce the amount of packaging needed. Our packers choose the smallest box possible for each product.
• Sea Gull Lighting is shipping more and more products "knocked down". These lighting fixtures, portable lamps, and other electrical products require a small amount of assembly but save 50-75% of cartoning space over fully assembled products.

A lot of small initiatives add up to one big environmental benefit!

Recycling Waste:
Sea Gull Lighting has worked diligently for many years on waste reduction programs. We are constantly looking for new ways to reduce, reuse and recycle waste. Every year we adopt new technologies that will divert more waste away from landfills and toward useful applications.

This is what we are currently recycling:

Metal Scraps, Steel, Aluminum, Plastic, Glass, and Cardboard

But there's still work to be done … In addition to waste diversion and reduction plans already in place, we are also developing new uses for our fabric shades.

We won't rest until we are recycling 100% of our waste!