At Q1, we believe there are three types of Green initiatives: Reactive, Proactive and Perpetual.

Reactive: Initiating recycling programs that deal with waste after it's been produced. These are important programs that effectively react to situations as they arise.

Proactive: Companies and individuals reducing the need for reactive programs by making informed and planned purchase and consumption decisions that minimize the amount of waste produced.

Perpetual: An ongoing awareness and dialog about protecting the environment and the sharing of ideas and information among colleagues, clients and suppliers.

The more we stay informed, concerned and committed to these initiatives, the sooner everyone will understand it's simply good business to be Green.

Q1 has begun several internal and external programs and we will strive to continuously improve them. The following are just a few of the ways we are playing our part.

Reactive

1) Waste Recycling: Q1 has initiated a recycling program separating and recycling paper, cardboard, newspaper, glass, plastic and metal, keeping large amounts of material out of our landfills.

2) Lamp Recycling: Q1 has set up a lamp recycling program, making sure that mercury-containing materials from metal halide lamps are kept out of our environment. www.nulife-ind.com & www.flr.ca

3) Electronic Recycling: All of our unused electronic equipment is sent to designated stations for recycling and/or reuse.

Electronic Recycling Association - www.era.ca
Computer Recycling Super Site - www.recyclingsupersite.com

Proactive

1) Q1 has made a significant investment in LED technology. LED's are not just energy efficient, using just a fraction of energy compared to regular lamps, but just one LED fixture rated at 100,000 hr life can replace almost 100 1,000 hr tungsten/halogen lamps. Q1's commitment to building an extensive LED inventory and making it available to our clients has helped to create a demand for this type of technology over older, less energy efficient lamp technology.

2) Q1 has switched to 100% post consumer recycled content office paper that is processed chlorine-free. It takes 60 percent less energy to manufacture paper from recycled stock than from virgin materials. Producing one ton of virgin paper requires 20 trees and 7,000 more gallons of water than a ton of 100% recycled paper. When chlorine is used in the bleaching process, it releases the carcinogenic chemical dioxin and other toxins into the environment.

3) Whether transporting goods around the city or around the world, we are carefully choosing our service providers. For continental transport Q1 is proud to do business with freight providers like Yellow Freight who belong to the SmartWay Transport Partnership (www.epa.gov/smartway). This is an innovative collaboration between the U.S. EPA and the freight industry to increase energy efficiency while significantly reducing greenhouse gases and air pollution. For local delivery we use Novex (www.novex.ca), a progressive courier company using gasoline-electric hybrids, natural gas vans and biodiesel freight vehicles. We participate in their Carbon Neutral Program in which a fee is added to each delivery so our company can help reduce our carbon footprint. The money collected will be used to offset carbon emissions thus making our delivery carbon free. At the end of every year, we will receive a carbon certificate equivalent to the amount of carbon that we have helped offset.

Perpetual

1) On every new account or service relationship Q1 initiates we ask that vendors and/or service providers make known their green and sustainability programs.

2) q1pt.com will continue to add helpful industry links to help clients and suppliers alike, start or improve their programs.

Q1's Green Links

Canadian Recycling Website: www.recycle.nrcan.gc.ca/default_e.htm
Recycling Canada: www.recycling-guide-to.com/topics/recycling-canada.html
Vancouver Transfer and Recycling Depot:
www.city.vancouver.bc.ca/engsvcs/solidwaste/recycling/index.htm
Recycling Council of BC: : www.rcbc.bc.ca/join_us.htm
Product Care Tips: www.productcare.org/tips.html
Depot locations in BC: www.mydepot.ca

Comments or other helpful tips and links, email us at: q1green@q1pt.com