Having begun our manufacturing operation in beautiful Sonnenberg Valley in Ohio’s Amish and Mennonite community, we were intensely aware of what could be lost without a commitment to the environment. While we do not profess to leave no footprint behind, we make every effort to minimize our impact on the environment. We have listed some examples of our practices below. Perhaps there are a few ideas that you may be able to apply to your own life. What follows are a number of initiatives we have been practicing since a time in which green was just a color.

• As a woodworking shop, our most commonly used resource is wood. The material that we primarily use is MDF (medium density fiberboard). MDF is a man-made fiberboard consisting of wood fibers and resin binders. MDF is known for its strength and stability, and is commonly used as a base for veneers. It features uniform consistency with no knots, and while it has about the same density as medium-weight hardwood, it is structurally more stable. MDF will not crack, and finishes adhere to it well, which results in a smooth top coat. The MDF used at P. Graham Dunn meets strict certification standards including:

• The Composite Panel Association's (CPA) Environmentally Preferred Product Standard (EPP).

• The California Air Resources Board (CARB Phase 1 ceiling).

• The Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) certification standards.

• The MDF wood used in the large majority of PGD products is 100% pre-consumer recycled wood fiber.

• We purchase from a company that employs state-of-the-art Ecobind technology to meet standards for low emissions.

• All wood waste is chipped and given to local farmers, along with sawdust, to use as bedding for their animals. The shop floors at P. Graham Dunn are nearly clean enough to eat off of!

• Peter, Paul, & Thomas Dunn along with our groundsmen Chet Miller have led annual tree planting ventures in which more than four-thousand trees have been planted on the family farm over the past four years. This is enough trees to offset carbon emissions for the average American family of four for 10 years.

• Employees are encouraged and conscience to turn off lights and to reduce electric use when not in use.

• A large portion of our box supply is previously used and would otherwise have been discarded.

• Boxes and other packaging supplies are reused as often as possible, including the packaging of everything P. Graham Dunn ships.

• Newspaper waste is reused as packaging.

• Discarded cardboard is donated and recycled through MCC Connections in Kidron, Ohio. All profits are used to support Mennonite Missionaries and Disaster Services around the world.

• We use latex and water based paints, which are non-toxic to the environment and the workers.

• Our catalogs are printed on 30% pre-consumer recycled paper. Additionally in 2009 we did not print a full catalog, instead opting to print a smaller supplement. Our goal is to distribute our catalog in a digital format to most of our dealers in the coming years.

• We have expanded our recycling practices to recycle much of our waste.

• Much of our internal documents are printed on recycled paper. Additionally we make use of the backside of previous documents.

• Landscaping at our new facility in Dalton, Ohio leans heavily on the use of native plants to create a sustainable natural habitat for local wildlife. In 2009 our retaining pond attracted two species of ducks, over a dozen Canadian Geese, muskrats, and a number of smaller song birds. We were pleased to see that a mating pair of Canadian Geese raised a half dozen goslings. As the plants grow, we expect to see our land home to many animals native to Ohio.