Veteran Online Provider of Environmentally Responsible Office Supplies was Green Long Before Green was Cool
DALLAS, April 17, 2008….. In the last two years, we’ve seen corporations hopping on the green bandwagon left and right. With Earth Day on the horizon, CEOs, marketing executives, and ad agencies are ever-so-eager to position their respective companies as “environmentally friendly.” Dolphin Blue recently celebrated its 15th anniversary; however, in a sense, Earth Day is just like every other day at Dolphin Blue.
Dolphin Blue, now a 15-year-old online retailer, only offers products that contain, at minimum, 20 percent post-consumer recycled material with many items containing 100 percent post-consumer recycled material. Every purchase at Dolphin Blue contributes to the sustainability of our planet.
“As we approach Earth Day, several organizations are making plans for perhaps the third or fourth time they have commemorated the event. We have recognized it on April 22nd 16 times, but more importantly at Dolphin Blue, everyday is Earth Day,” said Dolphin Blue’s founder and CEO, Tom Kemper. “Unfortunately, many of the corporations and organizations claiming to be green, in fact only practice green behavior in a small portion of their business model. We practice ‘green’ in every aspect of our business model, including using Energy Star Certified computers, recycling everything we use and buying recovered, recycled and surplus furniture. In our office, we use energy-efficient lighting and provide organic food and beverages for our employees.”
The recent spotlight that global warming has received and the numerous corporate scandals over the last ten years have caused consumers to place a much higher value on corporate reputation and responsibility. Thus, the trend in corporate America is to capitalize on the “growth of green.” Corporations want to promote, sell and advertise that they are doing their part to help the environment.
However, when Thomas Kemper opened the doors at Dolphin Blue in April 1993, his pitch to some of these corporate entities claiming to be green fell on deaf ears. Kemper subsequently took his business to government agencies, focusing on the U.S. Postal Service and the Social Security Administration. These organizations use massive amounts of paper and see firsthand the problems associated with waste.
The U.S. Postal Service, for example, has the issue of dealing with thousands of tons of “undeliverable bulk business mail” or UBBM. Disposing of that much waste paper has a high cost, especially if waste-hauling fees are calculated on those thousands of tons. Recycling this relatively clean source of fiber for making paper makes sense economically and ecologically. To gain maximum value for the recyclable UBBM, it makes economic sense as well to purchase paper made from recovered/recycled fibers so that the recoverable UBBM fibers have value. Waste equals feedstock, just like in nature.
In addition to successfully operating a business committed to creating a sustainable planet,
Kemper’s key accomplishments over the years include the following:
Ø Since 1997, Kemper has worked with manufacturers and the U.S. Postal Service to develop envelopes made from post-consumer recycled content when none was available. Ø In 1999, he co-founded Sustainable Dallas, an organization whose mission is to answer key questions concerning the development of the community, businesses and the environment. Ø In October 2006, Kemper worked with a manufacturer to produce the first post-consumer recycled content CD sleeve. Ø In 2007, Kemper’s articles were published in Green@work and featured as the cover story of Office World News. D Magazine recognized Kemper on the “Greenlist,” a special issue titled Dallas Goes Green. Ø In 2008, he spoke on a panel at the University of Texas’ Sustainable Business Summit. Kemper also recorded sales of $1.7 million, which represents a 20 percent increase over last year. Because of the efforts of Sustainable Dallas, the City of Dallas has incorporated alternative fuel vehicles and hybrids into its fleet. Sustainable Dallas also played a role in the City of Dallas’ utilization of the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system for new buildings. Texas Instruments’ recently completed, world-class, semiconductor manufacturing facility in Richardson, Texas was inspired by Amory Lovins during his appearances at the 2001 and 2003 Sustainable Dallas Conferences. Organizers of the sustainability conference arranged a private meeting with 23 engineers involved in planning the LEED-certified plant, designed with many ideas wrought from that landmark meeting.
DirectMag.com, The Advocate, Business Leader, Dallas CEO, In Business, Government Product News, Adhesives & Sealants Industry and Recycled Paper News also recognized Kemper and Dolphin Blue’s successes in articles within the last eight months. Kemper has numerous other articles pending for 2008 and is available for other speaking opportunities.
“On this Earth Day, April 22nd, 2008, we can all begin to walk a path to creating a sustainable planet, for our children and their children, by buying office supplies made of recycled material, putting in a compact fluorescent bulb at home, buying organic food, using canvas grocery bags, sharing a ride, or buying a new hybrid vehicle. It really is that easy when you realize the population of our planet is growing by more than 100 million people each year and resources continue to decline. After all, what are we leaving our children?” Kemper concludes.
About Dolphin Blue
Based in Dallas, Texas, Dolphin Blue is an online retailer of environmentally responsible office supplies. Since 1993, Dolphin Blue has promoted the responsible stewardship of Earth’s resources by encouraging the conscientious purchase of everyday business supplies. All products sold through Dolphin Blue contain, at minimum, 20 percent post-consumer recycled material with many items being made of 100 percent post consumer recycled materials. Product packages and labels are made using only post-consumer recycled materials and are printed using only soy and vegetable-based inks. To contact Dolphin Blue, visit www.dolphinblue.com or call 800.932.7715.
