NewslineVolume VI, Issue 22 - November 11, 2005The Carpet and Rug Institute news for industry executives
In This Issue: Carpet Industry Lauded by Participants At GreenBuildCRI was among the exhibitors for this year’s successful USGBC GreenBuild International Convention and Expo in Atlanta. The event drew upwards of 12,000 registered attendees. The CRI booth featured Green Label and Green Label Plus IAQ testing programs, the new CRI-MTS sustainable carpet standard, CARE, the new CARE-Tricycle agreement, and products made from recycled carpet. Event participants congratulated the carpet industry on taking the lead in sustainability and urged CRI and CARE to "keep up the good work" in sustainability practices and working to keep carpet out of landfills. At the conference, one of the products featured at the booth, NYCORE's Ny-Backer tile backer- board, was selected by the editors of GreenSpec and Environmental Building News as one of the Top-10 Green Building Products for 2005. And on a final note, CRI is now officially a member of the USGBC after the organization recently began welcoming trade associations into membership. Contact Joan Seelaus at 706.428.2123. Sustainable Carpet Standard Moves ForwardThe carpet industry under the leadership of CRI and The Institute for Market Transformation to Sustainability (MTS) have signed a memorandum of understanding. This will now allow us to move the standard forward with registration as an ANSI Draft Standard for Trial Use working with NSF International. We expect ANSI publication of the draft standard by the end of November with first product certification being announced after the first of the year. Contact Bob Peoples at 706.428.2115. Press Release on the Carpet Standard StarNet Reclamation ProgramCARE has been approached by StarNet to help them put in place a national reclamation network. StarNet is a marketing co-op that is growing very quickly and now has 135 members in North America. This group is willing to put in both the sweat equity and cash required to drive their programs. A presentation was made highlighting the outstanding track record of the carpet industry, including the 80% reduction in our environmental footprint and the background and progress of CARE, along with general information about a reclamation program being defined. We held 2 breakout sessions which were the highlight of all breakouts in terms of interest and attendance. While the partnership is still being developed, the role of CARE would be to help outline logistics, qualify the reclamation centers and help educate the clients and A&D community. Contact Bob Peoples at 706.428.2115. West Coast SwingBob Peoples will be on the west coast the week of November 14th visiting Bentley Prince Street, Atlas Mills and Royalty Mills making CRI and CARE program updates for our west coast members. He will also pay a visit to LA Fiber Company and Chamlian (Fresno) who is newly interested in CARE as a recycler and producer of fiber cushion. While on the west coast he will also be attending a DGS internal meeting for the CA Gold Carpet Procurement Standard. As part of the continuing work by CRI and its members in the state of California, we have recently joined the California Manufacturing and Technical Association (CMTA). This is a proactive organization representing many manufacturing sectors and industries in the state. We have worked with them in the past on several important projects in the state and anticipate a close collaboration going forward. Contact Bob Peoples at 706.428.2115. CARE UpdateCARE is launching two major initiatives approved at their October Board meeting held in Atlanta. The first project is focused on federal, state and local procurement. The project will target the top 3-6 products containing post consumer carpet content which have a chance of moving large pounds through the public procurement pipelines. The scope of the project includes working with procurement professions helping them understand the initiative and incorporation of the specifications. The second project involves efforts to secure significant grant funding for the CARE organization. Grants in the range of $100,000 to $5,000,000 are being targeted. Contact Bob Peoples at 706.428.2115. Significance of “Mulitpliers”CRI has worked hard to reach out to those who can help us get the word out about the activities the carpet industry is actively involved. One of those ways is to provide companies which qualify their products under one of CRI’s testing programs with marketing tool kits in hopes that it will aid them in marketing their approved products. Recently, several articles have begun to show up in publications that originated not from CRI but from the product manufacture putting out releases signifying their products as having been CRI tested and approved. Another manufacturer has advertised their product to potential franchisees using the Seal of Approval stamp as an enticement. These are a few of the many ways CRI depends on the “multiplier” effort to tell our good news efforts on carpet. Contact James Beach at 706.428.2116. Despite Veto, Schwarzenegger Asked to Conduct BiomonitoringSupporters of a biomonitoring bill vetoed earlier this month by California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) are now encouraging him to create a statewide biomonitoring program, according to Risk Policy Report. In a letter dated Oct. 18, State Sen. Deborah V. Ortiz (D), a co-sponsor of the bill, asked for a meeting with Schwarzenegger to discuss “key components that we strongly urge you from the outset to consider as you begin your work to create a California biomonitoring program.” Among the principles the proponents will promote are community involvement in the design of the program and informing those who volunteer to be tested of their individual results. Biomonitoring supporters are basing their hopes that Schwarzenegger will develop his own program on a message that accompanied his veto on October 7, in which the governor said he was directing state agencies to "develop a comprehensive approach to the laudable goals of this bill." Contact Frank Hurd at 706.428.2136. CRI Meetings
* Market Issues Committee, November 14, 12:00 - 2:00
pm CRI Participation in Upcoming Events
* Floorscapes Convention, November 30 - December 4,
Hollywood, FL. If you are aware of other events that present significant opportunities to deliver our messages to our critical audiences, please contact Joan Seelaus at 706.428.2123. Check our website calendar for other industry related events |
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