Great news! We have signed on to the Renewable*Connect program through Xcel Energy. Now in addition to the eco friendly book printing papers we offer, Bookmobile is now run on 100% wind- and solar-powered clean energy.
Our CEO, Don Leeper, says:
Our previous efforts to use only renewable energy ended during the recession when, as part of general cutbacks, we needed to eliminate the additional cost of paying for wind-generated energy from Xcel.
With the drastic drops in both wind and solar energy costs in general over the last ten years, these energy sources have become mainstream, in many locations costing less than polluting coal-generated power. But we wanted to contribute to hastening the demise of fossil fuels, so we signed a five-year contract with Xcel to source 100% wind and solar. This costs us a premium now, but, depending on future fossil fuel costs, could actually save us money.
If you’re interested in these topics there’s a great book called The Grid, by Gretchen Bakke, that is a great explainer of not only how Americans get their electricity, but how that is changing.
Our wind energy is generated by the Odell Wind Farm, “located in the wind-abundant southwestern portion of Minnesota. The average wind speed in the footprint, measured at 80 meters, is 8.4 meters per second, which is about 18.8 miles per hour. The prevailing wind direction is from the northwest and south.”
Our solar energy comes from the North Star Solar Project in Chisago County, Minnesota. The North Star Solar Project is “the largest solar energy facility in the Midwest, producing enough energy to power approximately 20,000 homes.”
Eco Friendly Book Printing Papers
We also offer Forest Stewardship Council certified (FCS) interior papers at Bookmobile. The FSC is an independent, nonprofit, nongovernmental organization that promotes the responsible management of the world’s forest. The FCS-certified papers Bookmobile carries are:
Natural (Off-White, Vanilla, Cream)
- 55-lb. natural 100% PCW at 454 PPI, FSC certified
- 70-lb. natural smooth 30% PCW at 392 PPI, FSC certified
White
- 50-lb. white opaque vellum 30% PCW at 520 PPI, FSC certified
- 60-lb. white opaque vellum 30% PCW at 436 PPI, FSC certified
Currently, Bookmobile itself is not FSC certified. Also, we do not use soy-based ink—as a digital printer, we use toner. But we are always looking to introduce more environmentally-friendly options at Bookmobile, so stay tuned!