Steps Toward Making The Plastics Industry a Green Business
"The plastics business is not normally thought of as a green business", said Jim Kaye, Plastic Package Inc.'s Chairman, "but we are making major strides in that direction by using recycled soda bottles as well as bio-based materials in our products. Now that we've added solar, we want to let the community and our clients know, so they can feel comfortable that when they use our packaging, they are part of the sustainable process".

Plastic Package's Sustainable Business Practices
The company is using the latest technology and products to produce plastic products that are both recyclable, non-petroleum based (instead using corn-based components) and compostable. Company sustainable practices include:

1 - The company's equipment and tooling are engineered to generate the least amount of scrap possible.

2 - Plastic Package, Inc. is a zero waste thermoformer, recycling all of their scrap material.

3 - The company works with their customers to reduce the shipping space (cube), thus using less fossil fuels and corrugated materials to reduce their carbon footprint.

4 - The Plastic Package design team works with their customers to minimize the amount of material without compromising package performance.

5 - Many of the company's materials include recycled content; both post consumer and post industrial.

6 - As well, the company is helping their customers to recycle their packaging by encouraging the use of PET: the plastic used in water and soft drink bottles.

7 - The company is facilitating programs to "close the loop" by creating programs that recycle the packaging into future trays, containers, and clamshells thus keeping plastic out of landfills.

8 - Alternatives to petroleum-based plastics, including bio resins made from renewable sources, such as corn, include PLA (Poly Lactic Acid), PHA (Poly Hydroxyalkangates), and PHB (Poly Hydro Oxybutyrate). These products are compostable as defined by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI).

New Solar Energy Installation is the Largest Cylindrical Thin Film Solar System West of New Jersey
The company has selected an innovative solution by installing the largest cylindrical thin film solar system west of New Jersey.

This cutting edge technology produced by Solyndra, a Bay Area company recently funded by a $535 million loan guarantee from the Department of Energy, was designed, engineered and installed by Premier Power Renewable Energy of El Dorado Hills - all within 10 weeks from signing the contract and just seven weeks for the installation. The installation was completed one week before the scheduled time.

New Solar System will provide all of the company's Peak Demand energy needs
The new 208 kW system being installed on the roof will initially handle all of Plastic Package's peak demand and assist its local power provider, Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) in reducing its summer peak loads during the hottest part of the day.

With solar, the production peaks simultaneously with energy demand. As the sun heats up into midday, power demand increases. With the sun higher in the sky the output from the rooftop solar system is increased. With the addition of a white membrane roof, the unique cylindrical solar panels boosts production even further.

The new cylindrical modules capture sunlight over a 360-degree photovoltaic surface. "If you build a better solar panel, the world will beat a path to your door," U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu said.

"Building a better solar panel is what Solyndra has done. Compared to traditional solar panels, these innovative thin-film systems produce more energy for less money and less hassle."

This fact was not lost on Jim Kaye, Plastic Package Inc.'s Chairman, and Jennifer Kaye, the company President.

The Kayes had done their homework over the last couple of years in researching solar technologies and investigating solar integrators that could provide them with a packaged solution that would help them to offset their increasing electrical consumption as their business grew.

When they heard about the advantages of Solyndra they were ready to make the decision to go solar, and they chose Premier Power as the complete EPC provider.

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