Stewardship
We at Western Quarry feel that stewardship, defined as “the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care,” is the most appropriate term to describe the values we hold dear. Like our customers, we make choices when selecting materials that make sense from both an environmental and an economic perspective.
The spirit of conservation pervades our production process and business practices. Practices such as recycling production water and using shredded office paperwork as packaging not only minimize our waste stream but also our costs so we can offer the best possible product at the lowest possible price.
Nearly all raw materials used by Western Quarry are locally sourced to reduce transportation impacts and our protective foam and cardboard packaging both include large proportions of pre- and post-consumer recycled material.
The vast majority of Western Quarry products are made to order with a quick lead time with only a few core items stocked to reduce waste and inefficiency. Most surplus material is donated to Habitat for Humanity for resale or use in their projects.
LEED and other third-party environmental certifications are increasingly sought by design professionals and in more and more cases are mandated by federal, state, and local governments. Click here for a detailed summary of how Western Quarry products can help to contribute points toward LEED certification for their projects.
Although LEED and similar certifications are not currently sought for most projects, especially residential applications, the qualities of Western Quarry products that contribute to such certifications still provide tangible benefits for owners and end users.
FACTORY PRACTICES
Our most important resource is our people, especially because their hands impart the warmth to Western Quarry handcrafted products. Advanced dust collection techniques and low-emissions handling equipment provide an exceptionally clean working environment that exceeds industry standards. Regular safety training is supplemented by health insurance for all workers and their families. And, in order to minimize waste from overruns and unsold merchandise, almost all Western Quarry material is made to order.
MATERIALS
The vast majority of raw materials are locally sourced to minimize transportation impacts and our cement is supplied by an Energy Star Certified factory. All products include varying amounts of recycled content and all packaging is manufactured with recycled or reclaimed materials. Our primary goals are to increase recycled content without reducing product quality or locally sourced content and to reduce our waste stream as close to zero as possible.