“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” — Native Proverb
This timeless lesson was brought home to us when we were children. Our parents always told us, “If you ever borrow something, return it in better shape.” That meant if you were to borrow a car, you were taught to fill up and wash the car. If you borrowed a tool, you took the time to clean and sharpen the tool.
Our families have lived, toiled, and worked the land in Ohio for four generations. We have the utmost respect for the Midwest and our Middle American values. We take a holistic view of sustainability. We ask what is right for the land? The local and global community? Our team members and our clients? We want to do what is right. Period.
— Dennis & Denise Blankemeyer, Founders
Read on to learn more about our sustainable practices at Crow Works and how we choose to use our resources responsibly.
Reducing Our Carbon Footprint + Community Efforts
- We use an on-demand box machine which significantly decreases our cardboard waste. We recycle any small waste.
- The wood and steel we source comes from within 150 miles of our manufacturing facility in Killbuck, Ohio.
- We are in the process of turning our 100 acre Campus from a monoculture farm to a biodiverse farm by planting native grasses, flowers, and trees to create a model farm.
- Our offices in Johnstown and our Campus in Killbuck were designed using biophilic principles to maximize employee wellness and energy efficiency.
- Twice a year, the Crow Works team participates in our local Adopt-A-Highway Program. We have made large investments in infrastructure, equipment, and buildings in Johnstown and Killbuck, Ohio.
Wood
- Our hardwoods are regionally and responsibly sourced from the Appalachian area. We have zero wood waste. The wood cutoffs are used at our sister company, Ghostwriter Public House, and to run a boiler for a partner company. The sawdust is used for animal bedding.
- We source our raw lumber from an FSC certified sawmill.
- Forested land in Ohio has grown from 15% in 1940 to over 30% today!
- We plant more trees each year in Ohio than we harvest.
Metal
- The sand and aluminum used to create our cast aluminum products is continuously recycled.
- All of our steel components are welded within the United States.
- Note: Iron ore is one of the most abundant elements on the planet.
Textiles
- We have zero textile waste.
- All excess cuttings are sold to local fabric shops, to be utilized in other products.
