More and more facility and organization managers are expected to take ‘green’ solutions into consideration when they look at their expenses and investments. Oftentimes the green solution feels like a compromise -- like driving a Prius when you really want to drive a Tahoe!
In the signage industry there’s the lucky circumstance that “green” is often synonymous with “effective” and “cutting edge”! In our industry we see newer and better products all the time that offer cost effective, environmentally responsible innovations… hand in hand with increasingly powerful communications. Even some ‘tried and true’ signage products are coming back around as stand outs in the green revolution.
For facility and school directors, it’s the best of both worlds! Let’s review some of the ‘old’ and some of the ‘new’ products in the signage industry that are energy-saving, recyclable or reusable!
Old-Fashioned Banner!
With some planning and savvy design, and with the added investment of a banner display system, a school can maximize its investment and save the environment at the same time.
Next time you need a banner, ask yourself if it is possible to reuse the message multiple times – maybe a recurring event? If so, why not have your annual event banner printed – sans a date – and either add vinyl lettering that is removable for the date, or even create a double-banner display so that the only banner that is thrown away is the date banner?
A banner display system, often made from durable, weather proof aluminum components, will let you create a reusable, durable display that is easy to use and helps your banners last longer by displaying them properly. Some schools are resourceful enough to go DIY and buy some pvc pipe to make a freestanding banner display.
By storing and reusing your banners for annual events and by displaying them efficiently and effectively, you’ve just made the old-fashioned banner the new Green Solution!
Biodegradable Banners
So let’s say you have a one-time event to announce – maybe a student who has won a championship chess match -- and you want to share your good news. So what’s the solution? A biodegradable banner is the solution! Yes, there are some manufacturers who have figured out how to make a banner that will degrade and fail after several months – you may still end up putting it in a dumpster, but you can rest assured it will eventually disappear!
Yard Signs-Guerrilla Warfare in Messaging!
One of the most effective forms of advertising that still survives despite the march of time and technology is the lowly yard sign!
The standard metal frame – like those you see real estate agents use – is an amazingly flexible, useful display for sharing messages or announcements. Why do they work so well for real estate agents and politicians? The secret is a good design, but also it is the temporary nature of the message. First it is there, and then it is gone. It pops up where you might not expect it and can disappear just as easily.
That’s one of the greatest secrets of good signage – changing messages is what keeps it fresh and keeps the human eye drawn to it. Many businesses make the mistake of leaving a sign unchanged for years or even decades. What they don’t’ realize is the typical sign in these circumstances simply becomes part of the background and isn’t noticed by the passersby.
When you shop for a frame, look for a ‘slide-in’ frame that requires no hardware or tools – just lift old the old message and drop in a new one! You can even incorporate a dry erase vinyl or wet erase chalk board to give you an added element of flexibility.
Don’t forget to use the smaller “riders” on top and bottom for an added message like a date or phone number!
Again, design your inserts smartly, have the inserts made from something durable, and you will have a signage display that can serve and expand to your needs for years to come.
A sandwich board or a-frame can operate from the same principle – provide a place for a changing message where panels can be made, kept and reused.
DIMENSIONAL LETTERS
Maybe you’re looking for a permanent way to mark a facility or building -- something that will be easy to read and will be a solid, long-term investment in the property. Of course, plastic dimensional letters are durable enough for multidecade use—some are warranted for life!
But let’s face it – plastic 24” letters are not exactly “green” and maybe dumping them into a landfill some day is not your goal.
So what is the green solution for dimensional letters? Aluminum! Although aluminum is expensive to make and manufacturing requires processes that are hard on the environment, the good news is that it can be readily melted down and used again for a new purpose! So you can rest your conscience easy and order some aluminum letters – cast or flat cut – to mark your new facility or recognize your donor.
ELECTRONIC MESSAGE CENTERS – The Ultimate in Power and Efficiency
You may not know them by name, but you know one when you see one! These are the tv-screen like signs you may see in your community where a scrolling message changes, flips, flashes or bursts upon the face, brighter than any sign you’ve ever seen. Some even allow for full color video imaging – brighter, bolder and more eye-catching than anything we’ve seen since neon.
Love it or hate it, Light Emitting Diodes (LED) EMC’s as they are called, are actually energy-saving, allowing their owners to realize sometimes huge returns on the investment.
First of all, they are impossible to resist. The human eye and brain were designed to look for something bright and colorful that moves quickly – and EMC’s do just that! Even the Small Business Administration demonstrated in research the power of these signs to increase a business’s walk in business by 5 to 40% almost instantaneously. In addition, the EMC can be arranged to make changes and updates effortless. Messages can be sent via wireless signal by office staff and ongoing messages can be scheduled by the hour, day, week, month or year. No more standing in windy or rainy weather changing those letter boards on your sign to let folks know the date of the football game. Instead, a few deft clicks of the keyboard and – voila! – your message is up within seconds.
There’s the added feature of providing messaging, if needed, in the event of an emergency at your school. The system can be devised to allow remote updates to your signs via the internet from anywhere you get an internet signal.
Imagine multiple sites for EMC’s at your facility, all with coordinated messaging so that students and parents alike to receive accurate, up to date, irresistibly displayed 24 hours a days from your campus.
Finding the green solution doesn’t have to be burdensome, difficult or more costly in the arena of signage. Use some ingenuity, new technologies and good management and you can promote your school, business or event and save money and save the environment – all at the same time!
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