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The “Cool Globes” exhibits in Boston, Mass., promote sustainability through artistic expression. One particular globe, created by artist, Karen Ami, is titled “Manufacturing a Green Way.” American Engineered Fabrics Inc. (AEF), New Bedford, Mass., embodies this message with its 100 percent post-consumer based geotextiles. The Green Geotextiles® is a proprietary and eco-friendly nonwoven made from 100 percent post-consumer polyester, originally derived from green soda bottles,
“Americans use approximately 2,000,000 plastic bottles every hour,” says president and CEO, Daniel Weinstein. “When we ship a truckload of The Green Geotextiles we save 300,000 plastic bottles from being dumped into landfills.”
The Green Geotextiles also qualifies for LEED-based projects. LEED credit certification uses a point system determined by the U.S. Green Building Council, of which AEF is a member, and companies with accumulated LEED credits often receive financial incentives for sustainable practices. This innovative geotextile offers engineers and architects a new alternative to help achieve sustainability requirements.
The Green Geotextiles products are regularly sold as capillary fabric to the green roofing industry and as containment pads for the oil and gas industry. In the latter case, the fabric’s green color, beside obvious eco-connotations, increases work site safety by reducing ambient air temperatures by as much as 20 degrees.