Short term savings and long term costs
Have you noticed a recent increase in low-quality, practically disposable furniture in the buildings and spaces around your city? We have, and this trend has been working its ways into our schools as well.
A growing problem
According to a 2018 EPA report, furniture waste has risen to over 12 million tons per year, and over 80% of that waste makes its way straight into a landfill somewhere.
A room intended for use under the supervision of an educator during school hours may be laid out differently than one intended for public use throughout the week, particularly with regards to security, storage, and maintenance.
A poor investment
The issue at hand isn't just the impact this has on the environment, but the fact that - as with most products - cheaper often means lower quality, which in turn means that sooner rather than later, you'll need to buy these furnishings all over again. And again, and again.
Cheaper, lower quality furnishings certainly offer a short-term appeal, but in the long run that differed cost comes back around in the form of increased replacement needs and, of course, far more waste. Neither of these consequences meet the needs of our communities.
A better way
At OnPoint, we partner with environmentally conscious manufacturers like MiEN, who have chosen to design furniture with sustainability and longevity in mind. Among their areas of focus, MiEN emphasizes:
Quality and Durability - Components are selected with availability and resilience in mind.
Innovative Design - Furnishings are designed to remain useful and relevant as needs and trends evolve.
End-of-Life Considerations - Many of the materials used are selected specifically for their recyclability.
OnPoint is dedicated, through its partnerships and its design practices, to meeting not only today's needs, but in providing a long-term, sustainable strategy that will be there when your students and faculty need it, tomorrow.
Don't let a shortcut today become a liability down the road.
Ready to begin? OnPoint can help.
Contact us for a consultation today and learn how OnPoint can deliver a sustainable strategy for you!
OnPoint is committed to continually seeking out and partnering with industry-leaders in furniture, technology, and the construction of education spaces.
This article was inspired by a recent publication from one such partner: Mien.
You can read the full article from Mien here.
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