Blum & Poe announces its participation in the Arts:Earth Partnership (AEP), an environmentally sustainable certification and materials resource exchange program specifically developed for the creative sector in Los Angeles. By completing AEP's certification process, Blum & Poe's Los Angeles gallery location has become one of the first green-certified contemporary art galleries in the United States.
Faced with industry-wide wastefulness, Blum & Poe considered how to implement Reduce, Reuse, Recycle to bring about a more sustainable workplace. As a response, the gallery has committed to lowering its environmental impact through energy efficiency, recycling programs, waste reduction management, and water conservation. In order to advocate positive changes in the way we think about our planet, Blum & Poe has pledged to use 100 percent recycled paper supplies, reuse/recycle construction materials, install a weather-based irrigation system for the gallery's drought-tolerant garden and low-flow aerators on all faucets, partner with businesses that use sustainable practices, and spread the word on the importance of these standards.
Blum & Poe will continue beyond the AEP certification process and make strides in its daily operations. In addition to becoming green-certified, the gallery has purchased carbon credits from CarbonFund.org to offset its footprint for business travel and artwork transportation. The goal is to be carbon neutral by the end of 2015. The gallery is investing in solar panels that will be installed on the building's roof, which will reduce energy consumption by 30 percent. AEP's guidelines will be instrumental in transitioning Blum & Poe's gallery locations in New York and Tokyo to operate within the same environmentally sustainable framework.
Blum & Poe is hopeful that other art galleries and art professionals will join in going green. The gallery thanks Rosalie Benitez for her initiative and guidance in bringing these improvements to its business practices. To learn more about AEP, please visit artsearthpartnership.org. To learn more about carbon credits, please visit carbonfund.org.