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Environment
For the Mirage team, environmental integrity means using our raw material—wood—and other natural resources carefully and innovatively to safeguard our ecosystems.
To this end, we have put in place a number of measures over the years.
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Wood and Waste Recycling
All wood waste generated when manufacturing Mirage floors is reused.
Part of it is used to fuel the boilers that dry the wood.
The rest is sold and transformed into
Logs and pellets for heating
Wood fiber panels and agglomerated particles
Farm animal bedding |
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Recycled ash as organic fertilizer
Did you know that a few weeks after the maple syrup harvest, some local maple growers collect the ash generated by our kilns? The amount of ash generated is less than 0.5% of the wood burned. The ash primarily contains traces of minerals that the trees drew from the ground as they grew. They correct the pH level of the ground and act as an organic fertilizer in sugar bushes. Adjusting soil pH is crucial in a sugar bush. Too much variation can adversely affect maple growth and, as a result, the development of vessels that transport maple sap. Small vessels hinder sap production. Since they are alkaline, these ashes also reduce the effects of acid rain.
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Recycled packaging materials
Over the past almost 25 years, we have recycled and reused some 500,000 packages at Mirage. Thanks to our local delivery service, we have implemented a return system for wood blocks and cardboard corners used to ship merchandise within a 500 km radius. Numerous dealers have registered for this weekly return program, which makes it possible to reuse materials and reduce waste.
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Reforestation
Mirage is keenly aware of the pressures brought to bear on its raw materials and financially supports organizations that specialize in hardwood reforestation to safeguard our resources.
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The Tree Canada Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that forms partnerships with volunteers to improve citizen quality of life by planting and caring for trees. Despite its Canadian origins, the foundation also plants trees in the United States—especially in urban areas—to improve air quality in cities. It also carries out a number of other reforestation projects to preserve the natural habitats of some animal species and prevent shoreline erosion. |
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Reforestation and plantations in the United States:
Charleston, South Carolina
Rockburn Park in Hampton, Maryland
Howard County, Maryland
Urban revitalization in Boston, Massachusetts
Valley Park in Roseville, Minnesota |
Reforestation and plantations in Canada:
Raven River Springs, Alberta
PoCo Trail, British Columbia
Prince Edward Island
Morgan Arboretum in Montreal, Quebec
New Brunswick
Etchemin River restoration, Quebec
Urban forest diversification, Saskatchewan
Revitalization of West Humber Valley in Toronto, Ontario |
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Reforestation and plantations in Canada:
Raven River Springs, Alberta
PoCo Trail, British Columbia
Prince Edward Island
Morgan Arboretum in Montreal, Quebec
New Brunswick
Etchemin River restoration, Quebec
Urban forest diversification, Saskatchewan
Revitalization of West Humber Valley in Toronto, Ontario |
Protecting the material through use
Wood is a vitally important natural material. Although we might sometimes think that using it is a bad thing, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Read on to find out why… |
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100% of the tree is used
A full 95% of every tree cut is used to make products such as construction lumber, plywood, wood chips, and sawdust. Even the bark is used in landscaping. The remaining 5% is made up of branches left in the forest to biodegrade naturally and enrich the soil, helping saplings to grow. |
Wood: a renewable material
When we build with wood, we are choosing a high quality, renewable, and biodegradable material. We can protect our environment by purchasing wood or wood-based products. Other products made from materials like plastic or aluminum use up valuable natural resources that are running out and can never be replaced. Wood is the only renewable construction material. |
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Using trees ensures their future
When trees in a forest age or become too numerous, they stop growing and start to rot, releasing carbon dioxide. When mature trees are cut for the purpose of making wood products, however, the carbon dioxide remains inside them. Reforestation with saplings begins the air filtration process all over again. |
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