We
care about your health and the environment.
BREATHE EASY
WITH OUR FORMALDEHYDE-FREE LOUDSPEAKERS
The
Best Small Loudspeakers Are Now The Greenest!
For
us a "green" loudspeaker is one that is produced with
the least amount of non-toxic lumber that is made from recycled
materials or lumber harvested from sustainable forests, glued
with non-toxic glues, painted with certified "green"
water based paints, loaded with the most efficient set of components,
packaged in packaging made from recycled and non-toxic materials,
and requires the least amount of non-renewable energy to ship.
Our "green" loudspeakers offer the best performance
and have less than half of the environmental impact of conventional
loudspeakers.
SEE
OUR PRICE PAGE FOR SPECIFICS
A Holistic View of Green
What is a "green"
or "Eco-friendly" or "environmentally friendly"
loudspeaker? These terms are used interchangeably to refer to
(1) loudspeakers made in energy efficient or renewable energy
facilities, or to (2) loudspeakers with cabinets made from recycled
materials, or to (3) loudspeakers that consume lower energy,
and so on. The concern has been focused primarily on the impact
of loudspeaker manufacturing on resource depletion. We take a
more holistic approach that protects both people's health and
the environment. Ultimately all our concerns about the global
environment are rooted in the sustainability of life on the planet
and the impact of environmental degradation on human life itself.
To focus on the global environment from only a depletion of resources
point of view can lead to disastrous results as the use of Medium
Density Fiberboard (MDF), the primary material used to make loudspeakers,
shows.
Eco-friendly is not
necessarily Health-friendly
Ironically, when
MDF became the most commonly used material to make loudspeakers
in the 1970s, it was touted as good for the environment because
it was made from recycled materials, including lumber byproducts
and excess and waste materials from lumber mills. The use of
MDF addressed the problem of resource depletion, but because
there was less focus on the toxicity inherent in the process
by which MDF was made, the impact of formaldehyde (a key component
of MDF) on human health and the environment was mainly overlooked.
Formaldehyde, which is used to manufacture
most plywoods and MDFs, is an allergen and a carcinogen. It is
a volatile organic compound (VOC) which vaporizes under normal
conditions into the environment. It poses a severe risk to people
with with pulmonary problems. Moreover, formaldehyde residues
are major components of smog and thus have a broad impact on
health and the environment. In finished lumber products, such
as furniture and loudspeakers, formaldehyde, paints, and glues
which are VOCs can release vapors (off-gas) into indoor air.
This is a significant and growing concern for consumers who want
healthy products in their homes and in their working and leisure
environments and who also want to protect the global environment.
Here at Role, we have a
holistic idea of what constitutes a "green" loudspeaker.
It takes into account not only the amount of materials and other
resources used to manufacture a loudspeaker, and hence the impact
of the process on the depletion of scarce resources, but we are
also concerned about the toxicity of those materials and their
immediate impact on the health of our customers, our workers,
and on the global environment. Our holistic approach takes into
account the entire process or loudspeaker manufacturing -- from
design and manufacturing to shipping and transportation, to the
impact on the consumer and the environment in which the consumer
will use our products.
Role Audio's Green Loudspeakers
For us a "green" loudspeaker is one that is produced
with the least amount of non-toxic lumber made from recycled
materials or harvested from sustainable forests, glued with non-toxic
glues, painted with certified "green" water based paints,
loaded with the most efficient set of components, and packaged
in packaging made from recycled and non-toxic materials.
Although formaldehyde-free boards and paints are becoming more
available, they are very expensive, more difficult to work with,
and the variety is quite limited. There are no absolute solutions.
Even certified green paints and lumber may contain minute quantities
of formaldehyde. Indeed, minute quantities of formaldehyde can
naturally occur in wood..
We are manufacturing the "greenest"
and most environmentally- and health friendly, formaldehyde free
non-toxic loudspeakers, as options for our full line of eight
critically acclaimed small loudspeakers, which are already substantially
"green".
Our “greenest” loudspeakers are
manufactured from formaldehyde free plywoods that are made with
PureBond® ‘formaldehyde-free
technology, and from MDFs that use no urea or formaldehyde
in the manufacturing process. We assemble them with non toxic
glues, and paint them with water based paints that are certified
by the Greenguard Environmental institute. We manufacture our
grills from formaldehyde free MDF, non-toxic glues, and nylon
fabrics.
Role Audio has always been green.
The driving principle for Role Audio has
always been to use the least amount of resources: lumber, drivers,
crossover parts, and other materials -- coupled with the latest
loudspeaker design technology to deliver big speaker performance
from the smallest possible cabinet designs. We have always used
non-toxic glues, non-toxic stains, and packaging materials made
from recycled and nontoxic materials in our products. Our small
speakers require less energy, paints, lumber, and other materials
to manufacture. They also require less energy and packaging materials
to ship. Our loudspeakers have the smallest carbon footprint
of any known high-end loudspeaker manufacturer. This dedication
to manufacturing small, low-toxicity loudspeakers has already
established us as the greenest loudspeaker manufacturer.
All things being equal, even our standard
small loudspeakers present significantly less risk of off-gas
and a significantly smaller carbon foot print than larger loudspeakers.
Moreover, we have incorporated certified "green" paints
and materials in the manufacturing processes of our standard
small loudspeakers. All of our standard small loudspeakers are
currently manufactured with some non toxic materials and are
painted with certified "green" paints. Nevertheless,
with the increasing use of loudspeakers in near-field situations
such as desk tops and other intimate settings, and the broader
problem of global environmental pollution, toxic off-gassing
in general and formaldehyde off-gassing in particular have become
very important health and environmental issues. It is these issues
that we seek to address by introducing formaldehyde free loudspeakers.
While the revolution in the miniaturization
of high end electronics is proceeding at a rapid pace, progress
in the miniaturization of high end loudspeakers which will reduce
the impact of loudspeaker manufacturing on the global environment
and health lags behind. Role Audio has been at the forefront
of the trend to deliver the greatest performance from the
smallest possible loudspeaker that have the smallest carbon footprint.
We believe our small potent loudspeakers when used by themselves
or in combination with small "green" subwoofers, such
as the NSM Audio EXP and 15EXP, are compelling alternatives to
many large loudspeakers. The transition to producing exclusively
green loudspeakers is a formidable challenge, but once again
we are at the forefront of a very important and vital change.
Our goal is to offer the best small loudspeakers that have less than half of the
environmental impact of conventional loudspeakers.
ECO-FRIENDLY
LOUDSPEAKERS
Sealed and
painted
with certified "green" water based paints to prevent
toxic formaldehyde vapors that may be present in manufactured
lumber and can harm your health from escaping into indoor air
and the environment.
Assembled with non-toxic glues
and lead-free solder.
Small size produces big sound but
uses less natural resources and has a smaller carbon foot print
than larger loudspeakers.
Packaged with biodegradable honeycomb
paper product and/or foam that does not cause ozone depletion.
Shipped in cartons made from
recycled and/or non-toxic materials.
FORMALDEHYDE-FREE
LOUDSPEAKERS
Manufactured
from formaldehyde free plywoods that are made with PureBond® ‘formaldehyde-free
technology.
Manufactured
from Medium Density Fiberboard that use no urea or formaldehyde in
the manufacturing process.
Sealed and
painted
with certified "green" water based paints to prevent
even minute toxic vapors that may be present in manufactured
lumber from escaping into indoor air and the environment.
Assembled with non-toxic glues
and lead-free solder.
Small size produces big sound but
uses less natural resources and has smaller carbon foot print
than larger loudspeakers.
Packaged with biodegradable honeycomb
paper product and/or foam that does not cause ozone depletion.
Shipped in cartons made from
recycled and/or non-toxic materials.
Kindly
let us know if you have any questions. |