Recycle Re-Leaf: Sustainable Signage and How It Can Help A Retail Company’s Bottom Line

 

Global waste and recycling initiatives are a hot topic and pressing issue for a country as large and influential as the USA. Though your average consumer is more aware of buying and participating in earth-conscious commerce, larger habits remain for retailers that can leave a significant carbon footprint. Many retail companies use PVC-based signage for one-time-use seasonal displays and fail to recycle their temporary furnishings properly.

Today’s guests said this waste is harmful to the environment and the economy; On this episode of the Retail podcast, we sat down to talk how retail companies can make better signage choices with Bob O’Neill, owner of Competitive EDGE, and Tim Bennett, Chairman & Co-founder of Image Options Companies.

Since Image Options Companies’ formation in 1999, its approach to sustainability has been holistic. Though many companies opt for recyclable signage, it often fails to finish the full recycling process.

Tim Bennett said“People will say that their product is recyclable and it probably is, but it doesn’t get to the waste stream,” O’Neill said.

Most malls and the communities they reside in have ineffective recycling methods. In this regard, Bennett said, “this is a bigger problem that needs to be in Washington.”

But even without federal intervention, O’Neill and Bennett explained how there are choices companies can make that will help the environment and their bottom line. With Millennials becoming the biggest buyers in the country, this generation is making ethically inspired choices and shopping at companies that make sustainable choices.

“The ROI…the return on any sustainable investment you do usually comes back in multiple folds,” Bennett said to businesses and manufacturers.

Bennett and O’Neill divulged a treasure trove of resources for the sustainably-minded in this retail podcast, while reinforcing the importance of sustainability knowledge and awareness.

“If someone can listen to this, and if we create one person…in the retail design display side of the business to just think about their overall impact, then we’ve done our job,” O’Neill said.

For the latest news, videos, and podcasts in the AEC Industry, be sure to subscribe to our industry publication.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @AECMKSL
Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale
LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

Career
How to Build a Purpose-Driven Career in the Age of AI and Acceleration
October 9, 2025

In a world reshaped by AI, global connectivity, and relentless technological advancement, the pace of disruption has never been greater. Careers are being reinvented as industries transform, and individuals everywhere are being challenged to find meaning, adaptability, and creativity in their professional paths. According to Deloitte’s 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey, 86% of…

Read More
youth
Fashion, Identity, and Digital Life Collide: Why Brands Must Listen, Collaborate, and Co-Create With the Next Generation of Youth
October 8, 2025

As the lines blur between fashion, identity, and digital life, brands are racing to understand how today’s youth are reshaping culture and commerce. Pacsun’s new Youth Report 2025, produced in partnership with GlobalData, offers one of the most detailed portraits yet of Gen Z and Gen Alpha—two generations united by self-expression but divided by…

Read More
talent
Grow Your Own Talent: How McDonald’s and Skilltrade Are Building a Culture of Lifelong Learning
October 7, 2025

The world of work is changing faster than ever. Automation is reshaping jobs, new technologies are rewriting what “qualified” means, and a new generation of workers is redefining what they expect from employers. From fast food to healthcare, companies are realizing they can’t just hire talent — they have to build it. They’re starting to…

Read More
The Tesla Test-How AI is Changing How We Search Video
The Tesla Test: How AI is Changing How We Search Video
October 7, 2025

In this episode of Secured, Mike Monsive sits down once again with Idan Koren, EVP of Marketing at Verkada, to discuss how artificial intelligence is transforming the landscape of physical security, operational efficiency, and the broader business of technology. The conversation begins with Verkada’s groundbreaking integration of natural language search in video surveillance —…

Read More