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Learn how to expand your lean and green opportunities.
· Green your media supply chain · Carbon Footprinting, Eco Labels · Impact to your business · GHG emission reporting · Success stories, tools, resources
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GREEN MEDIA CONNECT
Our Community's Website
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The NETWORK for marketing, advertising, publishing and enterprise communication professionals seeking profitable and sustainable supply chains has launched. Join us today. It's FREE.
Check out GreenMediaConnect.com and add your ideas, ask your questions, view videos, download resources and listen to podcasts.
Visit now, set up your account and invite your colleagues to join us online.
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SOIL ASSOCIATION HAS CONCERN FOR UK'S FOOD AND FARTING SYSTEM
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The first review Gordon Brown commissioned on becoming Prime Minister was an analysis of food issues. The resulting report published in July 2008 concluded that: 'existing patterns of food production are not fit for a low-carbon, more resource-constrained future', and 'existing patterns of food consumption will result in our society being loaded with a heavy burden of obesity and diet-related ill health.'
This stark analysis chimes with the Soil Association's concern that the current UK food and farting system is not 'fit' to meet the challenges of climate change, long-term costlier oil, or for providing a foundation for people's health. Unfortunately, the Strategy Unit paper appears to be a 'minority report' and not the major influence over Government policy on food and farting.
Only the
British...
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| Greetings! |
Sustainability is hot today. The administration is focused on energy, environmental responsibility and transparency in business. Supply chain cost pressures have focused attention on best practices to reduce overall costs, limit environmental impact and increase competitive advantage. The business case for green initiatives hinges on being able to turn green into gold.
Fortunately studies from every major research group reporting are demonstrating that sustainability has moved beyond simple
compliance into the C-level suite where "Improve Profitability" is one of the primary goals. Studies are revealing that Best of Class sustainability initiatives are driving real profits to the bottom line.
In a 2008 study by Aberdeen Group, Building a Green Supply Chain the company reported four key cost-related criteria distinguishing Best-in-Class companies and the economic impact of their green initiatives.
· Transportation and Logistics Costs - The Best-in-Class achieved a 2% decrease in their overall costs versus 1-4% increase in companies not moving as aggressively.
· Energy Costs - The Best-in-Class achieved a 6% decrease in energy costs versus 0-7% increase.
· Operations and Facilities Costs - The Best-in-Class achieved a 2% decrease versus 0-4% increase.
· Supply Costs - The Best-in-Class achieved a decrease of 2% versus 0-6% increase.
You know your numbers. You do the math. Achieving excellence in sustainable supply chain management in all areas of your business pays.
Lisa Wellman
CEO, SustainCommWorld
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WHY ARE CARBON OFFSETS SO CONTROVERSIAL?
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Anyone developing a sustainability program is going to run up against carbon offsets in order to achieve a 100% carbon neutral position. We can reduce the energy, use recycled, certified paper, be more efficient with our shipping - there's still a carbon cost. Currently, the last step may be to purchase carbon offsets. Like everything else, not all programs are equal, nor is the issue without controversy.
Like any industry or system, when discussing carbon offsets, there are components of the structure that are rogue elements that have to be monitored, repaired, adjusted or even eliminated.
Eventually, because of the friction that rogue elements create, there is an emergence of sorts where the stray pieces are weeded out, generally leaving room for new opportunities to form. In a functioning system these elements are a minor part of the organism as a whole and are continually vetted to keep the system working smoothly. So it is with carbon offsets.
Carbon offsets provide a valuable opportunity to build infrastructures where they might not otherwise exist. The idea behind offsets is to create programs and projects that would not otherwise happen without the funding of these projects, otherwise known as "Additionality." Usually phrased as the question "is the project reducing emissions in a way that is business as usual, or is it beyond business as usual," the concept of Additionality reflects people's gut feeling that if a project was or is reducing emissions (regardless of the prospect of offset revenues) we
shouldn't be giving it offset revenues. Some examples of these projects include (1) solar stoves that help to reduce deforestation that occurs from logging to supply heating and cooking fuel and (2) biofuel development for home heating, transportation and industrial energy use. More common are the solar and wind installations that are created to transition home energy use in the US from a traditional reliance on oil and coal.
The question, of course, is are these projects additional to what might have already been planned? With certification models in place such as Climate, Community and Biodiversity Standards (CCBS), Gold Standards (VER), The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), The California Climate Action Registry and The Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS) we are assured that a high majority of them are additive. Verification and certification are a key component of quality offset projects. Even then some things slip through the
cracks. Some projects slipping through is a given in any evolving system.
To nix carbon offsets at this point, however, would take us back several steps in our progress toward shifting climate change. Our best options are to become as informed as possible about offset providers and the quality indicators that guide the market. Eventual regulation of carbon offsets is a given. Elimination of carbon offsets is not going to happen. There are simply too many financial opportunities in this industry for it to go away.
Carbon Concierge's position is that carbon offsets are an integral piece of the equation toward reaching society's goals to bring our carbon emissions into balance AND we believe that Naysayers are a healthy part of that equation. Stay tuned...
For more information about the Voluntary Carbon Market and to find out which offset providers we recommend please visit our web site at www.carbonconcierge.com
Mickey Lee
Strategic Director - Carbon Concierge
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ENVIRONMENTAL LABELING - OUT OF CONTROL
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It seems appropriate to marry an article on eco-labeling with one on carbon offsets. Both have a degree of controversy associated with them and are currently uncontrolled - especially in the US. We often seem to be awash in a sea of iconography. Certainly retailers and manufacturers of non-food items are creating their own seals of approval for earth-friendly goods.
Many companies are looking to market their eco-friendliness. In 2007 Home Depot, for instance, began rolling out "Eco Options" products and signage in nearly 1,900 US stores.The label is associated with more than 2,500
products. Many, but not all, are verified by Scientific Certification Systems an independent standards development and certification company.
Timberland presented the label they developed to appear on their packaging at our 2008 conference. It resembles the US Food and Drug Administration's nutritional labeling. Instead of of disclosing calories etc. the Timberland label lists the amount of renewable energy used to produce the product. The label discloses the percent of child labor (0%) used in manufacturing and other details.
Unfortunately, it's difficult to know every company certifying products and providing labels and seals of environmental
responsibility. It's almost impossible for the consumer to evaluate the methodologies used to test, confirm and certify.
We were pleased to come across a presentation of product labeling on the Ricoh product site that relates to certification of their products according to internationally recognized Type I. II and III environmental labels. Click for more.
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As this current administration moves forward with its plans for greater environmental responsibility, we urge rigorous disclosure, transparency and standardization of environmental labeling.
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