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Effective Advocacy Through Well Written Reviews

Created: Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 08:12 AM Modified: Tuesday, July 13, 2010, 08:12 AM

Bringing about change is never easy. Often systems, processes or methods don’t change without a real impetus such as a disaster – think about the changes to offshore drilling safety procedures post Deep Water Horizon.

However the difficulty associated with change should not stop us from advocating for it. Over and over again our Consumer Change users have proved that making your voice heard to businesses creates change, companies such as Amici’s Pizza, Bed Bath and Beyond and Costco have taken notice. And there are many many more that we need to continue advocating green practices to.

Here are several things what make a good Review which creates the impetus needed for change, together with some recent examples:

1. Submit a Review – grumbling about something without letting the company know your thoughts will only increase your frustration but won’t help solve the fundamental issue. By submitting a Review through the Consumer Change web site, you can leverage our technology to make the communication process easier, put your comments in the public domain raising awareness in others and providing more impetus for the Company to respond, and make changes.

2. Be specific – state what you saw and why it upset you. Here is vanajemian on Macula Vision Research:

This is my second message to this foundation. Today, June 21, 2010, two mailings came to the house, one to my father and one to me. Each of us received the same mailing, a large newsletter. I repeat what was stated in the first message, namely, that the foundation needs to be more environmentally sensitive. Being sensitive would save money which then could be used for recycled paper which would be biodegradable and on which the text would be printed with soy ink. The foundation is in a position to set a much needed example for other nonprofit organizations and should not hesitate to do so. Thank you

3. Make it constructive – partly because we vet for inappropriate language, partly because you want to come across as a reasonable person and mainly because you are less likely to put the receiver on the defensive. Here’s elliekehmeier on Marshall’s:

Kudos to Marshalls for giving out free reusable logo'd shopping bags to customers at their Almaden San Jose store some months back. However Marshalls needs to instruct employees, and remind them repeatedly, to ask customers if they want to reuse their plastic bags when they do an exchange.

4. Offer suggestions – if you have one, the company may not have thought of it. Here’s Mzz on Max’s Restaurants:

I was surprised when my leftovers came in a polystyrene box. Polystyrene is a known neuro-toxin and is banned as food container in over 30 cities including San Francisco, Berkeley and Palo Alto. Please consider switching to a more environmentally friendly container going forward.

5. Mention what their competitors are doing – always a good incentive. Here’s a great example from Aldenwicker

Couldn't you use a cup that isn't polystyrene? That's why I go to juice generation instead even though you are much closer!

6. Keep it short and to the point. Here is a great example from kyaihart on Summerwinds Nursery:

Summerwinds is running for Mt View 2010 best green business but they sell iceplants - a horribly non native invasive species. I thought they would be better than Home Depot in this respect... This really makes me think twice about shopping here since I'd started frequenting then because they carry more organic and native plants.

7. Be persistent – Starbucks did not respond to the first five Reviews.

8. Finally, don’t forget the Thank You reviews too, here’s one from mbendorf to Starbucks:

I read someplace that the US uses the equivalent of 8 million trees annually just for store receipts. With that in mind, I really appreciate that Starbucks usually asks if I want a receipt before printing one out. Wish other retailer would follow suit.

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Reducing Junk Mail

Created: Tuesday, July 6, 2010, 06:57 AM Modified: Tuesday, July 6, 2010, 06:57 AM

There have been a lot of Reviews about junk mail lately on ConsumerChange.com. In our June 8^th Blog we discussed how green junk mail can be. In this week’s Blog we look at ways to reduce (or dare I say stop) junk mail. The information below is courtesy of Redwood City Cool Cities:

Use information EXACTLY as it appears on the mailing label. Call, write or visit the website of EACH of these. Follow directions EXACTLY.

1 - Valpak Coupons

8605 Largo Lakes Drive

Largo, Florida 33773

2 - Mail Preference Service

c/o Direct Marketing Association

PO Box 643

Carmel, New York 10512

www.dmachoice.org

3 - ADVO Systems (Weekly Mailers)

Attn: Customer Service

PO Box 249

Windsor, CN 06095

http://www.advo.vom

4 - Harte Hanks Direct Marketing (Mailers)

Attn: Resident List

6701 Baymeadow Drive

Suite D

Glen Burnie, MD 21060

5 - San Francisco Chronicle Home Mailers

415-777-7979

6 - Credit Card Solutions

888.567.8688

www.optoutprescreen.com

CALLERS: there are 3 prompts: Opt-IN, Opt-OUT 5 years, OP-OUT PERMANENTLY. You will be asked for SS# and DOB - DO NOT give them -- JUST WAIT, if you don’t enter anything and after 2-3 prompts, they will attempt to process your request without this information.

To opt out permanently you need to also fill out a form they send you in 5 days and/or this can be done on website and you must mail it back, otherwise you will only be off their list for 5 years;

7 - Catalogs. Many companies partner with www.catalogchoice.org to respect your wishes, a one stop site. If not here, call the phone number in the catalog , go online to their site.(be persistent, the Opt-Out links are hard to find) or, if necessary, write them and attach the mailing label.

8 - Free junk mail reduction kit call 1-877-786-7927 or online http://www.stopjunkmail.org Includes sample letters.

9 - For $15 www.greendimes.com provides your with a junk mail reduction kit, ongoing updates AND plants 10 trees in your behalf. Online account allows you to come back and sign in to your GreenDimes Account every time you get new junk mail and add more requests to your list. Can add all names and variations on names that arrive at your house including “Occupant” and “Resident”

Updating becomes important as more bulk advertisers start new businesses to get around the DO NOT MAIL requests

10 - Do Not Call Registry for ALL Phone Numbers. http://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx

The following activities often lead to increases in your junk mail load:

Entering sweepstakes or contests

· Filling out warranty cards (warranties are good without cards as long as you keep receipts to verify purchase date)

· Donating to charitable organizations

· Registering at meetings or conferences

· Having your address listed in a publication

· Ordering from a catalog

· Signing up for a service (car insurance, health care, etc.)

· Having a credit card

To keep these activities from creating more junk mail, practice preventative junk mail care and make the following a part of your routine:

· When you buy from catalogs over the phone or online, make sure to let the company know: "DO NOT SELL MY NAME and DO NOT SEND ME PROMOTIONAL MATERIAL!"

· If you do want to receive a particular catalog, but no so frequently, request to receive it less often.

· On the bottom of checks made out to magazines, catalogs or charity organizations, write "DO NOT SELL MY NAME".

DO NOT give out your address unless it is necessary.

Redwood City Cool Cities, Redwood City, California

Join our team http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cool_rwc/

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10 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Home Energy Usage

Created: Tuesday, June 15, 2010, 07:09 AM Modified: Wednesday, June 16, 2010, 09:57 AM

Did you know that US households produce 20% of the US’ global warming emissions? This means that energy smart homes can really make a difference. Most people think that it takes money to be energy smart, the truth could not be further. In fact most homes have some really low hanging fruit items that could result in immediate savings. Here are some simple ways to reduce your energy usage without spending a lot of money:

1. Eliminate any unnecessary usage; turn off the TV when you are not watching it, switch off the lights you are not in the room and the computer when you are not using it. These may seem like small things but they quickly add up.

2. Banish the vampire. Many power cords suck up energy even if they are switched off, either because the appliance remains on stand-by waiting to be switched on with a remote control or an adapter, or they are disconnected from the device they are supposed to be charging such as a cell phone or lap top and continue to suck up energy. This is known as vampire or phantom energy and can account for about 10% of your residential energy bill. The EPA estimates that the average US household spends $100 a year powering devices that are off. On a national basis, this standby power accounts for more than $10 billion in annual energy costs.

By using a power strip or unplugging unused appliances or power cords can reduce your energy bill as well as save the environment.

3. Buy Energy Star appliances. Energy Star is a standard for energy efficient consumer products. Devices carrying the Energy Star logo, such as computer products and peripherals, kitchen appliances, buildings and other products, generally use 20%–30% less energy than required by federal standards.

Energy Star estimates that if every American home replaced just one light bulb with an Energy Star light bulb (such as the Compact Fluorescent Light (CFL)), we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes for a year, about $700 million in annual energy costs, and prevent 9 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year, equivalent to the emissions of about 800,000 cars. They pay for themselves in 6 months and can save up to $30 over the lifetime of the bulb.

4. Air dry dishes and clothes – not using heat in your dishwasher can save up to 20% of your dishwasher’s electricity use.

5. Limit the use of air conditioning and heating – turn up the thermostat to 78 degrees in the summer and down to 68 in the winter. Every degree above 68 in the winter or below 78 in the summer adds 5% to the heating and cooling portion of our utility bill.

6. Refrigerators can account up to 20% of household electricity use. Use a thermometer to set your refrigerator temperature as close to 37 degrees and your freezer as close to 3 degrees as possible.

7. About 90% of the energy used for washing clothes in a conventional top-load washer is for heating the water. Set your clothes washer to the warm or cold water setting, not hot.

8. Only run your dishwasher and clothes washer when they are full.

9. Turn down your water heater thermostat. Thermostats are often set to 140 degrees F when 120 is usually fine. If every household turned its water heater thermostat down 20 degrees, we could prevent more than 45 million tons of annual CO2.

10.Clean or replace air filters as needed. Energy is lost when air conditioners and hot-air furnaces have to work harder to draw air through dirty filters. Cleaning a dirty air conditioner filter can save 5% of the energy used. That could save 175 pounds of CO2 per year.

There are many other things you can do, including insulating your house, buying solar panels but in this article we have focused on some easy low cost ideas.

One easy way to get more ideas is to use a home energy audit service like http://www.acterra.org/programs/greenathome/index.html from Acterra. A Bay Area-based organization, Acterra’s Green @ Home program which is free to Bay Area residents in certain towns. Trained Acterra volunteers come into your house and review your energy and water efficiency with you. Many similar services, some free some paid, are available across the U.S. and can save you money while helping the environment.

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How Green Is Your Junk Mail?

Created: Tuesday, June 8, 2010, 07:10 AM Modified: Tuesday, June 8, 2010, 11:06 PM

There have been several Reviews regarding junk mail lately on Consumer Change, so we thought it is only appropriate to review the environmental issues associated with paper and junk mail.

According to New American Dream:

· More than 100 million trees’ worth of bulk mail arrive in American mail boxes each year – that’s the equivalent of deforesting the entire Rocky Mountain National Park every four months. (New American Dream calculation from Conservatree and U.S. Forest Service statistics)

· In 2005, 5.8 million tons of catalogs and other direct mailings ended up in the U.S. municipal solid waste stream – enough to fill over 450,000 garbage trucks. Parked bumper to bumper these garbage trucks would extend from Atlanta to Albuquerque. Less than 36% of this ad mail was recycled. (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency)

· The production and disposal of direct mail consumes more energy than 3 million cars. (New American Dream calculation from U.S. Department of Energy and the Paper Task Force statistics)

· Citizens and local governments spend hundreds of millions of dollars per year to collect and dispose of all the bulk mail that doesn’t get recycled. (New American Dream estimate from EPA statistics)

With these statistics in mind, can junk mail be green? Clearly the greenest junk mail is the one that arrives in your inbox, but here are some considerations for the ones that arrive in your mailbox:

Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

In their own words: “FSC is an independent, non-governmental, not for profit organization established to promote the responsible management of the world’s forests. FSC is a certification system that provides internationally recognized standard-setting, trademark assurance and accreditation services to companies, organizations, and communities interested in responsible forestry.”

Look for the FSC logo on paper to determine that it came from sustainable sources.

Recycled Content

Using the Environmental Defense Fund’s Paper Calculator one ton of junk mail paper (assuming copy paper) made from 100% recycled paper saves:

26 trees
2,460 lbs of greenhouse gases
11,847 gallons of water
2.5 cubic yards of landfill space

Look for an indication that recycled content paper was used.

Duplex Printing

Printing on both sides of the paper reduces the amount of paper used by approximately half and cuts down on the weight of paper that needs to be transported. Duplex printing saves trees, ink and gas as well as money for the company – so simple we can’t understand why companies continue to print single-sided.

Soy-Based Ink

Soy ink is a kind of ink made from soybeans instead of the traditional petroleum-based ink, soy-based ink is more environmentally friendly and makes it easier to recycle paper.

Finally, why not use email instead? Email marketing services are cost effective, eco-friendly and allow for greater tracking of readership.

What You Can Do

· Get yourself removed from junk mail lists, register with the Direct Marketing Association’s (DMA) Mail Preference Service. Registering with the service indicates that you do not want to be contacted by solicitors.

· Recycle!

· When buying paper, choose paper that has recycled content or comes from a FSC certified source.

· Advocate for change through ConsumerChange.com.

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The World’s Most Overpackaged Product?

Created: Tuesday, June 1, 2010, 07:06 AM Modified: Tuesday, June 1, 2010, 02:21 PM

Last weekend was my son’s 8^th birthday and along with it, his birthday party. Like a lot of boys his age, he is into Bakugan, plastic monsters that curl up into balls and open up into their monstrous beings when placed on a magnet. Many of his gifts were Bakugans and he loves every one he got.

What I got was several bags worth of plastic and cardboard. Most parents know toys are over-packaged but this weekend has me wondering whether Bakugan has taken things to a new level. We looked at Over-packaging in our January 12, 2010 Blog and can summarize the associated environmental issues as:

· Waste of raw material

· Heavier packaging leads to more fuel expenditure during transportation

· More waste filling up our landfills.

Scroll down to read “Under-hype About Over-packaging” Blog posted January 12, 2010.

I was particularly shocked by ‘7 in 1 Helios’ – a toy made up of 7 individual Bakugan which can combine to form one ‘massive battle monster’. Each individual Bakugan is just over 1 inch in diameter, yet the box is 11” by 11”. Even allowing for the trading cards that come with it, the packaging size can be cut by approximately 50%. Further, the plastic part of the packaging that holds the toys in place (and presumably protects them from being crushed during shipping) is not recyclable – or at least does not have a recycling sign on it.

Bakugan is a collaboration between Spin Master Ltd and Sega Toys – neither have an online environmental policy (for Sega Toys I checked the English language website).

I decided to check the websites for the top two toy companies in the world to see if they had an environmental policy and said anything about packaging:

· Hasbro has a fairly detailed Environmental, Health and Safety section in their website. In particular they state: “Our stewardship includes careful conservation of the natural resources we use in all the areas of the company. We continue looking for ways to reduce waste, promote recycling, and increase efficiency of our energy and water use. We take an active role in using both natural and recycled resources in an environmentally sound manner.”

· Mattel’s Sustainability web pages, though less detailed than Hasbro’s states: “Historically, our sustainability efforts have focused on the manufacturing process, but we recognize that opportunity also lies in how we design our products and packaging.”

Mattel and Hasbro are much bigger than Sega Toys and Spin Master, have access to greater resources and I am simply quoting their web sites and have not verified their practices. They both scored well in Climate Counts reports; there are no reports on Spin Master or Sega Toys.

I am disappointed with Sega Toys and Spin Master. Being small is not an excuse to be unsustainable – the environment needs all the friends it can get. Next year my son and I will create a wish list consisting of sustainable toys.

What you can do:

· Support green toy companies – an online search reveals several wonderful companies that use sustainable practices.

· Instead of buying new toys, buy used through garage sales, thrift store or get them from freecycle.org.

· When throwing birthday parties, ask for donations to a good cause instead of toys (this strategy has never worked for me – guests typically get something anyway, but if you can make it work, it’s a great one!).

· Advocate for change through ConsumerChange.com.

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Sustainable Seafood – Fishing Through the Confusion

Created: Tuesday, May 25, 2010, 07:27 AM Modified: Tuesday, July 6, 2010, 12:44 PM

By Colleen Oteri, Green Restaurant Association

We’ve all heard the term “sustainable” quite a few times over the past 18 months. It’s one of the more common green buzzwords that are thrown around in meetings each week, yet there are still a number of people who have no idea what it means. It’s okay if you’re one of those people – to be fair, your vocabulary database has been invaded by a lot of new words since the dawn of the green movement.

Wikipedia’s definition: Sustainability, in a broad sense, is the capacity of maintaining a certain process or state. It is now most frequently used in connection with biological and human systems. In an ecological context, sustainability can be defined as the ability of an ecosystem to maintain ecological processes, functions, biodiversity and productivity into the future.

In short, the long, and often miss-spelled, word means “using today’s resources without harming the availability of those resources for future generations.”

With the planet in mind, there are hundreds of things consumers and restaurants can do to practice more sustainable habits. One is sourcing sustainable seafood.

There’s a lot to think about when you’re purchasing seafood. Is the species thriving, or is it overfished in certain regions? What methods are used to catch the fish? Does the fishing method harm other species in the process? Is the fish farmed or wild? Is the fish in season (yes, fish have seasons just like vegetables)? Does the fish contain dangerous pollutants such as mercury?

The Green Restaurant Association relies on the data, studies, research, and standards from Blue Ocean Institute, Monterey Bay Aquarium, and the Marine Stewardship Council to make our suggestions to restaurants in terms of their seafood sourcing needs.

Clearing up some confusion – the truth about farmed salmon

According to Blue Ocean Institute (BOI), all Atlantic Salmon sold in the U.S. is farmed. Farmed Salmon is on BOI’s red list for the following reasons: “High environmental costs of farming salmon include water pollution, spread of diseases to wild fish populations, high content of wild fish in feed, and overuse of antibiotics.”

Why is farming salmon “bad”? The crowded conditions of a salmon farm significantly contribute to poor health among the fish. Salmon farmers try to control diseases, and parasites like sea lice, by using antibiotics and pesticides. According to the Coastal Alliance for Aquaculture Reform, farmed salmon are fed more antibiotics per pound of body weight than any other livestock animal in North America. Not only do the fish consume these pesticides and antibiotics, but the unabsorbed material stays in the water, and the fish waste also negatively affects the environment.

Mercury – what is it and where does it come from?

Mercury enters the atmosphere mostly from industrial processes, and is deposited into waterways and oceans. Coal-burning power plants are the single largest source of mercury emissions. Methylmercury, by nature, binds to proteins so it is found throughout the fish (commonly tuna, swordfish, and other large, predatory fish). Methylmercury absorbs into food that fish eat, and they also absorb it by water passing through their gills. Older and larger fish absorb more because they’ve been around longer, or because they simply eat more because they’re a larger species.

Consuming seafood that is high in mercury can potentially cause birth defects and has been linked to some cancers, and therefore is the most dangerous to women of child-bearing age and children. The website GotMercury.org is a great resource to help calculate if you’re in the mercury “Danger Zone.” Simply enter your weight, the type and amount of fish you eat per week, and the calculator will tell you if you’re making healthy and safe seafood choices.

PCB’s

Fish also absorb organic chemicals like PCB’s from the water, and from their food. Bottom feeders are likely to have these contaminants, because they run off the land and settle at the bottom, in the species’ feeding grounds.

Save the fish, save the world

Currently, there are 10 species on BOI’s red list. Two of these are Atlantic Blue Fin Tuna and Chilean Sea Bass. Common on restaurant menus, these two are in serious danger of extinction. According to BOI:

· Chilean Sea Bass - really named Patagonian Toothfish, has a high market demand for this naturally long-lived fish drives depletion and creates an incentive for continued illegal fishing. One very small fishery in the South Atlantic is being sustainably managed according to the Marine Stewardship Council.

· Atlantic Bluefin Tuna - highly valued among sushi connoisseurs, Atlantic Bluefin Tuna have been exploited heavily since the 1970s and suffered extreme depletion. Since 1996, the World Conservation Union has listed the western population of Atlantic Bluefin Tuna as critically endangered and the eastern population as endangered.

The greener side

Farmed clams, mussels, and oysters top the BOI list for their natural contributions to the planet, and our diets. These particular shellfish filter feed, and don’t require fishmeal. When farmed/grown, these mollusks actually help the waters and ecosystems they’re in, acting as natural purifiers for the water. And no, that doesn’t mean you then consume any toxins they filter.

Fact: Wellfleet (Mass.) Oysters have been celebrated as some of the best oysters in the world for generations. In the beginning of the 1800s, Wellfleet’s native oyster population was nearly depleted. Modern-day aquaculture began as Wellfleetians imported young oysters from points south, flavored and fattened them in local estuaries, then harvested them for sale in the lucrative Boston market. Today, the waters surrounding Wellfleet Mass., on Cape Cod, are some of the cleanest waters around – paying tribute to generations of oysters, hard at work on the flats.

Also topping BOI’s green list is US Farmed Tilapia. Because of its closed system farming, raising these fish allows for a very low environmental impact. When you see tilapia on restaurant menus around the country, rest assured it’s a sustainable choice!

BOI’s green list outlines species that have some of the least environmental and health impacts, but it’s also important to remember that over consumption of these species could lead to their depletion in the future. Moderation is key.

Our Advice:

Trust the experts and use them as a resource. Blue Ocean Institute puts out the annual Guide to Ocean Friendly Seafood, and they also have downloadable versions of the guide that are PDA friendly. In addition, you can text the word FISH, along with the species in question, to 30644 to receive instant feedback regarding sustainability and health warnings. Monterey Bay Aquarium and the Seafood Watch Program are also fantastic resources for all things fishy.

For access to their guides, visit

www.blueocean.org

www.montereybayaquarium.org

About the Green Restaurant Association

2010 marks the 20th anniversary of the Green Restaurant Association’s (GRA) founding in 1990. The Green Restaurant Association is a national non-profit organization that provides the only official Certified Green Restaurants® mark in the country. For two decades, the GRA has pioneered the Green Restaurant® movement and has been the leading voice within the industry encouraging restaurants to listen to consumer demand and green their operations using transparent, science-based certification standards. With their turnkey certification system, the GRA has made it easy for thousands of restaurants to become more environmentally sustainable in a profitable manner. The GRA is endorsed by scores of national environmental organizations such as NRDC and Environmental Defense, and esteemed trade organizations including the New York State Restaurant Association, Orange County Restaurant Association, and America Public Garden Association. The GRA is also an Energy Star partner. In 2010, Citysearch announced the GRA as their official Green Restaurant® listing partner. The GRA has been featured on CNN, NBC Nightly News, NPR, and in The New York Times, and The Washington Post. For more information visit www.dinegreen.com.

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The Latest in E-Waste Recycling: e-Steward Certification

Created: Tuesday, May 18, 2010, 07:21 AM Modified: Tuesday, May 18, 2010, 07:21 AM

Originally published by Bill Kelly via Worldchanging: Bright Green by Amanda Reed on May 13, 2010.

Everyday I plug in my laptop to work, to play, to manage my finances, and to stay connected to friends and family. I couldn't live without it, but someday it will finally break down and I will have to dispose of it; I will add to the fastest-growing part of the United States waste stream. I know not to just throw my laptop in the trash, where it will sit in the landfill leaching heavy metals into the groundwater, but I also don't want to give it to an e-waste recycler that will simply transfer my toxic load to a developing country (Click here to see a stunning photo essay of China's electronic waste villages from Time Magazine.). I was pretty excited, therefore, to read about a new eco-label that will help me tell the good from the bad and find responsible e-waste recyclers: e-Stewards

E-Stewards is an independently audited certification program for e-waste recyclers based on standards set out by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It was developed by Basel Action Network (BAN), an American watchdog group, along with industry, government and nonprofit stakeholders, and environmental groups. Per BAN's "Fact Sheet" (PDF):

The e-Stewards Standard incorporates the global ISO 14001 standard for environmental management systems, plus many industry specific performance requirements, including a complete ban on exports of toxic e-waste from developed to developing countries, and the use of prison labor, landfills or incinerators for toxic materials. It also disallows shredding of mercury, and requires stringent worker health and safety protections.

The strict standards of e-Stewards' certification program follow the example of the Forest Stewardship Council and go beyond the voluntary standard, Responsible Recycling (R2), created by industry trade groups and the US Environmental Protection Agency. (For more discussion about the differences between the two programs see: "The Ever-Changing Landscape of E-Waste Recycling" from Popular Mechanics or "A Program to Certify Electronic Waste Recycling Rivals an Industry-U.S. Plan" from the New York Times)

This new certification program is truly worldchanging: it responds to social inequities and environmental problems, and builds consumer demand for responsible business practices by restructuring e-waste recycling through transparency and accountability. According to a Pike Research survey, 76% of American consumers believe recycling is the answer to e-waste. If e-waste continues to grow as projected, then e-Stewards is the answer to responsible recycling; it can help make sure that as e-waste recycling grows it won't mean that more waste and poisons end up in the developing world. To support this new labeling program, recycle electronics responsibly, and build demand for more certified e-waste recyclers, find an e-Steward recycler near you.

For more information about the social and environmental problems surrounding e-waste recycling, and what BAN and e-Stewards are doing about them, watch this video: "Taking Responsibility in the Digital Age"

e-Stewardship from Basel Action Network on Vimeo.

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Actions Speak Louder Than Words: American Express’ Use of Paper

Created: Tuesday, May 11, 2010, 07:06 AM Modified: Tuesday, May 11, 2010, 11:46 AM

Have you ever stayed in a hotel that had the signs telling you they won’t change the towels that are hung up? In my experience the towels will be changed regardless of how neatly you hang them up. In fact, in my experience there is almost always a discrepancy between the company’s environmental policy or their corporate social responsibility (CSR) report and what the company actually does.

This might not be intentional; it may be due to a lack of understanding by or training of employees. It could also be a lack of support by local management. Maybe the company has not thought of applying the policy in that particular area, or that item just has not been identified as a priority. There is also the possibility that the environmental policy statement and/or the CSR report are just words that have not been converted into actions, i.e., greenwashing.

Whatever the reason, one of the goals of ConsumerChange.com is to enable you to identify those gaps to businesses and advocate for change. Once identified, it is the responsibility of companies to close (or explain) those gaps.

This week, perhaps frustrated by the recent increase of wasted paper in my mailbox in the form of credit cards offers, I took a look at the Reviews posted on Consumer Change for American Express and compared it to the environmental statements in their CSR report.

American Express has a CSR report dated 2007/2008 (a later CSR report was not found on their website). Page 45 states: “We know that the Company is a large consumer of paper and we are focused on reducing this usage”. Page 49 goes on to state: “Employees in key functions are being educated about the opportunities for decreasing paper consumption.”

Yet the Review from one member complains about almost daily marketing materials from American Express, another talks about the lack of recycled content paper, a third complained about individual confirmation statements that could have been consolidated. The Reviews clearly have one theme – too much unnecessary paper be being used by American Express. These Reviews have been submitted to American Express and reminders have been sent. Yet no response has been received. You can read these on the Reviews page, write “American Express” in the Business Name box to filter the results.

The promotional mailing I received from American Express last week included 4 sheets of letter sized heavy stock paper (among other promotional material) all printed single sided!

Come on AmEx, you can do better than this! Start living up to your CSR report.

What You Can Do:

Use these tips to reduce the amount of paper mail you receive:

· Use web sites like StopjunkMail.org or TheGreenDimension.com to be removed from mailing lists.

· Sign up for e-statements from your financial institution.

· Advocate for change on ConsumerChange.com.

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Be Good To Mother Nature On Mother’s Day

Created: Tuesday, May 4, 2010, 06:37 AM Modified: Tuesday, May 4, 2010, 11:28 AM

The National Retail Foundation predicts that spending on Mother’s Day will be approximately $14.6 Billion. Mothers Day is second only to the winter holidays when it comes to spending. Billions will be spent on eating out, clothing, jewelry and flowers. This presents us with a $14.6 Billion opportunity to support green businesses this Mother’s Day:

1. Card. The Greeting Card Association estimates that 280 million Mother’s Day cards are sold each year. To reduce the impact, send an ecard, or if your mother is not online, buy a card made from recycled or ‘tree-free’ paper.

2. Brunch, Lunch or Dinner? Eat at a local restaurant specializing in organic or locally grown food and wine. The Green Restaurant Association has a search function on their website that allows you to search for Certified Green Restaurants in your neighborhood.

3. Clothing. Organic clothing is made free from synthetic chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers. Cotton, wool, linen (flax) and hemp can be grown organically; growing non-organic cotton takes up 10% of all agricultural chemicals in the United States. Organic fibers are easily compostable when their useful life has reached. However it is important to reduce the amount of overall purchases, so make sure any organic clothing is durable so that it will not need to be replaced quickly. Organic fibers may be mixed with naturally derived man-made fibers such as wood pulp, bamboo, soy and corn to make the clothing more durable and retain the compostablilty. Alternatively, buy vintage clothing.

4. Jewelry. There are several environmental and humane issues connected with jewelry. Mining destroys habitats and uses harmful toxins. According to No Dirty Gold the production of one gold ring generates 20 tons of mining waste.

Is there such a thing as eco-bling? If jewelry is on your shopping list, consider antique, pre-owned jewelry or purchasing from jewelers who are certified to be sourcing precious metals and gemstones in an ecologically and socially responsible manner.

5. Flowers. Florists see their highest sales in May. The U.S. Dept of Agriculture estimates that 70% of flowers are imported into the US, many of which are sprayed with harmful pesticides and fungicides which are banned here. Even flowers grown in the US can be harmful to the environment as flowers are one of the most pesticide intensive crops.

The easy fix? Buy locally grown organic flowers. You will reduce the carbon footprint from the transportation of the flowers and avoid toxins potentially harming the watershed and streams.

You can take it a step further and help your mother and mother nature with these simple gift ideas:

· Rechargeable batteries for the practical mom;

· A chic and handy reusable shopping bags for the fashionable mom;

· Water bottle and/or travel mug for the mom on the go;

· Native plants for the nature loving mom.

Do these tips sound familiar? We used many of the tips above in our Valentine’s Day Blog proving that simple green habits see you through many special days.

Happy Mother’s Day!

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Why I Buy Organic Produce

Created: Tuesday, April 27, 2010, 07:26 AM Modified: Tuesday, April 27, 2010, 07:29 AM

In the last month two people have scoffed at me for buying organic. One noted that I was paying more for food that has uncertified claims, the other insisted that organic produce has pesticides blown over from other farms so there is no point in buying organic.

On the first point, I look out for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Organic label. This means that the food is produced and processed according to USDA standards and at least 95% of ingredients are organically produced. The USDA organic certification requires all organic foods to meet strict government standards. These standards regulate how such foods are grown, handled and processed.

On the second point, I noted that pesticides blown over from another field are likely to be less concentrated than pesticides sprayed directly onto a crop. I am not sure whether studies have been done on this but it seems common sense.

I have been buying organic food ever since I read a book about child development, while pregnant. This book cited a study called An Anthropological Approach to the Evaluation of Preschool Children Exposed to Pesticides in Mexico (see note 1 below). The findings of this study shocked me so much I resolved to feed my child only organic food for as long as possible. From that day on, we buy almost exclusively organic.

Organic farming practices are designed to encourage soil and water conservation and reduce pollution. Organic farmers:

1) Must not use genetically modified seeds or plants;

2) Use natural fertilizers;

3) Use beneficial insects and birds to reduce pests (instead of pesticides);

4) Use natural herbicides, rather than using chemical weedkillers.

These practices benefit the environment by reducing pollutants, conserving soil and water. It also means that less artificial chemicals (via pesticides and fertilizers) get absorbed by our bodies.

What You can Do:

§ Read food labels carefully.

§ Don't confuse natural foods with organic foods. Only those products with the "USDA Organic" label have met USDA standards.

§ Wash all fresh fruits and vegetables thoroughly with running water to reduce the amount of dirt and bacteria.

¹.An anthropological approach to the evaluation of preschool children exposed to pesticides in Mexico. E A Guillette, M M Meza, M G Aquilar, A D Soto, and I E Garcia www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1533004/

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5 Easy Ways to Go Green For Earth Day

Created: Tuesday, April 13, 2010, 07:08 AM Modified: Tuesday, April 13, 2010, 07:08 AM

Earth Day is the day designated for appreciating the earth's environment and raising awareness of the issues that threaten it. The first Earth Day was on April 22, 1970 introduced by Senator Gaylord Nelson, a US senator, to bring environmental issues onto the national political agenda. Earth Day is observed in 175 countries, and coordinated by the nonprofit organization Earth Day Network. The passage of the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act are considered to be associated with the 1970 Earth Day. Earth Day celebrates its 40^th birthday this year on April 22^nd.

In recognition of Earth Day, here are 5 simple things for the novice greenie to do that not only help save the environment but put money back into your pocket too.

1. Use reusable water bottles

Americans buy more than half a billion bottles of water each week. The issues with bottled water are numerous:

· Petroleum is used to make the bottles;

· About 27% of the bottles are recycled, the other 73% go into the landfills;

· Water, which is available from a tap, is transported from the bottling site to the store and ultimately to our houses causing greenhouse gases along the way;

· The FDA only requires that bottled water is as good as tap water. An NRDC study estimates that 25% of bottled water is really just tap water.

To save money and help the environment, buy a reusable water bottle and fill it up with good old tap water. If you do not trust the tap water, using a filter is still much better than buying bottled water.

No need to take my word for it, this video from the Story of Stuff Project, explains it all:

2. Use reusable plastic bags

Single use bags in particular, plastic, are very bad for the environment. Not only are they made out from petroleum but the recycling rates are low. WorldWatch Inst. estimates that about 100 Billion are used and discarded in the US alone, at the cost of 12 million barrels of oil. Many of those plastic bags end up in landfills and some flow into the ocean and probably join the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which a floating island of trash estimated at twice the size of Texas where plastic particles are more abundant than plankton.

You can find reusable bags at most retail stores these days. Invest in a couple and you can save 300-700 plastic bags a year.

3. Unplug the Vampires

Many power cords suck up energy even if they are switched off, either because the appliance remains on stand-by waiting to be switched on with a remote control or an adapter, disconnected from the device they are supposed to be charging such as a cell phone or lap top, continues to suck up energy. This is known as vampire or phantom energy and can account for about 10% of your residential energy bill. The EPA estimates that the average US household spends $100 a year powering devices that are off. On a national basis, this standby power accounts for more than $10 billion in annual energy costs.

By using a power strip or unplugging unused appliances or power cords can reduce your energy bill as well as save the environment.

4. Eat like a vegetarian once a week

Farming requires fossil fuels to make fertilizer, run tractors, process and transport food. It takes many calories of grains to make one calorie of meat; animals and manure produce greenhouse gases like methane and nitrous oxide. As a result, producing meat emits more greenhouse gases than growing crops. A 2006 United Nation report revealed that the “livestock sector” generates more greenhouse gas emissions than all the cars, trucks, trains, ships, and planes in the world combined.

Environmental Defense estimates that, “If every American skipped one meal of chicken per week and substituted a vegetarian meal, the carbon dioxide savings would be the same as taking more than half a million cars off of U.S. roads.

5. Buy smart

Consumerism, the constant buying and disposing of stuff, leads to a lot of environmental issues, including extraction, manufacture, packaging, transportation and disposal of goods. Limit purchases to what you really need, after all, Reduce is the first of the 3R’s: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

When you do need to buy something invoke the second R, Reuse, and save money by buying through thrift stores, online through Craigslist or eBay, or have fun visiting yard sales.

Have fun celebrating Earth Day 2010, and with these easy tips, save money and help save the planet too.

Comment 1

By: elliekehmeier On: Thursday, April 22, 2010, 04:59 PM

Great ideas for Earth Day and beyond!

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Easy Tips for a Greener Easter

Created: Tuesday, March 30, 2010, 11:42 AM Modified: Tuesday, March 30, 2010, 11:45 AM

Bunnies, chocolate, egg hunts and baskets; Easter may not be as excessive as Christmas but it has its share of consumerism. A National Retail Federation Survey estimates that there will be $1.9 billion profit from Easter candy alone this year. Just the amount of Peeps Chicks and Bunnies eaten at Easter could circle the earth.

However, it doesn’t have to be all sugar and waste; here are some steps to make your Easter greener:

1. Easter Basket

Get a high-quality wooden basket and re-use it so it will last for years. You can reuse baskets for gathering flowers, vegetables, or to hold things like fruit or magazines. Or just re-use it for next Easter, my son has used the same basket for 5 years and it’s still going strong.

2. Grass

Plastic is made from petroleum and does not break down in a landfill. Instead of plastic grass for Easter baskets, consider using real or paper grass which can be composted or recycled afterwards.

3. Chocolate

According to Global Exchange, 284,000 children are employed abusive labor conditions in West Africa’s cocoa fields. Many cocoa companies pay so low that many farmers cannot meet their basic needs. Instead buy organic fair trade chocolate. Organic to reduce the impact of pesticides and fertilizers on the environment. Fair trade to make sure that forced and abusive child labor are prohibited, farmers get an adequate price and environmentally sustainable production methods are used in the making of chocolate for your loved one. Not calorie free but definitely guilt free.

Look for the chocolates with the least amount of packaging, and avoid the small chocolate eggs wrapped in foil.

4. Candy

Buy candy that’s been made with real fruits, fruit juice and natural colors, avoid artificial colors. For the issues associated with food coloring see our March 9 2010 Blog.

Instead of candy, consider eco-friendly toys and natural art supplies.

5. Eggs

According to the Humane Society of the United States, there are approximately 280 million laying hens in the United States, over 95% of which are confined in battery cages–cages so restrictive the birds can’t spread their wings. There are a number of choices, look for these options: Certified Organic, Certified Humane, Free Range or Free Roaming, and Cage-Free.

What about those plastic eggs filled with treats and used for egg hunts? Plan on re-using the same plastic eggs year on year. Or even better, how about a fun family project making paper mache eggs instead and using them for egg hunts as a earth-friendly alternative? See instructions here.

If you are using real eggs, dye your organic free range eggs with beets, onion skins, red cabbage, and spinach. See the instructions here.

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Census Bureau’s Advance Letter – Impact On Trees

Created: Tuesday, March 16, 2010, 07:33 AM Modified: Tuesday, March 16, 2010, 07:33 AM

Last week, along with millions of other Americans, I got a letter from the US Census Bureau to let me know that I will be receiving a Census form in the mail next week.

My immediate reaction was outrage that in a time of climate change and a huge national deficit the government is wasting paper and money with these mailings. I decided to investigate further.

The U.S. Census Bureau mailed about 120 million advance letters notifying households that 2010 Census forms will be arriving soon. The one-page letter urges households to complete the census form when it arrives and to return it. Census Bureau research shows that reaching out to respondents with an advance letter can boost census mail-back rates and save the cost of in-person reminder visit to non-responders.

These letters and reminder postcards cost $85 million to print and mail but could save over $500 million as personal reminder visits cost an average of $56 per household visited.

So maybe not a waste of money but surely a waste of paper? Nowhere on the letter did it state that the letter and envelope had any recycled content, however the Census Bureau has stated that the Census itself will be printed on 30% recycled content paper. I did some calculations using both assumptions. I have ignored the environmental impact of the address window and envelope glue.

The letter and the envelope of the advance letters make up about 1.76 sheets of 8.5” x 11” paper sent to 120 million households, that makes 211 million sheets of paper. There are many estimates available on the internet about how many sheets of paper one tree produces, I decided to use a fairly conservative estimate by HowStuffWorks.com which estimates that 80,500 sheets of paper are made by an average pine tree. So the US Census Bureau’s advance letter was about 2,621 trees (or 1,835 trees if they used 30% recycled content paper). About one-tenth of the trees in Central Park!

What you can do:

· Put the advance letter and envelope you received from the US Census Bureau in the recycle bin;

· Complete and mail back the census as soon as possible to avoid a reminder postcard and possibly an in-person reminder visit.

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Greening St Patrick’s Day – The Natural Way

Created: Tuesday, March 9, 2010, 09:30 AM Modified: Tuesday, March 9, 2010, 09:30 AM

St Patrick’s Day is on March 17, and in addition to wearing green, many Americans will be eating green food and drinking green beer. Chicagoans will dye the river green. Unfortunately in this context the color green does not signify sustainable, in fact, it is often the opposite. This week we decided to investigate the issues associated with artificial food colorings and dyes.

According to Institute of Agriculture and Trade Policy, synthetic food dyes, mostly petroleum-derived, are unnecessary. FDA-approved uses for synthetic food dyes include: making foods more fun (e.g., Valentine’s sprinkles or brightly colored candies); coloring for otherwise colorless foods (e.g., lime sherbet); and enhancing natural color. Synthetic food dyes are used in a number of foods such as Fruit Loops and popsicles, but also butter, the skins of fruit and the casings of hot dogs. Synthetic dyes are especially common in foods marketed to children, including candies as well as many foods, dressings, treats, and dipping sauces at fast food outlets.

According to the Centre for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), synthetic food dyes have been suspected of disrupting children's behavior since the 1970s, when Dr. Ben Feingold, a San Francisco allergist, reported that his patients improved when their diets were changed. Numerous controlled studies in the United States, Europe, and Australia proved that some children’s behavior is worsened by artificial dyes. A 2007 study by the United Kingdom’s Food Standards Agency showed that the consumption of foods containing dyes could increase hyperactive behavior in children.

In July 2008, the European Parliament voted to add warning labels with the phrase "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children" to products with the six synthetic red and yellow dyes. In the same year, the UK's Food Standards Agency, the British regulatory counterpart to our Food and Drug Administration, asked food makers to voluntarily recall six artificial colors in food by 2009. Some companies now sell two versions of their products: one without synthetic food dyes for the UK, and a U.S. version that includes such dyes.

In the US, the CSPI formally petitioned the FDA for a ban on Yellow 5, Red 40, and six other widely used artificial colorings that are linked to hyperactivity and behavior problems in children. The FDA is still considering the ban.

What you can do:

· Make your own green dye from red onions, courtesy of ehow.com:

1. Rinse the onions. Peel off the outer dry layers of the onions.

2. Put the onion skins into a glass or enamel pan. Put in your cup of water. Cover.

3. Bring to a hearty boil on medium high heat. When it reaches a full rolling boil, turn it to medium heat.

4. Let the juice sit and cool. Strain it and take out the onion skins. Toss these. The green juice you have left is your green dye.

· Buy natural food colorings and dyes.

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Consumer Change – The Response Process

Created: Tuesday, March 2, 2010, 10:54 AM Modified: Tuesday, March 2, 2010, 10:54 AM

Why Hand Out Trophies Just For Having Fun?

Created: Monday, February 8, 2010, 10:40 PM Modified: Monday, February 8, 2010, 10:40 PM

Originally published by Dave Kehmeier in Silicon Valley Community Newspapers.

I counted my son’s soccer trophies the other day. Buried under a thick layer of dust and boyhood detritus on his bookshelf were 23 trophies in various shapes and sizes. Looking at all that hardware, you’d think we’re raising the next Pelé.

And those are just the soccer trophies. He’s got t-ball, basketball, and flag football trophies too. Counting the box full of his oldest ones packed away in the garage somewhere, I figure he’s won about as many sports trophies as my entire generation combined.

All of the trophies are made of cheap plastic with fake woodgrain or marble bases and metallic paint flaking off sports figurines displaying impossibly correct throwing, passing, or shooting form. They look impressive, but as soon as you pick one up, you get the feeling you’d better put it back down gently before something breaks off. Basically, the trophies are a bunch of a word we try not to use around my son much.

Sooner or later, that bunch of “word” is going to end up in a landfill. If I don’t do it first, the woman he marries most certainly will. All those trophies take up a lot of space and besides, there’s nothing more pathetic than a grown man desperately clinging to the dubious accomplishments of his youth. Wait – did I just write that out loud?

The sad thing is, it’s not just my son. According to the Internet (which I have no reason to question when it serves my purposes), an estimated 48 million 5 to 17-year-olds played organized youth sports in the U.S in 1995. There’s probably at least a couple more million playing now. If we give 50 million kids, say, 2 trophies a year and the trophies are 15 inches tall on average, they'd nearly reach around the world at the equator. The last thing the earth needs from us right now is an equatorial ring of trophy junk every year. What a waste. Someone should get a red card for this.

And they’re not just junk, they’re pointless junk. Most of my son’s trophies are participation trophies. Those are just for showing up even if your best play of the season was taking a ball in the face off a penalty kick. Show up, and you get a trophy. Show up once in a while, have a crummy attitude, play lousy, and you still get a trophy. What’s so special about that? The truth is, after about half a dozen trophies, they all start to lose any meaningful significance.

It turns out, kids play sports for fun. In fact, in a survey of the top 10 reasons why kids play sports, they listed having fun as their number one reason. I found this out on the Internet too. It’s definitely true for my son, although the most fun for him is finding a stick during practice and chasing his teammates around the field with it.

My guess is that 99.99% of kids would still play sports even if we didn’t hand out any trophies. They’d probably have just as much fun, too. Sure, they’d cry foul at first because they’re used to us rewarding them for any effort regardless of outcome. But they’d get over it eventually. In the meantime, there are always the post-game snacks to sugar them up and keep them happy.

So even though banning youth sports trophies would be good for the environment and the kids really don’t need them, I doubt it will happen; the trophy industry is too entrenched. But I’m still hoping I can get my son to part with his collection before it becomes a future marital issue.

I’m going to keep my 2007 “Coach of the Year” plaque, though. It’s made of real wood and I’ll probably never get another one. Especially if the players on my team read this.

With thanks to Dave Kehmeier and Silicon Valley Community Newspapers for allowing us to post this article.

Comment 1

By: elliekehmeier On: Thursday, April 22, 2010, 04:58 PM

Fantastic column! Okay, so I'm biased (it was written by my husband). He got more emails from strangers following the publishing of this column than any other he's ever written. Many emailers told their own stories of how they never got participation trophies and how much more their few trophies meant to them because there were truly earned. Some told Dave how they were handing this column out to everyone in the league (emailing of course to save trees) and encouraging their league to forgo participation trophies or at least downsize to small medallions. Give it a try with your sports league!

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The Importance of Recycling

Created: Tuesday, February 2, 2010, 09:19 AM Modified: Tuesday, February 2, 2010, 09:19 AM

About one-third of the Reviews submitted on Consumer Change are about recycling, usually about the lack of recycling facilities in an establishment or a “thanks” for supplying those facilities. So for this weeks’ Blog we thought we would do a quick recycling Q&A.

1) How much of our waste is recycled?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, in 2008, approximately 250 million tons of waste was produced in the United States, and roughly 83 million tons of that waste was recycled. These figures indicate that 33.2 percent of all waste produced in 2008 (within the United States) was recycled. However the EPA estimates that up to 75% is recyclable, so we have a long way to go.

2) Is recycling better for the environment? (You’d be surprised at how many people have asked me this question).

While recycling is a better alternative than just throwing stuff away, it is, by far, the least efficient way to lessen our footprint. Recycle is the last of the three R's of the environment:

Reduce – cut back on the amount of stuff you are using buying and using (consumer goods, petrol, electricity, water, etc.)

Reuse - water bottles, reuseable plastic bags are great examples of things that are reusable. The more you reuse, the less you need to buy and the less you need to throw away.

Recycle

3) Why is Recycling Important?

There are several ways which recycling helps the environment:

· Saving Energy

When new products are manufactured from ‘virgin materials’, the amount of energy consumed is much higher than when they are manufactured from recycled products. In addition, the energy required to acquire and transport the ‘virgin’ raw materials from their origins or natural sources is also saved.

· Reducing Pollution

The processing of fresh raw material creates toxic materials which pollute the environment. For example, every ton of aluminum that is mined, another ton of toxic chemicals is left behind to contaminate water supplies, however foil and soda cans made from recycled materials eliminate this type of pollution. Producing paper from recycled pulp versus virgin fiber emits 95 percent less air pollution; manufacturing glass from recycled materials generates 20 percent less air pollution.

· Saving Natural Resources

Recycling helps in saving our natural resources, for example, once an old newspaper is recycled we do not need to use the resource of another tree to produce new paper products.

· Economic Benefits

Similar to energy and natural resource, recycling also helps in saving a lot of expense required the production of new products from ‘virgin’ materials. Recycling process creates employment opportunities for a lot of people, involved in the various stages of the process.

· Recycling Saves Landfill Space

Most of the landfill sites are filled up with a lot of waste products that could have been recycled effectively. Some of these waste materials belong to non-biodegradable category which takes a long time to decompose. Recycling enables proper usage of these waste products and saves space for landfills.

4) How can I recycle?

According to Earth911.org curbside recycling now serves half of the U.S. population, providing the most convenient means for households to recycle a variety of materials. While all curbside programs differ, the most commonly included materials are “The Big Five:”

o Aluminum

o Glass

o Paper

o Plastic

o Steel

If you have items that you cannot reuse, freecycle or donate, Earth911.org can help you find local recyclers.

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Green Tips for Valentine’s Day

Created: Wednesday, January 27, 2010, 09:46 AM Modified: Wednesday, January 27, 2010, 09:46 AM

There is no need to sacrifice romance for the environment this Valentine’s Day, Consumer Change has collected some tips to help you keep your red-hot love life green.

1. Card. According to Greeting Card Association, almost 1 Billion Valentine’s Day cards are sold each year; laid end to end, they would circle the world five times.

What can you do to reduce the impact? Send an ecard, buy a card made from recycled paper, or buy a ‘tree-free’ card - cards are now available made from (among other things) banana skins, reclaimed sugar cane or elephant poo, although that last one may not be the best idea for Valentine’s Day.

2. Flowers. According to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, around 70% of flowers are imported into the US, many of which are sprayed with harmful pesticides and fungicides which are banned here. Even flowers grown in the US can be harmful to the environment as flowers are one of the most pesticide intensive crops.

The easy fix? Buy locally grown organic flowers. You will reduce the carbon footprint from the transportation of the flowers and avoid toxins potentially harming the watershed and streams.

3. Chocolate. According to Global Exchange, 284,000 children are employed abusive labor conditions in West Africa’s cocoa fields. Many cocoa companies pay so low that many farmers cannot meet their basic needs.

Guilt free chocolate? Organic fair trade chocolate. Organic to reduce the impact on the environment. Fair trade to make sure that forced and abusive child labor are prohibited, farmers get an adequate price and environmentally sustainable production methods are used in the making of chocolate for your loved one. Not calorie free but definitely guilt free.

5. Dinner. Arrange dinner at a local restaurant specializing in organic or locally grown food and wine. The Green Restaurant Association has a search function on their website that allows you to search for Certified Green Restaurants in your neighborhood.

6. Candlelight. Conventional candles can pollute indoor environments, use beeswax or soy-wax candles that burn much cleaner.

7. And then? One of the most innovative areas of green entrepreneurialship is eco-sex toys. An online search for green sex toys has over 12 Million results. Have fun finding the perfect one for you and your partner.

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Rethinking The Green Packaging Paradigm

Created: Monday, January 18, 2010, 09:17 PM Modified: Monday, January 18, 2010, 09:18 PM

Originally published by JoAnn Hines (http://packagingdiva.com) on Amazon Green Scene on December 21, 2009.

Green packaging is here to say or so they say this time. This is the third attempt to make the packaging industry more environmentally aware and to offer sensible solutions to solving the problem. There are several reasons behind the previous failures but mostly it was because the consumer wasn't ready, it cost too much and it wasn't all that popular with the majority of the public.

Now the consumer is ready to support more eco friendly packaging alternatives.
But at this point they are totally confused by the reality of it all. What constitutes environmentally or sustainable packaging?

There are many eco terms used by the packaging industry and other organizations that are misunderstood and in many cases (according to the FTC misrepresented.) The term coined to cover this phraseology is called 'Greenwashing'. By definition Greenwashing is the practice of making an unsubstantiated or misleading claim about the environmental benefits of a product, service, technology or company practice.

In the case of packaging you will hear terms such as, bioplastics, bioresins, compostable, biodegradable, sustainable, recyclable, all used to reinforce an environmentally friendly packaging message. The problem is much of this is misleading nomenclature, or at the very least misunderstood. Yet companies are clamoring to come up with the latest buzz phrase to capture that elusive consumer who wants less packaging, packaging reduction or packaging that can be repurposed in a different way.

But less packaging or a different packaging material is not the answer. We need to look at packaging holistically that is from the raw materials used through the manufacturing process to the ultimate disposal. Think about how packaging can be integrated into the entire big picture.

What most consumers don't understand is that we can't have products without packaging and what manufactures and CPG's don't understand is that consumers want to see lees of it. There in lies the problem, miscommunication!

There are numerous fabulous examples such as Terracycle repurposing packaging into other products or companies like Method that has done an incredible job of designing packaging that used over and over again by using refills (using much less packaging) or the old standby example of source reduction the Ultra detergents. These are a start towards feasible less packaging and packaging reduction solutions.

But the bottom line is how can we design and incorporate packaging so that products arrive undamaged, sanitary and uncontaminated while educating and informing the consumer, selling the product, yet contribute a minimum amount of packaging material to the waste stream' That's the answer the packaging companies should be seeking.

As a start, consider these 6 R's in your package design process.

Reduce: That is use less packaging where possible. Example the Ultra detergents.
Refill: Have a container that can be easily refilled with products using a lot less packaging material. Example: Method

Repurpose: Design the packaging with another purpose in mind after it has been consumed. Examples: Packaging that turns into other products.

Recycle: Partner with a company that will turn use packaging into something else. Example: Teracycle

Reuse: By products in packaging that can be used over and over again. Example: Refillable water bottles.

Renew: Consider using packaging from the renewal natural resources. Example Cargo Plant Love (plantable container)

So rethink the entire packaging equation from conception to disposal. Don't continue to packaging things the same old way just because it's been done that way for years. Less packaging is not the answer it's just one of many environmentally-friendly packaging solutions.

With thanks to JoAnn Hines and Amazon Green Scene for allowing us to post this article. Note: pictures in the original had to be omitted as our Blog posts do not support graphics.

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Under-hype About Over-Packaging?

Created: Tuesday, January 12, 2010, 11:13 AM Modified: Tuesday, January 12, 2010, 11:13 AM

This week, we are continuing the series of Blogs about the issues addressed by the Consumer Change iPhone App. Last week I shared an article I wrote about Polystyrene disposable containers that was published by Eucalyptus Magazine (see page 23). This week I thought I would Blog about the second eco-sin which is addressed by the Consumer Change iPhone App – over-packaging.

There are three main problems with over-packaging:

1) It wastes raw materials, usually cardboard, plastic and sometimes Styrofoam too. The more cardboard that is used, the more trees that are cut. The more plastic that is used, the more petroleum is used. To read about the environmental issues associated with Styrofoam, see the Blog of January 5, 2010;

2) Over packaged goods are heavier to ship, wasting more fuel in the distribution process;

3) Over packaging creates more waste filling up our landfills. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, one-third of our waste is due to packaging.

Clearly, some packaging is required to keep goods and products clean, safe and free from wear and tear. However, right-packaging (as opposed to over-packaging) should be a low hanging fruit for any business; they would save money on packaging and shipping costs in addition to helping the environment. A great example is Dell who in December 2008 announced that they would switch to greener packaging and that would result in savings of over $8 Million over 4 years and eliminate 20 Million pounds of packaging.

What You Can Do:

· Buy bulk and, where necessary, separate out individual servings into your own reusable containers;

· Vote with your pocket; choose the goods or products with the least amount of packaging or the environmentally friendly packaging. Buy loose fruits and vegetables instead of those packaged in Styrofoam trays and shrink-wrap;

· Recycle your packaging. For a list of your local recycling centers, visit Earth911;

· Reuse your packaging - hang onto those Styrofoam peanuts and cardboard boxes they might come in handy. I see a lot of people requesting these on FreeCycle.org;

· Buy or acquire used wherever possible to reduce the environmental burden of the product, its packaging and shipping. And you’ll save money too;

· Tell companies what you think by submitting Reviews on ConsumerChange.com or through the Consumer Change iPhone App.

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