Barack Obama’s plan to pull the country out of recession has a strong green hue. Conventional wisdom says Washington won’t have the stomach or the dollars to tackle long-term issues like climate change or dependence on foreign oil when the economy is in the tank and oil prices have plunged. Wrong conclusion, Obama says. These problems, “left unaddressed, will continue to weaken the economy and threaten national security,” he said on Nov. 18 in a video message to a climate summit meeting in California.

His fix? Obama plans to set ambitious targets for reducing emissions that cause global warming—and to invest $15 billion or more per year in energy efficiency, renewables like wind and solar, biofuels, nuclear power, and “clean” coal. Beyond the environmental benefits, says the President-elect, the investment “will also help us transform our industries and steer our economy out of this economic crisis by generating 5 million new green jobs that pay well and can’t be outsourced.”

Whether or not a “green” stimulus will create millions of American jobs is hotly debated by economists. On the one hand, the seeds of the transformation have already been planted thanks to market forces, such as overall higher energy prices, and government policies like tax credits for renewable energy. But there are also major questions. Many executives and experts say the most effective policy to push America toward a clean, efficient energy future is putting a price on emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, thus raising the price of energy. That’s a tough sell now to Americans struggling to pay their bills. There’s also a danger that the government could steer investments to the wrong technologies. Remember synfuels, President Jimmy Carter’s experiment to reduce dependence on foreign oil? Most important, a green stimulus plan from Uncle Sam may end up sending billions of dollars to foreign companies instead of to Main Street, since the U.S. lags in such crucial industries as solar panels and wind turbines. Will green technologies become today’s VCRs and flat-panel TVs, invented in the U.S. and commercialized elsewhere?

But the fear of enriching overseas companies simply makes a green stimulus more necessary and urgent, proponents argue. Without a plan like Obama’s, which would expand U.S. markets for new technologies, American companies may fall even further behind. Michael R. Splinter, CEO of Applied Materials (AMAT) in Santa Clara, Calif., is a believer in the need for government support. Splinter has seen his business of supplying equipment for factories to make solar panels soar beyond his wildest projections. But 97% of the company’s equipment goes to foreign manufacturers, who then sell panels in the U.S. It seems like the U.S. has “given up on manufacturing,” Splinter laments. “Right now we are on a path to being a second-tier player in clean energy technology.”

A plan like Obama’s could turbocharge American industries, Splinter and other executives say. Why have European companies become world leaders in wind and solar power? Because a number of governments guarantee that anyone who supplies renewable power to the electric grid will get a premium price for that power. That cost is then passed along to customers.

POLITICAL LAND MINES

Similar incentives could work magic in the U.S., says Lester Brown, president of the Earth Policy Institute. America already has a vibrant green-energy sector, so the transformation could be rapid. There are upward of 3 million Americans employed in green jobs, ranging from renewable-power startups to businesses with products that reduce waste and pollution or boost energy efficiency.

And even when goods come from foreign companies, some of the jobs will be in the U.S. One growing trend is for European and Asian manufacturers to build factories in America so they can be closer to what promises to be the world’s largest market.

Spanish wind company Gamesa is bringing 1,000 jobs to several factories in Pennsylvania and its North American headquarters in Philadelphia. In Memphis, Sharp opened its first plant outside of Japan for making solar panels.

Some green industries are homegrown by nature. Biofuel refineries need to be built near the crops that provide the feedstock. Even more jobs would be created by making U.S. houses and buildings more energy efficient, argues economist Robert Pollin of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. “There is about $26 billion in retrofitting on public buildings that could be done the day after legislation is signed,” Pollin says. “The job impacts are very high. Each $1 million in spending would bring about 18 jobs.”

What could Washington do to grow the green economy? Limit emissions of greenhouse gases, thus raising the price of using fossil fuel and steering the industry toward more environmentally friendly alternatives. Continue or boost tax credits for biofuels, wind, and solar. Make infrastructure investments, such as building transmission lines needed to bring power from large solar power plants in the desert or from North Dakota’s windswept prairies. And increase federal dollars for energy research and development, aiding programs that have withered during years of declining funding. All of this, proponents say, would foster enough innovation to help American companies leapfrog their overseas rivals. “America’s future depends on our ability to spark an energy revolution,” argues Massachusetts Institute of Technology President Susan Hockfield.

Skeptics wonder, however, if such a sweeping transformation is possible. “The optimist in me wants to believe it,” says Matthew E. Kahn, an economist at the University of California, Los Angeles. “The cynic in me asks, is this like FDR jobs creation in the guise of green jobs?” Kahn believes that rather than spending federal dollars, the best approach is simply increasing the price of carbon—which is politically difficult.

Passing Obama’s green stimulus package will be an uphill battle, and its success if implemented is far from certain. But the nation’s financial mess is so bad that the President-elect has a freer hand. He also needs to show action on climate change to help restore America’s reputation around the world—and to bring China and India on board. The surge earlier this year in oil prices (expected to rise again after the recession ends) even has brought traditional opponents of renewable energy and climate action to the bipartisan table, as long as they get expanded drilling rights. Says Thomas J. Donohue, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce: “Energy policy can create jobs, give an economic lift, and get us out of this ditch.”

By John Carey

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_49/b4111030857315.htm

Sometimes a gift is not just a gift.

It also might be a way to help someone in a developing country make a living wage, support AIDS orphans or fund a museum that transports people into history, art or space.

Gifts that give a portion of their proceeds to a charity, cause or a civic organization are a hot ticket at a time when conspicuous consumption appears to be waning.

Often, gifts with a conscience go beyond the feel-good, earth-friendly standards of sustainable, recycled or organic materials. By sustaining an entire community, for example, batik print textiles or jewelry operations can help keep workers out of sweatshops or sex trades and keep children out of the labor force.

The purchase of a magic kit from the store inside The History Museum at the Castle in Appleton, meanwhile, can help keep the local institution afloat.

“Sale proceeds account for about 6½ percent of our operational revenue,” spokeswoman Tiffany Niederwerfer said. “The income is important to the museum because the dollars are unrestricted. Essentially, it helps us keep the lights on.”

As a bonus, some museum shops have unusual gift ideas. Make that highly unusual.

The small store in front of The Building for Kids, an Appleton children’s museum, includes stocking stuffers such as cheddar-flavored crickets, kazoos shaped like lips and chicken chuckers, all of which are huge hits with small kids.

“We try to have things you’re not going to find at the big box stores,” executive director Dorrie Hipschman said.

Fair trade

The term fair trade indicates those who made, grew or created the object were paid a fair wage and work in livable conditions. The term is common in coffeehouses that serve fair-trade beans.

Now it’s spreading to gift and import stores that want to continue what the coffeehouses started, namely a conscientious way to shop.

“Every single product in our store has helped someone retain a job in the U.S. or has given someone an opportunity to make a fair and living wage in a developing country,” said Genelle Van Heuklon, co-owner at Globally Sound, an Appleton gift and imports shop. “‘Fair trade’ is a guarantee that all components are made not using children or slave labor.”

They’re taking the vetting process seriously.

“It’s a difficult process,” said Van Heuklon, who opened the downtown shop with her mother. They wanted all goods in their shop to have a clear conscience.

They check to see that the baskets, beads and ornaments have documentation.

“A lot of it is based on certifications of different fair trade organizations and nonprofit organizations working with developing countries,” she said.

“If they don’t have the documents, we don’t buy it,” her mother, Germaine Millard, said.

Downtown Designs is another shop in downtown Appleton that places an emphasis on fair-trade goods.

“We’re going through the Fair Trade Federation approved and stamped sources,” said Sara Mahn, shop owner with her mother, Laura Vartanian.

They’ve stocked batiks from Ghana, jewelry from sub-Saharan Africa and baskets woven from recycled telephone wire by Zulu tribe members. Women in New Delhi make mosaic bracelets to earn fair wages, work in safe conditions and have access to health care. In jewelry, many pieces are made from tagua nuts, an alternative to ivory and elephant slaughter.

“Everything has a story,” Mahn said.

Museum shops

The beauty of shopping in museum shops is that gifts are often unique, local or educational.

Gift shops are typically found at the entrances of museums so shoppers can come in without paying admission. In the case of Hearthstone, shoppers can ask to go downstairs for free to the small basement shop that carries logo merchandise and art.

Most important, museum shops funnel their profits back into their operating budgets.

After expenses, the shop at the front of The Building for Kids, for example, will add $35,000 to the museum’s funding.

“It directly benefits the operations of the museum,” Hipschman said.

While that might seem like a drop in the bucket in the museum’s nearly $1 million annual budget, the shop is not just there to generate funds.

“It’s important because it’s a part of our mission to promote imagination, creativity and confidence,” she said. “We keep a lot of lower-priced items because kids often have $1 or $2 to spend. It enables them to make their own decisions. Part of it is just fun.”

The cheddar-flavored crickets, which are edible, are also educational, she said. “It gives us an opportunity to tell people that in many parts of the world, this is a common food. It’s a teaching tool.”

Hispchman said the museum shop has items that relate to its current castle exhibition, like Schleich fairy, dragon and knight figurines. Kids wanted to play with them in the museum exhibit and take them home. The shop complied.

Likewise, the Stones & Stars shop next to the Weis Earth Science Museum and Barlow Planetarium “continues our educational mission,” museum director Joanne Kluessendorf said. “The items in the shop are curiosity-creating toys, posters, books on astronomy, dinosaur models, rocks, minerals and fossils.”

All profits from the volunteer-run glass shop at the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum in Neenah go into the operating fund, which is especially important given that the museum doesn’t charge admission. Besides the shop, it depends on endowments, memberships, grants and donations, manager Kathy Smits said. “We like to say it’s a shop with a purpose.”

Thrift

Another way to give a gift with a conscience, especially for collectors and fans of quirky or vintage finds, is to buy something from thrift shops that fund local social programs.

That includes Goodwill, St. Vincent de Paul or any thrift shop that gives a portion of its proceeds to charity.

St. Vincent de Paul, for example, recently opened its seasonal Christmas store in the Northland Mall’s interior corridor. The shop offers holiday decorations, figurines and artificial trees. Merchandise has all been donated and volunteers staff the store. Proceeds go to provide assistance to needy people in the Fox Valley.

Maureen Wallenfang

http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20081116/APC04/811160401/1029

The urgency to “go green” has permeated the retail industry on everything from store lighting to packaging.

For instance, Tesco and other retailers are already working on carbon labeling that will record the amount of carbon dioxide emitted during the production, transport and consumption of the 70,000 products it sells.

But while the focus has been on energy conservation and recycling, retail’s elusive Holy Green Grail remains shipping. In the world of just-in-time delivery, the idea of offering green shipping options may seem to be anathema to a retailer’s traditional view of customer service. And it may even scare the wits out of inventory and transportation managers given the charge to make it happen.

But what if — instead of just offering overnight, 2-day or ground shipping — a retailer could offer green shipping that saves dozens or even hundreds of pounds of carbon emissions that won’t be released into the air? In today’s “Inconvenient Truth” world, can you imagine the impact on the eco-friendly shopper buying products online who gets a message that says:

“Your order is scheduled to arrive on Tuesday. However, if you want to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 100 pounds of CO2, click here and your package will arrive on Thursday instead.”

There are a lot of shoppers out there who would click on that option in a heartbeat. This is a great way for a retailer to integrate customers and partners into its green decision making. And it doesn’t only have to be for online shoppers — it can also be used for special orders done in-store.

In an ultra-competitive market like retail, the ability to leverage green shipping can help to not only gain the trust and loyalty of green-focused customers and partners — it can also significantly impact the P&L ledger. However, it also presents uncharted waters for inventory and transportation managers at companies that decide to take on a green shipping initiative.

The reality is that most customers and businesses have some flexibility when it comes to receiving shipments, such as First Thing in the Morning, 10 a.m., and 2nd-day deliver options. However, there also is a rapidly growing awareness of the need to minimize the environmental impact of shipping.

The first retailers who can incorporate environmentally conscious shipping choices — both to consumers, and upstream to their supplier base — will not only reduce the costs of bringing a product to market. They will differentiate themselves to consumers, strategic partners, and yes, even investors, in a way that could provide a significant competitive advantage in the marketplace.

So what should retailers do to shape an effective green shipping strategy? Here are six key factors that can make the difference in the success or failure of green shipping:

1. Metrics rule Both consumers and partners will want to understand the environmental impact of all available shipping options at the time an order is placed. That means that retailers will need to clearly calculate the carbon impact in the order entry process. Will a shipment save 90 pounds or 190 pounds of carbon using the green shipping option?

CEOs and CFOs are focused on metrics, and so the person responsible for driving a green shipping strategy will need to provide rigorous measurements for the carbon emissions. This data will also put a retailer far ahead of other companies who do not track carbon emissions by shipment.

2. Disciplined load planning Because green shipping options require a disciplined approach to load planning, retailers can significantly reduce capacity excess throughout your business. One of the biggest challenges facing retailers and their supply chain partners is getting the most out of their truckloads. That’s why an industry-wide goal has been to minimize or even eliminate un-utilized space within shipping containers.

The norm today is for trucks to hit the road with 50 percent or more capacity to meet projected delivery timeframes. In some cases, these half-full trucks are sent out because of customer or business delivery demands. But many times, those factors don’t come into play in the customer’s mind.

A balance needs to be struck on meeting service levels and on-time orders, but there is still room for order flexibility for environmentally conscious buyers. Sure, many businesses could not afford to run with broad delivery timeframes. But many other businesses would probably consider alternatives that extend delivery options by as little as several hours if presented with the cost benefits of doing so.

3. Visibility into idle waste Government regulations that aim to reduce engine idle time during the pickup and delivery process are all the rage across the country. One of the side benefits of taking a green approach that tracks carbon emissions throughout the entire shipping process is that retailers and their supply chain partners will have a better view of idling time.

Our research has found that companies that implement some form of anti-idling software, such as that found in fleet management software, can reduce idling time by up to 30 percent.

4. Making the Right Turns One of the biggest hidden costs in any supply chain comes from inefficient route planning that result in trucks sitting in traffic with profits leaking right out of the gas tank. Newth Morris, President of the Telogis’ GeoBase Group, which provides mapping, routing and geocoding software for transportation companies, points out that routes that are designed to avoid left turns can greatly reduce idling, and thus fuel costs. Right turns at intersections also are faster than left turns, due to “right on red” laws and the fact that drivers only have to turn into just one lane of traffic when making a right turn.

Here are a few other steps retailers and their supply chain partners can take that can reduce fuel consumption:

• Pre-load vehicles in the morning
• Route drivers according to volume
• Consider alternate pickup and delivery times to avoid congestion
• Use the communications tools available in fleet management solutions to immediately reroute drivers stuck in congested areas.

5. Alternate Modes Studies have shown that truck deliveries are the most expensive form of transportation and distribution, and that cost is only going to go up as the cost of fuel continues to spiral out of control. Companies that can consider alternative modes of transportation and distribution, such as rail or ocean, can substantially reduce their environmental impact, and incorporate those savings into the green shipping option for customers.

6. Flex Those Schedules As cited in the example given at the start of this story, it has already been proven by the likes of FedEx, UPS, Amazon and others that customers are willing to examine cost tradeoffs when it comes to delivery times. The visionary company that figures out the vast amount of brand capital it could generate by offering green tradeoffs for flexible delivery times will be hailed as a conquering hero by green shoppers around the world.

This may involve bundling deliveries in the same area at the same time, or making deliveries during off-peak traffic hours. Either way, the cost savings to the customer and the retailer, and the transportation company making the delivery will benefit everyone involved. The customer will feel she has done something for the environment. The retailer will benefit from the brand loyalty with that customer because of the green shipping approach. And the transportation company will save on fuel costs.

How to Get Started

Since the concept of Green Shipping is relatively new to the industry, here is some concluding advice on steps retailers and their supply chain partners can take to go green when it comes to shipping:

1. In order for Green Shipping to be successful, the transportation management system (TMS) should have load optimization capabilities that link directly with a fleet management system. Think of load optimization as the Rubik’s cube of TMS. It takes pieces of different shapes and sizes and fills them in a truck with no leftover space. In order to implement a green shipping option, this capability is critical because it helps maximize fuel usage and shipments.
2. The TMS has to be outfitted with a carbon emission dashboard that calculates carbon output by measuring a number of factors, including but not limited to the type of truck executing the delivery, the number of miles traveled, and the type of fuel used. Many retailers are also looking to give the consumer visibility into the carbon emitted to create the product. That means retailers need enterprise-wide visibility into the environmental cost of producing and transporting the goods, and they have to be able to segment those costs out on a per purchase basis.
3. Finally, it’s important for retailers to work with any delivery partners throughout the supply chain — whether it is a third party logistics (3PL) company or a parcel delivery service. These partners need to not only be able to measure carbon output, but also have to work hand-in-hand with the retailer to make the green shipping option viable and desirable for customers.

By Todd Mallett

Todd Mallett has been providing technology-based solutions for complex distribution networks for the past 10 years at RedPrairie. Previously, he worked in Operations Management with Caliber Systems and FedEx’s Supply Chain Solutions division.

http://www.greenbiz.com/feature/2008/11/10/six-steps-achieving-green-grail-shipping?page=0%2C0

In the last month, Carsten Henningsen has concluded that even environmentally friendly stocks can fall to earth.

“Green stocks go down like the rest of the market,” said Henningsen, chairman of Portfolio 21 Investments, a Portland firm that invests in green companies. His company’s mutual fund, also named Portfolio 21, is down 32 percent this year.

But in tough economic times, as stock markets gyrate wildly and major Wall Street investment firms go under or are bought out, Henningsen has maintained his position that investing in green companies is wise because they are in an ideal position to prosper in the long term.

Speaking at an Oregon Natural Step Network meeting Tuesday titled “Beyond the Bailout,” Henningsen made a case that investing in companies such as Vestas Wind Systems is a logical long-term strategy. Oregon Natural Step Network works with businesses and governments to promote sustainable practices.

“The Earth does not have the bio-capacity to sustain unlimited growth,” said Henningsen. “Growth of real wealth is restrained by natural resources and the capacity of the planet to absorb Co2. We can’t have unlimited growth, unless we can borrow from another planet.”

In addition to investing in publicly-traded green companies from around the world, Henningsen is on the board of Upstream 21, a company that buys small, locally-owned private companies with products that  are designed to benefit and sustain their employees, their communities and the environment.

Mary C. King, a professor of economics at Portland State University, said at the meeting that states like Oregon should reclaim locally produced goods.

“In Italy, they have very old craftspeople who make purses sold in Saks Fifth Avenue in Manhattan,” she said. “Why is IKEA in Portland when we could do that level of craft and design?”

King said the recent failure of large banks and investment companies was created by a speculative bubble that federal regulatory agencies should have seen coming years ago. “I want to counter the impression that this was unforeseen and unprecedented and the U.S. Treasury and Federal Reserve are in uncharted territory,” she said. “The common factor in booms and busts is the creation of debt that becomes out of scale with the underlying means of payment.”

A speculative housing bubble fueled by over-leveraged and under-regulated banks created a form of “casino capitalism,” King said.

On the bright side, she said “this moment provides us with an opportunity to change, to be environmentally and socially healthy.”

She called for more money to be poured into education and health care, and more taxes on companies that pollute.

Henningsen said his company’s investment approach is to find businesses that are important to their communities and then help them thrive. “We are an alternative to an investment banker or venture capitalists that want to flip a company,” he said, referring to buying a company and quickly selling it off.

His company’s approach is to invest long-term in companies, while staying diversified.

Over-investing in companies that deplete natural resources, he said, is a “dinosaur” approach.

“This is about adapting,” he said, referring to investing. “Waste and pollution cannot systematically increase and natural resources cannot systematically decrease.”

BY SAM BENNETT

http://www.djcoregon.com/articleDetail.htm/2008/10/22/A-greener-method-of-investing-Local-firm-finds-that-social-investing-is-a-more-sustainable-approach

It may seem a little early to start thinking about trick-or-treating but you need only walk into your local grocery and retail stores to see that October is here and that Halloween is already in full swing. Consumers are expected to spend billions of dollars on candy, costumes, decorations and other tricks and treats this year. What all that amounts to, though, is a big pile of crumpled wrappers, disposable party props and plastic costume parts. With that being said, think of the impact we could make if just a small percentage of us committed to a greener Halloween. Have fun while you take care of the planet and let the bigwigs know you don’t want their crap by choosing these green options this year.

1. Organic candy. Due to recent demand, there’s a great selection of organic, fair trade and just-better-for-you treats out there. Try fair trade chocolate offered by Sweet Earth Organic Chocolates or organic berry-flavored lollipops by Candy Tree. Check availability at your local natural food stores or visit online shops SimonCandyShop.com, YummyEarth.com, PureFun.ca, and more.

2. Handmade costumes.Store-bought costumes often contain carcinogens and reproductive toxins like pthalates, lead and cadmium. Avoid costumes made of or packaged in PVC or vinyl. Most are made so cheaply anyway that by the end of the night your little princess may look like she’s ready to join Cinderella scrubbing floors. Get creative and make your own costume or buy one from a second-hand store. Sites like Etsy.com are a great source for handmade costumes if you don’t have the time to make one yourself. If you can’t see wearing that same costume next year or if your children will grow out of theirs by then, give them to a friend or donate them to a thrift store or charity.

3. Make your own face paint. Beware, face paint that you buy from the stores is derived from petroleum and may contain parabens, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), formaldehyde, lead and other potential and probable cancer-causing ingredients. The web is full of non-toxic, homemade face paint and Halloween make-up solutions. (Note that many of the DIY recipes you will find call for questionable ingredients, so substitute for greener options where you can.) Ready-made, non-toxic face paints such as Lyra Face Paint Pencils are less involved but still a more child- and planet-friendly choice.

4. Reusable trick-or-treat bags. Forget the cliche plastic jack-o-lantern heads and reach for something a little more chic. There are lots of reusable totes and baskets out there for you to purchase. For a great selection of the handmade variety, search “treat tote” at Etsy.com. Reusable trick-or-treat bags are also much more durable than regular plastic, which means they will keep your goodies safe while they help you protect the environment.

5. Eco-powered flashlights. Rechargeable batteries are easy to find and cost effective. Other great ways to light the way on your Halloween adventures are crank and solar-powered lights. Check out products from Solareagle, SunNight Solar and Choose Renewables. You can also find a variety of crank, shake and solar-powered flashlights at 21st-Century-Goods.com.

6. Walk, don’t drive. We all know the best subdivisions for trick-or-treating success but the less you drive, the better. If you have to drive, try to carpool. Also, when your little candy bags are full, call it quits. Only take what you need or will eat.

7. Mood lighting. Take advantage of this dark holiday. Pull out some candles or a string of energy-efficient pumpkin lights. If you have a driveway, consider lining it with portable solar lights, which can be found at many home and garden stores these days.

8. Carve local pumpkins.-Most pumpkins you see in grocery stores around this time have already traveled thousands of miles, resulting in the release of excess CO2 and a harmful contribution to climate change. This year, search for the jack-o-lantern-worthy pumpkin that was grown closest to home. If you can’t find any, maybe consider planting one for use next year. Apple season is also at its best during Halloween, so if you are bobbing for apples, be sure to buy those locally too.

9. Host your own green Halloween party. There’s no better way to spread the excitement of the holiday and share your green know-how with friends and family. Start with paper-saving e-mail invites and decorations that you can use year after year, much as you would Christmas ornaments. Avoid paper party goods and disposable cups and utensils. Serve organic and local food, drinks and treats. Have fun with organic apple bobbing and more. Be creative and think of clever ways to showcase your eco-friendly Halloween initiatives.

10. Reverse trick-or-treating. Global Exchange has organized a Reverse Trick-or-Treating program as a way to spread awareness of the cocoa farmers’ plight and showcase the benefits of Fair Trade, as reported on Treehugger.com. Despite promises from major chocolate manufacturers to improve these conditions, children are still forced into labor and cocoa farmers still suffer from poverty due to the minimal dollar offered for their crop. Sign up through the reverse trick-or-treating website (http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/fairtrade/cocoa/reversetrickortreating/) to get your free fair trade chocolate samples and program cards.

On Halloween, encourage your children to participate by handing these chocolate samples and information cards to the adults when they go to the door. (Allow them to munch on the extras.) Or, trick-or-treat for UNICEF (See http://youth.unicefusa.org/trickortreat/ for information.). It is a selfless way to give to other children in need while your little ones still get to dress in costume and parade around the streets.

The site GreenHalloween.org is dedicated to the movement and has more ideas on ways to green your ghostly celebration.

By Keana Okuda

http://www.bigislandweekly.com/articles/2008/10/08/read/lifestyle/lifestyle01.txt

After eight years in Europe, two kids and a high-tech corporate career, Tim McNulty and Chi Park have turned over a new leaf and opened Greendesign, an “eco-goods” store, on Witherspoon Street.Not only does the store offer eco-friendly products, but much of the decor comes from American-made sustainable materials, and 90 percent of the store’s products are made in the United States. The store welcomes its customers with a mat made of grass grown through sustainable methods.

McNulty said that the store has been positively received since its opening. Patrons include tourists, University visitors and Princeton residents.

“Business is actually doing well,” McNulty said. “We’re getting a lot of traffic from people coming to see what we have.”

“The people in this area are very receptive to this idea,” he said, adding that once a day someone tells him that “this is something that Princeton needed.”

Customers have stopped by Greendesign for a variety of reasons. Cora Coyle, a housewife looking for products for her 16-month-old daughter, said she heard of the store through the Holistic Moms Network. The network, of which Park is a member, is a nonprofit group for individuals with non-traditional ideas of parenting and natural living.

“I always try to get the natural, most organic products online or wherever we can find it,” Coyle said. “But it’s hard to find a lot of this stuff, and you want to be able to see what you’re going to buy.”

Ken Vernon, a Hoboken resident, said he was drawn into the store by its eclectic display.

“As a commercial real estate appraiser, it affects what I do because investors are focusing on building efficiency,” Vernon said. “Nowadays, the hot topic is green buildings.”

Though there are no other stores exactly like it in Princeton, there are stores in town — such as the Whole Earth Center, Olive May Natural Foods and the U-Store — that are of a similar nature, said Jeffrey Domanski GS, associate manager in the Office of Sustainability.

“While [Greendesign is] not an everyday-needs store necessarily, it’s good to see there’s a place within Princeton that’s promoting these types of products,” Domanski said in an e-mail. “I hope there’s an audience for them and that the store helps educate consumers on what sustainability is about.”

McNulty views the store as a place to engage customers in a discussion about what makes a product “green,” while ultimately leaving it up to the customer to make the decision to purchase the product. “We try to educate people when they come in,” he said, about things “like buying one stainless-steel bottle instead of several water bottles.”

One section of the store is devoted to baby products and other environmentally friendly products that are safe for children. Many parents tend to gravitate toward products like these after learning of the harmful impacts of certain products and being unable to find natural alternatives, McNulty said.

His own two children have inspired many of his store’s products, he said, explaining that he and his wife want healthier products for their children.

McNulty and Park attend trade shows in New York and search for vendors online, using criteria such as the vendors’ philosophies and how and where their products were produced to decide whether to sell them at Greendesign.

http://www.dailyprincetonian.com/2008/09/24/21503/

MHI announces they now are producing thermoformed packaging made 100% from collected and recycled water, juice and sports drink plastic bottles. Trays, clamshells, blisters and more produced with Good Earth(tm) 100% recycled PET are also Biodegradable, Compostable and Recyclable. FDA approved, this proprietary material can be used for food and non food applications.

Good Earth(tm) 100% post consumer recycled content PET is the newest addition to MHI’s proprietary family of eco friendly packaging. This material expands MHI’s existing selection of material options marketed as “Todays’s Most Practical Alternatives” for environmentally responsible packaging.

Developed and manufactured by MHI, a vertically intergrated division of CEI Incorporated, this new proprietary material offers many environmental, performance and cost benefits for those looking to use more eco friendly packaging. This carbon footprint reducing option is not only made 100% from recycled plastic bottles, it is also biodegradable and compostable in a landfill or compost environment. It can also be recycled through existing programs.
Currently, the average person discards 166 plastic bottles annually with 8 out of 10 ending up in landfills.

FDA approval, high clarity, range of colors, temperature range and good strength make it an attractive and practical alternative for a wide range of food and consumer goods packaging. Performance and physical characteristics are the same as or close to the traditional materials (PET & PVC) it can easily replace and does not have any shelf life, storage or heat sensitivity limitations.

Cost of packaging manufactured from this newest Good Earth ™ material is usually less than the traditional material it replaces and is readily available.

Also available (depending on certain factors) is a “closed loop” program where plastic bottles can be picked up and then remanufactured into 100% post consumer recycled content thermoformed packaging for the company or institution returning the bottles.

For more information call 978-745-8876 or visit www.goodearthpkg.com

http://www.pr.com/press-release/106801

According to a new report by J.D. power and Associates’ Web Intelligence Division eco-friendly marketing gets good exposure, Brandweek reports.The report analyzed 40 million blog posts between January-June of this year for several industries including auto, retail, consumer package goods and energy.

Even though General Motors has been criticized by environmentalists for spending millions to lobby against fuel economy mandates, the report shows that GM received 49 percent of positive mentions between January to June, compared with Toyota (46%).

Toyota had the most overall mentions; representing 14 percent of all posts related to automotive brands and sustainability. GM came a close second, with 11 percent.

GM used its sponsorship of Live Earth concerts last year to launch a multiplatform campaign about its environmentally-friendly practices and vehicles.

Eco-marketing is paying off for other industries too. Pentel’s eco-friendly Back To School campaign has also received enthusiastic response from the market, with spots on Good Morning America, and a feature on the cover of National Geographic’s Green Guide.

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2008/09/25/gm-receives-49-positive-mentions-in-blogsphere/

You may have a green message to share with your customers, but be careful. Many consumers — as many as 70 percent, according to one study — consider environmentally friendly, eco-green claims as marketing scams.

And with astonishingly good reason, according to TerraChoice Environmental Marketing, which analyzed 1,018 consumer products making 1,753 environmental claims in six categories of goods found in big-box retailers. Of the 1,018 products analyzed, all but one made claims that were, at worst, demonstrably false to, at the very least, misleading.

From that study, TerraChoice developed a list of what it calls the six sins of “greenwashing” — a relatively new term for the practice of misleading consumers regarding the environmental benefits or friendliness of products or services.

Those six sins are the hidden trade-off, no proof, vagueness, irrelevance, fibbing and the lesser of two evils, which is defined as a green claim that may be true but distracts from a greater environmental risk, i.e. “organic cigarettes.”

But honest and effective eco-messaging can happen. It starts with knowing your audience and speaking to them with honesty.

A study by TNS, “The Green Life,” categorized consumers along an eco-spectrum. Eco-Centrics (13 percent of population) are highly educated, high-income urbanites who take pride in doing their part to protect and nurture the environment. On the other end of the spectrum, Eco-Villains (7 percent) are Midwestern, middle-income men in small and midsize metro areas who have dismissed environmental concerns.

That just means businesses must figure out levels of knowledge and layers of concerns for their target audience.

For instance, Eco-Centrics want to know how products are made, is there animal testing and does the company make sure overseas workers aren’t exploited. But for the Frugal Earth Mother (17 percent of the population, characterized as practical prudent women in lower income, rural households), the focus should be on dependability and safety.

For Kansas City-based Indigo Wild, getting out the word on its environmentally friendly soaps, candles and lotions did not mean climbing the mountaintop and shouting “We’re green, green, green!”

Instead, Indigo Wild lets its products speak for itself.

“When people scream ‘green this, green that,’ that becomes their sole focus, and that’s not who we are,” said Sally Nielsen, vice president of public relations. “We’re very particular about our ingredients — it’s a culture that we’ve lived instead of a label we’re putting out there.”

But for Weston-based McCormick Distilling Co., nothing less than going to proverbial marketing mountaintop — Times Square — would do when it came to trumpeting a new eco-friendly 360 Vodka.

And vitally important, said Robert Tomei of TNS, is walking the talk, which for 360 Vodka means a number of initiatives, including bottles made of 85 percent recycled glass, labels made from recycled paper and printed with soy ink, and vinyl billboards that are repurposed into purses, handbags and totes.

•When developing an eco-friendly marketing message: Be honest. Be accurate. Be transparent.

•Learn more about the six sins of greenwashing at www.terrachoice.com.

•Know your audience — most marketers agree there’s no point in wasting time or money targeting Eco-Villains.

By JENNIFER MANN

http://www.kansascity.com/business/story/656540.html

EAST PROVIDENCE — All eyes shifted to 12-year-old Tray Thornton.

“I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,” he sang while busting his own choreographed moves. “I can see all obstacles in my way. Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind. It’s gonna be a bright, bright, bright, bright, sun-shiny day!”

The dance steps on stage were not a hand wave here and jazz fingers there.

He shook his shoulders in an on-beat spasm of sorts, dramatically covered his eyes on the word “blind” and fanned his arm out in a big circle to represent the sun.

The other 40 Edward R. Martin Middle School sixth graders smiled, but barely swayed as they also sung the Johnny Nash hit. Their House B teachers said they had never seen Thornton so animated before. He said it’s how he gets “into character” as well as the easiest way to get the audience’s full attention.

After all, the musical — titled Greensical — had an important message.

Through game show skits and songs, the students emphasized why it’s crucial for everyone to do their part to take care of the planet and environment. The children wrote the play themselves over the last six months and changed the lyrics, with some assistance from teachers, of a couple of songs to make them fit with the eco-friendly performance.

They performed the numbers twice last Thursday — in the daytime for the rest of the school’s sixth graders and for the community that evening. They hope to improve it a bit and take the show on the road — to the city’s elementary schools — next school year.

“We started a green team to increase our awareness early in the school year,” said Barbara Burns, one of four teachers who helped the children. “They did the research, we began to recycle more in the classrooms and they started writing the play in January.”

They took a field trip to Rhode Island Resource Recovery Corporation, the state agency that runs the Central Landfill in Johnston and oversees Rhode Island’s recycling efforts. The students also used recycled goods for their props and had their programs printed on recycled paper.

In addition, “we did a school-wide survey of environmental practices and the students interviewed the janitors and cafeteria staff,” Pam Thacker, a science teacher, said. “We want to bring that message forward so the kids can see we need their help.”

The first song said just that.

Sung to the Brady Bunch theme tune, the students belted:

“… Here’s the story ’bout the careless humans, who were busy thinking only of themselves. Dirty smokestacks and toxic water, it was not so nice. Until one day when they all looked out the window. And they saw what they had done to planet Earth. Then they knew that they had to stop polluting. It was getting worse and worse and worse and worse.”

They also rewrote the lyrics to the Beatles hit, “Paperback Writer.” It was now “Paper Recycler.”

Using the popular Amazing Race show for inspiration, the opening scene was teams competing to find the cleanest water around the world. Oh Zone, the character played by Thornton, and his team went to Lake Ladoga in Russia because it’s a lake where some bottled spring water comes from. A test, however, showed the sample was dirty.

The winning team — which consisted of Patti Planet, Ethan All and Lauren Green (played by Debra Gomes, Corey Lopes and Gina Salisbury, respectively) — went to Antarctica for their water sample.

Said Gomes, “It’s so old and uninhabited that no one could have dirtied it.”

In other skits, the audience learned the benefits of hybrid cars, energy-efficient light bulbs and that Ohio’s Mt. Rumpkey, a giant garbage dump, towers over the state.

“Maybe if we had more people join in we could actually make a dent in Mt. Rumpkey,” said Roy Cycle, a character played by both Katie Bockes and Tyree Simmons.

Paul Lootion (in real life known as Ryan Almeida) responded, “I don’t think so dude, take a look at those trucks coming in to the landfill. They are all full of more trash. It’s never ending!”

The entire cast said, “Ohhh nooo!!!”

Salisbury ended the skit with, “People, we gotta do something because we’re destroying our planet one trash bag at a time!”

By Alisha A. Pina

http://www.projo.com/news/content/EB_EPROV_GREENSICAL_5_06-05-08_FLAD7D4_v23.3577d1d.html