Rolling Stone Magazine and "Carbon Neutral Paper"

Earlier in the month, Wenner Media publishers of Rolling Stone magazine announced beginning with yesterday's June 28th issue the magazine would be printed on "carbon neutral paper."

The magazine will be printed on Catalyst Cooled paper made by Vancouver BC - based Catalyst paper.  Prior to the June 28th issue Rolling Stone was printed on Electracote lightweight coated paper also made by Catalyst.

A news release from Catalyst paper says Rolling Stone is the first mass-marketed magazine to print on "carbon neutral paper." 

Rolling Stone claims its new paper is "carbon neutral" because it is made through a process that they say adds no carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.   The new paper is thinner than their previous paper.

The move to "carbon neutral paper" may be a step in the right direction but it appears to be an insignificant one.  Since the announcement many have questioned why the magazine didn't choose to print on recycled paper.

The New York Times asked Eric Bates, deputy managing editor of Rolling Stone why the magazine hadn't just gone with recycled paper.  "We think recycled paper is great.  We're publishing some of the world's greatest photographers and artists," said Bates.  He went on to say the print quality on recycled paper just doesn't do them justice.  "What we're trying to do is what we can do.  We can't put out the magazine we put out on recycled paper"

Bates' comments to the NYT answer the question as to why the magazine didn't go with recycled paper... Basically they think they are too good.  I am reading the July issue of Inc., a magazine printed on recycled paper and the quality is excellent.  I cannot detect any difference between their issues printed on recycled paper vs. non recycled.  Frankly for what its worth, Inc.'s photography is pretty good.  I mean i'm no Paul Aresu but their images are far from junk and hold up just fine in print - oh hey and plus they have the added benefit of not having to have cut down trees to present them. 

This whole Rolling Stone "carbon neutral paper" move is mostly a PR stunt, if they really wanted to make a difference they could.  I am not sure what the magazine thinks happens to their back issues after their readers read them but newsflash... the majority of them end up in the trash (hopefully recycled) like everything else.

Read more coverage of the Rolling Stone
"carbon neutral paper" at the Paper Planet

Home Depot's Eco Options Label Creates Circus like Scene with Product Suppliers

After being in place for over two months the Home Depot's Eco Options label program is highly successful among both consumers and product suppliers.  The success of the program has created a new problem for the nation's second largest retailer.  They are inundated with environmental claims from their products suppliers all trying to have their product carry the Eco Options label.

Home Depot's Eco Options label was rolled out in the middle of April in the U.S.  The label was modeled after a successful similar program in Home Depot stores in Canada.  It is designed to help consumers identify products that are more environmentally friendly

The New York Times reported earlier in the week, Home Depot is now trying to develop a way to deal with all the environmental claims its supplier's are making about their products.

When they rolled out the program Home Depot sent a message to the suppliers of the 176,000 products they sell asking them to make a pitch to have their products included in Eco Options.  More than 60,000 products were submitted so far to only 2,500 of the products carry the Eco Options label.  Home Depot ultimately plans on having 6,000  products under the label.

Plastic-handled paint brushes were touted as nature-friendly because they were not made of wood. Wood-handled paint brushes were promoted as better for the planet because they were not made of plastic.

An electric chainsaw? Green, because it was not gas-powered. A bug zapper? Ditto, because it was not a poisonous spray. Manufacturers of paint thinners, electrical screwdrivers and interior overhead lights claimed similar bragging rights simply because their plastic or cardboard packaging was recyclable.

Since Eco Options rolled out it has underscored a problem in that there isn't any uniform standard for assessing the environmental claims of many products out on the market.   

The reaction to Eco Options runs the gamut.  Some call it progress, others say the nation's second largest retailer  is being too inclusive with the products it applies the label to.

One thing is clear product suppliers are unanimous in their feelings towards Eco Options - they all want to be included as sales of Eco Option labeled products are averaging 10% higher than those not carrying the label.

Home Depot appears to be taking the responsibility of labeling products as "Eco Options" seriously and told the New York Times being included in the label is actually an incentive for suppliers to make their products greener. 

Coca-Cola and American Beverage Association Attempt to Block Mayors Action in Support of Municipal Water

Coca-Cola and the American Beverage Association attempted to block a resolution highlighting the importance of municipal water and calling for a study on the impact of bottled water on city waste.

Resolution 90 at the 75th U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting in Los Angeles was introduced by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, Salt Lake City Mayor Ross "Rocky" Anderson, and Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak.  The resolution called for recognizing the importance of municipal water and commissioned a study to examine the impact bottled water was having on city waste. 

Mayors from across the country rejected the efforts by the world's largest beverage company and their trade association to stop the resolution.  Coincidentally the lead image on the American Beverage Association's web site is of a young girl drinking from a one liter bottle of water.

There is growing concern about the impacts of bottled water on our environment and people's confidence in our public water systems. Corporate Accountability International is working with mayors as part of its Think Outside the Bottle campaign to challenge the impacts of bottled water and to raise awareness about the importance of strong public water systems.

The action at the U.S. Conference of Mayors follows Friday's announcement by Mayor Newsom that San Francisco would phase out the purchase of bottled water.  Similar action occurred last week when the Ann Arbor (MI) City Council announced that they would no longer have bottled water available at city sponsored events.

As we reported in May restaurants are also joining in, serving municipal tap water in lieu of bottled water.

"Momentum is building in support of our public water systems," said Gigi Kellett with Corporate Accountability International. "We congratulate all of these mayors -- and the U.S. Conference of Mayors -- on their leadership in passing a resolution that places the political will of mayors behind full support of municipal water. It is a critical step toward keeping our public water supply strong.  Our mayors are standing up for the environment and standing behind public water systems."

L.L. Bean Drops Longtime Catalog Printer Verso Paper over Recycling and Sustainability Issues Signs New Deal with Quad/Graphics

L.L. Bean has dropped its longtime catalog printer Verso Paper after the company was unable to meet Bean's new guidelines for recycled content and sustainable forestry practices.  Verso Paper is a leading provider of paper for catalogs and was created when International Paper sold its coated papers business to Apollo Management.

L.L. Bean signed a multi-year, multi-million-dollar agreement with Wisconsin-based Quad/Graphics.  The multifaceted printing and related services contract begins in January 2008 with the company becoming the exclusive printer and prepress provider for all  L.L. Bean catalogs.  L.L. Bean produces more than 65 catalog titles and ships 250 million catalogs annually.

Quad/Graphics has a "chain-of-custody" certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC).  Their clients may display the FSC trademarked "checkmark and tree" logo in their magazines, catalogs and other materials printed on FSC-certified paper.

The goals L.L. Bean set that Verso Paper was apparently unable to meet include the following; by 2008 90% of the fiber used in their catalogs must either be certified under one of the certification systems they recognize (FSC, SFI, CSA, PEFC, ATFS, MLP) or be recycled fiber.  As far as recycled content goes the company is transitioning all catalogs to 20% Post-Consumer Waste recycled content starting in 2008.   

Read more about L.L. Bean's paper policy here

Inc. and Fast Company Magazine Now Printed on 100 Percent Recycled Paper

Mansueto Ventures, the publisher of Inc. and Fast Company magazines is now producing its magazines on 100 percent recycled paper.

Fast Company switched to the recycled paper with the February issue and this month's issue of Inc. will be the first on recycled paper.

The recycled paper used in the magazines is supplied by German company LEIPA Georg and is made from 85 percent post consumer waste, 10 percent waste from unsold magazines and five percent recycled printer waste.

As an Inc. subscriber, I have the June 2007 issue. which features a cover story on the collapse of the social networking site Friendster.  The quality and the feel of the magazine is not noticeably different from previous issues.  This concern was cited by Rolling Stone as the reason they won't go to recycled paper for their publication. 

Instead, Rolling Stone magazine is going "carbon neutral" with its publication printing process cited concerns over the quality of recycled paper as a reason it wasn't going to recycled paper.   The music entertainment magazine's first "carbon neutral" printed magazine hits newsstands this week.

See a list of magazines printed on recycled paper
or with responsibly sourced virgin fiber.

Inc. editor Jane Berentson announced the magazine was going to be printed on recycled paper back in November.  "Magazines aren't known for their sustainable practices (all those trees!), so to put our money where our mouth is, Inc. is now publishing on recycled paper. Did I mention that it's cost-effective, too? Which brings me back to this truism: Green practices beget greenbacks. Would you have it any other way?"

Mansueto says that research by the Alliance for Environmental Innovation has shown that each ton of recycled fiber that displaces a ton of virgin fiber used in coated groundwood paper (stock used in magazines) reduces total energy consumption by 27 percent, reduces net greenhouse gas emission by 47 percent, reduces wastewater by 33 percent, and reduces solid waste by 54 percent.

“Printing our magazines on fully recycled paper and being a leader on the environmental front is a great way to reinforce the message we send to our 1.44 million subscribers on working smarter and creating the future of business,” Mansueto Ventures CEO John Koten said in a press release. “Doing our part to amplify environmentally responsible magazine publishing and leaving the world a better place is important to the values of our company.  We encourage all publishers to do the same.”

A Product Paper Towel Manufacturers Don't Want You to Know About

I was out looking for interesting products as I often do and I happened upon an item at Sam's Club that made me do a double take.  Ecolab Proforce Reusable Foodservice Towels was the item that stopped me mid aisle.  The first thought that came to my mind was oh boy I bet this is something paper towel manufacturers are trying to keep off mainstream store shelves.

The reusable foodservice towels as they are called were in the cleaning products aisle at Sam's Club in the industrial cleaning section.  Interestingly they were not the area with the products aimed at consumers.  These towels come 25 in a pack for $6.99 are reusable and machine washable.  They are made of non-woven cotton.

Can you imagine if these caught on?  What am impact they would have on reducing waste and putting a dent in the disposable paper products market.  Wow.  I was excited for a couple reasons.  First off the price.  Secondly they actually look and feel like a heavy duty paper towel. 

Judging by the way many consumers in this country react to "greener" products I thought these actually looked like something people wouldn't immediately label as "green" and therefore steer clean of.  These towels look like highly functional heavy duty paper towels.  I think they could work mainstream.

Are they the ideal option?  No.  But lets face it disposable paper products are an environmental disaster.  If by some amazing series of events these actually started to gain market share in the U.S. and were sold as a mainstream product,  the impact they would have would be amazing.

Wal-Mart Stores Hosting CFL Recycling Event

Wal-Mart teams up with Waste Management LampTracker for CFL recycling.  LampTracker, a provider of mail-back recycling for fluorescent lighting, was recently acquired by Waste Management.

The partnership will feature a CFL recycling day, Saturday June 23rd, at Wal-Mart stores, Supercenters and Sam's Clubs in several states.

The recycling events will offer consumers a free and convenient opportunity to drop-off and recycle their used compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and fluorescent tubes. The bulbs will be collected at kiosks outside stores from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

CFLs contain a small amount of mercury and should be recycled just like batteries, computers, cell phones, thermostats and other household products.

The recycling events will take place in Minnesota, California, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Tulsa, Okla.

The event is a first in the industry and a move some expect will help the retailer cultivate an environmentally friendly image and perhaps drive sales.

"The secret to retailing is, 'How do you drive footsteps?'  retail consultant Howard Davidowitz told the Pioneer Press. "Any time you drive people into your stores, you win."

Other retailers have been making similar efforts "but no one as boldly and consistently" as Wal-Mart in the last year, said Joel Makower.

"This advertisement is one part of a larger effort Wal-Mart's been undertaking to show some green leadership, and they have an uncanny knack for green initiatives that really help build sales where they can really combine doing well with doing good," he said

Every Man Jack Redefining Men's Grooming Products

BY RIDER THOMPSON

Every Man Jack is a new line of men’s grooming products that launched nationwide in April.  The line is the creation of the former Method VP for Marketing, Ritch Viola. 

Every Man Jack is based in San Francisco and carried by Target stores nationwide.  The line includes shaving gel & cream, body wash, face wash & lotion, soap and hair care (currently available in test markets only).

Every Man Jack has more in common with products you’d find at Macy’s or Nordstrom than it does with its shelve-mates at Target.  Nevertheless, it is redefining men’s grooming and offering customers a better choice in terms of ingredients and design than anything in its price point.

All Every Man Jack products sell for $4.99 or less.  Viola is counting on this simple, direct pricing approach, combined with trendy graphic & industrial design to draw consumers.  Better, healthier ingredients are another feature, beyond the products’ low cost and high end appearance.  But it won’t be easy.  Men are generally a difficult group when it comes to introducing new products, especially grooming or personal care items.

Studies have shown that most men are reluctant to try new products, and tend to stick with old staples; this is not necessarily a result of the staple’s quality over new products.   It appears men are simply habit bound when it comes to their product use.  The motivation to research and to find new products isn’t as common with men as it is women.  This is one of the reasons you often see gift packs of grooming products available and featured in stores.  Often these gift packs are offered by new brands or specialty brands.  Young companies hope a family member or friend will buy the gift pack and give it to their husband, father, etc, who will then try the product and possibly switch allegiance. 

Viola, 35, is aware of these challenges.  Business degrees from both Berkeley and UCLA prepared him to work first with Oakland-based Clorox and then Method before starting his own business.  Working at Clorox and Method offered him many important insights and contacts within the industry. 

“Seventy percent of retail purchases are made at the shelf,” says Viola.  “So a product with low brand awareness better have great design.  I’ve always believed your product is your best marketing tool,” he said.  His line clearly embodies this ideal. 

When Viola started to explore making men’s grooming products, his first challenge was to create a niche in the marketplace apart from what was already available. 

The task of formulating the products became one of deciding what ingredients to leave out, rather than include. “I went through the products piece by piece and asked, ‘why do we need it?’ For anything that was added,” he said.  Just by questioning the current “way of doing things” in making grooming products at this price point, Viola was able to make his product better.  This small move allowed him to make the new line different and better than his competitors. 

In a recent phone interview he emphasized one of the main ingredients he chose not to include was tallow.  Tallow (stearin) is a beef fat that is a common component of most soaps.  “I thought it was disgusting,” he said. 

He didn’t stop there.  None of his products use parabens (synthetic preservatives), and instead use natural alternatives.  Other things he left out include dyes, sulfates, oils and SLS. 

However, having high-quality formulas and natural ingredients wasn’t enough for Viola.  The next step was creating a brand identity.  He knew his products needed to be masculine and easily identifiable, due to initial low brand recognition.

The answer was graphic and industrial design.  The consumers Viola is going after want products that are easy to use, perform well, are masculine and well designed.  “There isn’t a whole lot going on in design in household and personal care products in this price point,” Viola said.  “Sure, you’ll see it in higher priced designer products.”   

He made an interesting comparison by noting the food industry is much further ahead in terms of design at lower price points.  “If you walk through Whole Foods you’ll see more of an emphasis on design in food products,” he said.

Viola is certainly familiar with the power innovative graphic & industrial design can have on a customer.  After all, in 2001 when he was with Clorox he noticed a high concept dish detergent on the shelves at a local Target.  The dish detergent was made by Method, and as reported in Advertising Age, left Viola wondering why Clorox couldn’t do something similar.  Just about a year after he found this intriguing detergent he was VP of Marketing for Method.

Michael Rutchik of Mudhaus was placed in charge of the graphic design of all Every Man Jack packaging.  Rutchik created the identity for Method and was the perfect person for the job.   Viola wanted something that was “clean, modern and had a splash of color.”   He was inspired by several “really cool modern barbershops,” and got the idea of employing a wood grain from these classic masculine interiors.  Rutchik incorporated the idea into an identity for the brand.

The final piece of the puzzle came from industrial designer Wai-Loong Lim of Y Studios.  Viola wanted a custom design for some of his packaging.  Lim designed the containers for the face wash, body wash and hair care products.  The design was inspired by the overall identity of the line, and an unexpected source: an old Mexican tequila bottle.  It was perfect.

Putting the graphic and industrial design pieces together, all of Viola’s products would feature a wood grain cap. Three of them would use stock containers and three would use the custom containers Lim created.

With the packaging and product formulations set, Viola was ready to launch his line.  He approached Target to carry his products, saying the large-scale retailer was an ideal fit in terms of its consumer base.  The products launched nationwide in April, and he has been busy supplying Target since.

Currently, Viola is focusing all his efforts on supplying Target and developing his line.  In the future he expects the line to be available at other retailers, and is also working on new products.

Preserve Toothbrush Now Sold at Wal-Mart

Here is an interesting story that slipped in under the radar screen.  Recycline is selling its Preserve® toothbrush at Wal-Mart stores. 

In their summer newsletter distributed yesterday the company had a blurb mentioning the Preserve was now available at Wal-Mart.  The decision was apparently made in April and was not well publicized... perhaps intentionally?

Recycline said their decision to sell at Wal-Mart was, "not a obvious choice."  "We weighed the pros and cons of working with a retailer that has the broadest reach of any in the world but has been critiqued as having some of the least impressive environmental and social practices," said the company's Founder & President Eric Hudson.

Recycline presented their decision as one that helps engage "increasing numbers of people in taking responsibility for the health of our environment."  They went on to say, "the purchase of a Preserve toothbrush will be the beginning of a journey toward more and more actions that reduce the impact on the Earth."

Founder expresses concern for small-scale retailers; plans special promotions so their sales aren't impacted by Wal-Mart's pricing structure

In a letter posted to the company's web site, Hudson says as a result of his decision to sell at Wal-Mart steps will be taken to ensure their loyal smaller-scale retailers will not be impacted in a negative way.  "We have begun special promotions with our natural and independent retailers that offer more aggressive price discounts on our Preserve toothbrush... to minimize the impact that Wal-Mart's low price may have on their sales," said Hudson.

This story is a puzzler.  Earlier we reported on Recycline test marketing the Preserve at Target stores, which seemed to be a more natural fit for the brand.  The results of the test marketing at Target are unknown. 

Selling at Wal-Mart doesn't seem to be a natural fit for a small brand built on a strong environmental image.  The decision also hasn't been very well publicized to this point which begs the question why. 

If Recycline is comfortable with selling their Preserve at Wal-Mart and believes in the logic behind their decision to do so then they should embrace it.

Motel 6 Develops National Fluorescent Light Bulb and Battery Recycling Program

Here is an interesting green PR story from an unexpected source.  Last week, Motel 6, the largest corporately owned and operated hotel chain in North America announced what it calls the first national fluorescent light bulb and battery recycling program within the hospitality industry.

The plan is a continuation of Motel 6's parent company Accor Hotel's Earth Guest initiatives and will be rolled out regionally over the next six months.  The chain expects to complete implementation by the end of 2007. 

“We are setting an industry precedent by launching this nationwide recycling program,” said Jim Amorosia, chief operating officer for Motel 6. “Recycling is a highly effective action we can take year-round, and even with the fluorescent light bulbs’ average service life of five years we will still recycle approximately 60,000 fluorescent light bulbs per year.”

This plan is the latest in a series of steps Motel 6 has taken in improving its environmental image.  In January of 2006, the chain began its extensive retrofitting of fluorescent lighting, which consumes 75% less energy than conventional bulbs.

The brand’s retrofitting of fluorescent light bulbs and the Motel 6 Battery and Fluorescent Light Bulb Recycling Program complement the efforts of Motel 6’s parent company, Accor North America, to reduce energy consumption in all its properties. In late 2006, the Environmental Protection Agency honored Accor North America as an Energy Star Leader for significantly increasing energy efficiency in its economy hotel properties.