Wal-Mart Canada to Implement Sustainable Supply Chain Practices for All 290 Stores

Wal-Mart Canada announced last week it will roll out its first Supply Chain Sustainability Scorecard this fall for all of its 290 Canadian stores.

The new guidelines are intended to fuel collaboration among its suppliers and will help Wal-Mart Canada and the larger corporation measure and reduce the environmental footprint of its product shipping process

In July 2006, Wal-Mart Canada and shipping supplier SCM changed the mode of transporting goods destined for 10 stores, located in Nova Scotia and PEI, from road to rail. This change has reduced carbon emissions by 2,600 tonnes.

For necessary road delivery, the companies converted 20 truck generators to electric power, saving 40,000 litres of fuel. Combined, these two measures are expected to deliver annual cost savings of more than $2 million.

By changing some shipping crates from cardboard to plastic, allowing boxes to be used approximately 60 times instead of once, Wal-Mart Canada has saved $4.5 million in costs, with expected waste reduction of more than 1,400 tonnes and carbon emissions reductions of 10,000 tonnes, due to the elimination of cardboard production. This Canadian initiative has become a best practice for other global Wal-Mart operations.

In evaluating its suppliers, Wal-Mart Canada will assess their practices on four categories: equipment, operations, facilities and corporate environmental commitment. The company will rate these suppliers on their use of sustainable alternatives for sourcing, packaging and delivery, green or energy-efficient buildings, and the company's overall culture of sustainability.

Late July Organic Crackers Have Excessive Packaging

Newcomers to the organic snack food arena are Late July organic snacks.  The products are made by the same company who produces Cape Cod potato chips in Massachusetts.

Like their Cape Cod chips, Late July organic products such as their mini peanut butter bite size sandwich crackers are delicious.  However I notice a troubling trend with the Late July line that seems to be occurring across the industry.  Unnecessary and excessive packaging.

Late July mini peanut butter crackers come in a well designed graphically pleasing box however the box only contains 5 oz of crackers.  The box isn't even at half of its capacity when its sold for around $3.50.  The box could easily hold twice the amount of crackers it contains.

So the question is why?  Why are Late July crackers packaged this way?

Its not just Late July who are packaging organic products with excessive or unnecessary packaging and charging premium prices.  A walk through any grocery store will yield countless examples.

UK Supermarket Sainsbury's to Sell Wine In PET Plastic Bottles

A major supermarket chain in the UK will offer wine sold in recyclable #1 plastic PET bottles instead of glass as part of a trial.

Sainsbury`s said the move would cut the weight of wine packaging which in turn reduces carbon emissions.  A plastic bottle is one-eighth the weight of a regular 400g (14oz) glass bottle.

Sainsbury's will initially sell its own label New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and an Australian rose in the plastic bottles.

The move follows the introduction of PET bottles by Wolf Blass, one of Australia's biggest exporters of wine.  Its plastic bottles of wine went on sale in Canada last year and will be available in Britain in August.

The idea of using PET bottles for wine has some practical merit besides its reduced weight.  The plastic bottles are less likely to break and easier to carry and transport compared to glass versions.

Barry Dick, product technologist for beers, wines and spirits at the chain, said: "The new wine bottle looks exactly the same as a glass bottle, holds the same amount of liquid and doesn't compromise the quality of the wine in any way."

UK consumers buy around one billion bottles of wine every year, using around half-a-million tonnes of glass. Reducing the weight of wine packaging to 54g (2oz) by using plastic bottles could reduce carbon emissions by around 90,000 tonnes, according to the government-funded Waste and Resources Action Programme (Wrap), which is involved in the trial.

Method Launches "Detox Your Home" Marketing Campaign

San Francisco-based Method Products makers of a popular line of greener cleaning and personal care products has launched its first major advertising campaign.

The campaign named Detox Your Home was created in conjunction with the firm TBWA/Chiat/Day.  It will include print ads, online banners and a search-engine marketing component. Method Products is also planning events around the country to promote its message in local markets. 

Visitors to Method's web site will find it redesigned featuring the theme of its new marketing campaign.

Until now, the seven-year-old company’s products have been marketed largely through word of mouth, prominent product placement at stores like Target and the appeal of the packaging.

Earlier this year Method announced a redesign of the packaging for its Omop floor cleaning products, using an innovative new PET container designed by Amcor.
   
The New York Times reported according to Kline & Company, a market research firm, Method Products had sales of $85 million last year. The private company was the fastest-growing cleaning products concern of the 18 that Kline profiled, posting a 140 percent increase in sales in 2006. Kline also estimated that the green category of the household cleaning products industry represents $300 million in sales, or 2 percent of the total market.

Estee Lauder Builds Natural Brands Portfolio with Acquistion of Hair Care Company Ojon

Estee Lauder acquires Canadian natural hair care company, Ojon.  Buying into the brand taps into the fast-growing market for premium hair care products containing exotic natural ingredients. Ojon products benefit from ingredients collected by the Tawira, an indigenous people from the Central American rainforests, mainly inhabitants of Honduras.

The Tawira produce Ojon palm nut oil, an ingredient derived from the Ojon tree and one that is said to strengthen, moisturize, bring shine and reduce hair follicle breakage - forming the basis of the company's hair care range.

To source its ingredients, Ojon has partnered with the Mosquitia Pawisa Agency for the Development of the Honduras Mosquitia (MOPAWI Organization), a local non-profit group that works on behalf of indigenous communities in the region. Through its contract with the MOPAWI, Ojon purchases wild-crafted palm nut oil and other ingredients from thousands of Tawira producers, who collect the ingredients in a hand-crafted process consistent with ancestral practices.

The ingredients, largely palm oil and cacao, are then sent to Originitalia, a plant in northern Italy, where they are purified and blended into Ojon products.

"Natural and organic products are among the fastest growing areas in the beauty industry and Ojon has a compelling story that we believe should resonate with consumers globally," said Philip Shearer, Group President of The Estee Lauder Companies.

"Ojon is a terrific strategic fit in our portfolio," William P. Lauder, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Estee Lauder Companies, said. "It's a socially responsible, innovative company with potential for rapid and sustained world-wide growth. We envision Ojon eventually becoming a global brand of wild-crafted, natural products made with ingredients found in indigenous communities around the world."

Ojon's range includes shampoos, conditioners and other treatments that focus on treating dry or out-of-condition, by restoring its moisture levels and in turn returning shine and texture to the hair.  It includes a restorative hair treatment, ultra-hydrating conditioner and shampoo and a shine and protection glossing mist.

"I have been in the business 18 years and have always looked at Estée Lauder as the most prestigious cosmetic company," said Ojon founder & president Denis Simioni. "Ojon is like my child that grew up too fast and now needs a great university to take it to the next stages of its life. We believe that Estée Lauder will do that for Ojon by educating us and giving us what we need to take us to the next level. It doesn't get any better than this!"

Before the Estee Lauder deal Ojon was a privately held company based in Burlington Ontario with $48 million in revenue, said Simioni, who will remain president of the company.

Currently Ojon sells its products on QVC in the US and UK and the Shopping Channel in Canada, where it ranks number one in hair care as well as Sephora and Nordstrom and about 300 hundred spas and salons.

The Ojon line is similar in many ways to another Estee Lauder brand, Aveda.  It will be interesting to see what influence if any John Delfausse, Vice President, Package Development at Estée Lauder has on future packaging design of Ojon products.  Delfausse is widely credited with transforming Aveda's packaging into one of the most sustainable in the industry.

Epson Reduces Print Cartridge Packaging

Epson printers have long been the printer of choice for graphic and imaging professionals.  Mike over at Vestal Design put together an interesting post on his observations of reduced print cartridge packaging by Epson.  Over time he has noticed significant downsizing of the packaging for print cartridges for his Epson 2200.  Thanks to some excellent photography and saving the packaging his piece is quite interesting. 

The packaging began at 77g, (11cm x 15cm x 3.5cm), in a package much larger than the cartridge itself. Having owned several Epson 2200's myself I can attest to the excessive nature of the cartridge packaging. 

Mike notes about two years ago, Epson slimmed down this packaging by eliminating corrugated cardboard filler and shrink wrap inside the box and narrowed the width to 2cm to drop the packaging to 63g.

The cartridge itself is only about 7cm tall, so a third generation of packaging shrank the box down another 3.5cm to 57g.

Epson's packaging reduction had environmental and cost benefits for the company.  By making the packaging smaller and lighter, Epson is able to pack more cartridges onto a pallet, maximizing shipping efficiency and resources.

Earlier this year HP announced it was redesigning the packaging for of all of its North America home printer cartridges.  HP estimates its redesigned print cartridge packaging will eliminate the use of nearly 15 million pounds of materials, including 3 million pounds of corrugated cardboard in 2007.  The packaging also will eliminate the use of more than 6.8 million pounds of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic through material reduction and substitution of recycled content plastic and paperboard.

Reusablebags.com Acme Bags Recycled PET Plastic Tote A Winner

Chicago-based Reusable Bags recently introduced a new reusable tote bag in its Acme Bags line made from recycled #1 PET plastic.  The bag is a perfect example of a forward thinking product that covers all the bases in terms of functionality and style.

Unlike many earth friendly reusable tote bags and other reusable bags that aren't so earth friendly this bag shines in all the right areas.  It is made from 98% post-consumer recycled content.  The bag is made of a lightweight, durable soft fabric made from recycled #1 PET (PETE) plastic.  The manufacturer says the fabric used to produce each of these bags reclaims about 10 recycled plastic bottles/containers. 

Recycled PET is a durable, eco-friendly fabric made from post consumer recycled plastic bottles & containers.  In the U.S. alone over 45 billion plastic containers end up in landfills in 2006.  Choosing products made from recycled PET promotes a more sustainable path for plastic.

Approximately 31% of plastic bottles produced in the United States are made from a material called PolyEthylene Terephtalate, "PET" or "PETE."  Usually clear or green, the plastic is mostly used for consumer goods such as soda bottles and food jars. According to the National Association for PET Container Resources (NAPCOR), in 2005 United States manufacturers produced 5.075 billion pounds of PET products. Such a high production rate makes finding uses for post-consumer plastics imperative. If the current rate of manufacturing and consumer recycling remains, 40 billion pounds of PET waste will be added to our landfills within only a decade.

I have two of these Acme recycled PET bags and I have tried numerous reusable bags over the last few years and I can say these are the best most functional ones I have used.  These bags are set apart from other reusable bags because they incorporate an element of style often lacking from other bags.  The end result is a bag that consumers will use for years due to the durability and style of the product.

Soy Guard Enters Green Home Improvement Market

Soy Guard, new soy-based series of deck sealants and related products has entered the green home improvement market.  Its interesting to see what the latest trends are in certain markets. 

Green marketing and product development in the home improvement/weekend project sector has been helped tremendously by the attention Home Depot's eco options program has generated.

Soy Guard is made by Pennsylvania-based Bio Preserve and is available across the country.  The product offers a soy-based alternative to the numerous petroleum-based options currently on the market. 

According to the manufacturer their soy products are biobased (Made from Renewable Resources), have ultra Low V.O.C. Clean Air Formula - less than 50g/L and are non toxic and non flammable (Best Natural Alternative to toxic and flammable waterproofing formulations and
wood coatings)

(via) Alternative Consumer

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Dubbed the Greenest Book in Publishing History

The final installment in the Harry Potter series will be the greenest book in publishing history according to Markets Initiative, an environmental group focusing on paper.  Five years of work by Markets Initiative and the Rainforest Alliance is putting tangible environmental solutions into the hands of Harry Potter fans in 16 countries.

For the initial printing of 12 million copies of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows in the United States, publisher Scholastic has committed to making sure 65% of the 16,700 tons of paper used is FSC-certified, which means the paper comes from forestlands that are managed in a socially and environmentally responsible way.

Totaling nearly 22 million pounds, this is the largest purchase of FSC-certified paper to be used in a single book printing to date. Moreover, all the paper used in the printing will contain at least 30 % post-consumer waste fiber, with much of that verified by FSC standards as well

The Rainforest Alliance worked with Scholastic to develop its plan to buy FSC-certified paper and will continue helping the company refine its responsible paper procurement policies.

Markets Initiative’s work on greening the Harry Potter series has fundamentally changed the way that book publishers use paper.  More than 300 publishers internationally now print on papers that help safeguard endangered forests. A new paper supply chain has been sparked and 35 new eco-friendly papers developed.

Market Initiative Graphic on Environmental Impact of Harry Potter Book 

Ford using New Foam Containing Soybeans in 2008 Mustang Seats

Ford Motor Co. will put a new foam that is 40% soybean-based / 60% petroleum-based in the seats of its new 2008 Mustang.  The automaker may expand usage of the new foam to more '08 model year cars as well.   

Ford is teaming up with automotive seat manufacturer Lear Corp. to install the seats at a joint Mazda-Ford factory in Michigan where the Mustang is made.

Ford and Lear collaborated with the United Soybean Board - New Uses Committee (a group of 64 farmers and agriculture industry leaders), Urethane Soy Systems Company, Bayer Corporation and Renosol Corporation on soy-foam development.

Most automakers use petroleum-based foam, with an average of 14 kilograms going into each vehicle, Ford said.

The annual worldwide market for automotive foam is four billion kilograms, so a switch to a renewable material may have a significant environmental impact.

Ford said the environmental advantages include reduced carbon dioxide emissions in manufacturing compared to petroleum-based foam, lower energy use to produce the soy foam and reduced dependence on foreign oil.