Sustainability in Business

Levi's

    Levi's changed their finishing process to reduce water 28% on average, and as much as 98% for some products. They did this by reducing the number of washing cycles from 3 to 10, to just ONE process. They incorporated ozone processing into their washing and removed ALL water use from their stone wash products.

Trans-Elect Development

    Has an ambitious proposal to build a 350-mile offshore wind installation in the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic Wind Connection, which will deliver power to about 1.9 million households. In October, Google and Good Energies (a NY-based investment firm) agreed to take a 37.5 % stake each in the initial development stage of the project. This installation will stretch from New Jersey to Virginia and provide a "backbone" for multiple wind farms. The first phase could go into effect as early as 2016.

 

Newsweek's Green Rankings for 2010

    Newsweek's 2^nd annual Green Ranking scores are in! The top five companies include Dell, HP, IBM, Johnson & Johnson, and Intel. Each company is scored by three separate metrics: an Environmental Impact Score (45%), a Green Policies Score (45%), and a Reputation Survey Score (10%). There are a few things to keep in mind when looking at these rankings. First, the differences among top companies are MINOR. The top 19 companies scored over 90% and the top 87 companies scored over 80%. Secondly, the scores are SUBJECTIVE. Individuals make judgment calls that are turned into numerical scores. Lastly, all of the scores are RELATIVE. They are scored by how they compare to their peers.

 

Top 10 Power Purchasers Recognized by the EPA

1. Intel Corporation
   
2. Kohl's Department Stores
   
3. Whole Foods
   
4. Starbucks
   
5. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
   
6. City of Houston
   
7. Dell, Inc.
   
8. Johnson & Johnson
   
9. US Air Force
   
10. City of Dallas

November 15th: America Recycles Day

The US Environmental Protection Agency has set aside November 15^th as America Recycles Day! This is the day America can "recommit to recycling for the health of the planet."

Recycling is a very important part in reducing pollution, along with "reduce" and "reuse." Today, we are able to recycle many things, even electronics, but a lot of these items are still making their way into our landfills. Current recycling rates are remaining at about 33% of solid waste, which leaves more than 54% of solid waste in landfills. Keep in mind, the average American discards about 4.5 POUNDS of trash each day.

Some valuable items that we can recycle include:

• Glass bottles and Jars
  
• Plastic Detergent and Soda bottles
  
• Aluminum cans
  
• Paper containers and packaging
  
• Yard clippings
  
• Food scraps
  
• Electronic devices.
  

Schools across the nation are offering paper recycling bins to help recycle AND raise money for schools, so keep an eye out for those. Another important piece of information to remember: ONE can of soda can save enough energy to fuel your television for TWO HOURS!

EPA gives away $1.5 Million in Grants for Environmental Education

Through the 1990 National Environmental Act that gives the agency the authorization to support and create environmental education programs, the EPA awarded $1.5 million in Environmental Education grants this year. Among the recipients were The Native Wellness Institute of Portland, Oregon and the Island Institute of Rockland, Maine.

The Native Wellness Institute of Portland received over $100,000 to implement their "Native Youth Environment Warriors" project. This project will give environmental education and training to people in order for them to design and put into place environmental projects in their communities.

The Island Institute of Rockland received almost $124,000 for their "Energy for Maine" project. This project will allow discussions and analysis of renewable energy sources and provide education for energy efficiency.

The remaining recipients received money for projects that range from climate change and water quality in their communities and on a national level.

The United States and Going Green

• The Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has recently opened its new Research Support Facility in Golden, CO. This $64 million 220,000 square foot office building will only use the energy it creates and it will use 50% less energy than comparable buildings AT CURRENT COMMERCIAL CODE. This building has the following key elements:
  
  • Oriented to allow daylight and natural ventilation which will minimize unwanted heat losses and gains.
    
  • Has a labyrinth of thermal storage in crawl space for passive heating of the building.
    
  • Outside air will be preheated by transpired solar collectors.
    
  • ALL of the workstations will be lit with natural daylight.
    
  • Most windows will be operable and are triple glazed.
    
  • The concrete is precast with insulated panels
    
  • Uses water as the cooling and heating medium instead of forced air.
    
  • Has under-the-floor ventilation
    
  • Has an energy efficient data center and workstations.
    
  • Has an on-site solar energy system.
    
• US Postal Service
  
  • Installed Green Roof in New York City plant.
    
    • Reduces polluted storm water runoff by 75% in summer and 40% in winter.
      
    • Saving 40% in electricity each month.
      
    • The roof will last about 50 years.
      
  • They had a goal to reach a 30% reduction in energy use by 2015, they are already 2/3rds of the way there.
    
  • Cut energy intensity by 21% since 2003.
    

Sustainability in Business

What are big businesses doing to go green????

 

Frito-Lay

Frito- Lay will be expanding its fleet to 176 electric vehicles over the next year. These vehicles can travel up to 100 miles on one charge and releases 75% less Greenhouse Gases than diesel-powered trucks. Five all-electric trucks were deployed in New York City in September.

Green Seal

Green Seal has expanded its scope with a new pilot standard that seeks to certify the sustainability of an entire company. This expansion of scope is aimed to speed the greening of the consumer market.

Thanet Offshore Wind Farm

Thanet Offshore Wind Farm, off the Kent Coast, is the largest offshore wind farm in the World. It has 100 turbines and will generate electricity equivalent to the annual consumption of over 200,000 British Households.

General Electric (GE)

GE plans to invest $432 million in the next 4 years to establish 4 design and manufacturing centers for energy efficient refrigerators in the United States. These products will meet 2014 standards and create over 500 jobs in the process.

Novotech, Inc.

This Massachusetts-based firm is developing new technology that will allow water heating and cooling through parking lot pavement. This technology will allow us to collect heat from parking-lot asphalt and save an estimated $77,000 in savings from a half-acre system. It is not yet known when this technology will be available, as it is still in the development phase.

 

What are big businesses doing to go green?

• Procter & Gamble
  
  • Some packaging for products from its Pantene, Covergirl, and Max Factor brands will be changed to sugarcane-based plastic packaging and will be on shelves next year.
    
• Timberland
  
  • Timberland's Green Index will be expanded to include every pair of footwear products by the end of 2012.
    
  • The Green Index is a 3 year old program that outlines the environmental footprint of the product on the consumer-facing label.
    
  • This Program is currently used on 14% of the company's footwear.
    
• Ecovative Design
  
  • Currently makes the products "EcoCradle" and Greensulate insulation.
    
  • This is packaging material made from agricultural waste and mushroom roots.
    
  • This product uses 2.5% of the energy it normally takes to make foam.
    
• Maines Paper and Food Service
  
  • Retrofitted their headquarters with an advanced system from Digital Lumens, Intelligent Lighting System.
    
  • The system has LED-based luminary that uses computers to integrate system-wide or by individual fixture.
    
  • Cut energy used for lighting by almost 90 percent in just a few months.

Green Cleaning Tip for August 2010

Green Products should have certain expectations that you should be aware of.

Green Products:

1. should be closer to the pH7 range- the pH of water.
   
2. have few VOCs and don't give off strong smells
   
3. break down into normal compounds that might be found in nature.
   
4. often use enzymes and natural ingredients to do an effective job.
   
5. might replace harsh chemicals with better practices using little or no chemical application.

Big Businesses Going Green Part 2

What are Big Businesses doing to go green?

• B Green
  
  • A French cosmetics maker has eliminated plastic from its eye shadow and face powder packaging. They are now using 100% recycled cardboard which is lighter and recyclable.
    
• Kohl's
  
  • 500 stores in the retail chain have been awarded the Energy Star Label, which has saved the company about $50 million in energy costs and has boosted their efficiency by more than 20%.
    
• Alaska Airlines
  
  • Reduced emissions by 35% by changing the way their planes land.
    
    • Instead of the step-by-step landing method, they are using a steady decent landing.
      
• Office Depot
  
  • All new stores are being built for LEED certification. The inclusions are as followed: skylights, reflective roof, 100% Energy Star equipment, daylight and occupancy sensors, water conserving fixtures, interior finishes made of low-VOC emitting materials, and an in-store recycling center.
    

Clean Air Act: Timeline and Explanations

    The Clean Air Act, similar to other environmental legislation, has evolved throughout time. The Clean Air Act (CAA) started with the Air Pollution Control Act of 1955. This Act was the first Federal Legislation involving Air Pollution. Its main reason was to provide funds for Air Pollution Research.

    The Clean Air Act of 1963 (CAA 1963) was the first federal legislation regarding air pollution control. This Act was to protect and enhance the quality of the nation's air so as to promote the public's health and welfare. This Act established a federal program within the US Public Health Service and authorized research into technology for monitoring and controlling Air Pollution. This Act also provided technical and financial assistance to state and local governments in connection with the development and execution of their air pollution prevention and control programs.

    The Air Quality Act of 1970 was the next step toward clean air regulation. It expanded the Federal Governments activities and started enforcement proceedings in areas subject to interstate air pollution. This also initiated Federal Governments extensive ambient monitoring studies and stationary source inspections.

    The Clean Air Act of 1970 (CAA 1970) was the next innovation in our quest for cleaner air. It authorized the development of Federal and State regulations to limit emissions for both stationary and mobile sources. It created four different programs for stationary sources: The National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS), State Implementation Plans (SIP), New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), and National Emissions Standard for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs). This Act was around the same time as the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) which established the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in May of 1971. The EPA was established to implement the requirements of the CAA 1970.

    There are 2 amendments to the CAA 1970, one in 1977 and one in 1990. The 1977 Amendments (CAAA 1777) created provisions for the prevention of significant deterioration, otherwise known as PSD, of air quality in areas attaining the NAAQS. It also contained requirements pertaining to the sources in non-attainment areas for NAAQS. Both of these amendments established major permit review requirements. The Amendments from 1990 increased the authorization and responsibility of the Federal Government. It also added control of acid rain, operating permits, toxic pollutants and stratospheric ozone protection.

    As you can see, the Clean Air Act, and related legislation, has made enormous changes in our air quality. All of our current legislations aim towards keeping the world safe for our children and our children's children.

Solar Roadways

Big Businesses and Green: Products

Businesses all over the world are beginning to create more and more green products. These products help save electricity, water, use recycled content, are recyclable, and are made from plant materials instead of man-made. Here is a small peek at different products coming out that are green.

• Cereplast
  
  • Plans to produce polymers made with algae. Will end up making resins for injection molding and thermoforming.
    
• Belkin
  
  • The Insight- an energy-use monitor that you can plug a device into to see how much energy (in watts or dollars) is being used.
    
  • The Smart AV- a surge protector that detects when your TV is off and turns off power to attached components (i.e. Video game consoles, DVD players, and Cable boxes)
    
  • The Valet- a charging station that shuts off power when a device is charged.
    
  • The Socket- a timer that shuts off power to a device after a certain amount of time.
    
• Timberland's Earthkeepers
  
  • This line of footwear has added a men's boat shoe and women's sandal.
    
  • 90% of the boat shoe and 70% of the sandal is recyclable or reusable
    
  • The soles are made with 42% recycled materials.
    
• Cerealus Holdings:
  
  • Created a Corn-protein based coating additive for wrappers, bags, or other type of food packaging that come in contact with grease or oil. This will be used in place of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).
    

WHAT ARE BIG BUSINESSES DOING TO GO GREEN?

• Coca Cola
  o Replaced lighting at a large portion of their offices all over the country- which lowered electric use by 50%
  o Installed solar light pipes in certain parking lots.
  o Lowered their carbon footprint by 11.5% since 2007
  o Reduced the amount of water they use
  o Increased recycling
• IBM
  o Updated plants and labs to enhance the environmental performance
  o Invested over $96 million in operating expense to do that….
  o Has already saved an estimated $152 million!!!!!
• Ford
  o Now using foam derived from soy.
  o Has helped to avoid more than 6 million pounds of carbon dioxide emissions ANNUALLY!
• Best Buy
  o Reduced Greenhouse Gas emissions by 14.8% in FY 2010 based on the baseline of 2005 numbers. Their goal was 8%.
  o Increased the retail square footage but did NOT increase energy usage.
  o They educated their employees on the importance of energy management.
  o Their long term improvements include:
   The use of skylights
   Low VOC paints
   Cleaning supplies
   Low-flow water fixtures
   Lower fleet fuel use
  o Best buy ALSO accepts used electronics for recycling
• Kraft
  o Cut waste by 30% by recycling, composting, and turning food scraps into animal feed. They recycle or reuse 90% of their waste.
  o 9 facilities send NO WASTE to landfills. 5 of these facilities are plants in the USA, 3 are plants in Canada, and the last is a US distribution center.
• Purina UK
  o Reducing the boxes for Go-Cat food by 10%, they are removing the space from the top of the packaging. Expected to save 195 tons of cardboard each year.
• BMW
  o Using PPG Industries’ B1:B2 waterborne paint technology. The B1 layer provides primer and filling and the B2 layer provides color. Neither layer requires baking or heating, which reduces energy use.

What is a LEED building?

When you hear of a LEED certified building, do you wonder what it means and why it’s important? The LEED program was developed by the United State’s Green Building Council (USGBC) to help builders build green. LEED stands for the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design.

The Green Building certification, LEED program, gives building builders, designers, owners, and operators a clear framework to identify and implement green designs. These designs are practical, and measurable. This certification program is globally recognized because it provides third party verification that the building was designed and built to be environmentally friendly.

The LEED program measures sustainable site, water conservation and efficiency, energy efficiency, green materials, indoor air quality, and innovation in design. This program is flexible, taking into consideration different types of buildings. The program runs on a point system. There is a 100 point scale and credits are weighted to reflect potential environmental impacts.

A LEED Bronze Certification, like the Barksdale Air Force Base Physical Fitness in Shreveport, LA, requires 40 points. A Silver Certification requires more than 50 points, like the Target Field, the Minnesota Twins new ballpark. Sixty points will get you a Gold Certification like the Frito-Lay Jim Rich Service Center in Rochester, NY and a Platinum Certification, as the Home Depot Smart Home in Durham, NC has, will require you to have at least 80 points. Recently, a new milestone has been reached for the LEED program. The first ever private home has passed LEED Platinum Certification; this 7,500 square foot home is located right in our (Naturally Green Products) backyard in the neighborhood of Snell Isle in St. Petersburg Florida.

Paper or Plastic

When you go to the grocery store, you will invariably be asked this question… Paper or Plastic? Which should you choose? Of course, we are going to operate on the perception that you do not have your reusable bags with you or that you don’t have enough of the reusable bags.

There are obvious comparisons that can be pointed out. For instance, you can put more items in a paper bag but you can carry more plastic bags at one time. We are not going to focus on those comparisons. We are going to look at the comparisons in regards to the environmental impact of each bag for you to make your own educated decision.

First, we want to look at plastic bags. Plastic bags account for 10,000 tons of landfill space in the United States. It takes 1,000 years to naturally degrade. Less than 1% of plastic bags used are actually recycled in the United States and are blamed for the annual death of more than 1 million birds and 100,000 marine animals.

Paper bags are not environmentally efficient either. Paper bags take four times more energy to produce than plastic. In the landfill, paper bags take up nine times more space than a plastic bag. Paper bags generate 70% more air pollution and 50 times more water pollutants than plastic bags*.

Now, it is easier to recycle paper bags than plastic, because most roadside recycling allows for recycling of paper bags, but not plastic. In order to recycle plastic bags, you must find a recycling center in your area. Most grocery stores have bins for plastic bag recycling, so if you do choose plastic, you can always return them there.

Remember, the most environmentally friendly bag out there would be a reusable bag that is sold at most grocery stores, but if you’re in a crunch, make the right choice when you’re asked “Paper or Plastic?”

*information gathered from www.natural-environment.com

The History of Earth Day

Ok everyone, let’s look at our calendar for April 22nd; see anything? Most calendars have Earth Day listed as a holiday just like Christmas, New Year’s Day, and Independence Day. Here’s the funny thing, most people know the background behind those holidays, but probably not the history about Earth Day.

Back in 1963, Senator Gaylord Nelson from Wisconsin began worrying about the state of our environment. He noticed that no one in the Government was looking at environmental issues and they were allowing large companies to fill our air with smoke and our water with pesticides. He decided to bring Environmental Issues out into the open.

In 1969, Senator Nelson started planning for a special day the following spring. This day would be a day to educate the public about the things that needed changing in our world. He wanted to use this day as a way to force environmental issues into the forefront of the national agenda.

The very first Earth Day was April 22, 1970. More than 20 million people took to the streets to demonstrate for a healthy and sustainable environment. These people from all over the country made promises to help the environment.

In 1990, Earth Day went global. Earth Day mobilized more than 200 million people over 141 countries and led to the 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This particular Earth Day led to a huge recycling boost all over the world.

Earth Day isn’t just about planting trees and making promises. Earth Day is about awareness. It is about becoming aware of the issues plaguing our environment and making the conscious effort to be part of the solution. That is the best way to celebrate Earth Day. So many different laws and regulations have been passed to protect the environment and we will be covering a lot of those laws and regulations in further articles, so STAY TUNED.

"Green" Cleaning Tips

April’s Green Cleaning Tips

** Avoid cleaning products with fragrance, pigments, and chemical reactions (foaming), these are non-green elements that can add to the indoor air quality issue in your building.

** Changing your mop water frequently and rinsing out the mop is a good way to avoid transferring dirt and bacteria into other areas. Using a 2 compartment mop bucket (with one side dirty water and the other side rinse water) will help you keep clean water on the mop.

** Apply cleaning product in a stream, rather than a mist, to reduce the vapors. These vapors are attributed to low Indoor Air Quality.

Going Green: The differences in the types of Green Products

By: Josefina M Henselin

Going “Green” has become a very important aspect of any business, whether we are speaking about lowering carbon emissions or lowering our electric use.  There are many new laws and regulations to “encourage” companies to begin thinking about sustainability now.

The term “going green” refers to the changing of habits to more “eco-friendly” ways of doing things.  Renewable energy like hydroelectricity and wind energy are becoming more and more acceptable sources.  Using less energy for heating, cooling and even lighting is quickly becoming the norm.  Another large aspect of “going green” is looking into cleaning products with fewer chemicals.

A lot of people think little about industrial cleaning, or even house cleaning, as being an important part of going green, but it is one of the most important parts.  Indoor Air Quality and chemical run off are two main drawbacks of chemical cleaners.  Chemical’s found in cleaners, either commercial or household, contain harmful chemicals that we breathe in.  These chemicals cause asthma, sickness, and other health issues.  These chemicals also “run off” our septic and sewer systems into ground water, lakes, and rivers; this alters the eco-systems that are fragile and which plants and animals are dependent on. 

The correlation between cleaning products and a building’s “sick days” are unmistakable.  The more chemicals used, the more often employees become sick and unable to work.  Indoor Air Quality also has an effect on the productivity of employees in the office.

Trying to find the right “green” products can be rather tricky.  You will see labels that say: “green,” “environmentally safe,” environmentally friendly,” and Designed for the Environment.”  These “titles” and descriptions can be misleading and even downright wrong.  The full proof way of knowing which products are which, is by looking at the ingredients. 

The descriptions using “green” or “environmentally safe/friendly” are not measured; therefore anyone can make that statement without having it be true or proven.  These are merely marketing descriptions, which are designed to influence you, the consumer, to buy.  In theory, these descriptions would mean that they minimally, if at all, affect the environment. In truth, the International Organization for Standardization states that these descriptions are “too vague” due to the lack of research and evaluations.  In other words, these products are safer than what?

The United States’ Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created a program that distinguishes the “good from the not-so-good” with their Designed for the Environment (DfE) program.  This program evaluates products for their safety to humans and the environment.  If the product passes, it is allowed to place the DfE seal on their products.

As previously discussed, the titles and descriptions of products out there can be misleading.  Looking at the ingredients of different products and looking for the EPA’s DfE seal, are the best ways to buy Green Cleaning Products.

Welcome to the Naturally Green Products Blog!

Happy New Year!

We look forward to a successful 2010 and the exciting green products we carry. Visit our website at: naturally-greenproducts.com to order online!