Green Business News - Week Ending October 1st
Written by Shelly RocheA Growing Clean Energy Market is Emerging Among India's Vast Rural Poor
A new generation of inexpensive, durable cook stoves could significantly reduce pollution and associated health problems among India's rural poor, a population estimated at 114 million households. Nearly half of this group has no access to electricity, and more than 85% of them rely on firewood and dung for cooking and heating. Firewood and dung fires produce sooty smoke that causes many health problems, as well as premature death.
New products such as solar lanterns, energy-efficient stoves, biomass gasification, and small-scale hydropower systems have been popping up to serve the rapidly growing demand for alternative cooking and electricity products. Since 2004, the market for these sorts of green energy products in rural India has grown an average of 36% per year, and is estimated to grow to more than $2.1 billion.
Wave Power Delivers Electricity to US Grid For First Time
Wave energy company Ocean Power Technologies is the first to deliver ocean-generated electricity back to the US grid. The PB40 PowerBuoy was installed at the Marine Corps Base in Hawaii to test the its ability to produce utility-grade renewable energy. The device is installed almost a mile off the coast of Oahu, and has been producing electricity for more than 4,400 hours. Independent monitoring has found it to have no significant environmental impact.
While wave power lacks the large-scale potential of wind or solar, this demonstration proves it does have certain practical applications, and can be used safely with minimal impact.
Offshore Wind Power Can Electrify Half of East Coast
A new report from Oceana found offshore wind could generate enough power to supply half of the East Coast's electricity. They also estimate wind could produce up to 30% more power than available fossil fuel sources in the same areas. States included in the study are: Delaware, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Jersey, Virginia, South Carolina, Rhode Island, Maryland, Florida, New York and Georgia.
The report goes on to recommend a plan for transitioning away from fossil fuels and toward offshore wind power, including things like:
* Removing federal subsidies for fossil fuels, and incentivizing electrification projects.
Grocery stores try setting up fake farmers markets
Safeway and Albertsons supermarkets are among many that have been testing a new tactic to sell produce: setting up outdoor "farmers markets" that look like your neighborhood farm market, but sell the same produce available inside the store. Fortunately, local groups quickly caught on to the marketing ploy and complained, resulting in Safeway changing their sign from "Farmers Market" to "Outdoor Market".
Semantics aside, it's always a good idea to ask where the produce came from and do a little research before buying -- even when you're not buying from a supermarket. An investigation in LA found that many farmers markets were selling produce that came from the same factory farms that supply the major chain stores.
Read more »
Source4Style Creates Online Marketplace for Sustainable Fashion
New company Source4Style allows designers to easily source sustainable materials by providing an online marketplace specifically for sustainable products. Founder Summer Rayne Oakes says some designers spend up to 80% of their time hunting for materials, and that finding underlying sustainability data is extremely difficult.
In order for a fabric to be available on Source4Style, a supplier has to provide extensive information, which is then reviewed by a panel. The questionairre is based largely on the Eco Index, which is a tool created to measure the impact of clothing and other outdoor gear. Topics include recycled content, organic content, certificatios, farming processes, fair trade practices and more.
Oakes is discovering that many suppliers are thrilled at the opportunity to provide additional information about their products.
Ben & Jerry's Backs Off 'All Natural' Claims
Ben & Jerry's is voluntarily removing the phrase "all natural" from products that contain partially hydrogenated soybean oil and other ingredients that don't actually occur in nature. This move is in response to a complaint filed by the Washington-based Centre for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Ben & Jerry's will remove the claim and continue to focus on other core values, such as fair-trade suppliers, cage-free eggs and milk from family farms that don't use bovine growth hormones.
This case demonstrates a growing consumer trend of demanding more than marketing claims, and investigating to make sure the underlying data supports such claims.
Green Business News - Week Ending September 24th
Written by Shelly RocheHow to turn local water conservation into good business
At this year's Clinton Global Initiative, the lead scientist at the Nature Conservancy introduced the organization's innovative market-based "water protection" plan. The concept behind the plan is that people are willing to pay for clean, safe water -- even in the poorest populations. As an example, Dr. Sanjayan explains that by taking a payment directly from a family in Quito, and giving it to someone in the Andes who is protecting a clean water source, they are able to prevent the money from getting tied up in governmental bureaucracies. The direct flow of funds incentivizes protection of water sources and encourages conservation. The program has been wildly successful, turning the Conservancy's initial investment of $1000 dollars into an $8 million dollar enterprise.
CRD Analytics’ Top 1,000 Sustainable Companies: Who’s in the Top 10 and How?
Thin-film solar technology coming to Wal-Mart
Wal-Mart is experimenting with new alternative energy solutions, including wind turbines, geothermal, and solar panels. The company is planning to deploy next-generation thin-film solar panels to 30 additional stores in California and Arizona. The solar installations are expected to provide up to one third of the energy used at each store. Since 2007, Wal-Mart has installed solar panels at 31 of its 8400 stores. Thin-film solar panels can be used in locations where traditional solar panels can't - for example, in climates where heavy snow loads occur.
General Mills To Use 100% Sustainable Palm Oil
BMW unveils Mini Scooter E ahead of Paris show
A Crop Sprouts Without Soil or Sunshine
The company is also planning to convert abandoned buildings in Newark into vertical farms in order to make produce available to areas immediately surrounding each farm. Eventually, they'd like to service the entire tri-state area's residents, schools, supermarkets, hospitals and restaurants. This move is part of a growing initiative to turn Newark into an agricultural hotspot and improve residents' access to healthy, locally-grown food.
Green Business News - Week Ending September 17th
Written by Shelly RocheA Belated Debate on Modified Beets
More than 75% of America's corn, soy and sugar beet crops are genetically modified, but we rarely hear about it in the news. Many European countries have banned such crops due to insufficient research and concerns about health, safety and environmental impact.
Environmentalists and farmers are suing the federal Agriculture Department in a California court, in an effort to overturn permits that would allow farmers to plant genetically altered sugar beets. On August 13, a San Francisco judge issued an injunction against planting genetically modified sugar beets. His ruling was based on the Department of Agriculture's failure to adequately study the environmental impact before approving the widespread use of genetically modified crops.
The beets in question are engineered by Monsanto to be resistant to their Roundup herbicide, which allows farmers to apply large amounts of herbicide to fields without killing the beets. Extensive use of Roundup has already resulted in the emergence of "superweeds" that are also resistant to Roundup, and require far harsher chemicals to eradicate. Sugar beets are known to cross-pollinate with regular beets and Swiss chard, and nearby organic farmers are concerned about contamination of their heirloom crops. Earthjustice and the Center for Food Safety contend that this would "deprive farmers and consumers of the choice to grow and consume nongenetically engineered food."
Read more »
Turning everyday garbage into gasoline
A new product called the MicroFusion Reactor can process organic food waste --anything that goes into your compost bin -- into ethanol fuel. At a cost of less than a dollar a gallon, Reactor-produced ethanol is far cheaper than buying ethanol the traditional way.
The system costs $16,000 -- $10,000 for the waste storage tank and pump/reactor system, and $6000 for the generator. CEO Thomas Quinn sees the product as benefiting businesses like hotels and restaurants, which generate large quantities of organic waste. He also sees applications in residential areas. If you don't produce enough organic waste on your own, you can have it delivered.
Read more »
eBay: Our merchants are good for the Earth
Auction giant eBay has sponsored a report that explains how its business model promotes sustainability and energy efficiency. The report found that by eliminating the need for a physical storefront, the retailer avoids the environmental costs associated with maintaining a retail space. eBay started their research in 2008, with a goal of completing "the world's first comprehensive analysis of the global warming benefits of online trading, payments, and communications."
Read more »
Ferrari's hybrid future
Ferrari has announced its 2012 supercar will be based on new hybrid technology that will cut emissions by 35%. Their 599 hybrid concept system uses a kinetic energy recovery system to improve energy efficiency. The new supercar will be smaller and lighter than current models, and will not sacrifice speed for lower fuel consumption and emissions.
Are Marketers Bowing to Positive Peer Pressure?
Consumers are seeing huge increases in "green" and "sustainable" marketing, as companies respond to growing market demand for environmentally responsible products. Next time you're at the grocery, check out the shift from product packaging that used to focus entirely on selling the product, to packaging that prominently features its environmental benefits. One example is compostable packaging. The Keebler chocolate chip cookies packaging can be upcycled (turned into new products instead of going to the landfill), and uses almost a quarter of it's prime marketing real estate -- the front of the cookie package -- to tell you about it.
As article author Heidi Tolliver-Nigro notes, "Do you know what a big deal this is? The front of a product package is one of the most precious pieces of real estate a consumer product company has. For them to devote 10% or even 20% of that real estate to some kind of sustainability initiative really says something. For them to give more space to sustainability marketing than the product itself, that’s astonishing."Astonishing, and a striking testament of how our buying decisions bring about change in the marketplace.
REI Releases 2009 Stewardship Report
Recreational Equipment, Inc (REI) released its fourth annual stewardship report report this week, highlighting the company's ongoing commitment to sustainability and employee welfare. Notable findings include:
* 31% of greenhouse gas emissions came from the company's adventure travel program, REI Adventures. This is notable because retailers normally see the highest emissions from in-store energy use.
* REI's five environmental target areas are reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing waste and increasing recycling, green building, sustainable paper usage and product stewardship.
* They also focus on employee welfare, and went so far as to join the Fair Factories Clearinghouse and conduct an independent audit of their fair labor compliance program. 60% of REI's factory violations were a result of health and safety, and fair wage issues.
Green Business News - Week Ending September 2nd
Written by Shelly RocheWaste Management going for 'black gold'
Houston-based trash and recycling company Waste Management is expanding their organic recycling services to include sales of mulch, compost and playground turf made from recycled organic materials.
To facilitate the expansion, Waste Management acquired Garick, which is a manufacturer of organic gardening products. Garick has the capacity to compost in excess of one million tons of material every year, and Waste Management plans to expand its food and organic waste removal services to accomodate their newfound capacity.
The acquisition brings Waste Management one step closer to a goal of increasing the amount of recyclables processed, increasing production of renewable energy, and investing in new waste-management technologies.
Read more »
The price of cheap Walmart eggs? Mummified hens and tainted eggs
Tom Philpott of Grist explores the root of food safety issues like the recent egg recall -- primarily, consumer demand for impossibly cheap eggs:
“The current egg recall, which grew out of filthy conditions on factory-scale Iowa egg facilities (detailed in my last post), can only be fully understood within this context. Profit margins on eggs that retail for 8 cents apiece are nano-thin; in order to make money, producers have no choice but to think in terms of massive volume. And they have to be ruthless about controlling costs.
In a market predicated on cost cutting, the winners aren't the players that produce the highest-quality eggs or maintain the best production standards. Instead, the spoils go to the ones that produce the most eggs at the cheapest price. And that means severe pressure to cut corners on food safety, building maintenance, working conditions, etc. As the career of Wright County Egg Owner Jack DeCoster shows, fines from violations of worker-safety, sanitation, and water-quality laws become a mere cost of doing business.”
As more consumers make buying decisions based on quality, animal welfare and sustainability, the market will shift to reward producers who adopt friendlier practices. Let’s hope this happens sooner, rather than later.
Read more »
Philly subway to capture energy from braking trains
Viridity Energey has been awarded a $900,000 grant to build a system to capture energy from braking trains as they slow down to enter stations throughout Philadelphia. The energy will be stored in a giant battery, and be used to power trains when they leave the station. Excess power will be sold back to the grid. The project is slated for operation by spring of 2011.
Viridity’s system includes hosted software that analyzes energy needs and optimizes usage accordingly. The project is estimated to save $500,000 a year using the new system. Viridity makes its money by getting a percentage of the revenue earned by its customers.
BP Tripled Ad Spending After Spill
Oil giant BP spent $93.4 million on advertising in the three months after the Deepwater Horizon disaster, three times what it spent in the same three months last year. According to a report made to the House Energy and Commerce Committee, BP bought fewer ads, but the ads it bought were longer and ran nationwide. The heaviest concentration was in the states directly affected by the spill. In addition to the ad spending, BP gave $89.5 million in grants to promote tourism along the Gulf Coast.
Read more »
Fresh Air for Sale, in Hong Kong
The notoriously poor air quality in Hong Kong has resulted in a “revolutionary new product” claiming to let you experience breathing “like the rest of the world does.” At a cost of 2 Hong Kong dollars (25 cents, US), you get a cannister, a mask, and your choice of flavors. The product’s fall launch corresponds with some of the highest pollution levels of the year. Roadside stations in central Hong Kong have classified air pollution levels at “very high” this week.
The campaign’s tongue-in-cheek youtube video has gotten over 140,000 views, and is aimed at increasing awareness of Hong Kong’s deplorable air quality, particularly with youngsters.
Read more »
Prescription Drug Use Rose to Include Half of Americans in 2008
A new study has found nearly half of Americans used prescription drugs every month in 2008. This number marks an increase of 10% over the prior decade.
Other findings include:
- 20% of children under the age of 11 took prescription meds each month
- 37% of people aged 60 or higher used five or more prescription meds per month
- Spending for prescription drugs hit $234.1 billion
- The two biggest sellers last year were Lipitor (Pfizer Inc.) and Plavix (Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.)
- For children, the most common medications were treatments for attention-deficit disorder
- For adults aged 20 to 59, antidepressants were the most common
- For adults 60 and over, cholesterol-lowering medications were most common.
Read more »
Green Business News - Week Ending August 26th
Written by Shelly RocheHow Marketplace Economics Can Help Build a Greener World
Want to know the true ecological impact of what you buy? New technologies are being developed to track supply chains and offer “radical transparency” that goes well beyond marketing buzzwords.These technologies apply two fundamental economic principles to ecological metrics: marketplace transparency and lowering the cost of information. In economics, transparency makes markets work more efficiently. When it comes to the eco-impact of the products we buy, we as buyers know far less than those selling the products, but this is changing.
WalMart is developing a “sustainability index” that rates the ecological impact of its products, boiled down into a single metric. While this is a good first step, it is incredibly difficult to distill the complexities of a product’s origins and supply chain into a single number. They are also piloting life-cycle analyses of certain products - so consumers can see more than just the score.
Other companies like Unilever and Google are implementing their own eco-transparency plans.
A global consortium of companies are forming a “Group of Ten” to develop an open source supply chain transparency system called E2 Turbo that will track data for the 20% of a product’s life cycle that accounts for 80% of its ecological impact. Once data is collected, the software suggests the best ways to improve impacts. Because the software is open source, the likelihood of gaining traction sufficient to support a market shift is high. If consumers reward brands that offer transparency about ecological footprints, the business case for transparency becomes compelling.
Read more »
Voltaic Systems Launches Slick Stand-Alone Solar Chargers
Voltaic Systems has launched a new line of stand-alone solar chargers that are capable of charging a smartphone in four or five hours of direct sunlight. These new chargers have about four times the charging power of most solar chargers on the market. The chargers use high-temperature Lithium Polymer, which stands up better to the heat in direct sunlight, and hold enough power to charge a smartphone twice. The models range from a purse-sized to a small day bag. At $99 to $129 each, these chargers seem like a viable option for anyone who might need a charge on the go.
Canadian “Green Steam” Contraptions Soon to be Killing Weeds All Over Town, Per Rec and Park
The city of San Francisco has swapped pesticides for a brand new Green Steam Machine device that kills weeds without the use of harmful chemicals. Instead, the machine delivers lethal doses of steam.
Says General Manager of Rec and Park Phil Ginsburg, “Last week, we unveiled our brand new Green Steam Machine, an eco-friendly alternative for weed control that eliminates the use of pesticides in and around children’s play areas. Purchased with help from the San Francisco Parks Trust, the Green Steam Machine is thefirst of its kind here in the United States and I can’t be more thrilled with the potential of this new machine. We are going to put one in every Park Services Area (PSA) around the city so that our gardeners and supervisors have regular access to this new machine.”
GM salmon may go on sale in US after public consultation
Food and Drug administration has begun a 60-day process to approve the first genetically modified animal for human consumption. The AquAdvantage salmon has been created by AquaBounty Technologies to grow twice as quickly as its non-modified counterpart. The fish has been under development for 14 years, at a cost of $50 million. The genetic modification introduces a growth hormone gene to make the fish grow faster, and also renders them sterile to prevent them from reproducing.
The FDA’s approval process could take less than a year, which would allow the fish onto the market in 18 months. This decision will set a critical precedent; if approved, it will open the door to a large number of animals that are being engineered for consumption.
We all know what happened the last time the FDA approved a product using growth hormones.
Lumenergi Raises $12.7 Million for Energy Efficient Lighting
Lumenergi Inc., a provider of energy efficient networked lighting systems, recently announced the close of a $12.7 million series B round of financing to facilitate expanding into large-scale commercial and industrial buildings.
Since lighting is responsible for up to 40% of energy consumed in commercial buildings, it is a key target for energy efficiency products. The company’s system enables building owners to centrally control their lighting to provide the right amount of light when and where it is needed, reducing lighting-related energy consumption by up to 70%.
