IGPN - International Green Purchasing Network
The International Green Purchasing Network (IGPN) is an organization which promotes Green Purchasing around the globe
Topics
January 25, 2012
Women are earning, spending, and influencing spending at a greater rate than ever before.
According to Social Media, women are earning, spending, and influencing spending at a greater rate than ever before. In fact, women account for $7 trillion in consumer and business spending in the United States, and over the next decade, they will control two thirds of consumer wealth.
Women make or influence 85% of all purchasing decisions, and purchase over 50% of traditional male products, including automobiles, home improvement products and consumer electronics.
For further information, please visit Social Media.
category : Topics
January 25, 2012
Featured iPhone App: Taptu Guardian Environment
Guardian teamed up with a social news reader Taptu to release Taptu Guardian Environment. Although its user interface needs some improvement for a better reading experience, it is worth downloading.
category : Topics
January 25, 2012
Unlocking Seaweed’s Next-Gen Crude: Sugar
Seaweed often brings to mind thoughts of surf and sushi, not fuel. But that could change if a biotechnology start-up called Bio Architecture Lab succeeds in building a new kind of energy company from designer bacteria and a low-cost process for harvesting seaweed.
The key is a genetically modified strain of Escherichia coli bacterium, which can break down the sugars in brown seaweed, or macro-algae, to produce ethanol, according to new research published in the peer-reviewed journal Science.
Read The New York Times article.
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January 18, 2012
Green Gifts for Every Occasion
The Daily Green's gift guide features the season's best green gifts.
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January 11, 2012
Economic fallacies: is it time to work more, or less?
Juliet Schor explains the economic logic of a shorter working week.
"31% of college-educated American men work more than 50 hours a week while 15.1% of all Americans live in poverty."
"Economists are fond of pointing out fallacies in economic logic, and unorthodox economists are especially fond of the sport. Adam Smith's famous maxim that the self-interested behavior of individuals produces the common good is one widely-held fallacy. It was spectacularly debunked by the selfish behavior of the 1% who crashed the world economy in 2008."
Read The Guardian article.
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January 11, 2012
Organic? Yes. Sustainable? Not Always.
Organic produce from Mexico often ends up in an energy-intensive global distribution chain that takes it as far as New York and Dubai, United Arab Emirates, producing significant emissions that contribute to global warming.
The New York Times article 1
The New York Times article 2
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January 11, 2012
A Photographic Blast From the Past
In January 1972, the Environmental Protection Agency asked nearly 100 freelance photographers to roam the country in the pursuit of a single goal: documenting “the environmental happenings and non-happenings” of the decade.
A selection on Flickr.
Read The New York Times article.
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January 11, 2012
Biomass and Electricity
New York Times reporter Matthew L. Wald writes about biomass technology.
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December 22, 2011
E.P.A. Issues Limits on Mercury Emissions
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards, the first national standards to protect American families from power plant emissions of mercury and toxic air pollution like arsenic, acid gas, nickel, selenium, and cyanide.
- The New York Times Green Blog on this issue
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December 21, 2011
ICLEI Launches 3 Unique Websites
ICLEI announced the launch of three unique websites to help support public authorities in implementing sustainable procurement:
- The Sustainable Procurement Resource Centre;
- and the relaunch of the Procura+ Sustainable Procurement Campaign website.
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November 30, 2011
Green cars in spotlight at waning Japan auto show
Toyota Boshoku Co.'s concept vehicle T-Brain is displayed at the Tokyo Motor Show in Tokyo, Japan, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2011. (AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye)
Green cars rolled into the spotlight at the Tokyo auto show as Japan's automakers look to fuel efficient technology to reinvigorate growth after tough times.
The showcase for Japan's pillar auto industry was holding its preview for media on Wednesday ahead of opening to the public on Saturday.
Plug-in hybrids and electric cars are centerstage at the Tokyo Motor Show -- reflecting both how green cars are growing in popularity and the low profile of foreign automakers at the event.
Read the Boston Globe article.
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November 18, 2011
Paper towels least green way of drying hands, study finds
Scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology have completed what is believed to be the first major study to assess the greenest way of drying your hands.
The research paper compared the seven most common drying methods in public toilets and concludes that paper towels and warm air hand dryers have the highest environmental toll – generating 70% more carbon emissions than the newest technology on the market, the cold air-driven hand dryer from UK manufacturer Dyson, which also commissioned the paper.
Read the Guardian UK article.
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November 9, 2011
Breaking a Long Silence on Population Control
Major American environmental groups have dodged the subject of population control for decades, wary of getting caught up in the bruising politics of reproductive health.
Picture credit: Leah Nash for The New York Times
Yet, virtually alone, the Center for Biological Diversity is breaking the taboo by directly tying population growth to environmental problems through efforts like giving away condoms in colorful packages depicting endangered animals. The idea is to start a debate about how overpopulation crowds out species and hastens climate change — just when the world is welcoming Baby No. 7 Billion.
Read The New York Times article.
category : Topics
November 9, 2011
Mass Solar Installation in Nottingham UK
The mass installation on 600 homes in Broxtowe and Aspley is one of the largest to be carried out in the UK in a single domestic scheme. The energy savings are thought to total around £72,000 a year. The solar industry said the government's plans to cut feed-in tariffs by over 50% in the next six weeks would devastate the number of installations on homes, schools and small businesses
Photographer: E.on/Page One
Aerial photography over Aspley and Broxtowe areas of Nottingham showing the mass installation of solar panels onto residents houses. Image shows houses around Fenwick Close (centre) and Coleby Road area of Broxtowe with the panels on the roofs.
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November 2, 2011
Buying Green! Handbook 2nd Edition
The Second Edition of the Buying Green! Handbook has just been
published by the European Commission.
The new Handbook provides detailed guidance for greening each step of
the procurement process. A number of revisions have been made since the
2004 edition, including:
* Greater attention to the application of GPP to services and works
contracts
* Expanded sections on selection and award criteria, technical
specifications, LCC and contract clauses
* New examples of contracts drawn from across the EU-27
* Specific sectoral guidance on electricity, construction, timber and
food and drink
The Handbook is available on the EU GPP website along with a shorter summary document aimed at policy-makers and others who may not have a detailed knowledge of procurement or GPP.
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November 2, 2011
World Population Surpasses 7 Billion
Global population trends result from varying levels of population growth and decline among countries. This informative video provides a simple and compelling overview of population trends that have created a world of 7 billion people.
Population Reference Bureau informs people around the world about population, health, and the environment, and empowers them to use that information to advance the well-being of current and future generations.
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October 26, 2011
United Nations Releases Sustainable Procurement Guideline
UNEP, United Nations Environmental Programme has released their new sustainable procurement guidelines. Take a look.
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October 19, 2011
Ethical money: 10 ways to greener spending
Every time we put our hands in our pockets we're making a choice. Guardian Money looks at how to be environment-savvy without it costing you the earth.
National Ethical Investment Week, which kicks off tomorrow, aims to ensure everyone knows their options when it comes to their financial decisions. To celebrate its launch, Guardian Money has looked at the steps you can take – some very simple – to "ethicalise" your money and your spending decisions.
Read the Guardian UK article.
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October 19, 2011
Coffee chains urged to improve takeaway cup recycling
Caffe Nero and Starbucks takeaway cups. An estimated 2.5bn takeaway cups are thrown away each year in the UK.
Coffee shops are failing to make it easy for customers to recycle the estimated 2.5bn takeaway cups thrown away each year in the UK, a consumer group warned on Tuesday.
The investigation by Which? found that consumers were confused by retailers' use of "mixed materials", which make recycling a headache, and urged providers to take more environmental responsibility.
Read Guardian UK article.
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October 12, 2011
Seeing the wood for the trees – how materiality helps companies focus on their key issues
Many companies are still not clear about sustainability processes, let alone reporting. Could the 'material' approach help?
It can be difficult for companies to focus on the important aspects with sustainability reporting as previously stakeholders have wanted long lists of issues included.
Some phrases slip off the pen of annual report writers without a second thought. "Our people are our greatest asset", is certainly one.
Another is "sustainability is integral to our business". Many CEOs like to think this. In fact many even say it. In the 2010 UN Global Compact CEO survey an amazing 81% of the 766 CEOs interviewed agreed with the statement "[sustainability is] fully embedded into the strategy and operations of my company".
Read the Guardian article.
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October 5, 2011
Maryland Team Wins Solar House Contest
Intended for a working couple who can use the house as home and office, the winning entry has a split butterfly roofline directing stormwater runoff into an axis at the core of the house. A green roof slows rainwater runoff to the landscape while improving the house’s energy efficiency.
Read The New York Times article.
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September 21, 2011
Public and private sector partnership can improve aid and relief work
Join the discussion on Guardian.
• Andrew Mitchell, secretary of state for International Development, says that the public and private sectors must work together to respond to humanitarian emergencies
• Tell us your thoughts on collaboration between the two sectors and what you think private enterprises can do to improve the skills and efficiency of aid organisations
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September 14, 2011
In City of Cyclists, Pedestrians Feel the Squeeze
Fully 55 percent of residents travel to work or school on bikes. Some roads, including bridges, are just for them. In a nation dedicated to bicycling, however, Mr. le Dous has been fighting an uphill battle. The association now has only about 160 members, with a meager annual budget of a little over $2,000. But the focus of their annoyance is clear.
Read the article on The New York Times.
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September 14, 2011
How much energy could be saved if we didn't iron our clothes?
Social norms persuade us to press clothes and linen, but ironing consumes both time and energy.
Any chance of an investigation on ironing and energy use? If we didn't iron for a month, how much power would it save?
This US Department of Energy webpage has a handy formula for estimating the energy use of various household appliances, including the iron.
(Wattage × Hours Used Per Day) ÷ 1000 = Daily Kilowatt-hour (kWh) consumptionNB: 1 kilowatt (kW) = 1,000 Watts
Multiply this by the number of days you use the appliance during the year for the annual consumption. You can then calculate the annual cost to run an appliance by multiplying the kWh per year by your local utility's rate per kWh consumed.
Read more in The Guardian UK article.
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September 6, 2011
Mourning incandescent lightbulbs is a waste of time
Instead of reminiscing about old bulbs, our time would be better served isolating the best replacements on the market. What are your suggestions?
There seems to be much mournful romanticism in the air at the moment about the good old incandescent lightbulb. From Thursday, a ban comes into force across the European Union on the manufacturing and distribution of 60 watt incandescent clear lightbulbs.
Read the opinion on The Guardian and join the discussion.
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September 6, 2011
Don't invest in wind farms unless it makes sense for your business locally
A company must realise that the business' true, long-term worth is determined by the investment it makes in its employees, in the communities where it operates and in the environment, as well as its financial performance.
Read the article on The Guardian.
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August 15, 2011
Almost Time to Change the Bulb
Are you one of us who struggle to choose the right bulbs for the rooms? Is it time to replace old incandescent bulbs with LEDs? There are fluorescent bulbs, too. What is Halogen? Here is an extremely thorough review for almost all types of lighting products by someone who actually tried a lot of them at his home. Click.
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August 15, 2011
Once-Scorned Light Bulbs Are Advancing
C.F.L.’s or compact fluorescent light bulbs, require one-quarter the energy from coal-fired power plants that incandescents do.
However, light bulbs are so easy to break. The amount of mercury contained in a C.F.L. is roughly equivalent to the amount of ink on the tip of a ballpoint pen and about one-fifth the amount in a watch battery, the council’s paper says. But the bulbs can leak mercury vapor when broken, so ventilation is important when cleaning a broken bulb, the council says in its paper.
Some manufacturers now produce C.F.L.’s with protective coating; the EcoSmart Shatter-Resistant C.F.L. is one example.
So for those proceeding with caution on C.F.L.’s, the light is now green.
Read the in The New York Times.
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August 12, 2011
Making Sustainable Surfboads
Danny Hess of San Francisco loves riding the waves, but he hates that many surfboards are made of nonrecyclable materials and must constantly be replaced. He left his job as a building contractor to devote himself to the problem.
For his environmentally friendly and long-lasting surfboards, he uses reclaimed and sustainably harvested wood, recycled cork, and nontoxic and recyclable foam.
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August 5, 2011
Philips Wins Energy Department’s Lighting Prize
Philips, the Netherlands-based consumer electronics giant, is now $10 million richer, having just won the L Prize, awarded by the federal Department of Energy in a contest to invent the next generation of solid-state lighting.
Philips’s prize-winning bulb uses just 9.7 watts to match the light output of a 60-watt incandescent. It lasts 25,000 hours, compared with 1,000 to 2,000 for an incandescent.
Read more on The New York Times.
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July 19, 2011
High food prices are here to stay - and here's why
Dig up your lawn and plant your flowerbeds with spuds. Marry a farmer. Buy land. The United Nations, commodity brokers and hedge funds, banks and governments all seem to agree that high food prices are here to stay.
According to mySupermarket and other food price-tracking sites, a typical shopping basket in Britain now costs around 6% more than it did last year but specific foods and key staples are clearly much dearer. Some English butter is up 40% in a year, chocolate biscuits 50%, coffee 20% and pasta 29%.
Globally, the UN also sees food prices rising over the next 10 years as higher energy and fertiliser costs affect farmers. In a recent report, the UN said it expected cereal prices to be 20% higher on average, compared with the previous decade, while meat prices would be up to 30% higher.
Inevitably this will hit the poorest the most. In Britain, families spend around 15% of their budget on food. In developing countries, this rises to 50% or more.
Read the article on Guardian UK.
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July 14, 2011
Al Gore’s Reality Show
Al Gore, the former vice president, Nobel Prize winner and climate campaigner-in-chief, is opening a new global climate change activism program called the Climate Reality Project.
The group’s first program will be a live-streamed event called 24 Hours of Reality and held on Sept. 14-15. According to a press release from the organization, “people all around the globe living with the impacts of climate change will connect the dots between recent extreme weather events — including floods, droughts and storms — and the man-made pollution that is changing our climate.”
The idea is to educate the public about the impacts of global warming and to counter what Mr. Gore considers the well-financed disinformation and denial campaign run by the fossil fuel industries.
Read the article on The New York Times.
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July 13, 2011
With Tiny Cans, a New Trash Equation
In June 2010, faculty, staff and administrators at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire had their desk trash cans replaced with six-inch-tall cartons. One year later, Dartmouth has sent 200 less tons of trash to the landfill, and recycling is up by one third.
Read the article on The New York Times.
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July 6, 2011
Asian Innovation Awards: Miniwiz Builds Its Green Presence, Brick by Brick
From afar, the EcoArk Pavilion in Taipei has the look of many modern structures that grace the world's biggest cities. Its polished exterior and oblique angles give it the appearance of a futuristic glass ship. But approaching the structure, something remarkable becomes apparent: Its walls are constructed entirely of interlocking plastic bottles.
The polygonal bottles, known as Polli-Bricks and made of recycled PET plastic, ensure that the building is not only structurally sound--it can withstand earthquakes and typhoons--but also that it is environmentally friendly. Even more importantly, it's cheap.
Read the article on Wall Street Journal.
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July 6, 2011
Bike-Friendly? Check the City's Mass Transit System
Felicity Barringer writes her experience as a bike commuter on the New York Times.
Two things about my colleague Christine Haughney’s article on the reluctance of New York-area women to become bicycle commuters were striking. One was the main reason cited: fear. (Excessive sweating followed.) The second was an accompanying graphic with data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey indicating which cities have the most bike commuters and from an Australian study looking at gender differences in bike commuting.
Read the article.
July 6, 2011
Bike-Friendly? Check the City's Mass Transit System
Felicity Barringer writes her experience as a bike commuter on the New York Times.
Two things about my colleague Christine Haughney’s article on the reluctance of New York-area women to become bicycle commuters were striking. One was the main reason cited: fear. (Excessive sweating followed.) The second was an accompanying graphic with data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey indicating which cities have the most bike commuters and from an Australian study looking at gender differences in bike commuting.
Read the article.
June 29, 2011
Stanford Brings Affordable Medical Innovation to India through Collaborative Design
A bone drill, which typically cost about $300 each, are used to access the marrow and vascular system inside bones when a patient's veins have collapsed or are inaccessible. They're standard features in most American ambulances and emergency rooms.
Bone drills enables fluids to be delivered into bone marrow in less than 60 seconds-a lifesaver when a patient's veins have collapsed.
But in developing countries like India, where the need is huge, that $300 price is an insurmountable hurdle to widespread adoption.
The Stanford India Biodesign (SIB) team and in based at Stanford and in New Delhi at the Indian Institute of Technology and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.
The teams collaborated over Skype adn shipped prototypes back and forth via FedEx. Eventually, they created a device that would sell for around $20, with no drop in efficacy.
There are still many hurdles before the device will be available commercially. For one thing, designers have yet to crack the code on making sure the drill is not reusable, a big issue in India where blood-borne diseases are often spread with reusable devices.
Read the article on FastCompany.
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June 22, 2011
Documentaries Delve Into the Sushi Economy
Mark S. Hall, director of “Sushi: The Global Catch,” winner of a special jury prize this month at the Seattle International Film Festival, first sampled sushi as a student in Tokyo in the 1980s, but he did not get to thinking about the sushi economy until a few years ago.
We learn that in Japan, budding sushi chefs must go through a long apprenticeship to become masters, enduring the drudgery of washing dishes, preparing rice and cutting vegetables before they even begin to start cutting fish. Only in the fifth year do they begin slicing fish in earnest.
In their seventh year, the apprentices graduate to serving and conversing with customers. That’s the same length of time it takes to both earn a bachelor’s degree and graduate from medical school. With qualifications like these, sushi might have stayed in Japan.
Click HERE to read the story.
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June 15, 2011
Developing countries place higher value on green products, while price continues to be a factor in developed countries
Developing countries place higher value on green products, while price continues to be a factor in developed countries
A new survey conducted by ImagePower Global Green Brands reveals that people around the world intend to purchase higher-ticket environmental products in the auto, energy and technology sectors compared to last year.
2011 US rankings
The survey also ranked the top 10 US companies with the greenest reputations. For the first time since the inception of the study in 2006, the four brands perceived to be the greenest are "born green" companies - companies that started out with green missions.
- Seventh Generation
- Whole Foods
- Tom's of Maine
- Burt's Bees
- Trader Joe's
- The Walt Disney Company
- S.C. Johnson
- Dove
- Apple
- Starbucks, Microsoft (tied)
In developed countries such as the US and UK, roughly 20% of those surveyed would spend more than 10% extra on a green product.
In developing countries, however, people say that green products have a higher inherent value. 95% of Chinese respondents say they're willing to spend more on a product because it's green - 55% of them say they would spend 11-30% more. Similarly, 29% of Indian respondents and 48% of Brazilians say they are willing to spend between 11- 30% more on green products.
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/06/08/3686227/consumer-interest-in-green-products.html#ixzz1PJSBufUC
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June 6, 2011
Green Purchasing Asia magazine launched
Edited by Mr Lim Siang Jin and Mr David Lee Boon Siew in Malaysia, the new publication "Green Purchasing Asia" is now available both on and off-line.
The launch issue features stories on Malaysia's just-launched feed-in tariff scheme; ABB's new UHVDC power transmission technology; the markets fastest electric vehicles; an interview with cleantech venture capitalist Peter Grubstein; India's ryral solar engineering school; China's "Solar King" Huang Ming and more.
Go to Green Purchasing Asia.com to register, subscribe, and check for further information.
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June 1, 2011
Biodegradable Products Are Good For Landfills, But Bad For The Climate
Story Highlights:
- While biodegradable products help reduce mass in landfills, they decay into chemicals, among which is methane gas
- Methane is a worse greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide and goes straight into the atmosphere
- The government does not require landfills to capture, burn, or harvest of methane untill two years after waste is buried, but everything biodegrades within two years
Read the article on the Fast Company website: http://www.fastcompany.com/1756520/biodegradeable-products-are-bad-for-climate
category : Topics
May 26, 2011
Green curtains spreading across urban balconies to cool heat islands
As power shortages loom across Japan this summer because of the Fukushima nuclear power plant accident, people are turning to a tested-and-true method of cooling down rooms by blocking the sun's rays--"green curtains."
According to a guideline on urban greenery, the Tokyo metropolitan government, which has started distributing seeds at parks and other public facilities, green curtains can lower indoor temperatures by up to 1.7 degrees.
Toilet manufacturer TOTO Ltd., meanwhile, has announced the results of an experiment it conducted at its Oita factory last year.
TOTO grew a green curtain of goya, "hechima" (sponge cucumber) and morning glories that was 10 meters tall and 200 meters long outside its Oita plant walls. The company reported the curtain lowered temperatures inside the plant by an average 2 degrees, and a maximum 5 degrees, during the hot summer months.
category : Topics
May 18, 2011
Philips Brightens Its LED Lineup
LED lamps are expected to revolutionize the lighting industry because of their sharply reduced power consumption and their long life compared with standard incandescents.
The bulb, the EnduraLED A21, will retail for about $40, last 25,000 hours and produce 1100 lumens of light by consuming just 17 watts of electricity. (A standard 75-watt lamp from GE produces 1170 lumens.) Over the life of the lamp, consumers will save $160, the company says.
Click HERE to read more.
category : Topics
May 18, 2011
Green film fest coming to the UK with premieres of eco-food titles
The UK Green Film Festival, a not-for-profit showcase of eco-conscious movies, including several premieres, runs for the first time May 20- 22.
The event aims to raise awareness of the environmental issues facing today's world through the screening of a large number of both domestically (UK) and internationally produced 'green' films.
More information about the event, including the timetable, can be found via the official website at: www.ukgreenfilmfestival.org/ or via Twitter @UKgreenfilms.
A video overview of the event is available on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxPouqCj_NQ
category : Topics
May 6, 2011
Food prices driven up by global warming, study shows
Scientists warn that farming practices must be adapted to a warmer world and rises in global population.
Food prices have risen 20%, say scientists, as warmer temperatures cause dehydration and prevent pollination in crop plants.
Global warming has already harmed the world's food production and has driven up food prices by as much as 20% over recent decades, new research has revealed.
Click here to read more.
category : Topics
April 28, 2011
Puma to Publish Profit-and-Loss Statement for Eco-Impacts
Puma is measuring its use of ecosystems and plans to determine its economic impact on ecosystem services, which is basically anything that nature provides: clean water, crops, soil formation, wildlife habitat, protection from storms, and more.
Puma is looking at both the impact of its direct operations and its supply chain, and plans to issue an environmental profit and loss statement based on its findings.
Click here to read more.
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March 30, 2011
OECD publishes "Greening Household Behaviour: The Role of Public Policy"
"Greening Household Behaviour: The Role of Public Policy" is an invaluable resource for all those interested by the challenging questions of what promotes “greener” lifestyles, from policy makers to individual citizens.
For further information, please visit the OECD web site.
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March 1, 2011
Fairtrade beans do not mean a cup of coffee is entirely ethical
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
-Ethical Consumer magazine's writer Dan Welch says he chooses UK company Costa over Starbucks.
-The magazine's best buy for coffee shop chains goes to AMT Coffee followed by Costa.
-AMT Coffee is the first UK coffee shop to go 100% Fairtrade with its coffee, and offer 100% organic milk.
-Starbucks comes bottom of Ethical Consumer's rating table.
Read the article on Guardian.
category : Topics
February 3, 2011
Green companies boost employees' morale
A new study has suggested that employees are more likely to be satisfied with their jobs if they are working for a company that is perceived to be " green".
Cassandra Walsh and Adam Sulkowski, at Charlton College of Business at University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, wanted to know whether employee morale is typically affected when a company is perceived as taking steps to be more environmentally benign, or whether the company's financial performance has a greater effect on employee happiness.
Read the article.
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February 3, 2011
Report: Businesses continue to expand green initiatives
From supply chain to greener transportation, “State of Green Business Report” finds businesses are thinking bigger and longer term about sustainability.
1. Consumer giants awaken to green — big push by consumer package good companies to make bold sustainability commitments
2. Companies aim for “zero” — growth of zero-waste goals and achievements by big companies
3. The developing world yanks the supply chain — key issues like “conflict minerals” and sustainable palm oil rattling supply chains
4. Greener transport gains speed — new green technologies coming to market — not just electric vehicles and plug-in cars, but also trucks, trains, and planes
5. Sustainable food sourcing becomes palatable — more commitments by big companies, led by Walmart
6. Metrics and standards become the rule — a surge of interest on sustainability standards and on standardizing metrics for assessing companies
7. Greener chemistry comes out of the lab — combination of toxics headlines around the world and surge of new products from Big Chemical makes this a mainstream market
8. Companies learn to close the loop — the growth of new products made from recycled materials
9. Water footprinting makes a splash — the growth of methodologies and technologies for understanding the footprint of a product, facility, or company
10. Bioplastics become material — a steady flow of new materials emerges, made of corn to coconut to cashews
Read the article.
category : Topics
January 27, 2011
How Business can be Green
In an interview by BBC, Dan Matthews, Chief Technology Officer of IFS, a sweden-based company with $336m net revenue in the full year, answered to three questions. Bellow is the part he talks about the growing need for companies to be environmentally conscious. You can also click here to read the full article.
What's the next big tech thing in your industry?
The big challenge for us, and our colleagues in the industry, is to look at how we can help businesses account for the environmental impact of their business, just as they account for the financial impact.
This is really quite serious, because it's driven not just by consumer pressure, but we're seeing a lot of pressure now coming from investors.
You have schemes like the PRI, the Principles for Responsible Investment, which is used by a lot of investment organisations, and the big pension funds and those sorts of things. And as if this wasn't enough, then you have the regulatory stuff coming in, the cap and trade regulations.
And this really is a challenge, because all of a sudden it's no longer just the cost that matters when you do something.
When you design a product it's not just what it's going to cost to build it, it's how much CO2, how much by way of emissions, how many toxins. When you source something, it's not just which supplier is cheapest, it's which has the least imprint.
Where we're used to measuring cost all of a sudden you need to track environmental impact as well. It's a huge challenge for businesses and something that's critical is that we make software to help them address this.
category : Topics
January 20, 2011
Six Tips for Using Flickr to Market Your Green Business
You’ve heard the old saying, “a picture is worth a thousand words,” well, when used correctly, Flickr can make that saying a marketing reality for your green business or organization. Did you think Flickr was just for hobbies or sharing photos with friends? Think again. Try using Flickr for some of the following and see how it can help you market your green business.
1. Tell Your Story
The best use for Flickr by far is to use it to tell your business or organization’s story.
2. Connect with Others
Flickr isn’t just a place to deposit photos. It’s one of the fastest growing social media tools being used just behind Facebook and Twitter.
3. Find Stock Photography
Flickr can be a great resource for green marketers because there are literally thousands upon thousands of images that you can access and use for free.
4. Share Stock Photography
On the flipside, Flickr is a great place to share stock photography, which can drive more exposure to your business.
5. Organize and Share Your Media
Flickr can be a great way to organize your media for later use and sharing.
6. Link Building
A final use for Flickr is link building, which can be really useful in terms of search engine marketing.
Click here to read the article.
category : Topics
January 20, 2011
High End Restaurants See Better Returns on Green Investments
Most businesses have at least part of their staff involved in programs that promote green initiatives. For the most part they are doing it because it is good for business. Occasionally there are businesses that have a true, vested interest in a better global climate. Many restaurants have been going greener as time goes on. Many of the efforts have resulted in better cuisine while others are done because they simply make sense. The restaurants that have been investing in green initiatives have been seeing more income from increased patronage.
Click here to read the article.
category : Topics
January 13, 2011
The Entrepreneur’s Guide to Green Purchasing
People, Planet and Profits
When evaluating your supply chain, you can rely on virtually the same set of criteria for everything from the cups in the break room to the packaging of your products. Most certifications apply the following attributes when determining a product’s environmental impact:
-Clean. Emits the least amount of pollution possible for its category.
-Energy-efficient. Energy is not wasted in producing or operating the product.
-Water-conscious. Water is not wasted in manufacturing and/or the product itself is a water-saving device.
-Resource-efficient. Goods are made with recyclable content.
-Recyclable. At the end of its life, some or all of the product’s parts can be recycled.
-Streamlined. Not over-packaged.
-Fair trade.The environment is half the battle. People matter too. Are those who make the product compensated fairly and are their working conditions safe?
-Necessary. No product can be green if you can easily do without it.
Certified. A third party validates the manufacturer’s claims.
Click here to read the article by Ann Clark.
category : Topics
January 13, 2011
Kenya Bans Plastic Bags
Kenya on Thursday outlawed the manufacture and import of plastic bags from March for damaging the environment, the environmental agency said.
"Our country has many colours and when God was creating the world, he only allowed plants to give us flowers, so when our landscape becomes flooded with many artificial flowers of varied colours due to poor management of plastic bags and wrappers, then it becomes a problem," said Macharia.
Of all five members of the East African Community - Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda - only Rwanda has so far successfully banned all plastic bags since 2008, and replaced them with paper bags.
Click here to read the article.
category : Topics
December 22, 2010
Solar Panels Could Resurrect the Passe Flip Phone
The Chinese telecom giant's award-winning "Double" cell phone design updates the traditional flip phone for a solar-powered future.
Are flip phones passé in a post-iPhone world? Chinese telecom company ZTE doesn't think so: their concept for the "Double" phone, which sports solar panels on both sides of its attractive clamshell body, just won a prestigious 2010 Red Dot Design Concept award.
Click HERE to read more.
category : Topics
December 22, 2010
Green Consumers Skeptical of Products Labeled 'Natural'
In 2011, geen-conscious people will be even more keen to choose organic products; however the products labeled natural may not necessarily attract them.
Karen Herther, Director of MamboTrack Research:
Consumers remain cost conscious, and coupon use has become the new normal. The growing acceptance of online and digital mobile coupon promotions signals this savings trend is here to stay.
Click HERE to read the post by Mambo Sprouts.
category : Topics
December 17, 2010
My Mailbox Overrunneth (With Junk Mail)
This is a post about direct mails:
Direct mail companies advertise that direct mail accounts for “only” 2.4 percent of trash in landfill in the United States, and that the recycling of direct mail offerings has increased 700 percent since 1990.
But what I know is that direct mail now accounts for close to 95 percent of the stuff in my mailbox, and it is deposited in the recycling bin without a glance. It is particularly bad this time of year.
Click HERE to read the post on The New York Times.
category : Topics
December 17, 2010
Electricity market reforms: two cheers
The UK government released a statement about their new evergy policy. It tells us, "there will be a £160 a year rise in electricity bills by 2030."
Damian Carrington writes, "If you are wondering why on earth the UK should cough up a bit extra for a low-carbon energy supply while the rest of the world happily smokes away, the answer is that the rest of the world is simply not doing that. Consider these recent stories from newspapers which can hardly be described as treehuggers." He quotes:
Financial Times
China has surged ahead of the rest of the world in renewable energy, creating a "new world order" in the low-carbon sector. The rapid growth of Chinese investment has prompted venture capital and private equity companies in Europe to call for more regulation and greater government assistance, warning that without such help, the European economy will fall behind. The country's spending on wind energy in the second quarter of 2010 amounted to about $10bn, or about half of the global total of $20.5bn.
Click HERE to read the article on Guardian.
category : Topics
December 2, 2010
Lead the Change! Green Public Procurement
This is a video made by European Commission
category : Topics
November 18, 2010
The Story of Electronics (2010)
Here is the latest video released by The Story of Life team. Click here to view the hosting page which supplies with more information on the subject.
category : Topics
November 11, 2010
The Story of Bottled Water
The Story of Stuff Team released a video to show the water bottling industry's environmental impact as it has become a huge market. However, the sales of bottled water started to decreasing, and more people started to use refillable bottles.
category : Topics
November 11, 2010
IT Purchasing to Green Your Business and Save Money
Keeping up with new developments in information technology (IT) is a major cost for many businesses. The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) works with leading corporations to cut the high costs of IT purchasing and management, and to implement sustainable practices that can make your company a CSR leader.
Read more: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/it-purchasing-to-green-your-business-and-save-money-106956478.html
category : Topics
November 4, 2010
Electric Bicycle Maker
"The PiCycle electric bicycle from Pi Mobility uses an elegant, solitary arch of recycled aluminum for its instantly iconic frame. Recycled aluminum requires just one-13th the amount of electricity to produce compared to virgin aluminum." Read more.
After only three weeks the team produced a 3D digital prototype using Autodesk Inventor proving that, by reducing the diameter of our tube by a half an inch, we could immediately save $335,000. When you extrapolate that over the next few years, it means easily seven figures saved. That discovery means that Pi Mobility can achieve profitability a full year ahead of schedule. From our perspective, it just doesn’t get much better than that.—Marcus Hays, CEO, Pi Mobility
category : Topics
October 14, 2010
Cap and Trade: The Buck Stops Where?
US president Obama has failed to pass climate legislation. David Leonhardt of The New York Times compares many different perspectives: click here. Some consider passing legislation promoting clean energy research as a prerequisite for any cap and trade bill: click here.
category : Topics
October 7, 2010
How to choose an eco-friendly TV
New European guidelines published on September 30 will change the energy-rating system for TVs. However, consumers intending to buy a new television this year can already look for certain symbols and types of television to ensure that their product is as environmentally friendly as possible... [Read more]
category : Topics
September 30, 2010
One Tree for Every Wooden Watch
An American company WeWOOD promises to plant one tree for every 100% natural, toxin-free, wooden watch through its partnership with environmental organization American Forests. Other companies such as Sprout and Citizen also make eco-friendly watches.
For more information about Sprout watches see: http://www.sproutwatches.com
For more information about the Citizen Eco-Drive watches see: http://www.citizenwatch.com/
category : Topics
September 22, 2010
Social Network Services pressured to Go Greener
Facebook is planning to create a data center in Oregon, Leslie Kaufman reports. PacifCorp is the power provider, and Greenpeace criticizes it for using more coal than other power utilities. However, Facebook's spokesman points out that the data center is greener than other data centers because it uses "the meta equivalent of ceiling fans."
Bellow is the animation Greenpeace released.
category : Topics
September 22, 2010
Guardian Eco Store
Guardian lists eco products like this bungee jump bird feeder bellow.
Try searching a particular thing you're looking for on the website: HERE.
category : Topics
September 22, 2010
Dissonance on Green Detergents
Mireya Navarro reports the current issues of detergents that are advertised as green products. According to the journalist, some consumers think green detergents are less effective than regular ones, and that the labor unions claim that some of the green products are still toxic because there are undisclosed ingredients in the products. He writes, New York State identified phosphors as the leading harming chemical in the state.
Click HERE to read the New York Times article by Mireya Navarro.
category : Topics
September 9, 2010
Datablog: energy statistics 2009
Here is the energy statistics by BP Evergy Statistical Review of World Energy. Since it is available in spreadsheet, we encourage you to look at the raw data and analyze yourself.
category : Topics
September 2, 2010
Purchasing the Environmentally Preferable Way--Green Steps to Manage Your Supply Chain
Characteristics and Steps to Green Your Purchasing Power
This article introduces the recent move by the City of San Francisco to open its database of green products. Meyer also sites the descriptions of EPP, which stands for environmentally preferable purchasing policies.
Read the article by Dave Meyer
Resources to Get You Started
USEPA: http://www.epa.gov/epp/pubs/guidance/standards.htm
Information Technology Industry Council: http://bit.ly/dcF5KM
StopWaste.org: http://www.stopwaste.org/home/index.asp?page=468
Good Guide: http://www.goodguide.com/
Natural Resources Defense Council: http://bit.ly/9vetla
category : Topics
September 1, 2010
City of San Francisco leads Green Purchasing
The city of San Francisco launched its Database available on the web: SF Approved List. Most of items are powered by Good Guide, but it also includes items that are originally chosen.
An article about this news: San Francisco Shares Its Database for Green Purchasing
Check out Good Guide's iPhone app
category : Topics
August 26, 2010
Visualized Carbon Emission Data
Did you know that the total carbon emissions of the entire world peaked in 2007 and since then it has been declining?
In the US, it is so obvious that Texas and California are leading the country in carbon emissions.
category : Topics
August 6, 2010
6 House Plants That Can Improve the Air Quality In Your Home
A great post from this blog.
3 Plants that Can Generate Plenty of Fresh Air
Areca Palm: During the day, the Areca Palm generates a great deal of oxygen, taking the carbon dioxide you exhale and turning it into oxygen. While four shoulder-high plants for each person in the home is recommended, you can can still get benefits even with fewer plants around the house.
Mother-in-Law’s Tongue: This plant generates more oxygen in the evening. With six to eight plants per person, you can help ensure a good supply of oxygen through the night — although you don’t need that many to get some of the benefits.
Money Plant: If you are interested in removing volatile organic compounds from the air (VOCs), you can use the money plant to do so. It acts a filter that can remove VOCs like formaldehyde out of the air, improving air quality.
3 More Plants that Can Improve Air Quality in Your Home
English Ivy: This beautiful plant is easy to care for, and can be trained to climb book cases to add a bit of nature to your home. It can also be hung from hooks in the ceiling. One woman I know grows it along the tops of her kitchen cabinets.
Asparagus Fern: Another favorite, the asparagus fern is not actually fern. But it looks like one, and is easy to grow as a container plant. Grows lushly, and can add some green to your home, while purifying the air.
Purple Heart Plant: If you want to add a touch of bright color to your home plant decor, the purple heart plant can be a good choice. Like the other plants on this list, it is easy to care for, and it flowers beautifully.
Read the entire article here.
category : Topics
July 30, 2010
Making Green Procurement Easier
What is green procurement anyway? Well, we think that we all define it personally. Here is a passage from an article that provides an interesting look on green procurement.
"While green procurement is obviously a worthwhile goal, figuring out which product is greener than another and by how much can feel like you're working your way through a hedge maze and be just as time-consuming.
But you can use the 100 Mile Diet idea to simplify the process. Generally, goods and services that are produced locally are going to be less environmentally damaging than goods and services produced from afar, as less energy is expended getting them to the consumer.
Even if all I do is buy my office supplies from a supplier in my local town, rather than driving to another town to purchase them, I've eliminated the amount of carbon emissions my vehicle would emit as I drove those extra miles. Consider how much more vehicle pollution I could erase by doing this all year long."
Read the entire article here.
category : Topics
July 22, 2010
Going Green: Laundry
While there are many laundry products such as detergents that claim to reduce environmental impacts, it is more important to learn better laundry habits in order to reduce your laundry footprint.
Going green on laundry has a positive image that even some girl from Singapore named her blog GreenLaundry even though the blog has nothing to do with the title.
category : Topics
July 15, 2010
Innovative Bicycle Sharing
B-Cycle is a bicycle sharing service becoming available in major US cities including New York City and San Francisco. It aims to expand their business throughout the country.
category : Topics
May 27, 2010
Scan Product Barcode iPhone App
GoodGuide provides information about products' ecological impacts. Its iPhone application scans product barcodes to show you their ratings.
category : Topics
May 21, 2010
Green Business Africa Summit & Expo 2010
The Green Business Africa Summit & Expo is Africa’s first flagship event that brings to the mainstream issues around sustainability in the business environment as well as green corporate social responsibility (CSR).
May 6, 2010
Green procurement in the Asian public sector and Hong Kong
CEO of Hong Kong Green Council and her associates have published a paper titled "Green procurement in the Asian public sector and the Hong Kong", which reviews the procurement practices and policies of five Asian countries and Hong Kong, in the context of an international overview of green purchasing and practices.
To download the paper, click here.
category : Topics
April 15, 2010
Sun's magnetic field may have caused freezing winter
"It was the coldest winter in England since 1963 – the coldest in Scotland since 1914 –"
Read more
category : Topics
April 9, 2010
Greening the Global Economy
More than 600 experts from 75 countries gathered in Geneva to consider the social and environmental impacts of transitioning to a green economy.
Read more.
category : Topics
March 10, 2010
Brazil's World Cup football team to sport 'green' and yellow strip
"Brazil, Portugal and the Netherlands among teams to wear Nike's shirts made from recycled plastic bottles"
"When Kaka and Ronaldinho stride out onto the pitch for the World Cup in South Africa this summer, few of their millions of fans are likely to notice that their yellow jerseys are made from old plastic bottles."
Read the Guardian article.
category : Topics
March 1, 2010
Managing Peak Demand With Water Heaters
In Idaho, farmers are paid to turn off their water pumps during [some summer afternoons].
A small company in Kansas pays its customers $12.50 a month to take part in the company`s program.
Read the Green Inc. article.
category : Topics
February 12, 2010
Green Valentine's Day gifts: Chocolates
"It's a favourite with all ages, it's affordable and it's readily available. What's not to like about ethical chocolate?"
Read the article on UK's Guardian.
category : Topics
February 4, 2010
Nike Makes Environmental Strides and Abandons Carbon Offsets
The New York Times Green Inc. published a post about a move by the world's biggest athletic gear brand.
"Nike Makes Environmental Strides and Abandons Carbon Offsets"
By LEORA BROYDO VESTEL
A new corporate responsibility report issued by the shoe and apparel manufacturer Nike highlights the progress the company has made in reducing its environmental footprint and the ways in which its climate change strategy is evolving — including its decision to abandon carbon offsets and renewable energy certificates as means of achieving carbon neutrality.
category : Topics
January 21, 2010
Why Kraft must keep organic cacao farmers sweet
Green & Black's was founded by Craig Sams, a food specialist, and his partner Josephine Fairley. They sold their business to Cadbury in 2005. Now Kraft bought Cadbury and owns the brand.
Sams contributed to the UK newspaper Guardian. Bellow are the quotations from the article.
"When we decided to pay fair prices and offer long-term guarantees to cacao farmers in Belize we didn't have to justify our actions to shareholders or even to the rest of the team at our office."
"So today, looking at Kraft's track record, what can we expect its takeover to mean for the commitment of Cadbury and Green & Black's to socially and environmentally-progressive policies such as Fairtrade and organic ingredients?"
"A brand is like a child. It is born into this world, fragile and in great need of parental care and attention. Eventually you send it off to school and university, entrusting it to the care of others. Then it embarks on its career. Green & Black's, to follow the analogy, was nurtured to maturity and eventually got a good job at a big multinational."
"Frankly, it's the consumers who don't buy organic and fair products that upset me the most. Consumers have a choice, companies don't, they only sell what customers buy."
Another article to read to know more about the brand's marketing success:
Green & Black’s Marketing Success
category : Topics
December 28, 2009
Green Products for Holidays
Ahem! Only if they bought green products instead!
What presents did you buy for this holiday season? What did you get? Read this funny and realistic article published on Times.
Guilt, shame and pain all wrapped up in gifts
category : Topics
December 28, 2009
2020 vision
This article may sound almost like a fiction, but it is worth a read as we found the predictions interesting.
Written by Robin Barton, a Green Lifestyle writer
2020 vision: Second-hand Prius, anyone? Car use declines across Europe as society returns to medieval values
Summary:
-London becomes a Green bubble capital while the rest of the world is experiencing a depression
-Last paragraph, "The cap-and-trade policies in the US, the EU and Australia, brought about by the UN climate-change conference of 2009, were the first mistake. The EU had already committed to a 20 per cent cut in CO2 emissions from 1990 levels by next year, but thanks to its Emission Trading Scheme (ETS), running since 2005, these could be delivered while actual CO2 emissions rose. Alchemy indeed. And the EU's target of 20 per cent more energy from renewable sources has proved as hard to pin down as the wind itself."
category : Topics
December 21, 2009
Time to Scrap the White Pages?
Here is the New York Times's Green Inc. article.
BANthePHONEBOOK.org says, "up to 5 million trees are cut down each year to create the white pages phone book" and "over 80% of consumers would support an 'opt-in' program (only receive a white pages phone book if you request one)."
White Pages created the Facebook fan page for the project. It has nearly 6,000 fans as of Dec 21, 2009.
category : Topics
December 15, 2009
Healthy diets do not necessarily have a low environmental impact
Here is the link to a response to an Guardian article: Click.
The Response series of the UK newspaper is an unconventional method to involve those who are featured in the original articles.
category : Topics
November 27, 2009
What Does It Mean When Procurement Goes Green?
John Davies, vice president of the GreenBiz Intelligence unit, gave a report on green purchasing on GreenBiz.com last week.
He writes, "Green purchasing by companies is up in a down economy. Our recent October 2009 survey of more than 450 companies found that over the past 12 months there was a 63 percent increase in green purchasing, from computers to chemicals to cleaning supplies. Perhaps even more encouraging, none of the respondents from large companies (those with revenues over $1 billion) identified any decrease in buying green. But when it comes to businesses buying green, what do they really mean?"
Read more about:
-Leading the Way: Office Supplies, Cleaning Products, and Computers
-Measuring The Green They Manage
-Selling Green in the Future
category : Topics
November 9, 2009
Don't Buy Clothes, Rent Them
"Large wardrobes of seldom-used clothes are no longer environmentally acceptable and people should instead rent outfits and accessories, according to the Government’s waste watchdog," reported Ben Webster of Times Online.
Summary of the Article
-Waste & Resources Action Programme (Wrap) released a report
-a fifth of all household spending in Britain to be converted to renting by 2020
-Wrap identifies five categories of goods suitable for renting including high-end clothing
-less clutters reduce the size of living space and thus reduces carbon impact
Read the entire article
category : Topics
November 2, 2009
Japanese car wins World Solar Challenge in Australia
AFP, 28 October 2009 - A Japanese sun-powered car won the World Solar Challenge on Wednesday after averaging speeds of more than 100 kilometres (62 miles) per hour in a four-day race through Australia's desert Outback.
Visit here to read the rest of the article
category : Topics
November 2, 2009
Talented Carbon Starring in Animation
We hear the word "Carbon" everywhere these days, but what exactly is it? How is Carbon different from Carbon Dioxide? Perhaps you feel embarrassed to even ask. Here is good news for you then.
NPR has a five-part animation series that explains what Carbon is and how it is affecting the environment.
Click here to see the videos.
Episode 1: It's All About Carbon
Episode 2: Carbon's Special Knack for Bonding
Episode 3: Break a Carbon Bond and -- Presto! -- Civilization
Episode 4: When Carbon Falls in Love, the World Heats Up
Episode 5: What We Can Do About Global Warming
category : Topics
October 26, 2009
Al Gore Keynote Speech in IGPN co-hosted Conference
IGPN co-hosted and attended The 3rd International Conference on Green Purchasing Suwon that was held for three days from October 21st, 2009. Former vice president and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Al Gore gave a keynote speech on the 21st.
Al Gore
Ryoichi Yamamoto
category : Topics
October 22, 2009
Fun-to-use Carbon Calculators on Web
With the growing trend among environmentally-conscious individuals to watch their personal carbon footprint, numerous web-based carbon calculators have been created and are available to the public.
The Guardian's Quick Carbon Calculator explains, "Calculate the impact of your travel, home and shopping habits with our simple carbon footprint calculator." This service enables users to compare their carbon footprint to the UK and world averages.
ACT ON CO2`s Calculator stands out among many serious-looking carbon calculators for its vidually-attractive navigation.
category : Topics
August 17, 2009
Bottled Water Boom Appears Tapped Out
"Sales of bottled water have fallen for the first time in at least five years, assailed by wrathful environmentalists and budget-conscious consumers, who have discovered that tap water is practically free," wrote Ylan Q. Mui of The Washington Post.
Wenonah Hauter, executive director of Food & Water Watch, told the reporter, "I thought we'd never be able to impact sales of bottled water, and all of a sudden it's really gained momentum."
Hauter also reported, "The containers are also available online for about $20 each. Sales have been strong," according to Mui.
For further information, visit The Washington Post Article.
Food & Water Watch's Water Focus
category : Topics
August 13, 2009
How Green Is Rail Travel?
Eurostar, the high-speed train service that connects London with Paris and Brussels, advertises a tenfold reduction in each traveler’s carbon footprint by comparison with an airplane trip over similar distances.
In Britain, government officials have described the investment of billions of pounds in a new high-speed rail network as a green initiative. The Obama administration has budgeted billions of dollars to build similar networks in the United States, partly to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
But do all forms of train travel really offer such dramatic gains?
Read the rest of the story on Green Inc.
category : Topics
August 13, 2009
Al Gore "Green Purchasing" .eco domain?
Al Gore, the former American vice-president, is at loggerheads with Mikhail Gorbachev, the Russian ex-president, over the rights to control a new “green” internet domain that could be worth billions.
The right to operate .eco — the green equivalent to .co.uk or .com — could become available as early as next year... Read the TimesOnline Article.
category : Topics
July 21, 2009
Are Green Banks a Good Idea?
This isn't exactly green purchasing. It's more like 'green lending.'
"Green banks – designed to aid environmentally conscious businesses and consumers through better loan rates and other incentives – are sprouting up around the country despite the recession," wrote Kate Galbreith of Green Inc..
According to Galbreith, green banks are yet to make profits and "Congress is considering whether to establish a federal green bank, which would offer loans and grants to large-scale renewable energy projects with less bureaucracy than the current Department of Energy process provides."
For further information visit the Green Inc. article.
category : Topics
July 10, 2009
Yahoo, but not Google, Stops Buying Green Anymore
"While Google plans to stick with offsets, Yahoo will stop buying them and instead will focus on energy efficiency," Josie Garthwaite of GigaOM reported.
"Carbon offsets—credits that cancel out the purchaser's greenhouse gas emissions by supposedly triggering actions and projects that prevent such pollution elsewhere—have had a bumpy ride in the last few years."
The idea to achieve "carbon neutrality" by purchasing offsets has become a target of criticisms in the last few years for the lack of solid regulations and its tendency towards possible manipulation. The Wall Street Journal has done an in-depth report on this subject.
"Too often money from carbon offset purchases pay for projects that would have happened regardless of carbon offset money," Craig Rubens wrote.
Yahoo will stop purchasing carbon offsets and will focus on improving its energy efficiency from its data centers. Meanwhile, Google remains offsets-dependent for its environmentally-friendly plan.
For further information, visit the BusinessWeek article.
category : Topics
June 29, 2009
San Francisco releases Green iPhone App
EcoFinder is the first iPhone application the city of San Francisco released. The application, created by Haku Wale and NexTive Solutions, helps the residents of the city locate where they should recycle and dispose of certain materials.
"The application is based on a city XML feed and uses location-based software to identify a resident's closest recycling facility," Government Technology reported.
EcoFinder is a part of the city's Government 2.0 philosophy.
"This follows the city's other green initiatives like the San Francisco Solar Map, which is a Web-based tool that assesses residents' homes to identify how many solar panels can fit on their roofs and how much power would be generated."
For further information, visit the Government Technology article.
category : Topics
June 26, 2009
OECD declares Green Growth Strategy
30 member countries of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development held their annual Ministerial Council Meeting in the OECD Conference Centre in Paris on 24-25 June.
In the declaration, it says, "the (economic )crisis should not be used as an excuse to postpone crucial decisions for the future of our planet," and that to "advance the move towards sustainable low-carbon economies," the OECD develops, "as a horizontal project, a Green Growth Strategy in order to achieve economic recovery and environmentally and socially sustainable economic growth."
The organization also emphasizes that international co-operation will be key, stating "we recognise that special efforts need to be made at the international level for co-operation on developing clean technology."
For further information visit the OECD site.
category : Topics
June 23, 2009
The Story of Stuff translated into different languages
Since The Story of Stuff, a web-based documentary about a critical vision of the consumerist society, was launched online in December 2007, the site has been visited by millions of people in over 224 countries and territories around the world.
The international site has been launched and it includes translated versions of the film with subtitles, as well as the contact information for the organisations around the world who have done the translations.
To see the film in different languages, visit The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard International web site.
category : Topics
June 18, 2009
APO announces Eco-Products International Fair 2010
Eco-Products International Fair 2010 will be held in Jakarta Convention Center in Indonesia from March 4-7, 2010, the Asian Productivity Organization announced.
APO's mission is to "enable its members to achieve greater socioeconomic development through the strategy of increasing productivity in all economic sectors."
The organization enjoyed the success of the previous fair held in the Philippines in 2009, attracting 83,000 visitors.
category : Topics
June 18, 2009
Bus Trips are the New Luxury
For New Yorkers, a bus ride meant an extra hour to the destination and added stress, but the demand for urban buses is increasing for two reasons: economic downturn and green awareness.
According to The Wall Street Journal, bus companies like Greyhound Lines inc. started offering upgraded buses about a year ago. These wifi-equipped buses have more leg room and are cleanly kept while Amtrak trains, a traditionally preferred option for affluent travelers, does not offer internet service.
Dale Moser, the president of Megabus.com, told the Journal: "he believes concerns about fuel costs, combined with interest in traveling 'green,' have played a big role in the increased interest in bus travel."
For further information, visit the Wall Street Journal article.
category : Topics
May 26, 2009
Veggie Racecar Hits 130 M.P.H.
A racecar partly made of vegetable fiber, that can run on biofuel made with waste cocoa butter, has been created by the World First Racing of the University of Warwick.
The Formula Three car, recorded 130 miles an hour, has a steering wheel partially made of carrot fiber. The front wing and the mirrors are partly made with potato starch and flax fiber. It also ran on 30 percent vegetable oil and 70 percent standard diesel fuel.
For further information visit the New York Times article.
category : Topics
March 13, 2009
Polar bears will not survive without urgent action
Recent analysis by the US Geological survey and World Conservation Union found that two-thirds of the 20,000 to 25,000 polar bears in the world could be lost in the next 50 years as warming temperatures melt the ice.
But, WWF, the conservation charity, said an agreement signed in 1973 by the five Arctic states – Canada, Russia, the US, Greenland/Denmark and Norway – commits them to saving protecting the bear and its habitat.
“Without the sea ice habitat, the polar bear will not survive in the long term. There are other threats, such as oil and gas drilling, shipping and toxins, but they pale in comparison to climate change and the loss of the sea ice”, WWF’s polar bear co-ordinator Geoff York said.
He also said the five nations which are party to the 1973 Agreement for the Conservation of Polar Bears and Their Habitats must agree to push their countries to commit to urgent and effective action to cut the greenhouse gas emissions which cause climate change.
For further information visit the TELEGRAPH web site
category : Topics
March 9, 2009
London’s electric car hire scheme
London mayor is considering the introduction of an electric car hire scheme as part of his attempts to make it the “electric capital of Europe”
The scheme is based on the French capital’s bike hire scheme (Velib), which is already in place, and will see cars available for hire from bays around Paris.
UK government would be called upon to give London at least £250m government money put in place to support these electric initiatives.
The mayor said he wanted to see at least half the 8,000 vehicle fleet owned by the Greater London Authority replaced by electric vehicles as soon as possible.
For further information visit the GUARDIAN web site
category : Topics
March 2, 2009
The world’s rubbish dump
The vast expanse of debris is held in place by swirling underwater currents. This drifting soup stretches from about 500 nautical miles off the Californian coast, across the northern Pacific, past Hawaii and almost as far as Japan.
The soup is actually two linked areas, either side of the islands of Hawaii, known as the Western and Eastern Pacific rubbish patches.
According to the UN Environment Programme, plastic debris causes the deaths of more than a million seabirds every year, as well as more than 100,000 marine mammals. Syringes, cigarette lighters and toothbrushes have been found inside the stomachs of dead seabirds, which mistake them for food.
The slowly rotating mass of rubbish-laden water poses a risk to human health, too.
Hundreds of millions of raw materials for the plastic industry are lost or spilled every year, working their way into the sea. These pollutants act as chemical sponges attracting man-made chemicals such as hydrocarbons and the pesticide DDT. They then enter the food chain. “What goes into the ocean goes into these animals and onto your dinner plate. It’s that simple,” said Marcus Eriksen, a research director of the US-based Algalita Marine Research Foundation.
For further information visit the INDEPENDENT web site
category : Topics
February 25, 2009
Green heroes needed to help save environment
UAE opened up a nationwide energy sustainability campaign called heroes of the UAE on the 17 Feb, in a bid to tackle their high ecological footprint and energy consumption habits.
The campaign, developed by the Emirates Wildlife Society (EWS), in association with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), and the Environment Agency-Abu Dhabi (EAD), is of immense prominence as the per capita energy consumption of the UAE residents are ranked the highest in the world.
“A sustainable UAE, Every child’s right” is the motto of the campaign that targets all communities and residents of the country across all age groups.
For further information visit the GULFNEWS web site
category : Topics
February 23, 2009
UK manufacturer of chocolates partners with dairy farmers to shrink the carbon footprint of milk chocolate
The drive to reduce emissions from milk production is part of confectioner Cadbury’s “Purple Goes Green” environmental initiative, which includes a goal to reduce the firm’s absolute carbon emissions by 50 percent come 2020.
In initiating the dairy project, the firm worked with the Carbon Trust to calculate the carbon footprint for its milk chocolate. And in drawing up the “Cadbury Guide to Low Carbon Dairy Farming,” which embraces the action points and other farm management best practices, the firm seeks to bear down on carbon dioxide, which contributes to 23 percent of the emissions from an average and nitrous oxide, which is responsible for 52 percent.
“Reducing our emissions is an exciting challenge,” Ian Walsh, Cadbury’s global head of environment, said in a statement. “When I started in this role I had no idea I would find myself in a field in a field in Wiltshire discussing how to reduce the carbon emissions from burping cows. But it does demonstrate Cadbury’s determination to examine every level of our supply chain”
For further information visit the GreenBiz web site
category : Topics
February 17, 2009
Energy savings ‘driving up consumption’, study warns
Recently, the EU has made energy efficiency a priority of its fight against climate change. One arm of its strategy is the new energy labelling scheme proposed by the EC (European Commission) in November 2008.
Scottish researchers have warned of rising consumer demand for energy resulting from increased efficiency of electrical products, calling for policies to ensure that gains or not offset by rising demand.
The case studies from Scotland and other parts of the UK show that improving energy efficiency is likely to partially, or in extreme cases wholly, offset energy savings.
Also, they find that efficiency improvements lead to higher CO2 levels, as industry seeks to benefit from lower energy prices.
For further information visit the WBCSD web site
category : Topics
January 6, 2009
Report Warns of Unsustainable Consumption
A recent report issued by the Business Role Focus Area of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) calls on business to work in partnership with its customers and stakeholders to define sustainable products and sustainable lifestyles. The report is asserting that current global consumption patterns are unsustainable, and that efficiency gains and technological advances alone will not be sufficient to bring global consumption to a sustainable level.
The report, entitled “Sustainable Consumption Facts and Trends: From a Business Perspective,” observes that global consumption levels are increasing due to such factors as rapid population growth, a rise in global affluence, and a culture of consumerism among higher-income groups.
The report finds that consumers are increasingly concerned about environmental, social and economic issues, but because of a variety of factors such concerns do not always translate into sustainable consumer behavior.
The report concludes that consumers need the support of business and government in order to lead sustainable lifestyles based on informed purchasing decisions and changes in behavior. By acting on their capacity to mainstream sustainable consumption, leading global companies can provide the products and support that consumers need. By effective regulatory action, government can ensure that consumers receive the most sustainable products and services available.
For further information visit the WBCSD web site
category : Topics
December 16, 2008
Report finds organic farming fights climate change and develops comparable yields
Through scientific advances it has been made possible for organic farming to supply the world with a sustainable food source, according to a research paper released today by the Rodale Institute.
The paper reviewed about 60 research papers and found that natural systems that are sometimes hailed as being required for optimal production.
The paper cites a study that looked at the results from 286 farms in 57 countries. The study found that small farmers increased their crop yields by an average of 79 percent using techniques such as organic farming and crop rotation. This is because organically managed soils have more physical soil structure, which prevents erosion. They are also more permeable and have more accessible nutrients, which are vital for crop productivity, the paper says.
For further information, visit the WBCSD web site
category : Topics
December 9, 2008
Greece and Portugal could face cash penalties over green law failures; other states given court warnings
Greece and Portugal could be handed EU fines if they continue to disobey EU environmental law despite European court orders to comply with it, the European commission has warned. The warning was made on Thursday as the commission issued its latest round of infringement proceedings against member states.
The standards set in the 1991 directive on urban wastewater has pressured Greece to comply with. Last year Athens was condemned for failing to meet the standards in 23 “agglomerations”. Twelve of them are still not in compliance, the commission says. Greece is also facing a trip to the EU court over an illegal landfill site in western Attica.
Portugal is being threatened with fines for failing to comply with a 2005 court ruling requiring it to meet EU drinking water standards. “It is unacceptable that after so much time Portugal has still not ensured that drinking is safe throughout the country”, EU environment commissioner Stavros Dimas said.
Spain is to receive a final warning before being taken to court for two breaches of EU urban wastewater law. Failures to meet standards in this area are among the most serious law implementation problems. Madrid has also been warned over mining activities inside a protected area. In 2006 the local authority imposed a large fine on a firm operating in the area.
Bulgaria is being sent a final warning for failing to fully implement the EU waste framework directive. Sofia is also being warned over several construction projects, including a wind farm, which the commission says are in infringement of EU environmental impact assessment rules.
Luxembourg has faced a trip to EU court for failing to transpose the 2002 energy performance of buildings directive. The member state recognises it has only partially written the directive into national law, according to the commission.
category : Topics
December 9, 2008
USDA panel approves first rules for labeling farmed fish 'organic'
US federal advisory board has approved criteria that clear the way for farmed fish to be labelled “organic,” a move that pleased aquaculture producers even as it angered environmentalists and consumer advocates.
The question of whether farmed fish could be labelled organic – especially carnivorous species such as salmon that live in open-ocean net pens and consume vast amounts of smaller fish – has been in dispute between scientists and federal regulators for years. The standards approved yesterday by the national organic standards board would allow organic fish farmers to use wild fish as part of their feed mix provided it did not exceed 25 percent of the total and did not come from forage species, such as menhaden, that have declined sharply as the demand for farmed fish has skyrocketed.
“Finally, maybe there’s a light at the end of the tunnel in terms of defining what’s organic,” said Wally Stevens, executive director of the global aquaculture alliance. “The challenge is to figure out how we can produce a healthy protein product with a proper regard to where the feed comes from.”
For further information, visit the Washingtonpost web site
category : Topics
December 9, 2008
European Commission calls for tax cuts for green goods and services
The European Commission calls for an overall value-added tax reduction as well as a lowering of rates on specific items such as environmentally friendly goods and services, along with reduced car registration and road taxes for low-emissions vehicles to boost the EU economy. The proposals are part of the European commission's $252 billion economic stimulus package
announced at November 26th.
category : Topics
December 3, 2008
Achim Steiner, Executive Director of UNEP, writes "Challenge for The Global Green New Deal"
Mr Achim Steiner, Executive Director of UNEP, posts his regular article in the asahi.com web site.
"As governments wrestle with the current financial crisis, some familiar voices are being raised--ones that argue that combating climate is now too costly for an over-stretched over-stressed global economy.Deal with the economic challenges of today and put climate change on the back burner for a better tomorrow--but that would be a fundamental mistake of enormous and perhaps inter-generational proportions.
While stock markets have been falling often at record rates, emissions of the principle greenhouse gas have also broken records. Figures release in November say CO2 rose 0.5 per cent between 2006 and 2007 and now close to 40 per cent higher than 25 years ago."
Visit the environment section of the asahi.com web site for further reading.
category : Topics
November 18, 2008
ISO updates guide to greening product standards
The international organization for Standardization (ISO) has updated its guide (ISO Guide 64: 2008 Guide for addressing environmental issues in product standard).
The guide is intended for product standard drafters. Moreover, the drafters would be encouraged to understand environmental aspects and impacts related to products, and to determine which impacts can be addressed within product standards.
category : Topics
November 11, 2008
EU governments looking to increase RoHS enforcement
The governments of EU countries are planning to work together to better enforce the RoHS regulations in Europe.
Since RoHS laws came into effect in July 2006, A question has been brought up to Government that a lack of effective monitoring to enforce compliance with the laws, encouraging some companies to continue selling products with hazardous substances over allowable limits.
About this matter, EU governments are planning to improve the effectiveness of their RoHS monitoring and resources dedicated to it by adopting a cross-border model, following successful efforts by Nordic countries. The Nordic countries now have united their RoHS programmes and increased the depth of monitoring and reporting of non-compliances by sharing data cross-border and dividing the industries and products covered by RoHS between them.
The reporting of non-compliances by EU governments is also increasing and new cross-border RoHS monitoring collaborations are likely seeing more reporting on the outcome of their activities annually.
For further information, visit the Evertiq web site
category : Topics
November 4, 2008
UK residents are increasingly choosing green burial plots as their final resting place
More and more people are planning for a natural funeral as they plan their final journey.
The first natural burial site was opened in 1994 in Carlisle, northwest England, and now there are more than 200 natural burial grounds in the UK. Moreover it would seem that more sites are going to open.
Currently, most natural burial sites are simply green corners in traditional cemeteries managed by council authorities.
But increasingly landowners and farmers are realising the economic and environmental potential of transforming part of a forest or an unused field into a plot for those seeking to be eternally at one with nature.
For further information visit the Yahoo! web site
category : Topics
October 21, 2008
Green products face test as economy worsens
The United States government statistics show that consumer spending is falling sharply, and the retail sector is reducing jobs faster than other industries.
While consumers are, increasingly, factoring the environmental friendliness of products into buying decisions, green products nearly face a tough road to broader acceptability as the United States slides toward economic depression.
The declining economy will likely encourage companies to adjust their strategies to focus on cost savings inherent in their green products, whether through energy or water savings or improved gasoline mileage.
Companies are also facing difficulty to gain recognition for brands associated with the green products they market.
According to a recent survey, companies could do better by focusing their marketing on creating an emotional connection between consumers and eco-friendly brands.
For further information, visit the WBCSD web site
category : Topics
October 14, 2008
British supermarket giant Tesco has opened the first eco store of its kind in Ireland
The new shop will use an estimated 45 per cent less energy than a comparable supermarket, and will deliver new jobs more than 90.
The eco store at Ballycarnane in Tramore will save 420 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year, resulting in a 30 per cent annual reduction.
The store will feature the highest levels of insulation in the building and recycle more than 70 per cent of the heat used in the store’s ventilation system.
Moreover, The building will feature a wooden frame with timber earned from sustainable forests.
There will be skylights to increase the level of natural light entering the store, while solar panels contribute towards powering the bank of cash registers. Also, an environmentally friendly carbon dioxide refrigeration system will be adapted to all refrigerators.
For further information visit the Irish Times web site
category : Topics
October 14, 2008
Landmark new report says emerging green economy could create tens of millions of new green Jobs
Efforts to tackle climate change could result in the creation of millions of new “green jobs” in the coming decades.
Changing patterns of employment and investment resulting from efforts to reduce climate change and its effects are already generating new jobs in many sectors and economies, and could create more in both developed and developing countries.
However, workers and their families, especially those whose livelihoods depend on agriculture and tourism would go on having negative effects by the process of climate change. Therefore, action to deal with climate change and its effects is urgent, and need to be designed to generate decent jobs.
For further information visit the UNEP web site
category : Topics
September 26, 2008
Ministers to back EU incandescent lamp ban from 2010
Sales of energy-guzzling light bulbs such as incandescent lamps for domestic use could be banned in Europe from 2010. France is expecting the resolution to be adopted by the EU energy ministers at the meeting next month.
The resolution will not have a legislative effect but is intended to give political momentum to the implementation of EU laws on energy labelling and energy using products (EuPs), and to speed up the adoption of energy-efficiency standards for range of appliances.
category : Topics
September 19, 2008
Chinese consumers rate the environment a higher priority than the Americans or the British
The findings of green brands surveys in China and their comparison with the results of similar surveys this year in the United States and Britain were presented at the Economist Conferences' Fifth China Branding Roundtable in Beijing.
category : Topics
September 11, 2008
'Green' fashion might be sustainable in the fickle world of fashion.
Fashion trends come and go, but ‘green’ is here to stay, say designers and sponsors at New York’s fashion shows. Environmentally conscious fashion is becoming a megatrend today and companies and designers are banking that the sustainable approach to style has staying power. Margaret Jacob, sustainability director at Invista, which owns Lycra says “it’s a mentality, a way of thinking about business”.
However, Susan Scafidi, a Fordham University fashion law professor, says the consumer needs to be convinced it’s not only good for the environment but also for her. The focus on green manufacturing and recycled materials is galvanizing the fashion trade but will not last unless the industry sets specific standards or until consumers believe green materials will noticeably improve their lives.
For more information, visit Reuters web site.
category : Topics
July 18, 2008
Statement for the G8 summit 2008
IGPN issues a statement to call on world leaders, including those meeting at the Hokkaido Toyako Summit to immediately implement Green Purchasing around the world.
category : Topics
July 9, 2008
G8 leaders agree to encourage Green Purchasing
The G8 leaders gathered at the Hokkaido Toyako Summit agreed to encourage the practice of Green Purchasing by enhancing efforts in the WTO negotiations to eliminate tariffs and non-tariff barriers to environmental goods and services with a view to disseminating clean technology and skills.
For further information, read the article 34 of the Document of Environment and Climate Change.
category : Topics
April 20, 2008
12.7 TWh through the Swedish electricity certificate system in 2007
In 2007, 12.7 TWh of renewable electricity was produced under the electricity certificate system in Sweden. This is equivalent to the annual consumption of around half a million electrically heated detached houses. Biofuels are the dominant source of energy for electricity production in the system. But the sharpest increase is for wind power, up 45 per cent on 2006.
For more information, please visit Sweden Energy Agency.
category : Topics
April 7, 2008
Multilingual version of the Green Purchasing & Green Public Procurement Starter Kit developed
IGPN and GPN India have completed the development of the Green Purchasing & Green Public Procurement Starter Kit in Chinese, Thai, Vietnamese and English.
The CD version will be available from GPN India, China GPN, Thai GPN, Vietnam Productivity Centre (VPC) and IGPN. Web version will soon be uploaded to the web sites of the respective organisations.
category : Topics
March 4, 2008
Green Purchasing Network to be set up in Vietnam
At the workshop on Green Purchasing and Greening Supply Chain, held on 3 March 2008 during the EPIF2008 at the National Convention Center in Hanoi, Vietnam, Ms Nguyen Thi Bich Hang, General Director of Vietnam Eco Paradise, announced the plan to set up the Green Purchasing Network in Vietnam.
For further information, please contact the IGPN Secretariat.
category : Topics
August 28, 2007
New toolkit to promote green business travel
A university research group has created a toolkit to encourage greener business travel.
Omega, a government funded research group comprised of nine universities, government departments and members of the Aviation Environment Federation, released details of the toolkit.
category : Topics
June 18, 2007
EU unifies rules for organic food
European Union agriculture ministers reached political agreement on a new regulation on organic production and labelling, which will be simpler for both farmers and consumers.
category : Topics
May 28, 2007
GPN Japan’s Chairman recognised for his work in consumer education.
GPN Japan’s Chairman, Prof Hideki Nakahara, has received the Tower Person Award for Consumer Educators International 2007 from the Consumer Citizenship Network (CNN).
category : Topics
May 16, 2007
Toronto Mayor Makes Zero Footprint Pledge at C40 Summit
At the C40 Large Cities Climate Summit, Toronto's mayor, David Miller, announced that his city would take advantage of a new tool to measure and reduce Toronto's greenhouse gas emissions.
category : Topics
May 10, 2007
U.K. Consumers Place a Premium on Sustainability
Concern for the environment has prompted one of the most complete and speedy revolutions in consumer attitudes ever seen, according to new research, although most people surveyed had an incomplete grasp of what exactly makes a company green.
category : Topics
April 25, 2007
Ontario Government to Ban Incandescent Lights by 2012
The government of Ontario(Canada) announced its plan to ban the sale of inefficient light bulbs by 2012.
category : Topics
March 25, 2007
White goods industry ditches voluntary accords
New energy efficiency standards for large household appliances should be set through binding legislation and not voluntary agreements, EU white goods industry association Ceced declared.
category : Topics
December 25, 2006
US and the European Union renew ENERGY STAR Agreement
The US and the European Community have agreed to renew their agreement on the energy efficiency labeling of office equipment products using EPA's ENERGY STAR.
category : Topics
November 22, 2006
DuPont wins U.S. Government Green contractor Award.
DuPont has been recognized by the Coalition for Government Procurement for its overall commitment to the environment.
category : Topics
November 15, 2006
UK major retailers report progress on reducing packaging and food waste.
The UK 's top 13 grocery retailers have reported on their progress against the Courtauld Commitment, which aims to reduce the amount of packaging and food waste that ends up in everyone's bins.
category : Topics
October 11, 2006
145 Businesses, Groups Issue Sustainable Energy Blueprint
In US, 145 businesses, environmental organizations, and other groups (representing 37 states) have released the "Sustainable Energy Blueprint" - a policy paper that outlines a "plausible strategy for achieving a no-nuclear, low-carbon, highly-efficient and sustainable energy future."
category : Topics
October 4, 2006
EPA's top-25 green power purchasers announced
Wells Fargo & Company joined EPA's top-25 green power purchasers as the top corporation on the list, edging out other big corporate names such as Whole Foods, Johnson & Johnson, and Starbucks. EPA announced its quarterly list of organizations that purchase electricity generated from clean, renewable resources such as solar, wind, geothermal, biogas, biomass and low-impact hydro.
category : Topics
September 6, 2006
BP Launches Climate Neutral Driving for U.K. Drivers
British oil giant BP has launched a program that allows U.K. drivers to neutralize the carbon dioxide emissions caused by their driving.
category : Topics
September 3, 2006
EPA Becomes First U.S. Agency to Be Powered 100% Green
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has closed a deal making it the first federal agency to purchase renewable energy equivalent to 100 percent of its annual electricity needs.
category : Topics
August 26, 2006
US Department of Agriculture Designates 20 Biobased Items for Federal Procurement
As a step in the Federal Biobased Products Preferred Procurement Program, The U.S. Agriculgure Department has released two proposed rules, designating 20 items that must receive special consideration by all federal agencies when making purchases.
category : Topics
August 21, 2006
Eco-products International Fair 2006 will be held in Singapore
The APO, SPRING Singapore and the Waste Management and Recycling Association of Singapore will host Eco-products International Fair 2006 from 31 October to 2 November at Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre.
category : Topics
August 9, 2006
Vail Resorts Becomes Second Largest U.S. Corporate Wind Power Buyer
Vail Resorts, the big Colorado ski and recreation company, said that it would make a huge investment in wind power, buying enough credits to offset all the power needed for its resorts, retail stores and office buildings.
category : Topics
July 26, 2006
WWF and Sony Ink Emission Reduction Deal
Sony will cut CO2 emissions from both operations and its product range as part of a deal struck with WWF. As part of its commitment to join WWF's Climate Savers Program, Sony will cut its absolute CO2 emissions 7% by 2010, compared to 2000 emissions of 2,183,765 tons.
category : Topics
July 26, 2006
Green Electronics Council Offers Database to Large Volume Purchasers
The Green Electronics Council has released the Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT) database. More than 60 computers, laptops, and monitors that meet strict environmental criteria are listed in the database. The database is avairable EPEAT website.
category : Topics
July 24, 2006
UK government interests in personal carbon trading
The UK government is to look into the idea of issuing citizens with personal carbon allowances to boost efforts to curb greenhouse gases emissions, environment minister David Miliband.said.
category : Topics
July 19, 2006
NREL Shrinks Laboratory’s Environmental Footprint.
By installing on-site solar and wind power systems and purchasing renewable energy certificates, the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is employing renewable energy to offset not only the total energy use of its buildings, but the energy used by NREL vehicles, employee commuting, air travel and other "life cycle" energy consumption as well. For more information visit NREL.
category : Topics
July 19, 2006
European Commission seeks to promote hydrogen powered vehicles
To boost consumer confidence and facilitate the commercialisation of hydrogen powered vehicles, the Commission plans to set new safety requirements for such vehicles and incorporate them into the European type-approval framework. As a first step, the Commission is asking for the views of stakeholders and the general public on planed new rules to ensure the safe operation.
category : Topics
July 10, 2006
Alliance to save energy unveils 'World-Class Assessment Strategies'
The Alliance to Save Energy has released a report offering world-class strategies for conducting effective energy assessments within manufacturing facilities.
category : Topics
June 27, 2006
World Resource Institute released new guidebook showing how to fight global warming for office workers.
The report, titled Hot Climate, Cool Commerce: A Service Sector Guide to Greenhouse Gas Management (PDF), provides how to introduce energy-efficiency measures to improve building operations.
category : Topics
June 26, 2006
London considering law change to promote 'green' power
AFP has reported that Planning laws in Britain could be changed to allow the installation of so-called micro-generation technologies -- the use of small-scale power generation sources like photovoltaics and wind micro-turbines --, a government minister reportedly said.
category : Topics
June 20, 2006
Toyota to double hybrid models
Toyota Motor announced that, as the company's mid-term project to enhance its environmental technologies and boost environmentally friendly vehicles, it hoped to increase the sales of hybrid cars four times from the current level by doubling the number of gasoline-electric hybrid models by the early 2010s.
category : Topics
June 12, 2006
Bank of America Pilot Program Pays Employees to Buy Hybrids
Bank of America has introduced a pilot program that will reimburse $3,000 to bank associates purchasing a new hybrid vehicle.
category : Topics
June 7, 2006
Ford Launches Customer Carbon Offset Program
Ford Motor Company and TerraPass have announced "Greener Miles, a program offering Ford vehicle owners the opportunity to offset the climate impact of their driving through the support of projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
category : Topics
June 7, 2006
Coca-Cola Turns to HFC-Free Insulation for Refrigeration Units
The Coca-Cola Company has completed the transition to HFC-free insulation for 98% of all new purchases of refrigerated sales and marketing equipment.
category : Topics
June 5, 2006
The European Business Awards for the Environment 2006
The European Commission announced the European Business Awards for the Environment 2006 on 1 June. The award, conducted as a part of Green Week 2006, recognises outstanding corporate contributions to sustainable development. The German car maker Volkswagen and five companies won the awards this year.
Information about the winners is available here.
category : Topics
May 30, 2006
France Introduces Compulsory Eco-Labels for New Cars
Eco-labels reflecting CO2 emissions became a legal requirement for all new cars sold in France as part of the country's climate change policy.
category : Topics
May 23, 2006
ECO-Buy Awards For Excellence 2006
ECO-Buy's annual awards was announced on April 27. ECO-Buy is an organization funded by the Victoria local government to encourage the purchasing of green products and services. The awards have presented to seven winning councils which stood out for green expenditure or program performance. These councils have actively purchased green products and promoted green purchasing in their organization in the last financial year. Imformation about winners is available here.
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May 22, 2006
Tesco to spend £100 million greening its stores
Environmental Finance has reported that Tesco is to invest £100 million ($179 million) in installing renewable energy systems in new stores and reducing its energy use.Where possible, stores will be fitted with wind turbines, solar panels, geothermal power, combined heat and power or trigeneration systems (where power, heat and cooling are produced at the same time). Tesco will also be trialling gasification (converting waste into energy) at its depots.
category : Topics
May 22, 2006
US Random House Vows to Use 30 Pct Recycled Paper
Leading US publisher Random House plans to invest millions of dollars to raise the proportion of recycled paper it uses to print books to at least 30 percent from under 3 percent at present.
category : Topics
May 22, 2006
Office of The Federal Environmental Executive Announced 2006 White House Closing The Circle Awards Winners
ＵＳ.Office of the Federal Environmental Executive announced the recipients of the 2006 White House Closing the Circle (CTC) Awards.
category : Topics
May 22, 2006
New Standard Helps Purchasers Buy Greener Computers
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, along with the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standards Association, has announced a new voluntary environmental performance standard to help large computer buyers make environmentally sound purchases.
category : Topics
May 20, 2006
GE Ecomagination Revenues Cross $10 Billion
GE has released its 2005 ecomagination report, showing that revenues from the sale of energy efficient and environmentally advanced products and services hit $10.1 billion in 2005, up from $6.2 billion in 2004. GE's ecomagination report is available online.
category : Topics
May 19, 2006
Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN) conducts survey on government green procurement in EU
Global Ecolabelling Network (GEN) have carried out a survey to provide information on the policies, measures and practices adopted by selected EU Member States to promote government green procurement (GGP), with particular emphasis on the use of ecolabelling schemes.
Since many EU Member States are known to have adopted non-mandatory measures to promote GGP, this information would be of particular comparative value to some countries in the Far East, which have adopted mandatory approaches to promote GGP.
The summary report can be downloaded from here.
category : Topics
May 12, 2006
Japan’s GPN Publish New Guidelines for Toilet Facilities
Japan’s Green Purchasing Network (GPN) published new guidelines for toilet facilities (GL16). See GPN website for more information.
category : Topics
May 12, 2006
Global Market Booming for Organic Cotton Apparel, Home Textiles and Personal Care Products, New Report Shows
Use of organically grown cotton by retail titans, fashion designers and small and medium size companies resulted in a dramatic growth in global retail sales of products containing organic cotton between 2001 and 2005, according to a report recently published by Organic Exchange. During the four-year period, global organic cotton product sales increased an estimated 35 percent annually, from $245 million in 2001 to $583 million in 2005. In the US, such sales increased 55 percent per year, from $86 million in 2001 to $275 million in 2005.
http://www.organicexchange.org/Documents/spring_press_rep.doc
category : Topics
May 1, 2006
First US standard to help purchasers buy green computers published
On April 28, 2006, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.(IEEE) published IEEE 1680™, the first U.S. standard to supply environmental guidelines for institutional purchasing decisions involving desktop and laptop computers and monitors. The standard was initiated by and developed with support from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
IEEE 1680 and its product registration and verification system are part of the Electronic Products Environmental Assessment Tool (EPEAT), which is managed by the Green Electronics Council under a grant from the U.S. EPA. The council will maintain a registry of computer products that meet IEEE 1680 criteria at www.epeat.net starting in June 2006.
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April 24, 2006
IGPN’s first anniversary on 25th April 2006
IGPN was set up a year ago, based on the Sendai declaration in October 2004 in Japan, to promote Green Purchasing around the world by coordinating those who take the initiative in implementing Green Purchasing toward sustainable consumption and production.
In its first year, it held international conferences and workshop in Thailand, India and China. This year its planned activities include greater cooperation with the newly-established China GPN, assistance to establish India GPN as well as holding more conferences, workshops and the 2nd International Green Purchasing Conference in Spain.
IGPN Chairman, Prof Ryoichi Yamamoto, has the 1st anniversary message for everyone.
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April 24, 2006
Japan’s GPN celebrates 10th anniversary
Japan’s Green Purchasing Network (GPN) held the 10th anniversary commemorative forum on 20 February 2006, attended by Ms Yuriko Koike, Minister of the Environment. See GPN website for more information.
category : Topics
April 19, 2006
Latest list of largest green-power purchasers in US
The Green Power Partnership, a voluntary Partnership between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and organizations that are interested in buying green power, has released the most recent lists of the largest purchases of green power. These lists are current as of March 20, 2006 and will be updated quarterly.
- List of Overall top 25 partners
www.epa.gov/greenpower/partners/top25.htm
- List of Top 10 Retail partners
www.epa.gov/greenpower/partners/top10retail.htm
- List of Top 10 College and University partners
www.epa.gov/greenpower/partners/top10ed.htm
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April 11, 2006
International Green Purchasing Network (IGPN) Conference in China took place on 23-24 March 2006.
International Green Purchasing Network (IGPN) Conference took place at Overseas Student Pioneering Park, Suzhou Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone, Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China. The speakers were invited from China, Japan and Korea and over 100 participants attended the conference.
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April 5, 2006
The EKU Newsletter No. 7 is now available.
The Swedish instrument for ecologically sustainable procurement (the EKU-instrument) is to give the market an “easy to use” instrument for purchasing organisations, both public and private, who have an ambition to make environmental considerations when purchasing. The objective with the further development of the instrument is to help purchasers to identify “green” products without having negative effects on other important aspects of the purchase.
The latest issue of the EKU newsletter is now available. For further information on the instrument and the previous newsletters, please visit The Swedish Environmental Management Council (SEMC) web site.
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February 9, 2006
IGPN Chair to speak at Buying Green Conference in Perth, Australia
Western Australian Local Government Association will host the third National Buying Green Conference from May 25-26, 2006 in Perth, Australia. This event will be relevant to those in the business, government or not-for-profit sector and will equip delegates with the "how and why" of green purchasing and ongoing sustainability. The keynote address "Driving Eco-Innovation by Green Purchasing" will be given by Prof. Ryoichi Yamamoto, the chair of the IGPN.
(www.walga.asn.au/events)
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February 1, 2006
ICLEI to hold Green Public Procurement Conference in April with European Commission
The ICLEI and the European Commission will hold a high level event on green public procurement on April 3-4, 2006, in Graz, Austria, hosted by the Austrian presidency. This conference will allow participants to gather an understanding on how to effectively implement green public procurement by way of many good practice examples. Purchasers and policy makers from local, regional and national government as well as business people from the private sector, consultancy firms and international networks are welcome. (http://www.iclei-europe.org/index.php?id=2308)
category : Topics
February 1, 2006
EcoProducts 2005 exhibition in Tokyo, attracted a record number of visitors
Between December 15 and 17, 2005, more than 140,000 people visited the Eco-Products 2005 - the largest eco-related exhibition in Japan - held at Tokyo Big Sight. The number of visitors was up by more than 10% from the previous year and this year attracted the largest-ever crowed since the EcoProducts 1999, the first exhibition of its kind, was held with 288 exhibitors. This year 502 companies/organizations exhibited and included more than 100 members of the Japan’s Green Purchasing Network (GPN). The Japan’s GPN organized several events focusing on Food-related products and they attracted a lot of students as well as business people. (http://www.gpn.jp/event/ecopro/2005/2005-report.html). Eco-Products 2006 will be held between December 14-16, 2006 with a larger exhibition space.
category : Topics
November 24, 2005
EcoProcura 2006 will take place in September 2006 in Barcelona, Spain
The LEAP Project Consortium, the International Green Purchasing Network (IGPN) and ICLEI to present EcoProcura 2006 in Barcelona, Spain. It will be jointly hosted by the Provincial and City Councils of Barcelona. The event will:
- Present of the results of the European LEAP Project on Local Environmental Management Systems and Procurement
- Bring together a range of international actors as part of the 2nd International Green Purchasing Conference
- Encourage the move from individual action by pioneers to promoting a strong international movement to achieve real market change towards sustainable product innovation.
category : Topics
November 7, 2005
GPN to exhibit on Food in Eco-Products 2005
Eco-Products 2005, the largest eco-related exhibition in Japan and expecting over 150,000 visitors, will be held at Tokyo Big Sight from December 15 - 17 2005 and more than 500 companies and organizations will exhibit. Japan's Green Purchasing Network (GPN) will organize various events under the title "Food Ecology and Green Purchasing" and offer a crossword quiz and a questionnaire survey as GPN is forming a new research group on food. For further information on Eco-Products 2005, please go to http://www.vcc.ne.jp/eco2005/english/
category : Topics
November 7, 2005
Bio-Plastics Green Purchasing Research Group to be Born
Bio-plastics, plastics made from plants, are increasingly used for IT and home electronic products. With improved quality and reduced costs, they are now seen as a viable alternative to conventional oil-derived plastics. While bio-plastics tend to be seen as environmentally friendly simply because they are not made from petroleum, their overall environmental impact still needs to be assessed comprehensively. Therefore GPN is launching a new research group on bio-plastics and recruiting participants from its members. The group will hold four meetings by March 2007 aiming at developing a guideline on how bio-plastics should be used.
category : Topics
October 20, 2005
IGPN held International Symposium on Green Purchasing in Bangkok on 7th October 2005
With speakers from Asia and Europe, the symposium was enthusiastically attended by over 100 people. The presentations made in the morning were: global environmental issues and green purchasing; global activities on green purchasing; green purchasing in Sweden; green purchasing law in Japan; and Sustainable Procurement Task Force in the UK. In the afternoon, Panasonic, Siam Cement and Fuji Xerox presented reports on their green purchasing activities respectively. The audience showed keen interest in the topics and there were lively discussions between the speakers and the audience.
More detailed report and the presentation documents are available here.
category : Topics
October 20, 2005
China, Japan, Korea to Utilize IGPN
The 5th Round Tripartite Roundtable Meeting on Environmental Industry was held in Tokyo on 13 and 14 September 2005 with 35 participants from China, Japan and Korea.
Delegates from the three countries agreed on the action plans for green procurement, EMS for SMEs and ecolabelling. In the Summary of the Chair, it is stated that the three countries will try to utilize the IGPN's network to coordinate timing and venue for Green Procurement Seminars.
(http://www.env.go.jp/press/file_view.php3?serial=7160&hou_id=6353)
category : Topics
September 6, 2005
IGPN to Hold International Symposium in Bangkok, October 7
The International Symposium on Green Purchasing will be held at IMPACT exhibition center, Bangkok, on Friday October 7. It will be co-organized by the Thailand Environment Institute(TEI), the Federation of Thai Industries(FTI), the Thailand Research Fund(TRF) and IGPN, and co-sponsored by the Asian Productivity Organization(APO). Global overview and several country reports including Sweden and Japan will be given, followed by case studies of companies such as Siam Cement and Matsushita(Panasonic), and presentation from the Thailand Green Purchasing Network. Free of charge. If you are interested to attend, please contact igpn@net.email.ne.jp.
category : Topics
July 27, 2005
International Symposium on Government Green Procurement, Beijing, June 28-29 & Related meeting on June 30
China's SEPA (State Environmental Protection Administration) sponsored the International Symposium on Government Green Procurement, held in Beijing, China, June 28-29, organized by the Environmental Certification Center of SEPA. Prof. Ryoichi Yamamoto, chair of the IGPN, gave a special lecture on the IGPN and GPN's role in government green purchasing.
On June 30, the IGPN had a meeting with key persons of the SEPA there. They expressed a positive interest in launching the GPN China. The Chinese government is planning to develop a new legislative framework to promote green purchasing. The IGPN is planning to hold a workshop targeting both governmental and corporate people to promote green purchasing in Beijing.
category : Topics
July 27, 2005
UNDESA Holds Meeting on Sustainable Public Procurement
UN-DESA(United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs) held the Third Expert Meeting on Sustainable Public Procurement on June 15-17, 2005 in New York. Speakers from various part of the world including Europe, North America, South America, Africa and Asia gave presentations on new development in sustainable public procurement, relevant tools and integration of social aspects.
One of the IGPN Advisory Board members, Mr. Christopher Browne of the Environment Agency of England and Wales, UK, demonstrated the training tool developed by the Agency. A presentation about the IGPN was given by Prof. Hideki Nakahara, Chair of Japan's GPN (Green Purchasing Network), tilted "the work of GPN as a network connecting a large number of stakeholders and the initiation of the IGPN". The complete agenda of the meeting and copies of presentations are available at the UN's website.
category : Topics
June 7, 2005
IGPN Participates in the Ministerial Conference on the 3R Initiative
The IGPN participated in the exhibition at the Ministerial Conference on the 3R Initiative (http://www.env.go.jp/earth/3r/en) held with 20 countries and 4 international organizations from April 28 to 30, 2005 in Tokyo. The Japan’s Action Plan for a World-Wide Sound Material-Cycle Society through the 3R Initiative, published on April 28, 2005 mentions “Joint work with the IGPN” at the first dot for promotion of actions towards zero-waste societies through information sharing and networking. (http://www.env.go.jp/earth/3r/en/approach/01.pdf). A column on the launch of the IGPN is also included in “Japan’s Experience in Promotion of the 3Rs”, a brochure published for the Ministerial Conference available both in English and Japanese.
category : Topics
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Information
IGPN Events
- Suwon, KOREA
(3rd Int'l Conf.)
October 21-23, 2009 - MALAYSIA
March 5, '08 - JAPAN
December 15, '07 - INDIA
November 27, '07 - THAI
September 15 - 23, '07 - INDIA
January 29-31, '07 - MALAYSIA
November 6-7, '06 - SINGAPORE
November 2,'06 - Barcelona, SPAIN
(2nd Int'l Conf.)
September 20-22,'06 - CHINA
March 23-24,'06 - INDIA
March 7,'06