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As the 2009 International Year for Natural Fibres draws to a close and the focus begins to shift to 2010, the International Year of Biodiversity, Green2greener is delighted to announce its collaboration with the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) on a series of activities that will highlight the importance of natural fibres and biodiversity in sustainable development strategies.
EcoChic Geneva will take place on January 20-21, 2010 at the Palais des Nations, the UN headquarters in Geneva. The event will commence with a 1.5 day seminar which will look at “Redefining Sustainability in the International Agenda” from the perspective of the fashion and cosmetics industries.
The seminar will be followed by a high-profile gala evening on Thursday 21 January. Highlights include the launch of a Sustainable Fashion Exhibition and dramatic EcoChic Fashion Show featuring sustainable and ethical ready-to-wear and couture looks by fashion designers from around the globe. The Exhibition will be subsequently opened to the public free of charge until February 4, 2010.
This series of activities will bring together senior representatives from the private sector with key decision-makers from government, civil society and other public sector organisations. For more information or to find out how you can get involved, please contact us at ecochic@green2greener.com.
Whole Foods Market (Nasdaq: WFMI), a leading natural and organic grocer, today received the Natural Products Association’s “2009 Socially Responsible Retailer Award” for excellence in integrating social responsibility into multiple aspects of business.
“This award recognizes that our retailers are valued and integral parts of their communities, and that they provide much more than simply a place to purchase natural products,” said Natural Product Association President Debra Short. “All the award recipients are serious about being a source of support for their employees and their communities in environmental, social and educational efforts, and the work that Whole Foods Market and its Foundation do are excellent examples of how dedication to local and global action can generate positive results.”
While there were several determining factors for selection, the work of the Company’s nonprofit Whole Planet Foundation was the primary reason that Whole Foods Market was chosen for the award.
“The Whole Planet Foundation represents an incredible expansion of Whole Foods Market’s mission to actively lend a helping hand to our global neighbors in communities that supply our stores with products,” says Philip Sansone, president and executive director of The Whole Planet Foundation. “We are thrilled that our nonprofit work through the foundation was recognized as a key factor in securing this award for Whole Foods Market. Caring about our communities and our environment is one of our core values, so to be one of only three companies to receive a ‘2009 Socially Responsible Retailer Award’ is a tremendous honor.”
Established in October 2005, The Whole Planet Foundation empowers the poor through microcredit in developing countries where the Company sources products. To date, the foundation has committed $9.9 million for micro-lending projects, and has provided $5.3 million in grants to microfinance groups around the globe, resulting in $13 million in microcredit loans – usually less than $200 – to start home-based businesses. The project has given more than 41,000 people the chance to lift themselves and, on average, five family members, out of poverty, effectively impacting a total of 205,000 people in communities in Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Sansone accepted the award this morning at the Natural Products Association’s annual trade show and convention in Las Vegas.
To learn more about The Whole Planet Foundation and its mission, or to donate to the nonprofit, visit: http://www.wholeplanetfoundation.org/
SOURCE Whole Foods Market
Too often corporations disappoint us with their lack of environmental concern or disingenuous green washing. In my recent research, however, I have found one global retailer standing tall above the corporate crowd. For the record, I’m not trying to sell you anything . . . simply, I like this company’s look, discovered they are environmentally conscious, and think you should know about it.
Unlike most corporations trying–just now–to hitch a free ride on the “green bandwagon,” The Timberland Company maintains a long history of environmental stewardship that began by partnering with the Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES) in 1993. Today, 240 of Timberland’s global retail stores are completely carbon neutral; the company’s Ontario, California distribution center receives approximately 60% of its energy from solar power, while employees receive $3,000 toward the purchase of a hybrid. The list goes on to include 170 earth-day service projects, 40 hours paid-employee community-service, and the company’s, “Plant One On Us” promotion that plants a tree for every $150 in sales revenue.
Most notable of all is Timberland devotion to customer and industry education. Whether through public facility reports, labels outlining the impact of specific products, or national conferences held to educate the retail community, Timberland is committed to sharing their initiatives with consumers and competitors alike.
Case in point, Timberland produces a publicly available facility-level sustainability report that details baseline performance information in the areas of global human rights, environmental stewardship and community involvement. The report is available in English and Spanish on the company’s website.
If looking up the data is too tedious, consumers can read information printed on the company’s recycled-paper shoeboxes and soy-based hangtags. Shoeboxes sport a simple label (matching “Nutrition Facts” found on food packaging) that provides corporate-specific information such as the average number of kilowatt-hours and percentage of renewable energy used by Timberland.
Similarly, some Timberland outdoor performance products include a “Green Index” hangtag, which measures and reports on the product’s environmental impact in three key areas:
o Climate impact: measures emissions produced from raw material extraction through manufacturing.
o Chemicals used: based on the presence of PVC and solvent adhesives.
o Materials used: measures the use of organic, recycled or renewable.
With the “Green Index,” the lower the rating, the lower the environmental impact. Zero (0) indicates the smallest environmental footprint; while ten (10) means there’s work to be done. The rating is partially determined by the GaBi software program’s analysis of raw materials used and energy dispelled during production. The company plans to have a Green Index for every product across the brand by 2009/2010 and is currently working with other retail chains to create a universal measurement system.
This effort to share information with customers and competing retail conglomerates is what makes Timberland a true environmental leader and corporate exemplar. In 2007 Timberland won Backpacker Magazine’s Editors’ Choice Green Award. Upon receipt of the award, Timberland humbly responded, “our hope is that other like-minded companies will join us in developing an industry-wide index for comparing the environmental impacts of our design choices and we also hope to inspire consumers to ask questions, and make informed decisions about their purchases.” With this goal in mind, Timberland is currently working with Levi’s Strauss, to share information, conduct joint assessments and communicate remediation. According to Betsy Blaisdell, leader of Timerland’s environmental stewardship program, “the goal behind all of this cross-brand effort is to spend less time policing and more time encouraging improved environmental performance and workplace conditions.”
Going forward, Timberland has devised an ambitious plan to maintain their environmental leadership. Their goal: “all Timberland owned and operated facilities and employee travel is carbon neutral by 2010.” Audacious and unrealistic? I don’t think so! As seen from the examples above, they are well on their way.
Source: Huffington Post, Author: Follow Olivia Zaleski on Twitter: www.twitter.com/oliviazaleski
Why can’t you just take a normal vitamin or supplement, you ask? Well, Real Food Organics claims that those typical pills tend to contain dangerous synthetic materials, and they came up with nutritional supplements derived from organic fruits and veggies.
In addition, the company has pledged to be green: the vitamins are packaged in a glass bottle within a biodegradable box, which is made from mineral powder. And its paper marketing materials are made from food by-products.
And groups like the Organic Consumers’ Association are touting organic vitamins, and even launched a campaign, NutriCon, to get the word out that Big Pharma is giving people unhealthy supplements.
It’s great to see an organic vitamin company, especially one that uses green packaging. But is this just another way to get us to buy something we don’t need? The Center for Disease Control says that, on average, we consume fewer than four servings of fruits and veggies a day, instead of the recommended six to ten.
But we’ve all heard that excess Vitamin C just gets flushed out of our body, and taking too much of certain vitamins, like Vitamin E or iron, can be bad for us. For vegetarians or vegans, like myself, a vitamin is an important part of our daily regimen. But what about people who are getting a decent amount of iron, B12, folate, and the like? Will they really benefit from a supplement? Or are they simply wasting their money on these products, organic or not?
CONSCIOUS VENTURES 
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