Canada Lists BPA as Toxin and Bans the Plastic Chemical
Canada has done what many Americans have been waiting for since BPA concerns became mainstream four years ago. Companies know that BPA free is selling point, but the US government has not followed suit with actually banning the chemical because of the power of industry lobbying. Not so for our neighbors to the north, the Grist reports:
Environment Canada -- our northern neighbor's version of the EPA -- has officially declared bisphenol A (BPA) toxic. The ubiquitous chemical, found in the lining of nearly all cans used by the food and beverage industry, will have to be phased out in Canada...
The North American chemical industry is furious with Environment Canada's decision. The American Chemistry Council has vigorously defended BPA during Environment Canada's toxic review, declaring that the agency had "pandered to emotional zealots" by even considering the toxic designation, the Toronto Star reports. The industry group demanded that Environment Canada halt the review process; Environment Canada held firm.
In our political system, the chemical industry has had better luck pushing its agenda.
Google has been putting their money into sustainable wind power. Three months ago, the company invested $38.8-million in two North Carolina wind farms. Now, the internet giant has "has entered into a deal to buy wind power from NextEra Energy Inc for the next 20 years to power data centers". Globe and Mail reports:
Google Energy LLC will begin buying wind power from July 30 from NextEra's facility in Iowa at a predetermined rate, Urs Hoelzle, Google's senior vice president of operations, said in a blog on Google's website.
"Incorporating such a large amount of wind power into our portfolio is tricky, but this power is enough to supply several data centers," Hoelzle added...
The often-quirky company said in late 2007 that it would invest in companies and do research of its own to produce affordable renewable energy - at a price less than burning coal - within a few years.
The company's Google Energy unit, formed in December, allows the company to buy large volumes of renewable energy from the wholesale power market.
Organic Honest Tea Yearly Sales Match Coke's 9 Minutes
We occasionally drink Honest Tea because it is readily available in gas stations and health food stores alike. Recently, my daughter read an interesting statistic inside her Honest Tea lid:
Last year, Honest Tea sold 7,998,654 bottles of tea. This the same amount of Coke sold in 9 minutes.
She was blown away by this statistic, and it really shows how even a quasi-mainstream product like Honest Tea nowhere comes close to a giant like Coca-Cola. Of course, Honest Tea was only launched in 1998, and it somewhat ironic they would include such a quote when in 2008, "The Coca-Cola Company purchased 40 percent of Honest Tea". Hmm, maybe that's why we are seeing it convenience stores now.
Newsflash: Mega Stores are Bad for America...Just Ask Our Pets
It's no surprise that mega stores, such as Wal-Mart, are bad for America. From the environment to shutting out small local stores, mega stores are to blame for many of our woes. These mega stores have a monopoly on our economy and safety is often compromised. In order to offer endless rows of cheap products, quality standards are abandoned. Consider the recent recall of pet food, that caused many people to lose their loved pets. Truthout reports:
First, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it suspected that some toxin had been mixed into the wheat gluten that was used to thicken the canned meats. Second, an independent lab reported that it had found rat poison in the recalled cans. Third, Menu Foods pointed a finger at a shipment of wheat gluten that had been purchased from a supplier in China. Although rat poison was later replaced as the main culprit by a chemical named melamine, the story line had now taken shape: cheap and adulterated Chinese products were poisoning Americans, their children, and their pets.
The problem goes beyond pet food...all those cheap products need to come from somewhere, and profit is the of the up most importance:
Some Chinese toothpaste makers had used diethylene glycol, a component of brake fluid and antifreeze, as a sweetener. Some Chinese toy makers had coated their products with lead-based paints. Some Chinese farmers had fed unapproved drugs to catfish that were bound for U.S. dinner plates. Some Chinese slaughterhouses had mixed "oversulfated chondroitin sulfate" into the pig intestines that were used as the raw material for the blood thinner heparin.
Without Chinese manufacturing, our mega stores would fold.
Cadbury workers are to launch a bid to keep the UK confectioner independent and fend off a hostile bid by Kraft...
Unite is also contacting all Cadbury shareholders to urge them to reject Kraft's bid.
The union said it will highlight what it claims to be "Kraft's plan to pay for the company through massive borrowing, Kraft's poor record in takeovers and falling share value and the union's concerns that Kraft will move all investment decisions out of the UK and into the Kraft boardroom overseas".
I certainly don't want Kraft in charge of making my favorite chocolate! I hope the Cadbury workers are successful in blocking this hostile takeover.
You return your BPA-lined SIGG bottle(s) to us at The Soft Landing (please use the form below before shipping)
Once we get your bottle(s), we'll send you a unique discount code for 30% off your choice stainless steel bottle from participating manufacturers at www.thesoftlanding.com (CamelBak, Crocodile Creek, Green Sprouts, Kid Basix, Klean Kanteen, Nathan, Thermos and Thinksport)
You can return as many bottles as you like and you can purchase the same number of bottles for 30% off (you only need to fill out the form once, because one discount code will be assigned for all bottle purchases)
All return packages must be postmarked by September 14, 2009 to qualify
The Soft Landing will ensure all returned SIGG bottles are properly recycled
Awareness of global climate change has reached critical mass around the world, and people are looking to see how the choices they make affect the environment. This highly practical and easy-to-use reference helps readers understand how to do their part to combat global warming in simple but effective ways.
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The environmental movement and rising awareness of global warming have sparked an interest in green living. People want to know what they can do to live sustainable lives. In this book, you will find an overview of global warming and environmental degradation of air, water, and soil; what sustainable living is and how to do it; how to cut down on carbon output (the cause of global warming) with alternative cars and fuels; and environmentally friendly home and lawn care products.
Green careers include jobs in which environmentally conscious design, policy, and technology are implemented to improve the environment and provide sustainable living. A growing number of people, whether right out of college or already well established in the workforce, are looking to market themselves and their environmental convictions. It is a promising path to a larger paycheck and healthier environment.
·Green-collar jobs are on the rise according to Businessweek magazine
·The Green Jobs Act of 2007 anticipates a growing labor need for thousands of green-collar workers with $125 million in annual funding for training and research
Businesses are always looking to increase their profitability and market share. With rising costs of fuel and consumers targeting environmentally-responsible companies to patronize, businesses have jumped on the green initiative and reaped the financial benefits. The Complete Idiot's Guide® to Greening Your Business provides the most up-to-date, concrete, and practical steps for readers to follow to get rich by going green.
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At about $10 a title, all of these green guides are well worth their price. The Complete Idiot's Guides are user-friendly and have something for everyone. From the individual just exploring more eco-friendly options to the hard core greenie, the Complete Idiot's Guides have you covered.
Greenpeace Calls Trader Joe's Traitor Joes for Selling Red List Seafood
Greenpeace is calling out Trader Joe's for selling red listed seafood. With over 300 stores, Trader Joe's is the "the largest US grocer operating on a nation-wide scale that refuses to substantively respond to Greenpeace inquiries regarding its seafood sustainability policies and practices."
Trader Joe's does label private label products as low sodium, gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian and kosher to help customers make informed choices - but this trend stops short of reaching the seafood section. Trader Joe's customers are given no information regarding environmentally responsible seafood, and the Trader Joe's seafood section is stocked with a plethora of red list items, including orange roughy, Chilean sea bass, Atlantic salmon, and monkfish. To make matters worse, Trader Joe's actively disseminates misleading information about its seafood selection. In some stores, signs claiming that Trader Joe's seafood comes from sustainable and environmentally benign sources hang above the seafood freezer, lulling customers into a false sense of security and willfully duping patrons into supporting parts of the seafood industry that cause tremendous harm to the planet.
Trader Joe's sells 15 of the 22 red listed seafood items. If you don't feel like you can fully boycott Trader Joe's, at least stop buying fish there and voice your concern to the store managers. Greenpeace is also updating an activist toolkit for Trader Joe's consumers.
Reward your employees with fresh, organic fruit! The FruitGuys make it easy by delivering organic fruit to your office every week.
The FruitGuys is the industry leader in providing farm-fresh produce to the American workplace. Founded in 1998 and headquartered in San Francisco, The Fruitguys has pioneered this fast-growing category that provides viable solutions to the ever-challenging workplace health crisis. The company was founded on the premise that bringing healthy brain food to the office can boost productivity, improve wellness and help companies improve their bottom lines. The FruitGuys provides fresh seasonal fruit from local farms to thousands of American businesses, from small family-run businesses to major Fortune 500 corporations.
My family received a box of fresh, delicious organic fruit from The FruitGuys. Almost all of the fruit is from California, which is where I live, with the major exception being bananas. From cherries to oranges, we thoroughly enjoyed our box of organic fruit. FruitGuys has expanded to home delivery via the office, which is a nice option to ensure your family has fresh fruit every week without a trip to the store.
Why fruit in the office? According to the FruitGuys, fresh fruit can increase morale, improve employee performance, and lower health care costs by improving health. FruitGuys makes it easy by setting up weekly or biweekly delivery, and the program is cost effective. Feeding your employees fresh, organic fruit rather than donuts or vending machine snacks will make them feel better and know that their company truly cares about their well-being.
Kleenex Continues to Log Old Growth Forests for Tissues
Kleenex brand tissues logs old growth forests, including the Boreal Forest, in order that its customers can blow their noses. Remember handkerchiefs? My dad always had one in his pocket ready for our childhood runny noses. They are softer than tissues, and old growth forests do not need to be logged in their production. Of course, alternatives to Kleenex, such as Seventh Generation Facial Tissue, exist.
Revolution in a Bottle is a rollicking tale of entrepreneurial adventure and an essential guide to creating a company that's good for people, good for profits, and good for the planet. Szaky offers an array of insights into how to (and how not to) work with major companies, media, consumers and even investors. He also shares the key to TerraCycle's success and the paradigm for any eco-friendly company: making mainstream green products without charging a premium.
TerraCycle's growth has been rapid but perilous, filled with seemingly insurmountable challenges, several near-failures, and a whole lot of worm poop.
TerraCycle has seen its ups and downs, including being sued by Scott's Miracle-Gro. This is my favorite chapter in the book, as it is honest recollection of a make or break situation for this unique startup. The basis of the lawsuit was over packaging. If you are not familiar with TerraCycle, their signature fertilizer is packaged in repurposed soda bottles. Scott's eventually pulled out of the lawsuit, but ironically, the lawsuit gave TerraCycle extra exposure and publicity that helped the business grow. It is how I first heard about the company and took notice of its products and mission.
Monsanto's Bt-cotton can lead to the total destruction of soil organisms and beneficial enzymes in less than a decade of planting, according to a new study conducted in India. The Organic Consumers Association reports:
A new study analyzing fields planted with Monsanto's genetically modified (GM) cotton indicates the crops are causing the soil to slowly die. The study found that over a three year period soil micro-organisms, which are necessary for building healthy and nutrient rich soil, decreased dramatically in the Monsanto cotton fields. According to the Institute for Science in Society, "At this rate, in a decade of planting with GM cotton, or any GM crop with Bt genes in it, could lead to total destruction of soil organisms, leaving dead soil unable to produce food."
Apparently, the region in India (Nagpur, Amravati and Wardha of Vidharbha) where the most GMO corn is grown also has the highest rate of farmer suicides. Coincidence? Yet another reason to buy products made from organically grown cotton.
Terracycle Upcycles Record Albums and Circuit Boards into Picture Frames, Coasters and Clocks
I love Terracycle, as they are really trying to take hard to recycle items and upcycle them into new products. The most recent products to come out in March feature record albums and circuit boards.
TerraCycle, Inc., the ultimate eco-friendly brand, is introducing the first nationally distributed product line made from upcycled vinyl records and circuit boards. These products are unique and environmentally responsible because they are made from materials that have been rescued from the world's waste stream and would have ended up in already overflowing landfills.
Technology progresses at an astounding rate and a trail of trash is close in tow. Every time consumers upgrade their PC, TV, stereo, or other electronics, they add to the colossal stream of e-waste. In 2005, Americans generated 2.6 million tons of e-waste according to the EPA1. Of this amount, only 12.6% was recycled. Continuing the Trash Revolution, TerraCycle reuses circuit boards to create new products.
With the prevalence of digital media and portable music players, (and CD's before that) vinyl records have truly fallen by the wayside. While serious collectors hang on to their vintage discs, the average person is disposing of the records that have been collecting dust in the attic.
These unique, upcycled products will retail at an affordable price of $12.95.
Canadian and U.S. wildlife advocates have asked Ebay to stop auctioning off guided trophy hunts for bears, wolves, cougars and other top predators. The Raincoast Conservation Foundation, Big Wildlife and the Alaska Wildlife Alliance are concerned about the survival of trophy hunt species. Chris Genovali, executive director of the British Columbia based Raincoast Conservation Foundation asked:
Have the lives of Canada's grizzly bears, wolves and other large carnivores become so cheapened by the purveyors of trophy hunting that selling an opportunity to kill one is now as commonplace as trying to unload a kitchen appliance or baseball cards on eBay?
Ebay's response:
We are always open to working with NGOs with expertise in these areas and have done so in the past to fine tune our policies regarding issues such as the sale of ivory and the sale of "canned hunts," or those that guarantee the killing of a specific animal.
Canada Lists BPA as Toxin and Bans the Plastic Chemical
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