Author: Anne Bedarf

Food Waste Reduction Gaining Momentum

November 27, 2012 by Anne Bedarf

On November 12-13, I had the pleasure of attending the Southeast Food Waste Reduction conference, presented by the Carolina Recycling Association along with government and non-profit partners. The presenters and exhibitors showcased a compelling array of activities, ranging from industry initiatives in food donation, organics and compostable packaging collection and processing, and understanding the myriad of triple bottom line benefits associated with waste diversion, including … More →

How Important Are the Plastic “Numbers” to Recycling?

October 18, 2012 by Anne Bedarf

The relevance of the plastic “numbers”—officially known as the “Resin Identification Codes” or RICs under ASTM D7611—depends on who you ask. Adamant recyclers often believe they are useful, while time and time again both research and anecdotes show that at least half of the population is confused by them, and this confusion can result in recycling stream contamination. While participating in the ASTM process for … More →

No Matter How It’s Defined, Sustainability Requires a Vision

August 9, 2012 by Anne Bedarf

This article by GreenBlue Senior Manager Anne Bedarf appeared in this month’s issue of Packaging Digest, which features a monthly column by GreenBlue staff on packaging sustainability. Read the original article. The recent PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) report, “Sustainable Packaging: Myth or Reality,” struck a nerve with some of us working to make packaging sustainability a reality. The conclusion of the report, that sustainable packaging is no longer … More →

Worms: A Sustainable Solution to Pet Waste

May 22, 2012 by Anne Bedarf

Sustainable Materials Management—being responsible from sourcing to recovery and disposal—extends to all aspects in our lives, and dealing with cat waste is no exception. Most of us in the GreenBlue office have canine and/or feline companions—both of which regularly visit the office—and we have often discussed pet waste and the associated environmental impacts. Now that I have enrolled into a local government-sponsored program, the Rivanna … More →

Up and Coming Store Brands

March 21, 2012 by Anne Bedarf

I recently attended the Store Brands Decisions Innovation and Marketing Summit in Chicago, IL, through which I gained a greater appreciation for private label brands, also called store brands or own brands. The Summit brought together a really interesting group of speakers, that included a number of retailers with successful store brands including Walmart, Family Dollar, and Office Max. The first misconception the speakers shattered … More →

Sustainability on the Ground: Jam Cruise

February 1, 2012 by Anne Bedarf

I recently returned from a week-long trip aboard the MSC Poescia, as staff for the music festival Jam Cruise, managed by Cloud 9 Adventures. This was my fourth year on the boat, where my duties include administration of the “Conscious Cruiser” program and Volunteer Management under the nonprofit arm of Cloud 9, called Positive Legacy. While clearly cruise ships are far from being ecologically beneficial, … More →

Packaging Recovery Label System in Stores Now

January 9, 2012 by Anne Bedarf

We are excited to announce that the Packaging Recovery Label System—a voluntary label developed by GreenBlue’s Sustainable Packaging Coalition (SPC) to communicate to consumers how to recycle a package after its use—is officially in the marketplace! Seventh Generation’s limited edition 180 oz. detergent bottle and new 22 oz. pre-wash spray both now carry the How 2 Recycle label. Both products are widely recycled, and carry … More →

GreenBlue Celebrates America Recycles Day

November 15, 2011 by Anne Bedarf

Today is America Recycles Day (ARD)! Brought to us by Keep America Beautiful, ARD brings together organizations and communities from across the United States to celebrate recycling. There are events scheduled around the country to bring awareness to the importance of recycling the valuable resources we all depend on for our lives and livelihoods. Like the “Every Day is Earth Day” slogan, integrating recycling more … More →

The Packaging Recovery Label System and Resin Identification Codes

November 2, 2011 by Anne Bedarf

We have received substantial interest in the Packaging Recovery Label System after our announcement of the initial pilot participants this month! We also received some comments focused on the Resin Identification Codes (RICs) for plastic packaging (and durable goods), so I’d like to provide some clarification and additional information about why we are proposing an alternative approach. When we refer to “replacing” the RICs, we … More →

Sustainability on the Ground: GreenBlue Compost Pile

September 23, 2011 by Anne Bedarf

Though options for recovering food waste and compostable packaging are beginning to expand, home composting remains an easy and fun way to divert these valuable materials from landfill. Here at GreenBlue, we collect these items and I have the honor of taking them to my home compost pile (though our nine chickens get some choice tidbits). [fbphotos id=219246674797594] Besides the environmental benefits (our nearest landfill … More →