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Grove to Recycler Student Video Contest Winners

May 20, 2013 by Danielle Peacock
Danielle Peacock

The Sustainable Packaging Coalition’s Industry Leadership Committee on Consumer Education and Outreach would like to congratulate our first and second place video contest winners! Their videos were both creative and informative, and we are pleased to share the results.

Industry Leadership Committees bring together members of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition around a topic of interest. This spring, the ILC on Consumer Education and Outreach held a student video contest titled “Grove to Recycler.” Students were challenged with creating videos that communicate the importance and value of packaging in making our world more sustainable, while using orange juice as a theme.

We would also like to thank our anonymous donor for providing the prize money for this contest.

First Place: “Orange Juice and Packaging: A Loop Story” by Tim Dehm
Rochester Institute of Technology
Prize: $3,000

Narrative: “This Flash-made animation was created with the intent to explain, in simple terms, the role of packaging in the life cycle of orange juice, specifically its role beyond what the consumer ordinarily sees.”

Second Place: “Oran-ja Sustainable” by Derek Pincus & Francesca Delle Cese
California Polytechnic State University
Prize: $2,000

Narrative: “Oran-ja Sustainable is a video to show the grove to recycler of orange juice and its packaging while keeping in mind our audience may be of all ages. Therefore our video clearly and simply explains the role of orange juice packaging and if it is not recycled, it can be worth more to the consumer. The polymer coating on orange juice cartons used to provide a strong moisture barrier leads to the carton’s inability to be compatible with some recycling streams in some areas of the country. Our video shows creative ways for consumers to use their orange juice carton for other purposes after use, which is sustainable compared to landfill. We hope our video inspires orange juice consumers to think twice about not only orange juice packaging but other similar paperboard cartons.”

Many thanks to our team members & judges:
Tamal Ghosh, PepsiCo
Julie Kwon, Amcor Rigid Plastics
Steve Mahler, Caraustar
Risa Shapiro, PepsiCo
Tim Rose, Schawk

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Bee populations continue their decline

May 17, 2013 by Nina
Nina

I love bees. My husband and I started bee-keeping two years ago in Canada to help the local bee population. You may not know it, but bees are an important contributor to our economy. The USDA’s Agricultural Research Service reports that bee pollination provides Americans over $15 billion in increased crop value – about one in three mouthfuls of food in our diet depends on bees. Pollination is one of the “free services” we get from our environment. We take free pollination for granted, and like other nature-provided ecosystem services, including water and air filtration, climate mitigation, soil creation, storm surge buffering, and the provision of natural beauty, we don’t assign a value or cost to them.
I could watch our bees for hours. They are very inspiring. When a bee is born she becomes a hive bee taking care of the brood and cleaning the hive. When she is a bit older she starts foraging. This is heavy work and will eventually kill her in four or five weeks. The queen works hard to keep laying eggs so the colony will have replacement workers. The workforce is very regimented, but each hive has its own flavor. We have six hives all located next to each other, yet the honey is different in each hive. They each seem to have a favorite area to forage. Our bees live on an organic farm surrounded by many other organic farms, so there is a lot to choose from.

I am happy to report all six hives made it through the Canadian winter. Most bees weren’t that lucky. The 2012/2013 Winter Loss Survey by The Bee Informed Partnership, in collaboration with the Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), indicated, “On average, U.S. beekeepers lost 45.1% of the colonies in their operation during the winter of 2012/2013. This is a 19.8 point or 78.2% increase in the average operational loss compared to the previous winter (2011/2012), which was estimated at 25.3%.”

Bees are struggling to survive for other reasons, too. Our agricultural practices contribute to the stress on bees, along with a nasty pest called the Varroa mite. Urban sprawl has also reduced the variety and amount of natural food available to the bees. Our large lawns and parking lots do not provide much nourishment. Our industrial system also creates stress for bees. A recent example that has been in the news lately is the use of neonicotinoid pesticides. These are made from nicotine-like compounds and are used to treat seeds. They are absorbed by the plant, making the whole plant toxic to insects. These compounds have been found in honeycomb and in honey. The neonicotinoids act like neurotoxins. The dose from the pollen isn’t enough to kill bees outright, but it weakens and disorients them. Outright bee kills occur in planting season when the treated seeds create a dust as they are being planted that settles on everything. The European Union has recently agreed to a two year restriction on the use of 3 neonicotinoids while further scientific research is conducted.

We can help the bees. We can support local honey producers, plant native plants and wildflowers in our gardens, and ignore the weeds that might be food for bees. Bees love clover; why not encourage it in our lawns? Dandelions are also great bee food. We can measure the decline in commercial honey bee populations, but it is also occurring in native bee populations. If they disappear, the food chain for many species will be affected and other serious ecosystem changes will occur, the effects of which we can’t even predict.

GreenBlue
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Taking the Nature Challenge

May 1, 2013 by Ruthann Carr
Ruthann Carr

We’re doing it.

GreenBlue’s Executive Director Nina Goodrich heard about the David Suzuki Foundation’s challenge to spend 30 minutes outside each day in May. Nina said she was interested and asked us to join her. It seemed a perfect fit for a company dedicated to helping businesses achieve sustainability goals, so most of our staff of 17 said, “Yes.”
(It didn’t hurt that those 30 minutes can be used during work hours.)

According to the Foundation website, there are many reasons to spend time in nature: “The more we connect to nature, the smarter, healthier and happier we are,” and “Getting outside even makes us nicer and more likely to clean up the planet.”

If we’ve piqued your interest, look into signing up for the challenge yourself. Better yet, get your coworkers to join you, just like Nina did. Check out the David Suzuki Foundation website for more information and great ideas.

We decided to kick off our nature challenge with a picnic.

There are almost as many plans for how to spend those 30 minutes as there are people taking the challenge. A lot of us plan to walk and garden, others to play disc golf and run. The IT group will have its weekly meetings outdoors. Besides gardening, I know I plan to get reacquainted with my hammock. Many of us are blogging about our experience, so if you’d like, follow our adventures, thoughts and photos. Maybe we’ll all learn something.

http://danielle-daily.tumblr.com/

http://501cit.tumblr.com/

http://ninagreenblue.tumblr.com/

http://keebster776.tumblr.com/

http://ruthannoutside.tumblr.com/

 

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Confusing Packaging Labels: Salt

April 29, 2013 by Danielle Peacock
Danielle Peacock

Last week, NPR food blog The Salt published a story on low-sodium claims with a familiar theme: clear and meaningful on-package claims.

On-package sustainability claims are an exciting way to share our work with consumers. The Sustainable Packaging Coalition explores claims through education in the Essentials of Sustainable Packaging course, the Meaningful Marketing Claims Industry Leadership Committee, and the How2Recycle on package recycling label. However, getting the correct message across to consumers can be a challenge.

A study by the University of Toronto showed that on-package claims for low sodium, disease prevention, or lowering blood pressure improved overall consumer perception of a product. The study polled 506 Canadians, one third of which had high blood pressure.

The How2Recycle label is seeing some of the same trends. According to the How2Recycle web survey, 80% of respondents think more positively of companies that participate in How2Recycle. Consumers note appreciation of transparency, use of recyclable materials, and belief that the participating company has broader sustainability motivations.

What I found interesting about this study is that these claims created a halo effect of other health benefits of the product. Not only did consumers have a more positive perception of the product, but some consumers also (incorrectly) equated the claims with improving weight loss, constipation, and diabetes. The article’s final observation is that although companies are reducing sodium, they are weary of advertising for fear of negative consumer perception.

Read more from The Salt, including an article on coffee certification labels.

 

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Your Company’s Commitment to Reducing Eutrophication Just Became Easier

April 22, 2013 by Adam Gendell
Adam Gendell

It’s pretty likely that your company’s sustainability goals do not include a commitment to reducing the amount of eutrophication associated with its activities. In fact, I’m willing to wager that most readers might not even know what eutrophication is. That’s okay. It’s a bit science-y, and it doesn’t elicit half as much response from consumers as, say, carbon footprints and waste generation. For the purposes here, let’s just say that it’s a water quality problem caused by an overabundance of algae, which is caused by excess nutrients introduced by certain emissions. Maintaining good water quality is an important part of sustainability, so in short, eutrophication is a pollution problem that we ought to address.

The typical mentality used to address pollution is to think that it should be prevented at the source. Usually it is advocated that companies should try their very hardest to drive those emissions down to zero, and that usually means awaiting new cleaner technologies. The newer mentality, however, applies the idea that any output, wanted or unwanted, is a resource. This mentality was made famous by the recycling industry and the problem of solid waste generation, but it certainly also rings true for the problem of eutrophication. After all, eutrophication is caused by an overabundance of nutrients, and nutrients are certainly a resource.

To put this mentality into practice, a startup company called Algix is partnering with the University of Georgia and SPC member Kimberly-Clark. Their plan: capture the nutrient-rich water emissions from industry and agriculture, let nature take its course in a controlled environment, and then harvest the algae before releasing the water. Then instead of causing eutrophication problems in our freshwater resources, the algae is used as a feedstock for bioplastic conversion. Pretty neat, huh?

Along with Novomer’s efforts to create plastics from carbon dioxide emissions, it goes to show that “pollution” is an unwanted problem only until we can figure out how to make something out of it. Once the value of eutrophication-causing emissions are understood, your company’s commitment to reducing eutrophication might be a bit easier – and possibly even profitable.

GreenBlue
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Top Five Fun Facts – April

April 11, 2013 by Eric DesRoberts
Eric DesRoberts

Eric DesRoberts continues his monthly series of facts and tidbits he’s uncovered during his research to better understand products and packaging. You can also check out his past Fun Facts here.

1. The 2012 Urban Mobility Report found that traffic congestion costs Americans over $120 billion in delay time and wasted fuel. The report highlights that congestion caused urban Americans to travel an additional 5.5 billion hours and purchase an extra 2.9 billion gallons of fuel over the course of the year. Washington DC, Los Angeles, and San Francisco experienced the longest delays.

2. Exposure to Radon in the home is responsible for an estimated 20,000 lung cancer deaths each year. Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers and is produced by the decay of naturally occurring uranium in soil and water. Check your detectors!

3. According to the Global Language Monitor, Global Warming/Climate Change was the top phrase of the first decade of the 21st century. For the year 2012, Climate Change/Global Warming claimed the number 2 spot behind Gangnam Style.

4. March 31st marked the opening day for Major League Baseball. Over the course of the 2013 season, the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council estimates baseball fans will consume over 20 million hot dogs. Estimates for the top selling ball parks include:

Hot Dog

  • LA Dodgers (2.4 million)
  • Boston Red Sox (1.5 m)
  • Texas Rangers (1.3 m)
  • Detroit Tigers (1.3)
  • NY Yankees (1 m)
Sausage

  • Boston Red Sox (421k)
  • NY Mets (405k)
  • Giants (400k)
  • Nationals (400k)
  • Brewers (400k)

5. The first Earth Day was celebrated on April 22, 1970. The success of that day helped increase awareness of environmental issues and helped gain support for the development of organizations like the US EPA. The Earth Day Network is a good resource to help you plan and contribute to Earth Day events

GreenBlue Packaging
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How2Recycle Label Completes Successful Soft Launch and Welcomes The Kellogg Company

March 20, 2013 by GreenBlue

We are delighted to announce the successful completion of the soft launch phase of our How2Recycle recycling labeling system. In addition, major brand name Kellogg’s will be joining the 11 other leading companies already taking advantage of the How2Recycle Label, including Ampac, Best Buy, Clorox, Costco Wholesale, Esteé Lauder Companies Aveda Brand, General Mills, Microsoft, Minute Maid, Sealed Air, Seventh Generation, and REI. A photo gallery of the packages currently carrying the label is available here.

The How2Recycle Label is the only labeling system for packaging that communicates recyclability across all material types and gives explicit directions to consumers to influence their recycling behavior, and specifies when a package component is not recyclable. Research completed prior to and during the soft launch phase of the project has confirmed that the Label is understood by consumers, leads consumers to action, elicits positive impressions of products and companies, and meets Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requirements. In addition, the Label has proven to be a valuable tool for companies wishing to understand the specific recyclability of their packaging. In short, the Label is fulfilling the project’s goal of improving both the quality and quantity of package recycling. The complete Soft Launch Report is available for download free of charge.

In addition, GreenBlue is delighted to welcome The Kellogg Company to the How2Recycle Label program, and the public can expect to see the Label on a variety of familiar Kellogg’s and Kashi brand products this upcoming April.

“At Kellogg, we have a long-standing commitment to sustainability, and the How2Recycle Label on our products honors that legacy,” said Melissa Craig of The Kellogg Company. “We continually look for ways to educate consumers on the recyclability of our packaging materials. Consumers need clear, concise communication when it comes to recycling, so materials that can be reclaimed don’t accidentally end up in landfills. This label helps ensure all packaging components are recycled, as intended, to further reduce the environmental impact of our products and promote conservation.”

Of note is Kellogg’s use of the How2Recycle “Store Drop-off” version of the Label for certain plastic bags, wraps, and other films acceptable at many retail locations for recycling with plastic carry-out bags. The familiar cereal “bag in box” format will carry this label as it applies to the inside bag liner. The SPC has partnered with the Flexible Film Recycling Group of the American Chemistry Council to increase use of this label and awareness regarding film plastic recycling. The paperboard box remains recyclable to the majority of the public either at curbside or municipal drop-off locations.

Kellogg’s paperboard formats also carry the Recycled Paperboard Alliance’s (RPA) “100% recycled paperboard” symbol, making the important connection between the act of recycling and the critically important issue of buying products made from recycled materials. Paul Schutes, Executive Director of the RPA, commented, “The How2Recycle Label will lead to greater consumer understanding about the recyclability of fiber based packaging, leading to more fiber being collected, which is important to the 100% recycled paperboard industry.”

Full implementation of the label is now underway, and companies interested in participating are encouraged to contact GreenBlue soon, as it often takes considerable lead-time to integrate the Label into a company’s packaging process. The SPC’s goal is for the Label to appear on the majority of consumer product packaging by 2016.

“This long-term project of the SPC is poised to make a significant impact,” says GreenBlue Senior Manager Anne Bedarf, who with GreenBlue Project Associate Danielle Peacock has led the development of the How2Recycle Label. “With the revision of the FTC’s Green Guides, attention again has turned to accurate and transparent recyclability messaging, and the SPC’s How2Recycle Label is quickly becoming the industry standard. We designed the business model with a tiered structure to encourage participation by businesses of all sizes, and we look forward to working with a diverse group of forward-thinking companies and stakeholders as we enter the next phase.”

Companies interested in using the Label on their products can go to http://www.how2recycle.info/how2join/ and contact Ms. Bedarf at 434.817.1424 ext. 314 or anne.bedarf@greenblue.org.

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Advisory Services to Offer Standardized Packaging Design Assessment

February 20, 2013 by GreenBlue

We are excited to announce the addition of a new service to our Advisory Services offerings—a standardized packaging design assessment. Companies interested in designing more sustainable packaging can now take advantage of this service to receive an environmental life cycle profile of new packaging formats or an overall assessment of their current packaging portfolios in order to identify opportunities for improvement. GreenBlue will leverage its COMPASS® (Comparative Packaging Assessment) software tool to perform these assessments.

“While companies can purchase COMPASS licenses for use by their internal design teams, this new Advisory Services option offers a convenient alternative to companies that do not have large packaging portfolios or do not have internal life cycle assessment capabilities but want to take a holistic approach in their design decision making,” said Katherine O’Dea, GreenBlue’s Senior Director of Advisory Services and Innovation.

The new package design analysis service is being offered for primary or secondary packaging options. Using validated, generic industry life cycle data, the assessment will account for environmental impacts associated with the materials and processes used to bring packaging to market, while allowing decision makers to incorporate environmental parameters alongside economic factors. The confidential assessment will be based on a set of consumption, emissions, and packaging attribute metrics. The report generated, which will include a brief comparative sustainability assessment with dashboard graphics of up to four proposed designs, will provide an excellent tool to educate customers about a company’s sustainability efforts.

“The COMPASS assessment method and data have been thoroughly vetted by independent verification and member companies of GreenBlue’s Sustainable Packaging Coalition, and are supported by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency. COMPASS helps incorporate life cycle thinking into the packaging decision process,” said Minal Mistry, GreenBlue’s Senior Manager for Sustainable Solutions and the tool’s primary architect.

GreenBlue Advisory Services helps business leaders embrace sustainability by applying a deep understanding of sustainability to each company’s particular needs to develop innovative yet practical sustainability solutions. Launched in 2010, Advisory Services complements GreenBlue’s sector approach to making product’s more sustainable. While that industry approaches allows GreenBlue to drive broad change, its Advisory Services engagements allows the organization to deepen its impact on industry by providing one-on-one sustainability guidance to companies. Under O’Dea’s leadership, Advisory Services clients to date have included major brands like Clorox, Coca-Cola, NASA, Nike, and SC Johnson.

Companies interested in learning more about this new packaging design assessment service should contact O’Dea at katherine.odea@greenblue.org or 434.817.1424 ext. 329. This service will be available starting February 25, 2013.

 

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Can an Unethical Business be Sustainable?

February 18, 2013 by Minal Mistry
Minal Mistry

After reading last weeks’s NPR story: In Cyber War, Software Flaws Are A Hot Commodity, I am left wondering how sustainability can be applied to the business case being described therein. The gist of the story is that there exists a perfectly legal market of supply and demand for folks who can figure out holes in security protocol of tier one routing and other network devices that they can sell on the open market. The buyers include governments, businesses, individuals and various other groups of people.

The use of the information is of no concern to the seller, but at base it can be surmised that the buyer will employ the knowledge for some ill-willed activity to gain the upper hand over another entity. For example, the government may use it to spy and for espionage. The business may use it to tap into a competitor and possibly sabotage them. The individual may use it to break into financial records. Other groups of people may use it to plot an attack. I cannot find a beneficial use unless I tweak the potential application of the information. For example, one could argue that a government might use the information to ensure national security, and that is a beneficial use. I am not sure if each instance can be thus justified.

What is left for me is the ethical dilemma. Can a globally growing business offering such as the example described in the article be sustainable? Certainly the practices described are legal for both the seller and the buyer. What may be illegal for some is the implementation of the purchased information–how one uses it and the outcomes, and who or what is affected.

The answer to whether such business has a place in a sustainable world lies in whether one considers ethics or legal standing as the basis of sustainability thinking in business. Fundamentally, one cannot separate ethics from the economic, social, or environmental aspects of sustainability thought. Legality of an action is not a substitute for ethical behavior, and hence I cannot yet see how one could apply the sustainability model to a non-ethical, yet legal business model. How would one balance the economic, social, and environmental implications to make an unethical business practice sustainable? Is this an oxymoron?

GreenBlue