Wal-Mart’s drive toward going green may have been met by green activists with skepticism, but it’s hard to argue that they are focusing on efforts to make sustainability a key part of their business. Wal-Mart’s suppliers have been given the ultimatum: “Help us on our mission to go green and skip the greenwashing”.

Rand Waddoups, senior director of corporate strategy and sustainable development, on Thursday (August 7, 2008) told more than 250 suppliers that Wal-Mart had devised a clearer strategy on its sustainability marketing.

The plan focuses on four concepts that Wal-Mart wants to promote - waste improvement and recycling, natural resources, energy and social or community impact.

“We need to fill the pipeline with products,” Waddoups said. “Not only do we need more innovative products, but we need to be able to tell a story around that product.”

As any sales or marketing executive who has sold to Wal-Mart, as I have, can tell you, the only answer to that request is, “yes, sir (or madam).

Wal-Mart sent out emails to all buyers last week giving them an Aug. 18 deadline to submit “green” products that meet the criteria. Products selected will get a major promotion during Wal-Mart’s 2009 “Earth Month” marketing campaign.

Reading between the lines, this of course means, more than just developing a great green promotional story. Required is a compelling back story to support the green attributes and shield the manufacturer and Wal-Mart by extension from green washing.

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Consumers typically have paid a premium for environmentally friendly products. But with soaring energy prices pushing up the price of mainstream goods, green products are becoming just as — or even more — affordable these days.

Because eco friendly companies tend to use fewer fossil fuels in production and tend to focus on energy saving techniques, as the price of oil rises, it impacts green companies less. Eco friendly products made from natural materials, rather than plastic, a petroleum derivative, are impacted less by rising material costs. The same applies for packaging costs. Avoiding the plastic wrapper turns out to have been a smart economic move.

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Until recently, I thought I did a pretty nice job of doing my part for the environment when it came to my home: using eco-friendly cleaning supplies, buying CFL’s, setting the timer to regulate heat and air, but the more I read, the more I find that I can do. There are also a ton of companies emerging that are trying to make an impact while reducing their footprint.

Below are a few of my favorite online destinations for cool products and information for the home and home office.

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Since I’m trying to start a graphic design studio, I started by searching for a green certification agency that specialized in creative services. It seems that many of the certifiers lack standards for service-based businesses, as most focus on products. The only design specific green “certification” that I found was the Design Can Change Pledge, a voluntary pledge for designers who commit to move towards sustainable practices. The site includes many ideas for going green as well as a great introduction to what sustainability in graphic design means, but doesn’t offer certification for green design businesses. As of yet, there’s no LEED for the graphic design industry.

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The EcoGeek calls Huddler “The Finest Green Shopping Community So Far“. What is Huddler?

Launched in March of 2008, Huddler is a network of niche product review communities. By focusing each “Huddle” on specific areas of interest, Huddler hopes to provide a home for the most knowledgeable, passionate consumers to meet one another and share what they know in an interface that even novice internet users can take advantage of. By integrating custom built discussion forums, wikis, product reviews, image hosting, and more, Huddler not only helps you decide what to buy, but how to better use what you already own. Huddle together. Shop Better.

Huddler is holding a contest to celebrate its launch. Simply join Huddler, share you knowledge of the green products you use, and win! “From hybrid vehicles to solar arrays, CFL bulbs to green cleaners, efficient appliances to geothermal heat pumps, Huddler wants to know about your experiences and help you learn from like-minded peers.” You could win a green prize pack containing:

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Business events like the AeA soponsored, “How Does Going Green Affect the Bottom Line?” further the cause. Held on March 20th at UCLA, technology companies discussed their successes along the journey to sustainability, and shared lessons learned related to different areas of greening.

A few key takeaways for companies interested in going green:

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If you attended the Greenbuild conference in Chicago last November, you would have been hard pressed to find a green cabinet manufacturer among the exhibitors - but you couldn’t turn around without bumping into a new type of green countertop. They nearly outnumbered the waterless urinals. Over the past couple of decades, countertops have evolved from tried-and-true laminate to bold new materials and colors of every taste and budget. It’s not surprising to see the creativity of new countertops go hand-in-hand with the emergence of green products. Below are several types of green countertops, from least expensive to most. Feel free to give any feedback you have on any of these products.

Laminate - Easily the least expensive green countertop, laminate countertops made with recycled wood particle board (like SkyBlend) and non-VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) adhesives are ideal for building projects that are seeking green certification at the lowest cost. It may take a while to track down a local fabricator offering green laminate countertops, but they shouldn’t cost more than a few dollars more a square foot than regular laminate tops.

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Clorox Launches Greenworks

Organic Brands Bought Up by Large Corporations

In fact some of the bigger independent players in the natural and organic arena are doing just that according to a recent NY Times article.

“The whole landscape is shifting, and I think everyone is struggling to redefine their strategy in the midst of huge change that ain’t finished,” said Jeffrey Hollender, the president of Seventh Generation, which makes nontoxic household products like cleaners and diapers. “It’s still sort of in the early stages.”

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Scanning the requirements for various green building programs, you seem to have two choices. First, you can try to find cabinets made with Forest Stewardship Council certified wood from companies like Neil Kelly Cabinets. But if the company is not local, the packaging and shipping of these products may cut into their green-ness. Or you could try out agrifiber based cabinets, like Humabuilt Wheatcore Cabinets, which have arisen due to the demand for green cabinets.

Unfortunately, when faced with these choices, many before you have given up on the idea of green cabinets and gone for possibly cheaper, more convenient plain old wood cabinets from their nearby kitchen and bath dealer. If you find yourself in the same boat, chances are there’s a lesser known green option waiting for you there. Many large cabinet manufacturers across the country are certified as members of an extensive green program called KCMA-ESP.

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Switzerland’s two major supermarket rivals, Migros and Coop have launched different schemes – although potentially confusing for customers, this is at least an indication that competition for greenness is heating up.

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 These are one of my favorite green discoveries.  ChicoBags (www.chicobag.com) come in a rainbow of colors, are lightweight and incredibly clever.  They compress into their own teensy self-contained pouch and have a carabineer clip so you can snap them right onto your key ring.  No more forgetting them at home or in the car!  They pop into a pocket or purse, clip to a belt loop or backpack strap, or simply fit in the palm of your hand.  They’re especially great for trips to the Farmer’s Market.  Oh yeah, and celebs have them too.  Ed Begley, Jr., Leonardo DiCaprio, Steve Carell, Susan Sarandon, Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Patrick Dempsey, and many others all are hip to ChicoBags.  Begley even gave a testimonial on the company’s website. 

The event features guest speaker Gillian Christie. As founder and CEO of Christie Communications, a communications and public relations firm, Christie works to promote the products and services of ethical companies. She will discuss her perspective on environmental messaging and the opportunities and challenges of differentiating green products in an increasingly crowded market. Christie will also share examples from Sri Lanka and Sudan, detailing how her company gives back in its global quest to promote sustainability and human rights.

Though Net Impact is one of the sponsors, you don’t need to be a member to attend. Both professionals and students are welcome, though there is a fee for entry ($25 for professionals, $20 for students). Dues-paying professional and student members receive discounts ($22 for professionals, $17 for students). Drinks and light snacks will be served.

In case you’re not familiar with Net Impact, it is a nonprofit organization whose mission is “to make a positive impact on society by growing and strengthening a community of new leaders who use business to improve the world.” With more than 10,000 members, the organization spans five continents. Members include leaders in CSR, social entrepreneurship, nonprofit management, international development, and environmental sustainability.

At the event, co-sponsor SustainLane will officially launch the Los Angeles version of its online, community-powered directory of green businesses and products. On the site, you can find and review eco-friendly resources, recommending your favorites to others.

In addition to the directory, the site offers some cool extras. Check out The Unsustainables, an original animated series featuring a family that “stumbles toward the future in an attempt to live green.” Also, you can see where your city ranks in sustainability, thanks to SustainLane’s US City Rankings. Angelenos, we’ve come in at a dismal #25 – we have some work to do to catch up to #1 Portland, OR.

The event is to be held at epOxybOx, an art gallery in Venice that features artists who work with recycled, reclaimed and renewed materials. I’ve been hearing about epOxybOx a lot lately, so I’m excited to check out the space. The event begins at 7pm, and since food and drinks will be served, it seems like a great way to start the evening before heading over to the Green Drinks in Culver City.

A whole night of green – I love it!

The easy to use site provides a breakdown of the resources a typical home in your area uses, as well as waste produced. Though the company is working on a personalized tool to calculate an individual home’s impacts, I found this generic version useful because the results are taken to the next level: how to reduce resource usage and waste production. Specific projects are recommended, including links to applicable products that you can buy directly through the site. Perhaps most useful though, are the resulting costs, impacts, and returns on your investment for each project.

The list of projects recommended can be overwhelming, so the site provides a filter to allow you to select the categories you’re most interested in improving: energy, water/water pollution, global warming, or waste/trash. You can also indicate how much you’re willing to spend to make improvements, how long you’re willing to wait to recoup your investment, and whether you’re a do-it-yourselfer or would prefer to hire a contractor. Once you select from the resulting list, a link provides specific product information for that project.

According to the company, products are screened before their inclusion on the site: “We look for manufacturers and products that use natural and/or organic inputs; do not emit toxins or other unhealthy byproducts; practice sustainability in the sourcing of their inputs (e.g., use Forest Stewardship Council guidelines for procuring wood); are conscious about the environmental impacts of their packaging and distribution; and help you reduce your overall environmental impacts.” This information is reassuring, as the company surely draws revenue for the listing or sale of these products. A directory of contractors and service providers is also available.

For those who might like a little more hand-holding, LowImpactLiving also offers on-site environmental impact assessments within California. The company will send an environmental technician to your home to evaluate your impact and make specific recommendations for improvement.

Whichever method you choose, LowImpactLiving provides the information you need. The rest is up to you!

I never thought I'd say this, but I wish I lived in Los Angeles. Not because I like big cities, celebrities, or smog, but because the Los Angeles chapter of AIGA, the professional association for design, recently held an event called CO[LA]BORATE: SEEing Green that brought together two of my favorite topics: design and sustainability.

CO[LA]BORATE: SEEing Green was held on April 19th, just in time for Earth Day. Although I wasn't there, I got the inside scoop on the event from people who were. Hopefully, events like this one will become more common as awareness of green issues spreads through the graphic design industry. AIGA is encouraging designers to get together on a local level and hold Green Design Salons such as this one, so I'm anxiously awaiting one closer to home.

According to AIGA Los Angeles, the event was a great introduction to green design and event organizers certainly practiced what they preached by making the event carbon-neutral:

AIGA Los Angeles, the professional association for design, presented Co[LA]borate SEEing Green on April 19th, 2007 at CiscoHome in Los Angeles. The event offered an opportunity for designers and other creatives to learn about new products, tools and services that are Sustainable, Environmental and Ecological. And because AIGA Los Angeles took into account the potential carbon footprint required to host and execute such an event, the organization purchased offsets from the Carbonfund, making Co[LA]borate SEEing Green carbon-free!

Phil Hamlett presents on green design practices.
Attendees experienced presentations from leaders in green design, including Joy Evans of Mohawk Fine Papers, who discussed the impact of paper manufacturing on the environment, what certification really means, and how Mohawk is future-proofing its paper production and distribution in order to protect the environment. Phil Hamlett of the AIGA Center for Sustainable Design gave an insightful presentation about how to implement green design practices in your own business, while giving voice to these efforts through client branding and communication projects. Cisco Pinedo, co-founder of CiscoHome and host of the event, talked about how he was first inspired to change his manufacturing processes by using FSC certified and organic materials. His message was a passionate plea for designers to pay keen attention to the materials we use in our offices and homes so that they support sustainable practices and a healthy planet.

Those who attended also got to sample organic, local, sustainable and vegetarian food and beverages. Sustainable and well-designed products were on display, and not only was the event carbon-neutral, but attendees were encouraged to take the Metro to the event to lower their transportation impact.

Events like this one renew my hope that my industry will be part of the force that changes the world for the better. Designers are in a unique position to create change and lead the world towards sustainability, and as they realize this, there will hopefully be more discussion on green design and more designers incorporating sustainability into their practice.

I would like to thank Natasha Wang, Bonnie Powers, and others at AIGA Los Angeles for sharing photos and information with me about this event.

Links: AIGA Los Angeles, AIGA Center for Sustainable Design, SEEing Green.