Green Options

“Garbage Moguls,” a new National Geographic show that premieres today, Earth Day, at 9 PM ET/PT, follows the team’s unorthodox creative process ― the brain-racking and stress, the silliness and infighting ―all working to build a profitable business with products composed entirely of trash.

Growing at an annualized rate of 6.3 percent for the past five years to 2008, Recycling Facilities is one of the few industries in the “green sector” to observe a decline. IBISWorld, an industry research firm tell us that recycling is expected to decline significantly in 2009 - after five years of strong growth.

Walmart Canada removed slippers containing real fur from their inventory after receiving a complaint from The Animal Defense League of Canada. The slippers, made in China, had been labeled as faux fur. It was determined that the slippers were in fact made of rabbit fur. Walmart has a no-fur policy and immediately removed the offending item from their shelves when the mistake was brought to their attention.

This is yet another instance of the deliberate mislabeling of a Chinese-made product involving fur.

Landor Associates, a leading strategic brand consulting and design firm, has released their second annual trends outlook, which provides “predictions” for 2009 including sustainability.

I don’t hate Sam Walton, I don’t hate jobbers or discounts or international trade. I don’t even hate many lawyers. I hate when corporations jump through hoops to set up faux social media (social media includes listening) in order to reach out to everywoman and then they trample us.

Literally.

There is only one thing for Walmart to do at this point in time.

Apologize.

There’s a dead man and his father had to bury him. Yes, a father buried a son so that someone could get a flat screen TV, cheap. Rather than apologize Walmart has just today taken this off their website.

Just to be sure that search engines pick this up properly, let me give you the text.

Bring a buddy!!! If you guys think you can do this alone, think again people! These shoppers are die hard and they’ll run you over like there’s no tomorrow! The more you have, the better!

This comes from Kim at Hormone Colored Days. Naturally the mom who had originally posted it come through with a thoughtful comment.

This week from our friends at ZapRoot: The FDA needs to have their heads examined. We respond to the numerous Chinese comments. Explore the world through Google Earth’s Environment section.

This week’s show links:

Eco Child’s Play - CA Fails to Pass Chemical Ban in Baby Products
Eat Drink Better - FDA Allows Producers to Irradiate Spinach & Lettuce
BPA Opinions
Corn Syrup All Natural
Google Earth Environment

It will take more than promises and glossy marketing campaigns to convince consumers that Wal-Mart is green, a recent study has found.

The largest retailer on earth finds itself the subject of Environmental Leader’s latest study on green marketing. Despite Wal-Mart’s massive green marketing campaign over the last year, consumers still don’t consider the retailer a sustainable company, explaining:

Brands that have spent significant marketing dollars communicating green initiatives such as Wal-Mart and GE are

[...]

Wal-Mart’s environmental initiatives have been a major part of the company’s recent attempts to win public favor. The company has made a number of lofty promises aimed at improving its carbon footprint AND its public image. CEO Lee Scott has announced plans to reduce packaging, improve its truck fleet and “green up” the company’s stores. Up until now, the public has bought it.

But an article in today’s Northwest Arkansas Morning News shows that the company’s suppliers [...]

We’ve all heard about the greening efforts of some pretty big companies, including GE and WalMart. But what’s behind the press releases and green logos? Though some corporate efforts may be greenwashing, many companies, both large and small, are making solid verifiable moves toward sustainability.

A panel held at UCLA this month, dedicated to sustainability in business, put this issue in the spotlight and revealed some useful information for companies looking to reduce their footprints. A few key points:

I just read an article about a new in-house organics label from a retail giant here in Canada, Shoppers Drug Mart. Despite the name “drug mart,” Shoppers carries an impressively large inventory of edible items. And while I have always appreciated their supply of organic shampoo, deodorant and toothpaste, I haven’t given the food aisle a second glance.

Most of their offerings are of the Doritos n’ gummi worms variety. You know, food that isn’t labeled with real words. It made me think of the changing landscape of discount organics and what it means for consumers.

Wal-Mart CEO Lee Scott attended the ECO:nomics conference in California this week. Wal-Mart has been heralded as a forerunner of corporate environmentalism: in 2005, the company announced big plans to “green up” its act. But when Scott was asked when Wal-Mart expects to achieve the environmental goals it set forth in 2005, Scott answered bluntly: “I have no idea when that will be.”

It’s the first time anyone from Wal-Mart has admitted so candidly that the company [...]