When we first received an email from Chad Pescod, owner of Enviroresponsible Inc, I was a tad skeptical to be totally honest. We get a lot of e-mails requesting links or suggesting we write an article about this and that (and the other thing), so I figured his email was no different.
My skepticism probably tripled when I tried to access Chad’s site and I found it completely inaccessible - all I saw was a message from the hosting company saying “account suspended”. If I had been in a bad mood, I might have simply left it at that and not bothered to reply to Chad’s email at all, but I at least wanted him to know that I had made an effort. I’m glad I did! Once his website (and presumably email) issues were resolved, he got back in touch to let us know - and of course the rest is history.
I definitely have a soft spot for green entrepreneurs, especially when they are fellow Canadians (and ok, perhaps I’m even more biased towards those located in Ontario - haha), so Chad lucked out across the board. Once I saw that he owned a small green business in Whitby (just outside of Toronto) I definitely wanted to learn more - and of course that has led to writing this post on the blog!
Enviroresponsible is in the business of selling used building supplies, salvaged architectural materials and rain barrels (made from previously-used food-grade barrels). Aside from offering quality recycled goods, the company is providing a valuable service - acting as a community used-goods drop off facility, thus helping to prevent a lot of material from ending up in the landfill.
This is certainly not the first business of its kind to spring up in Ontario, but I suspect that with Chad’s energy and enthusiasm he’ll have no trouble setting himself apart from the rest. Aside from that, there really should be businesses like this in EVERY community (apparently Enviroresponsible is the first of its kind in Durham Region). Just take a look around on garbage day or drive down to your local dump drop-off area and you’ll see exactly how much usable stuff gets chucked in the landfill every week.
Online services like FreeCycle and Gigoit are certainly useful in their own right, but not everyone wants to deal with the hassles of posting listings and dealing with other people etc.
Anyway, we definitely wish Chad the best of luck with his endeavour, and look forward to seeing how Enviroresponsible develops in coming months and years.
Technorati Tags: used goods, recycling, used building supplies, salvaged goods, freecycle, gigoit, enviroresponsible, whitby, toronto, ontario, green business, eco entrepreneurs, durham region
Written by Bentley on January 18th, 2008 with no comments.
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On a recent visit to Brady’s Meat & Deli, (located in Waterloo, Ontario), I came across some organic milk products from Harmony Organic. I was instantly drawn to the old-fashioned glass bottles and intrigued enough to buy a few bottles and give it a try. I commonly purchase my milk in the plastic milk bags (which can be rinsed and recycled when empty).
Harmony Organic bottles their milk and each retailer charges a deposit for the bottle to encourage customers to return the bottles for a refund. What a novel idea!!!! No plastic packaging, it brings back a bit of nostalgia for baby boomers, better for the environment and in my opinion it simply tastes better!
On my first visit I purchased 2 bottle of 1 % and 2 bottles of chocolate milk. I was very pleased with both purchases and I found that each product tasted great. I will mention that buying harmony organic is more expensive than buying regularly produced milk. It is approximately double what you would normally pay. The question you need to ask yourself is, “Is it worth it?”. My answer is a resounding yes. The milk is produced organically and locally, it tastes better and simply looks cool!
A few weeks ago I went to buy some of the milk and I couldn’t even get one bottle. The staff at Brady’s mentioned to me that they keep selling out of their Harmony products. The milk is flying off the cooler shelves. Not to be disappointed,
I have set-up a standing order at Brady’s and I replenish my order every Friday.
Harmony Organic - At a Glance
According to the website, “The milk comes to you from cows treated with love and respect”. The goal for the dairy is to minimize stress and maximize comfort in anything they do. Harmony cows are treated as members of the family.
Facts:
* Farm is free of synthetic fertilizers and chemicals (at least 3 years)
* To discourage throw away mentality, use glass bottles for their products
* Products: Full line of fluid milk products, 10% cream and 35% whipping cream
Harmony Organic is located in Bornholm, Ontario, about 57 kms away from my house. Bornholm is Northwest from Waterloo.
Where Can You Buy Harmony Organic Milk?
I buy my milk at Brady’s in Waterloo, at Phillip and Albert street. This is a great store and I highly recommend that you pay them a visit (I will be writing about Brady’s in the next few days).
Other places:
Eating Well Organically - 104 King Street South - Waterloo - (519) 883-0734
Fieldgate Organics - Weber Street Waterloo Farmers Market - Waterloo -
Full Circle - 3 Charles Street West - Kitchener - (519) 744-5331
Natural Food Market - 75 Bridgeport Road East - Waterloo - (519) 884-1811
Olde Kitchen Cupboard - 710 Belmont Avenue - Kitchener - (519) 745-7765
Pfenning\’s Organics - 1760 Erb Road West - St. Agatha - (519) 725-4282
Pfenning\’s Organics and More - Home Delivery - 1760 Erb Road West - St. Agatha - 519-725-4282
* Cattle are fed organic feed (at least 12 months)
Technorati Tags: local produce, Harmony Organic Milk, buying local, Brady’s Meats & Deli, organic milk, green business
Written by steve on May 29th, 2007 with 2 comments.
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Interesting article on Greenbiz.com, discussing Ethisphere magazine’s recent release of its list of the “World’s Most Ethical Companies” for 2007.
More than 5,000 companies were considered (across 30 different industries), yet fewer than 100 made the final list. I must admit to being a tad surprised by some of the finalists (more on that in a minute)!
So what exactly are the criteria for selecting the most ethical companies?
According to Ethisphere, “companies were measured in a rigorous eight-step process and then scored against nine distinct ethical leadership criteria.”
Here is a blurb from GreenBiz article:
The process included reviewing the companies’ codes of ethics, litigation and regulatory infraction histories; evaluating companies’ investment in innovation and sustainable business practices; looking at activities designed to improve corporate citizenship; studying nominations from senior executives, industry peers, suppliers and customers; and working with consumer action groups for feedback and rating.
Researchers included editors from Ethisphere Magazine as well support from SustainAbility, World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Trillium Asset Management Corporation, Winslow Management Company, ForestEthics, Women’s Equity Fund, The Center for Business Ethics, and New Alternatives Fund.
“These organizations demonstrate real and sustained ethical leadership, and realize that with this commitment comes increased competitive advantage and long-term profitability,” said Stephen Martin, editor-in-chief of Ethisphere Magazine. “They have each scored materially higher in the evaluations than their industry competitors, and set the bar on ethical leadership for other companies to either follow…or fall behind.”
As mentioned, I was quite surprised by some of the companies listed - McDonalds certainly took the cake in that department! After watching “Fast Food Nation” and Super-Size Me”, for some odd reason the word “ethical” just doesn’t come to mind when I think about McDonalds.
Clearly expecting a similar reaction from many others, Ethisphere included this blurb:
Some may ask, “How can McDonald’s be on the list?” The answer is that the food service industry is the largest industry in the world—and McDonald’s has clearly stood apart in introducing
healthier food fare, sustainable packaging, food safety, and ethical purchasing practices.
All in all, it is definitely interesting to see what companies are leading the way on the ethical front, and which ones are absent from the list (such as Walmart, despite all its green progress).
The learn more about the 8-step qualification process and see a full list of the companies selected, be sure to check out Ethisphere Magazine.
Technorati Tags: ethics, ethical business, ethisphere, green business, sustainable business, mcdonalds, nike
Written by Bentley on May 14th, 2007 with no comments.
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There’s no doubt that modern technology has played a major role in the advancement of the green movement. Never before in the history of mankind has it been so easy to share important information with countless others and inspire global change.
Of course, these great strides forward don’t come without costs.
Not only is a staggering amount of energy required to power everything, but with each passing day more and more e-waste is produced.
As important as the issue is, the IT industry (and related technological sectors) doesn’t seem to get nearly the same amount of coverage as many of the other environmental offenders such as the oil industry.
Thankfully, it seems as though things are starting to change. More focus is being placed on the environmental impact of the computing industry, and more and more companies are making an effort to lessen their impact.
As a person, who sits in front of a computer all day and is fully immersed in modern technology in general, I’m very eager to see some major green changes in these fields.
Needless to say I was very pleased to receive an email this week from the folks at GreenBiz.com, announcing the launch of their new website: GreenerComputing.
Here is an exerpt from the email:
As you well know, the environmental issues related to information
technology — computers, printers, servers, and all the rest — have come
under heightened scrutiny lately. Some of the concern has to do with the
growing power consumption of all this equipment. (Factoid: A single
high-powered rack of servers consumes enough energy in a single year to
power a hybrid car across the U.S. 337 times.)
Another concern is e-waste — what to do with unwanted electronic goods.
Much of it is being shipped overseas, where the equipment is dismantled by
cheap labor, often with disastrous health and environmental consequences.
And then there’s the toxicity of it all — the witch’s brew of hazardous
materials found in most of today’s IT equipment.
Fortunately, there are solutions, with new products and processes emerging
on a regular basis. That’s what we’ll cover on GreenerComputing.com and in
GreenerComputing News.
This is only a sample issue. You must sign-up to subscribe. It’s free and
easy. You need only click on the link at the bottom of this page that says
“Update Profile/Email Address.” From there, follow the instructions.
If you aren’t yet sure, no problem. We’ll send you several more issues to
help you decide.
Of course, feel free to pass this along to colleagues (such as those in
your IT department) who you think might be interested.
Thanks. Let me know what you think of GreenerComputing, and how we can make
it useful in your work.
– Joel Makower, Executive Editor
I’m definitely looking forward to keeping up to date with advancements in greener computing technology.
It’s amazing being able to inspire change and be inspired ourselves from the comfort of home, but we always need to remain mindful of the associated costs.
Technorati Tags: greenbiz, greenbuzz, greenercomputing, e-waste, IT, saving power, energy conservation, green power, computer recycling, Joel Makower
Written by Bentley on May 10th, 2007 with no comments.
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I found a great article over at CNET, talking about biodiesel entrepreneurs. According to the article, the demand for green automobiles is on the rise and used car dealers are carving a niche for themselves by selling biodiesel-ready autos. Around the US, dealerships are popping up offering middle-class drivers with biodiesel vehicles like, VW, Mercedes and Honda.
It looks like the advertising method of choice for these new biodiesel entrepreneurs is the Internet. They are using their own web sites and classified sites to lure potential buyers. A few dealers have a physical, more traditional, auto lot.
From CNET Article:
After undergoing modifications that cost as little as $50 or as much as $2,000, diesel cars can chug either petroleum-based diesel, crop-based biodiesel, vegetable oil from the deep-fryers of fast-food kitchens, or even a combination of the three.
One of the businesses mentioned in the article is a company called BioBling. I love the name and the concept. I headed over to the website and had a look at what they offer. According to their site, “Biobling connects conscious people to green cars and clean, renewable fuel to run them.” They earn 10% of acquisition cost to locate a car and connect customers with a biofuel distributor. The customer is responsible for buying the car and any shipping fees. Drivers who want to add a little “bling” to their ride, can have Biobling add items like flat screens/DVDs, custom paint, new wheels, etc (all at an additional charge).
If you get a chance, have a read through Biobling’s Ten Commandments. I enjoyed the third commandment, “Thou shalt not covet they neighbour’s gas-guzzler.”
I recommend our readers head over to CNET to read the article.
To learn more about Biobling, visit them here.
To learn more about Biodiesel, you can head over to the US National Biodiesel Board website or head to the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association website.
Technorati Tags: biodiesel, biofuel, green cars, luxury biodiesel cars, green fuel, friends of the earth
Written by steve on May 9th, 2007 with no comments.
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How does Green Pizza sound? Probably not very appetizing, unless it has spinach on it! It turns out Pete Bonahoom has spotted a business opportunity and has created eco-friendly Galactic Pizza in Minneapolis.
What makes his pizza business green?
* His drivers deliver pizza in rechargeable electric cars
* The mozzarella comes from cows not treated by growth hormones
* Hemp is used as an ingredient and for the paper menus
* Use packaging that is made from recycled materials
* In season, they purchase local produce
To top things off, his drivers dress up as superheroes, like Captain Awesome, Shark Girl or the Veggie Avenger.
The tag line for Galactic Pizza is, “Pizza with a conscience”.
From the Galactic Pizza website:
At Galactic Pizza we have a positive vision of the future on our planet. We see a world that lacks the greed and self centeredness that has led use into the chaotic state that we see today. We see a world full of cooperation, sustainability, and harmony with our surroundings.
In order to help achieve this positive vision, we strive to be the perfect example of what is called a values led company. This means that we realize that we have a responsibility to the people and community that make our existence possible. In order to fulfill this responsibility, we seek to maximize our impact by integrating as many socially beneficial actions into our day to day operations as possible. By incorporating a concern for the community–local, national, and global–our restaurant can make positive impact on the world in which it operates.
To learn more about Galactic Pizza, visit their website.
Technorati Tags: eco business, green business opportunity, sustainable business, green pizza, green living, eco restaurants, Galactic Pizza
Written by steve on May 4th, 2007 with 4 comments.
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I just came across an article about the new Philips “Green Tick” logo. Yet again, another corporation creating their own eco label. Watch out readers, the wave has yet to hit. An influx of “corporate biodiesel bandwagon jumpers” will soon be flooding stores with their chic “green labels”.
According to the Philips website, the Green Tick logo will be on their most environmentally friendly and safe products. This will ensure consumers that they are making the right environmental choice. All Green Tick logo products are certified by external auditors to be more than 10% more efficient than other products on the market within a given product category.
Green Tick logo products perform significantly better in at least one of the following areas:
* Energy Efficiency
* Weight
* Packaging
* Recycling
* Hazardous Materials
Currently, seven of Philips’ flat TVs carry the Green Tick logo with a target of doubling the number to 14 by the end of 2007 to include DVD recorders, home cinema systems, wireless devices and portable accessories. The Green Tick logo will launch into stores from April 2007 across Europe, North America and Asia.
Technorati Tags: eco labels, green consumers, Philips, eco options, eco friendly, green products, green living, environmentally friendly, eco products
Written by steve on May 4th, 2007 with no comments.
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Probably not the best title that I could come up with but it is a Thursday morning and my coffee hasn’t kicked in yet. A few days ago, Apple announced their plan to boost their already existent eco-initiatives. I need to disclose that I am a supporter of Apple and own a few MACs in my office. I am happy to read that Apple is being more transparent about their plans to reduce chemicals in their products. As you will read in the Press Release, Steve Jobs mentions that share holders, customers and and employees expect Apple to be a leader in all areas, including being green.
In a press release named, “A Greener Apple”, Steve Jobs outlined Apple’s eco-friendly strategy. Here are some of the key points:
Removing Toxic Chemicals
* Apple stopped using CRTs (lead containing screens and Monitors) in 2006
* Apple plans to completely eliminate the use of arsenic in all of its displays by the end of 2008
* Plans to reduce and eliminate the use of mercury by switching from fluorescent lamps to LED backlighting
* Plans to completely eliminate the use of PVC and BFRs in its products by the end of 2008.
Recycling (E-Waste)
* Apple recycled 13 million pounds of e-waste in 2006
* Predict by 2010 they will recycle 19 million pounds per year
* Free iPod recycling in the US (10 % discount to trade in old iPod)
* Apple products are designed using high quality materials that are in high demand from recyclers
I was quite surprised to see Dell and HP named throughout the Press Release. You can clearly see that Jobs wants the eco-title.
I hope that in the fight for eco-supremacy, it will bring about innovation and change to the industry as a whole. Apple has shown innovation with many of the products and packaging design. I believe that they are making strides in becoming a more earth-friendly company.
As it stands right now, many computer and technology companies offer recycling programs for their products. Off the top of my head I know that Toshiba and HP offer recycling programs. There are many other ways to get rid of your unwanted e-waste. Do a quick search in Google and you will find a ton of options.
Technorati Tags: computer recycling, Apple, Steve Jobs, sustainable living, A Greener Apple, electronic waste reduction
Written by steve on May 3rd, 2007 with no comments.
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In a recent Business Week article, they examined the marketing tactics of various retailers, including Home Depot. As we have mentioned numerous times on our website, Home Depot is heavily promoting their green products in Canada. On a recent visit to the store I found tons of copies of their green publication, Eco Options and walking through their seasonal department the eco options labels are everywhere. The question I keep asking myself is, “who determines what is a green product.”
There is no doubt that the eco-chic trend is becoming entrenched in North America. Marketers are jumping on the bandwagon and we are becoming inundated with their campaign messages as they try to position their products as being earth-friendly. We are witnessing how consumer opinion can have an enormous influence and impact on the decisions corporations make.
The influence doesn’t stop there, have a look at the Canadian Government and Stephen Harper. The words “environment” and “climate change” were excluded from the Harper government’s vocabulary when first elected. Through opinion polls and evaluating what Canadians deem important, the pendulum swung and buckets of green paint are being handed out by Harper and his staffers. Perhaps come election time, Stephen will wear some eco-friendly (non-animal tested) green lipstick, so when he kisses the babies it will leave a lasting green imprint.
The point I am trying to make is that we need to be careful when it comes to over-zealous marketing campaigns and look past all of the noise to really understand and evaluate how genuine the person, corporation or government is when waving their green flag.
Can we believe the Label?
According to the Business Week article, there is a company SCS, Scientific Certification Systems, that independently certifies the products that fall under the Eco Options branding. I had a chance to head over to the SCS website and this is what I found:
SCS is a leading third-party provider of certification, auditing and testing services, and standards. Our goal is to recognize the highest levels of performance in food safety and quality, environmental protection and social responsibility in the private and public sectors, and to stimulate continuous improvement in sustainable development.
If you search the site you will be able to find the questionnaire they provide vendors who are looking to become a Home Depot Eco Options Vendor. Some of the key questions:
CURRENT CLAIMS
1. Do you currently make environmental claim (s) for this product on product
packaging or collateral? If yes, what is the claim(s)?
2. Is the claim(s) independently certified?
If yes, provide the certifier name, certificate copy, certification number, and
certification report. Name___________________ Number _____________
3. Do you have documentation to support your claim(s)? _____________________
If yes, please attach the documentation for review.
4. If your claim states or implies that your product(s) is better for the environment
than other products in the same product category, please attach a brief
explanation including a description of the typical product used as a benchmark to make the in-category comparison.
For those vendors who want to go through the review process, it will cost them $750 for SCC to review their application. The price seems minimal compared to what they could gain by having the Eco Options label affixed to their product.
The official Home Depot definition of Eco Options:
Products with the Eco Options label are either eco friendly by definition, such as solar lights that use natural power, or have met certain environmental performance criteria verified by Scientific Certification Systems, an independent standards development and certification company. Eco Options products fall into one of five categories: clean air, water conservation, energy efficiency, healthy home and sustainable forestry.
Are Eco Labels Misleading?
I guess it all depends on how you interpret the labels. One of the arguments presented in the article from Business Week is some consumers could be mislead into believing that the labels are endorsed by a government agency. I think if we leave industry to self-regulate, misrepresentation will run rampant. Presently, companies are able to wave their green banner without disclosing what makes their products earth-friendly. The old saying, “Buyer Beware” holds true when it comes to eco products. I believe that as the eco-chic trend evolves into a regular habit, labeling and packaging standards will be established to offer consumers the reassurance that they are truly buying green.
From the BusinessWeek article:
Do Your Eco-Homework
“Eco labels are a great start. Companies need to educate consumers even if there’s no government mandate—there’s an ethical responsibility to do so,” says Giampietro. “But there’s also a morality of data. The brand needs to be trusted. They need to have completed research. And the label needs to add value to the customer experience.” In other words, an eye-catching logo is simply not enough.
If you are looking for more information about eco labels, you can head over to a very informative website, eco-labels.org. You can search their database and review products that tout themselves as eco-friendly. The site is very informative and will help provide you with additional insight into eco labels.
If we all bought locally from trusted and reliable sources, we would be one step closer in preserving our climate!
You can find the BusinessWeek article here.
Technorati Tags: eco labels, green consumers, home depot, eco options, eco friendly, green products, green living, environmentally friendly, eco products
Written by steve on May 2nd, 2007 with no comments.
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After reading the article about Prince Charles I started writing (ranting) about corporations. I was going to include the follow text in the Charles post, but decided that I needed to write a separate post.
My Rant:
I hope that in the near future we will see an eco-standard established for corporations. The idea would be for corporations to only select suppliers who are making a commitment to reduce their carbon emissions and are adopting sustainable practices. Companies that are unwilling to change their practices would be left in the dust and would face losses in revenue based on their unwillingness to change.
It will take some of the world’s largest corporations to set the stage for others to follow. Think of the power and impact retail corporations like Costco, Home Depot, Wal-Mart have on their suppliers. If they stated, “be green by 2008 if you want to continue doing business with us”, many businesses would either scramble to find a solution or fold-up shop. Without definitive recourse, many businesses will continue operating as normal and without change.
I would love to believe that corporate responsibility, moral obligation and the desire to preserve our environment, would be enough of a catalyst to bring about corporate change. Unfortunately, in many cases the almighty dollar takes precedent. Global industry needs to change the way they do business and become more selective in who they do business with! At the same time, consumers need to change their buying habits and make wiser “greener” choices.
There is a great opportunity for existing corporations to change the foundation of their business and a fantastic opportunity for new “greener” businesses to emerge and rival the businesses who are unwilling to change.
More of my editorial to follow……
Technorati Tags: sustainable living, corporate responsibility, climate change
Written by steve on May 2nd, 2007 with no comments.
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