Archive for April, 2008
Logo Equals Ecolabel
Almost as arcane as the Dewey Decimal System.
Hi Label Geeks,
This is the first in a series of posts we’re going to file under “how we roll” that explains how we’re making changes to the site and asks for your input in true bottom up fashion.
We’ve been asking labels for permission to post their logos to our site. You’ll see these popping up all over the site over the next few weeks as we add them.
It got us thinking about how we organise the labels. Until now we’ve listed each country where PEFC (Pan-European Forest Council) exists as a separate label. We did this partly because PEFC isn’t always called PEFC. In Australia for example, it’s called “The Australian Forestry Standard Limited” here’s a list of all the PEFC’s that aren’t called PEFC.
Today we decided the best way to deal with this is to have one PEFC entry and list all the countries that PEFC is present in.
Our definition of “Ecolabel” will now be dependent on the logo. If the label has a different logo, we’ll provide a different listing. The reason we’re doing this is that we figure if we saw a different logo in the store, we would assume it’s a different standard, and it’s important for us to be consumer facing.
Hope that makes sense!
2 Comments » | Tags: how we roll
Posted by Jacob on Wednesday, April 30th, 2008 | Permalink |
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EU considering recognising forest ecolabels in regulation
EU seeks green label for wood furniture - International Herald Tribune
The EU is considering strengthening its timber import laws in a bid to stop illegal logging in developing countries. The legislation may recognize existing ecolabels like FSC, which would get a big boost from EU regulatory endorsement.
Exactly which labels the EU ends up endorsing in legislation may put to rest much of the discussion about which forest labels are considered best in class. See our forest products section for examples of existing forestry ecolabels.
No Comments » | Tags: forestry
Posted by Jacob on Tuesday, April 29th, 2008 | Permalink |
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Fresh tracks at Whistler
Avoid rocks in sustainable purchasing slalom.
“But it’s so HARD to figure out what to do!”…a common refrain from those resisting implementing sustainable purchasing policies. Well, The Natural Step Canada has helped Whistler come up with a guide that can help anyone survive the sustainable purchasing slalom.
With guidelines for everything from antifreeze to writing instruments, the Whistler 2020 Sustainable Purchasing Guide helps people ask the right questions — and provides guidance on not just what to choose, but what to avoid.
Clear, easy, straightforward. We like.
No Comments » | Tags: sustainable purchasing, tool
Posted by Trevor on Tuesday, April 29th, 2008 | Permalink |
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Tesco to put carbon scores on goods - Telegraph
A bold commitment to carbon disclosure.
Tesco to put carbon scores on goods - Telegraph
Tesco, a large UK retailer, will add carbon scores to thirty of its products this week. A key challenge, already identified by consumer groups, will if it’s information overload for consumers or not. Tesco’s must have considered this, and decided to err on the side of disclosure, which is our opinion as well. Over time, metrics around these amounts will be established, the first step is getting the information out there. It’s the same approach we’ve taking with ecolabelling.org in fact.
No Comments » | Tags: carbon
Posted by Jacob on Monday, April 28th, 2008 | Permalink |
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EU Primes Eco-Labels for the Big Time
ecolabel 2.0
The EU is developing a proposal for extending its energy label to all manufactured goods. This would be a significant step forward in energy labelling for products.
Interestingly, the EU proposes developing common baselines around the label that would exclude the worst products from access to EU markets. They would also develop harmonized best-in-class standards that would be offered preferred access to public procurement.
Also on the agenda is a proposal for streamlining and simplifying access to the EU Eco-Flower without lowering standards.
Great news on all fronts. Full Background at EurActiv.Com.
No Comments » | Tags: europe, standards
Posted by Jacob on Monday, April 28th, 2008 | Permalink |
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Passing the Sniff Test
smells like greenwash?
PR Week’s earth day piece talks about the importance of green claims passing the sniff test as green becomes the norm.
As consumers get exposed to more green claims they’re going to learn which are good and which are greenwash. PR and marketing companies are going to want to be certain they’re backing the green, and ecolabels are going to want to be certain they’re setting that standard correctly.
No Comments » | Tags:
Posted by Jacob on Thursday, April 24th, 2008 | Permalink |
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EU Ecolabel Stays Strict on Textiles, GMOs
The best of the best of the best.
EU Member States today rejected proposals from the European Commission to allow PVCs, GMOs and other potentially environmentally damaging substances into ecolabelled products.
Coordinators saw the move as reinforcing the role of the EU ecolabel, and perhaps of ecolabels in general, as a best-in-class indicator for consumers.
Ecolabels have come under pressure in recent months to water down their standards in response to spiking consumer demand. The EU’s message is that ecolabels need to retain credibility first and foremost.
It’s an important message and one that should resonate with ecolabels around the world.
No Comments » | Tags: europe, standards
Posted by Jacob on Thursday, April 24th, 2008 | Permalink |
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Loblaw’s takes a swipe at ecolabels
An article in yesterday’s Globe and Mail outlined green options available to consumers in the household goods section. The article quickly devolved into a price comparison shopping exercise and general rant about how expensive green products are and how there’s a lack of standards for what’s green.
In the article Loblaw’s, which obviously prefers to retain control over whats green rather than submit itself to independent verification and expertise, took a swipe at ecolabels:
“There are a variety of different certifying bodies and no consistency in terms of what makes one product more environmentally sound than another,” says Claudio Gemmiti, Loblaw Brands vice-president responsible for President’s Choice Green products.
The Globe is right to complain about higher prices for green products. Consumers shouldn’t have to pay extra for making a green choice. Home Depot works hard to keep its eco-options prices in sync with its non-eco-options. If more retailers made the same commitment it would go a long way to driving eco-markets.
While Loblaw’s is right that there are a variety of certification bodies (more than 300 in fact). It’s a little bold to say there is no consistency between them. Even if the labels aren’t fully consistent, I’d rather trust them than some dude at Loblaw’s.
It’s also pretty weak for the journalist to hit up Loblaw’s for a quote on ecolabels. That’s like asking GM their opinion on higher fuel efficiency standards. Well gee kids, GM says there’s no consistency in fuel emissions standards across the US and Canada so I guess we shouldn’t have them.
Instead of pandering to Loblaw’s the Globe should have asked them why they can’t match Home Depot’s commitment to using credible ecolabels while using their retail power to pressure suppliers to bring down prices for eco-friendly products.
The Global Ecolabelling Network, ISEAL, and other ecolabel networks should also be all over articles like this.
2 Comments » | Tags: news, standards
Posted by Jacob on Wednesday, April 23rd, 2008 | Permalink |
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