Help! Not just anybody…

Many of us prefer to investigate the market before an important purchase. We tend to do it in the most practical and timesaving way – grabbing a professional magazine and scrutinising it from the first to the last page. Only then one feels more or less ready to step into store and navigate being exposed to hundreds of options. PC Magazine offers to assist in such navigation by awarding a GreenTech approval to items like desktops, laptops, high definition TVs, printers and scanners. This approval introduces a kind of additional grade to distinguish among those electronic products that already bear such labels like EPEAT or Energy Star. Such credentials like compliance with the RoHS requirements (European Directive 2002/95 EC on Restriction of Hazardous Substances) and recyclability are also integrated into the award. Testing requirements e.g. benchmark test performance, make the difference here as well. Each manufacture is questioned by the PC Mag on the carbon footprint issue. It won’t appear in the analysis as a figure, but each company is requested to present their waste-reduction and recycling actions. The beauty of this award is that it takes the above mentioned certification schemes as a basis, and stimulates manufacturers to go beyond the required and excel in becoming even more environmentally benign. 

No Comments » | Tags: benchmarking, computers, electronics, environmental choice, green choice, HDTV, PC, recyclability, RoHS compliance
Posted by elvira on Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008 | Permalink |

Are you for greener IT? There is a way to act!

Computers have for many of us become a natural part of lives. Both at home and at work we are spending hours in front of them. Switching on a computer is as natural as switching on lights.

Developing more efficient lighting and transforming that market took over a decade of effort.

How will it be with computers? There are quite a few certification schemes and standards that aim to make it easier to choose among numerous models and brands for energy efficiency.  Yet, how many people do make a purchase giving a due priority to energy efficiency or some other environmental features?

We ran across an initiative that was launched not so long ago by some IT professionals which focuses on the individual consumer’s computing habits. Climate Savers computing specializes on computers and servers only and power efficiency.

It refers to Energy Star for its baseline requirements. Buying an efficient product is not the whole story, which is well understood by the Smart Computing guys. Using it efficiently is the key! Computer power management is also a part of requirements and members’ commitments respectively (see the technical specifications at their home-page).

While focused on end consumers, it is also a good resource for corporate procurers looking into improving their environmental profiles. They seek to join up different international efforts, and to engage and spread the word to facilitate the efforts of manufacturers and procurers. This is indeed a smart approach and a good example of co-operation between existing labelling schemes and the end consumer.

We are responsible for the choices and decisions we make on a continuous basis and not just for a purchase. Why not this motto for 2009: “Buying efficient and using it efficiently!”

No Comments » | Tags: choosing computer, efficient use, energy efficiency, energy star, power management, purchase PCs
Posted by elvira on Sunday, December 21st, 2008 | Permalink |

In from the cold, at wal-mart.

The thing about researching eco-labels is that it tends to follow you around, especially in consumptive moments. There is no escape: apparently not even in wal-mart!

How is it that I succumbed to the pre-snowstorm shopping frenzy, and at wal-mart in East Haven CT of all places? Well it happened, and I at least I can report that in amongst all the mega-chip, maxi-pad, 24-pack chicken leg purchasing going on, I found some organic spring onions, cilantro and tofu. So funny when you see yourself in the eyes of your trolley neighbor waiting to check out. I must be fitting in some new demographic/market segment for wal-mart: over educated label geek feeling out of place but nonetheless having a great time. Well there must a few of us because my organic tofu was fresh and I have to say, pretty tasty.

In hunting down the said soy-protein, of course I started to look for other labels. After all, I just heard a talk from one of wal-mart’s sustainability managers at the Sustainable Brands International conference and was impressed by the diligence they’re applying worldwide. So yes, there were a few eco-labelled products, including organic cotton sheets which I liked to see there, but didn’t buy. But the ratio of “good” stuff to - well I don’t want to say ‘bad’ but rather non-good (or even more PC: non-labelled goods) was probably 1:5000. That is a total guess. I doubt the store manager would allow an audit, and to be honest, I wouldn’t spend my time doing it anyway.

Speaking of time, all that label spotting meant that the snow started to bucket down, and I subsequently got stuck in a huge traffic jam on the way home. Sitting there I was thinking about how the emissions from which probably offset all the good stuff I bought. So we are out of the cold and on the store shelves, but then back out in a traffic jam? Next step, world domination. 

No Comments » | Tags: eco-label, food, organic, shopping
Posted by Anastasia on Saturday, December 20th, 2008 | Permalink |

Washing our-selves with green

When is a label an ecolabel? We were almost fooled into thinking that Green Planet Solutions (a UK cleaning and janitorial products company) new marketing campaign was a stand alone eco-label. But some digging revealed - not greenwashing - but another label behind the scenes, and none other than the highly respected EU eco-label. Is the EU-label just for geeks like us who wonder what their label is all about? Why not just use the EU ecolabel? We’d love to know!

Nonetheless, cleaning products are a perfect category for eco-labels – have you ever pondered the ingredients listed on those bottles and cans that we use when cleaning? Try at least once to read the other side of a product package and be astonished at the variety of ingredients. Many people are wondering about the chemicals included: are they toxic at a certain exposure level or after numerous uses? Can all of them be successfully captured and treated at sewage treatment plants? And do they get accumulated in natural organisms like fish and animals inhabiting a river catchment? Kind of hard to tell from a simple list of ingredients unless you’re a specialist, which is why a good eco-label can help cut through the grease.

Back to Green Planet Solutions and their label-like messaging. Their rather extensive catalogue includes all sorts of solutions, from energy efficient hand dryers to soaps, to “unique washroom consultancy services”. Ahhh. Maybe it’s not so simple to have a green bathroom after all?

No Comments » | Tags: cleaning chemicals, cleaning products, ecolabels, EU Flower, washroom products
Posted by elvira on Sunday, December 14th, 2008 | Permalink |

Canucks to Overhaul Eco-Tech Verification

According to GLOBE-Net News, Environment Canada is asking for help in re-designing their environmental technology verification (ETV) progamme.

The goal is to bring the Canadian ETV in line with international initiatives (we hope this includes the EU) and to reduce emissions.

We hope it helps create more and better environmental technologies!

Here’s some background on Canada’s ETV

No Comments » | Tags: standards
Posted by Jacob on Tuesday, December 9th, 2008 | Permalink |

Another label in the field of electronics

Fujitsu Siemens has launched a new label for its electronic products: the “Green IT Label”. This label provides consumers with information about the environmental performance of computers and notebooks with respect to the production methods, materials, recycling and energy efficiency. The ranking allows up to three stars for the best products.

The company mentions that this label will help consumers to make a more informed choice about the environmental credentials of electronics.  While this indicates that the industry is recognizing the demand for green products, it highlights the lack of coordination and harmonization for green claims. This adds to the growing number of green claims and labels in the field of electronics.

Just to compare, for the “ESPRIMO series” (Desktops), the company awards its own product 3 stars whereas EPEAT give the “Silver medal“.

Perhaps Fujitsu Siemens has good intentions behind this label and really works towards cleaner production and sustainable development.  On that point, Greenpeace allows them the top marks on energy criteria and political support for global cuts of greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, it raises some questions regarding conflict of interest with self-declared labels. The problem with these types of labels, is the risk that it will lead to greenwash and put up barriers for the development of independent certification schemes. Just wonder how good the information will be if all the electronic producers and manufacturers start launching their own green label…

No Comments » | Tags: computers, electronics, notebooks
Posted by Estelle on Monday, December 8th, 2008 | Permalink |

UK government focuses on sustainable public procurement

What can make an eco-labelling organisation happy? International recognition is definitely rewarding. The UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) commissioned a research report aimed to strengthen governmental sustainable procurement. The results pleased not only European (EU flower, Blue Angel) labels that closely reflect European Union policies, but also Environmental Choice in New Zealand.

The report looked into 207 established environmental standards and labelling schemes; then selected nine product categories relevant to governmental procurement. The study classified the labels and standards into three classes; “Class 1” reflected those of the labelling schemes that are most robust in terms of measuring sustainability, use of whole-life-cycle considerations, the range of criteria applied, frequency of updating them, the methodology used, as well as open and thorough consultation in developing standards/criteria.

Since the study was to benefit the UK public sector, a lot of attention was paid to “off-the-shelf” applicability for UK and potential for use in this particular country. A moral is that the study indicates procurers’ need to have a comparative platform for different labels, and not every country / organisation can afford to carry out such investigations. Our database will enable you to outline and develop your green purchasing strategy by navigating through it, and deciding what labels you would trust.

No Comments » | Tags: DEFRA, ecolabelling, ecolabels, green procurement, labelling schemes, public procurement
Posted by elvira on Saturday, December 6th, 2008 | Permalink |

The Christmas tree debates

For a while I have been wondering whether artificial Christmas trees are more environmentally-friendly than natural trees. There are a bunch of articles covering the subject. I remember having tough discussions with friends about it. Some of them were firmly defending the use of natural trees, saying that that they grow naturally, are biodegradable, non-polluting and also provide a pleasant smell in the house!

Personally, I was in the other category, arguing that cultivating trees and consuming a new tree every year was probably not that environmentally-friendly, compared to get one artificial that would last for 20 years. I thought that the environmental impacts of the extraction of natural resources for artificial trees and its use for a long term period might be compensated by those coming from monoculture production and recurrent consumption.In fact, this dilemma is just a matter of life-cycle analysis. And I was wrong apparently, although the debate still seems up-to-date.Did you know about all the chemicals used in the artificial one? PVC, lead… On the other hand, many plantations use pesticides and a great bunch of toxic chemicals too.

So, the discussion about organic trees seems now relevant, even though our first thought might be “how can a tree be “un-organic” and another “organic”; is that just another marketing concept to fool the consumers?” And what about green certifications? Many of the organic certifications, like the CNG (Certified Naturally Grown) in USA or the “Statskontrolleret økologisk” in Denmark, can ensure that no pesticides are used, and that the trees are grown in a sustainable way.  Just check it out…

No Comments » | Tags: christmas, forest products
Posted by Estelle on Friday, December 5th, 2008 | Permalink |

ecolabelling.org at sustainable brands international

We are gearing up to present on eco-labels at the ‘Sustainable Brands International‘ conference in Miami next week. Anastasia and Elvira are re-analyzing our data, and thinking how to best encapsulate the market penetration of labels in their product categories. Surprisingly enough, many labels are either not posting lists of those certified, or their data is out of date. But some trends are definitely emerging - Scandinavians, Germans and organic food eaters take note!Here is a link to watch a livestream netcast of the event. We look forward to seeing other label geeks there, in person or otherwise!

No Comments » | Tags:
Posted by Anastasia on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008 | Permalink |

Greening textiles worldwide

Eco-friendliness is on the climb in the textile and fashion world. In attempts of greening their supply chains, some international companies are looking for organic fibres, others are looking to full life cycle based eco-labels and a third group assessing social issues in the textile supply chain. But not all regions have labels, so companies are increasingly looking abroad.

Case in point: four Thai textile companies received the EU-flower award last year in an effort to differentiate their product for the European market. Already this year one of these manufacturers is expecting 25% increase in exports, so it seems to have paid off. 

In fact, textiles were among the very first product groups for which the EU ecolabel criteria were developed, and the textiles as a product group has the second highest number of EU-flower licensees.

The trend has also hit the conventions. In Europe, at least two of the autumn 2008 textile fairs devoted substantial attention to eco labelling of textiles. A global textile exhibition organiser recently published a guide in both English and Chinese to eco-labelling and social labels for textiles. With large and complex supply chains and differing regulations around the world, labels and certification play an important role in assuring buyers that producers are doing the right thing. We wonder if ecolabels will ever be fashionable in locales where the products are actually made, or if this is still a kind of ‘luxury’ good.

No Comments » | Tags: ecolabelling, EU Flower, supply chains, textile, Thai manufacturers
Posted by elvira on Monday, December 1st, 2008 | Permalink |