Are You Confused?

In reading this article one can quickly see that there are really no hard and fast definitions that folks can simply refer to when discussing issues of green and sustainability. Although the concepts themselves are perhaps not that complicated, they do become muddied when those who are not committed to the fundamentals begin to co-opt the use of those terms without applying them with purity.

For those of us who understand many of these tenets of sustainability, it is important to raise a voice in favor of making these definitions understandable and accessible. It is also important that we make sustainability a mainstream reality, not by making it easier through cutting corners, but by helping people understand that we will not survive and lead healthy lives if we ignore the urgency to change our habits and lifestyles.

Pointing fingers and making accusations will do little to create the needed changes. Remember how well you reacted to being scolded as a child, did you ever truly understand the reasoning behind the person confronting you, or did you merely toe the line and do what you were told? This is not how important lessons are learned, not is it how people become better citizens. It is only when concepts are clearly understood and absorbed into one's identity, that they become available in a real and honest fashion.

Let's begin the dialogue that will enable us to share these important issues that will make life happier and healthier for all!

Sustainability Measurements

We agree with the author of this article that sustainability is a concept that can become ubiquitous and irrelevant unless there are defined parameters for identifying what quantifies and qualifies a product or a company to use that term. In the case of Wal-Mart, the article discusses an effort by the company  to develop a metrics to measure sustainability of packaging, production practices of their suppliers and other environmental impacts. Since Wal-Mart has a huge impact on a wide swath of our consumer and supplier population, this should come as a welcome effort. This will obviously be good for them as well. Who will watch over their claims however? Can consumers access reliable information as to the validity of Wal-Mart's (or anybody's) claims of increased adherence and commitment to real sustainable business?

These types of sustainability scorecards are going to become more common and necessary as conscious consumers battle greenwashing. In the instance of Wal-Mart, it is very doubtful that a truly conscious consumer even shops there (at least not as a regular customer). There will also be more efforts on the part of companies to provide this information to their customers and many will also want to ensure they are buying from companies that are also aligned with those sustainability values. When this becomes more common, we will all benefit. The one major caveat is who or what will oversee these claims?

Visionary Values believes that comprehensive sustainability metrics that cover the triple bottom line of people, planet and profit is the wave of the future. After all, if you could go to one source for baseline data as well as in-depth information on all measurements of sustainability for the companies whose products populate the shelves of your local coop or Whole Foods Market, then you would have the power to determine which companies to support with your paycheck!

Let us know what issues you are concerned about and what you believe can be done to encourage other consumers and companies to make the honest commitment to sustainable business practices.

Demand Change — Reform the USDA’s Organic Program

I ran into this important request on the Cornucopia website regarding getting people involved in reforming the USDA's Organic Program. These folks are leaders in monitoring and reporting on environmental and economic justice for small and family farms.

Please join with Cornucopia in expressing the need for reform of the USDA’s organic program. Click on this link to go to a letter to sign that they will then hand deliver to new USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and President Obama. Please mail and return your signed letter to us at PO Box 126, Cornucopia, WI 54827.

Don't allow our own government to greenwash!!

Who Owns Your Favorite Brands?

Here are a few charts that show the chain of ownership of some of your favorite companies. Are you surprised and/or troubled by what you see? Do you believe that some of these companies have sold out? We'd love to hear your comments!!

Click on the charts to see larger versions!

Whose Carbon Is It? The ABCs of Counting Emissions in Your Supply Chain

Would you like a bit more information on how to begin measuring your business' carbon footprint? Take a look here and get a bit of an overview.

Here is a carbon footprint calculator from The Nature Conservancy.

And another from www.climatecrisis.net.

Putting the green back in greenbacks

It seems as though there are studies and surveys galore these days that are reassuring customers that green is just as popular, if not more so, despite the sinking economy. The most recent one I have come across is from Green Seal and EnviroMedia Social Marketing and is called the 2009 National Green Buying Study.

The study shows that around half of all consumers are still buying as many eco-friendly products as they did before the recession began, and an additional 19 percent are buying more products than before. Just 14 percent have cut back spending on green products. LOHAS consumers are still the most loyal and steady enviro-customers and they drive the market and its growth.

The more mainstream customers are the ones who are still not nearly as green minded in their shopping. These customers are going to need to understand the added value of products that are priced higher than those they normally purchase. If they can see a savings over time, that helps.  "On the one hand, consumers will be more resistant than ever to buy premium-priced products, especially if they are dubious to begin with about a product's green value proposition — that is, whether it really will help address the planet's environmental challenges," says Joel Makower, executive editor of GreenBiz.com and author of Strategies for the Green Economy.

Even though there is much reason to remain ultra aware of greenwashing and that many of these studies may not paint the most complete picture of our actual economic commitment to environmental issues and sustainability, there is enough evidence to show that awareness has increased. 

Our goal at Visionary Values is to deepen this awareness in consumer behavior and trace the commitment all the way to the core of the business practices of companies marketing eco-friendly products. It is clear that we all must make changes in our world views and our consumption is a key piece of this highly integrated process. It is all about accountability after all. Without customer participation in this process, companies will never know just how important it is to be transparent and committed to sustainability. In the end, with enough customer participation and oversight, they won't be able to make money if they don't approach baseline standards, because we won't buy their products!!

More Demand For Organic In 2008!

Recently released results from a survey conducted by the Organic Trade Association (OTA) show that U.S. sales of organic products rose by 17.1% in 2008! The results show that organic food sales grew in 2008 by 15.8% to reach $22.9 billion, while organic non-food sales grew by 39.4% to reach $1.648 billion. Organic food sales now account for around 3.5% of all food product sales in the United States.

This is a particularly remarkable trend given the current downturn in the economy. There is only speculation as to why organic products are seeing these increased sales. Perhaps as organic products become more mainstream they are also being marketed in more mainstream ways like increased use of coupons and more availability in private label lines at supermarkets.

We will only really know just how embedded this trend is in our consumers if double digit increases continue in next year's survey. We encourage you to put your critical lenses on and decide for yourselves just how much confidence you have in these types of reports. What might be missing from their reports that could indicate that the organic market is perhaps not growing? Do you believe that more customers are purchasing organically grown produce?

How about you? Has the economy made you rethink which products you purchase are organic and which you are okay with if they are grown conventionally? Do you believe there is increased value in organic products? Do you think that some of these reports are trustworthy?

Eco Fast Food?!

Organic burger chain, Elevation Burger, announced plans to open eight restaurants in the Philadelphia area and has plans to open up to 40 in seven states and Washington, D.C.

Well of course a movement like this was bound to occur as this country will never give up its quick meal demands! Taking a time tested concept and retrofitting it to eco-friendly standards is certainly a big step in the right direction. Even though the burger and fries concept isn't exactly the heart healthy meal, at least the beef is organic (it doesn't mention the fries though)!

The buildings are to adhere to LEED standards and include bamboo flooring, recycled tires and energy efficient appliances. We applaud these efforts to take a well-known business concept and make it more sustainable. 

Lesson to all: It does not matter what kind of business you have, there are "greening" opportunities everywhere!! There are also many ways businesses can focus on other triple bottom line issues by considering living wages, charitable donation policies, eco-friendly purchasing guidelines, commitment to local communities, and many other avenues for sustainability! 

Being green and sustainable isn't for eco-elitists or ultra liberals hell bent on subverting our economy. No, it is about regaining respect for our environment and for one another and ensuring that we have a future to look forward to. These are actions to integrate into our lives now and not when we are circling the drain!

P.S. If you happen to stop by one of these restaurants, check to see if the rest of the ingredients like the salads and the fries are also organic. It would be a shame if they missed the opportunity to make a full commitment to those standards!

Making Our Decisions Count

A brief article we came across on www.environmentalleader.com, discusses consumer preferences for verification of company claims regarding social and environmental issues.

In research conducted by the National Marketing Institute, results show that 45% of Lohas consumers surveyed look for some sort of proof behind a claim of social or environmental responsibility, while 41% say they like to see third party verification of those claims.

Unfortunately, there is no data on which third-party verifiers consumers trust versus which ones they feel less comfortable believing. The research does indicate that consumers in the study would prefer that these verifiers be non-profits though. Perhaps a concern here is lack of trust of the companies and the government regulators or maybe a belief that a non-profit would have the least biased and most objective measurements.

Clearly, we are missing important pieces of our decision making puzzle. We have much more information available to us to make choices than ever before and yet, that also means there is far more information to sift through. Visionary Values believes that consumers must take control of how these measurements are developed and applied and lay the burden of proof at the feet of those making the claims and hold them to it. As we all move forward in establishing acceptable and trustworthy standards for measuring the adherence of companies to triple bottom line business practices, the opportunity for greenwashing will diminish greatly and eventually disappear.

Let us know what you think about our current options of third party verification. Which ones do you look for?

What's the Carbon Footprint of Your Toilet Paper?

Seems as though U.K.-based retailer Tesco is planning to place a carbon footprint label on its toilet paper and paper towels and eventually all private label products. The proposed Carbon Reduction Label will account for all emissions generated by each stage of the product’s lifecycle; the caveat is that Tesco must reduce emissions or lose the right to use the label.

This effort is part of a collaboration between Tesco and The Carbon Trust, a U.K. government-funded entity that will tap into interest in this type of information that more than 60% of customers surveyed have supported. No details are provided on how they will monitor adherence to the guidelines.

What are you thoughts on this? Would you like more information on the carbon footprint of the companies you support and the products you purchase? Let us know!!

Tragedy to Triumph!

Almost one year ago (May 6th) we reported on this blog that a mid-west town was turning tragedy into opportunity. The town of Greensburg, Kansas decided that a devastating tornado was a golden opportunity to create fundamental eco-friendly initiatives as they began rebuilding their town. Keeping true to their new slogan, Better, Stronger, Greener is not always easy. In support of this new venture, the town plans to establish itself as a center for eco-friendly technologies and manufacturing.

Not only is it the town that is making these changes, but businesses, families and individuals are contributing to the efforts needed to move forward in support of the environmental sustainability initiatives.

We should all applaud efforts such as these because it requires a great deal of commitment and trust in these green concepts to move forward in such a grand fashion. How many of you would find implementing and integrating green initiatives in your company or in your family an easy thing to move forward with? Hopefully we will hear more stories of success coming from Greensburg so that we can all have examples of what is possible for everyone!

Tornado-ravaged town seeks rebirth as 'laboratory for eco-friendly living'

Here is an additional link to a CNN story:

Against the wind

Green Up Mother's Day

Check out some eco-friendly gift options for Mother's Day over at inhabitat.com.

If you are going to plunk down the green for a gift, make certain it comes from businesses that really understand why we honor mothers and express that caring in their ingredients and products!

India's Air Bike Could be a Solution to Pollution

I hope it's quiet too!!

A link to the video:

Wall Street Journal Video

Here is a link to a story on another version (seen in photo):

treehugger

Growing Green Businesses

Here is a good overview on how and why a variety of businesses are turning to greening their operations. I appreciate hearing about the truly wide ranging reasoning these folks are using in adjusting their perspectives and actions. These ideas are not about liberal or conservative perspectives, they are about health and well-being. Thank goodness we are getting beyond the spotted owl narrowness in which many people contextualized the serious environmental issues the world faces. If we all remember that the environment includes us and that we depend upon its efficient and healthy functioning, the choices are clearly roadmapped!