In 2005, Americans used and discarded 14.4 billion disposable paper cups for hot beverages, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters of Vermont calculated. That’s so many cups that if put end to end they would circle the earth fifty-five times! Based on anticipated growth of specialty coffees, reports Green Mountain, that number will grow to 23 billion […]
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Can Pepsi Learn From 7-11?
The Pepsi company has an impressive sustainability effort underway. It’s working on improving the packaging of its snack brands like FritoLay so the bags can biodegrade quickly once they’re thrown away. Pepsi is reducing the carbon footprint of its production factories and offices. The beverage giant is encouraging employees to adopt personal sustainability goals. I spoke at the FritoLay headquarters for Earth Day, […]
Are there any “good” paper towels?
Making paper is one of the most polluting industries on the planet. It uses huge amounts of water and energy. It may use chlorine to bleach the paper white, and that chlorine may create dioxin, one of the deadliest toxins on earth. Some paper manufacturers discharge dirty water, often laden with dangerous chemicals, back into rivers and lakes. […]
When it comes to packaging, Trader Joe’s can do better.
1.6kviewsAs much as I love the product variety at Trader Joe’s, I hate the packaging waste. Everything – apart from a few bananas – comes wrapped in excessive plastic or paper. What gives? On a recent shopping trip there, all the fresh produce seemed to be hermetically sealed: one barrel was full of pairs of zucchini trapped on […]
Consumer Demand Works Magic on Harry Potter
The growing popularity of recycled paper, plus leadership from Canadian publishers, encouraged U.S. publisher Scholastic to print Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on paper that even the whomping willow could be proud of. Nearly two-thirds of the 16,700 tons of paper used to print the 12 million copies of the U.S. version of […]