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Wild Oats Buys 11 More Stores

Wild Oats Market (NASDAQ:OATS), the second largest natural products retailer (after Whole Foods) is adding 28 new stores this year, bringing its total to 105. The company has markets in 19 states and British Columbia. 11 of the new stores are acquisitions – Nature’s Northwest, a 6-store chain in the U.S. Northwest and three stores in the East from distributor, United Natural Foods. The acquisitions will add about $100 million in revenue. Wild Oats will also open 17 new stores this year. [sorry this link is no longer available]

Companies: Get a Cause

The 1999 Cone/Roper Cause-Related Trends Report, released in March, found that cause programs are not a passing ‘fad’ but rather are a must-do for brands seeking to strengthen relationships with customers, employees, communities and business partners. “Approximately two-thirds of customers, 130 million Americans, continue to say that if price and quality are equal, they are likely to switch to a brand or retailer associated with a good cause.” 90 percent of employees of companies involved with a cause feel proud of their company’s values, versus 56 percent of employees at companies without cause programs. Further, 87 percent of surveyed employees involved with causes feel a strong sense of loyalty to their company, versus 67 percent of employees at companies without cause programs. FROM Co-op America’s Connections

Computer Chip Makers to Cut Greenhouse Gas

During its April meeting in Italy, members of the World Semiconductor Council (WSC) agreed to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases called perfluorocompounds (PFCs), to at least 10 percent below 1995 levels by 2010. The Council’s members produce over 90 percent of the world’s semiconductors and represent $125 billion in world sales for 1998. PFCs are the most potent and persistent of all greenhouse gases, having on average 10,000 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide over 100 years, and atmospheric lifetimes ranging from 2,000 to 50,000 years. The chemicals play a critical role in semiconductor manufacturing and reducing them will be a formidable technical challenge. Source: EarthVision Reports: [sorry this link is no longer available]

EarthShell Biodegradable Food Packaging Expands

EarthShell, a Baltimore-MD. company that makes biodegradable food service packaging is entering into a joint venture with Finland-based Huhtamaki Oyj, the largest maker of foodservice disposables outside North America. The companies plan to commercialize biodegradable foodservice packaging in Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. When the packaging is discarded in the presence of air and moisture it immediately begins to degrade. It is composed of about 80% potato starch, reclaimed from commercial operations that process potatoes and french fries, and limestone. Cafeteria services at the U.S. Department of Interior and the General Services Administration are testing the products, and EarthShell will supply hinged-lid containers to McDonald’s.

Office Paper: Top Environmental Choices

Most of you know the environmental choice for office paper is the highest postconsumer waste percentage (PCW) possible, chlorine-free. Paper with as little as 20 percent PCW can be labeled “recycled.” Of course, tree-free paper is a great choice too. There are distinctions within the chlorine-free category that you may not be aware of. “Process Chlorine Free” (PCF) means that although no chlorine is added during processing, it may be recycled from scraps that have chlorine. “Totally Chlorine Free” (TCF) is bleached with hydrogen peroxide or oxygen, or is unbleached but contains virgin fiber. Papers labeled as ECF, Elemental Chlorine Free are bleached with chlorine dioxide, which produces toxins. As a comparison, Hammermill CopyPlus Recycled runs about $5 per ream. It contains 20 percent recycled material, 20 percent of which is PCW. These are the most widely available, commodity priced papers: — Eureka!100: 100 percent PCW multipurpose office paper. About $5-7 per ream. — Sandpiper 100%: same as above. About $7-9 per ream. — New Life Dual Purpose 100: minimum of 60 percent PCW. 80 percent is PCF; 20 percent TCF. About $4 per ream. — Trailblazer 100 percent kenaf (TCF) — Re-Vision 50/50: half recycled kenaf, half PCW — […]

2,000 Offshore Giant Windmills for Denmark

Denmark is building 2000 offshore windmills by 2008 to help meets its goal of deriving 50 percent of its electricity through renewable sources by 2030. The turbines, in the North Sea and the Baltic, will be four times larger than current machines. The country generates six percent of its electricity with 4,700 windmills now. The expanded the network will support exports to Germany, Norway and Sweden, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 8 percent. 100,000 citizens in Denmark own shares in windmill cooperatives, and individuals receive tax reductions when they invest in wind power. Denmark is also introducing quotas for CO2 emissions by electricity generators, initiating a green certificate system, and replacing subsidies with mandates for consumers and suppliers to source at least 20 percent of electricity from renewable sources by 2003. Green energy facilities built until 2002 will receive subsidies for 10 years. [sorry this link is no longer available] Source: Trends in Renewable Energy: http://www.renewables.ca

Saks Joins Energy Star

Saks Inc. recently joined the U.S. EPA’s Energy Star Buildings program to upgrade energy efficiency in 128 stores, 18 million square feet of space. EPA will help the company upgrade lighting, heating, air-conditioning, and ventilation systems. EPA projects Saks will cut annual electric use by 65 million kwh, saving $4 million a year. Contact Deborah Rachlis, Saks Energy Manager for more information. Energy Star Buildings program: [sorry this link is no longer available] Read the SB Insider Feature article,“New Rules for New Buildings.”

Environmental NGOs Join With Shareholder Activist Groups

Friends of the Earth is bringing the environmental NGOs and shareholder activists together. They just held a training conference on the subject, and have convened over 100 investor, environmental, labor, and community organizations to request the Securities and Exchange Commission to mandate increased disclosure in corporate financial statements. A coalition of environmental groups have endorsed 74 environmental shareholder resolutions related to: CERES, global warming, reporting standards, toxics, nuclear issues. Trillium Asset Management (formerly Franklin Research & Development) is working with several NGOs to stop financing of the Three Gorges Dam in China. According to an article in Trillium’s newsletter, the company has joined Green Century, U.S. Public Interest Research Group and others to file resolutions with Chevron and ARCO to stop their plans for oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. This has been a contentious issue for at least 15 years – NGOs have come close but haven’t been able to designate this pristine area as wilderness. It has been shown over and over again that the tiny amount of oil available there is not worth the huge damage that would be inflicted on this intact ecosystem. BP and Exxon also plan to drill there. Contact: Michelle Chan […]

Europe's Goal: $30 Billion to Boost Renewables

The European Commission is calling for $30 billion in private investment for renewable energy projects by 2003. The ‘Campaign for Take-Off’ would increase renewable market share to 12 percent by 2010. EU governments would increase funding over the next five years to reach a quarter of the funding necessary; current spending is $1.5 billion annually. Based on strong interest from the private sector, some officials predict renewables could capture 50 percent of the market in the near future. Funding would be divided evenly between solar, wind and biomass. The European Wind Energy Association, Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, and Business Council for Sustainable Energy Future want the EU to set binding targets; 8 percent of energy in each nation by 2005, 16 percent by 2010, and a 2 percent increment each year after that. The groups claim that fossil fuel and nuclear energy receives 15 billion ECU in direct subsidies each year, ten times the support given to the renewable energy sector. Details in Greenpeace press release

TransAlta Meets Climate Change Targets

TransAlta, a utility located in Alberta, Canada has reduced its net greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels, cutting them by about 4.8 million tons in 1997 alone. That’s the equivalent of taking 3,000,000 cars off the road. Its greenhouse gas action plan involved developing co-generation facilities, purchasing renewable energy including wind and small-scale hydro power from independent producers, promoting greater energy efficiency on the part of its customers, and buying “offset” projects in other countries or provinces.

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