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10 years ago, organic certifiers weren’t able to agree on production standards, but the Organic Certifiers Council recently voted unanimously to move toward one standard and one accrediting agency, part of the International Federation of Organic Agricultural Movements (IFOAM). Although it is still struggling for international recognition, IFOAM is the only organization equipped to do world-wide accreditation. This avoids the logistical nightmare of national accreditors trying to check all the imports and exports of organic products to and from every nation. The agreement is largely in response to the poor accreditation rules the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture proposed a year ago. The USDA is still busy sloshing through the 280,000 comments it received. In this scenario, the USDA would merely help implement the industry-led system of accreditation. Organic leaders say now is the time to develop an alternative plan before the government comes up with one. IFOAM, in conjunction with industry, could have a complete organic inspection, certification, and accreditation structure in place before the U.S. government can even come up with a set of standards. “This is the only industry that wants stricter standards. Can you imagine the auto industry asking for stricter standards?,” asked Andrew Duchovnay, publisher of […]
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The Ontario Ministry of Environment and Energy has produced the Business Guide Environmental Performance and Competitive Advantage. It demonstrates how addressing environmental issues in a systematic way can provide new opportunities to focus on core business objectives such as improved productivity, increased market share, enhance corporate image, higher share value and reduced cost of environmental compliance.It can be downloaded from the website using Adobe Acrobat. Abdi Hussein, Ontario Ministry of the Environment: husseina@ene.gov.on.ca [sorry this link is no longer available]
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United Parcel Service has revamped its packaging as a result of an 8-month review by the company and Alliance for Environmental Innovation, a joint initiative of the Environmental Defense Fund and Pew Charitable Trust. Letter envelopes will contain 80 percent post-consumer fiber, the box will have twice the post-consumer fiber, and the plastic envelope will use post-consumer resin for the first time. UPS will also offer 2-way reusable envelopes. The company plans to stop using bleached paper. UPS already uses recycled paper for its “next day air” and “2nd day air” envelopes, as well as for the 1.2 billion delivery notices it mails each year. It also uses a 100 percent recycled reusable express envelope. Although the objective was to maintain costs, rather than cut them, the changes will save the company over $1 million annually by cutting energy costs and reducing the amount of material used. UPS will increase the use of post-consumer recycled materials by 22 percent, cut wastewater discharge by more than 15 percent and use 12 percent less energy compared to previous packaging. Read the full report: [sorry this link is no longer available]
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Consolidations in the paper manufacturing and hauling industries and relatively stable paper prices have set the stage for expansion of the recovered paper industry, according to North American Recovered Paper: 1998-2002, by Jaako Poyry, a consulting firm. The report projects steady growth in supply and demand, with recovery growing 3.7 percent annually through 2002. Mill demand will also grow, but at a slower pace of 2.8 percent. Asian exports are predicted to grow by 16 percent on average, but from a much reduced base. Export demand will spur a recovery rate of 48 percent, two points lower than the American Forest & Paper Institute’s goal of 50 percent by 2000. Another report examines Eastern Europe’s market. A significant drop in consumption and production accompanied the transition from a centrally planned economy to a market economy behind the former Iron Curtain. The region is beginning to recover: paper consumption is expected to grow by 4.6 percent annually through 2010. Most of the growth is expected to occur in Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Poland. The fastest growing grades will be woodfree, packaging and tissue. Many European and American paper companies are establishing market share in this region. FROM Waste Age’s […]
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The Environmental Business Canada newsletter published by the Delphi Group out of Ottawa, tracks the development of Canadian environment companies listed on the stock exchanges across Canada. Categories of companies include: alternative energy, resource recovery, consulting, water quality, air pollution, and environmental instrumentation. Mike Gerbis, Managing Editor: mikeg@delphi.ca
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Recycling Pennsylvanias recycling initiatives seems to be working for businesses. Last year, the stepped-up efforts of small businesses contributed to the states municipal recycling rate of 30 percent. Larger companies are often targeted for buy-recycled programs, but smaller businesses, especially when their efforts are combined, can account for sizable recycling practices. Valley Farms Dairy, for example, recycles 55 percent of its mixed office paper, oil from plant machinery and its 100 truck fleet, as well as 55-gallon drums used to ship orange juice. They eliminated the 55-gallon drums of chemicals for cleaning plant equipment by receiving a bulk delivery piped directly into its containers. Restek Corp., a manufacturer of gas and liquid chromatography products, saves $100,000 each year by using recycled products. They reduced weekly garbage pickups from three to one after installing an office recycling program which includes paper, cardboard, plastic, glass and aluminum. The company buys fused silica tubing, which is shipped on PS reels, which is then shipped back to the supplier who reuses them. The shipping bill is cheaper than disposing the PS. The majority of goods that PA.s Department of Environmental Protection uses are made from recycled materials: office paper, videotape, mouse pads, and even […]
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Through the use of renewable energy, Wisconsin can reduce its project growth in greenhouse gases by 21 percent between 1990 and 2010, while creating 8,500 new jobs and $490 million in disposable income. The 1998 report by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Department of Energy shows “the scare-mongering by some Wisconsin industries is wildly off base,” says Steven Clemmer, senior energy analyst with the Union of Concerned Scientists. “The amount of electricity saved would be equivalent to the electricity consumed annually in Wisconsin by over one million households.”
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In 1999, General Motors will test its hybrid diesel-electric bus in New York City. GM alternative fuel focus is on the commercial vehicle market, which includes buses, postal trucks, and garbage trucks. Robert Purcell, GM’s advanced vehicle technology operations executive director, anticipates this market to be profitable because unlike individuals, fleet owners are more likely to purchase these vehicles at a higher price, knowing they are less expensive to run in the long run.
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“Environmental Building News” is completing a computer program which provides suggestions for improving environmental performance of buildings, and case studies to illustrate the results. The “Green Building Advisor” prompts the user for basic information about a project, such as size, location, building type, and then searches its database of more than 700 strategies. It returns a list of strategies that are “strongly recommended” and “moderately recommended” for a project. The user can click on a specific strategy to learn more about it and access related references and case studies. It comes with a CD-ROM and a user manual. 800-861-0954 [sorry this link is no longer available]
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An energy audit by public high school students in Washington D.C. determined that energy costs at the U.S. DOEs Forrestal Building could be significantly reduced by making modifications to the already efficient building. The students presentation to DOE personnel suggested upgrading single pane windows, cleaning light fixtures, taking greater advantage of daylight, and installing window coverings and selective light switches. The student audit was part of an innovative program called Savings Through Energy Management (STEM). Students calculated that with their suggested modifications, annual energy costs could be reduced by more than $250,000. Students participated in a 30-hour course that focused on energy use patterns and resources; lighting and electrical use; heating; ventilation and air conditioning; energy audits; and renewable energy sources. Before their work at the DOE building, they audited their own schools and presented results to the Washington D.C. school board. They also visited DOEs National Renewable Energy Lab to see renewable energy in action. STEM is part of DOEs Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energys effort to provide energy information to students and teachers. Julia Thomas, NREL Public Affairs: julia_thomas@nrel.gov http://www.nrel.gov FROM Solar Today
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