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Now, that the National Organic Standard is close to being approved, what are some of the issues the industry is grappling with? Major supermarket chains and large conventional food product companies will launch organic lines. This is great news for the availability of organic foods – no doubt. General Mills’s organic division already grosses about $100 million in annual sales. But as large players enter the market, prices may be squeezed for the small organic farmer, and what of the retailers that have fueled the industry’s growth all these years? The industry has been dealing with the joys and pains of rapid growth for the last decade. Amidst 20 percent-plus annual growth rates and the satisfaction of seeing their dreams realized as a result of mainstream interest, small retailers are re-evaluating their position, distributors are straining to meet demands, and margins are shrinking. Mainstream grocers are muscling in for the action. It’s not hard to understand why when you look at the figures; when the numbers are in, industry experts project sales in organic food for 1999 to be 17-22 percent higher than 1998. Compare that to long term growth rates of two percent for mainstream groceries. According to a […]
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The Belgium government has proposed a four year sustainable development plan for the country which would begin implementation in June. The final draft is expected by the end of March. Its measures include: * increase renewable energy to 2% of the total by 2010, financed by a 3% tax break on the sale of green energy * increase the number of organic farms to 4% of the agricultural sector by 2004 * decrease household energy consumption by 7.5% by 2010 and by 10% in public buildings by 2004. There are other measures such as a fixed tax on cars, as well as efforts to protect biodiversity, health, and poverty issues. The plan was developed by the Belgian Federal Planning Bureau, the Belgian government and the Inter-Departmental Commission on Sustainable Development.
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Private investment capital to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars is being assembled, fitting another piece into the puzzle of mainstreaming renewable energy. Last month we looked at some of these emerging investment vehicles; this month we’ve learned of more. Remember, keep checking our Venture Capital/Financing section for updates. Investors remain cautious of this sector; it can’t give “Internet-level” returns and past failures of the sector are still on peoples’ minds. But with the recent flurry of market activity around fuel cell stocks and heightening institutional concern, investors are signing on in increasing numbers. Impax Capital is an investment bank with offices in London and Philadelphia that specializes in renewable energy and environmental technology. The company has raised over $300 million in debt and equity for its clients, and has mandates to raise $700 million of project finance over the next two years. One project is a 60 million straw-fired power station in England that will consume 200,000 tonnes of straw a year, generating electricity to supply 65,000 homes. Impax is a partner in the development of a $25 million venture capital fund, Entegrity II with James Heath, formerly president of Energy Investors Funds. Entegrity II will invest […]
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The City of Seattle has committed to build all public buildings over 5000 square feet to meet or exceed the silver rating of the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) LEED Green Building Rating System. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. Seattle is experiencing its biggest building boom since 1889 when fire swept through the city destroying many buildings. About a billion dollars worth of downtown public buildings are in the works. It plans to demolish and redesign a central two-block area which is slated to become the heart of the city. The city is building a new city hall, justice center, and central plaza, all of which will meet LEED’s silver level. The $222 million civic campus will include both renovated and new building projects. Seattle formed a Green Team over a year ago to tie environmental concerns to city construction policy. Lucia Athens, the Sustainable Design & Construction specialist for Seattle Public Utilities, who chaired the group, says they chose LEED for a number of reasons. It not only defines what a green building is but it allows flexibility in selecting different green strategies as appropriate for various building projects. The Seattle Sustainable Building Strategic Plan: […]
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This UK small business is moving along many fronts to implement its vision: a network of regional industries based on sustainable land-use, providing fulfilling employment and maintaining biodiversity. BioRegional’s MiniMill is a small-scale mill which pulps locally-grown non-wood fibers such as hemp, flax, jute, wheat or rice straw. It enables any country to use local fiber resources and people, reducing the pressure on forests, providing employment, and cutting transport costs associated with global warming. Its clean, energy efficient, closed loop totally chlorine-free technology can readily be transferred to countries where small pulp mill pollution is a serious problem. Besides BioRegional Development Group, shareholders include six leading paper companies and the WorldWide Fund for Nature International. The group’s latest project marks the first time a local UK authority sold land to a developer that offers more environmental benefit than money. Dubbed the “Zero Energy Development,”(ZED) BDG is building a sustainable urban village on a reclaimed landfill site in South London. It will house 300 people in 90 apartments, maisonettes and houses, as well as 20-30 businesses. Building features include solar-powered, grass-roofed structures using advanced energy efficiency technology. Local materials will be used in construction. The project leaves 50 acres for lavender […]
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The second draft of USDA’s proposed Organic Rule, released on March 7, takes the U.S. a giant step closer to having a national standard for organic product certification. It incorporates the groundswell of citizen and organic industry comments (275,000 of them) that were vehemently opposed to major portions of the first draft. In presenting the plan, Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman stated the uniform standard “is the most comprehensive and strongest organic standard in the world. I believe that is exactly what American consumers and organic farmers want.” The Union of Concerned Scientists notes this marks the first time the USDA responded to citizen concerns for a healthy food supply rather than defending its traditional agri-business constituency. The Organic Rule sets consistent national standards for organic produce, animal products, processed foods, and, in the future, for fish. It covers the growing, processing and handling of products that can be labeled “organic.” It details the practices and substances that can be used. Currently, organic food is certified by numerous private and state organizations, all with their own standards. One national standard will go a long way to mainstream the organic industry: it will facilitate citizen confidence in organic products, industry exports will […]
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At a recent retreat, members of the Chefs Collaborative discussed how to measure their progress toward running a sustainable restaurant (partner with farmers, choose food based on the seasons, compost, recycle) and how to purchase fish from well-managed sources. This group of 1500 chefs promotes sustainable cuisine by teaching children to connect what they eat and where it comes from, supporting local farmers, educating each other, and inspiring the public to choose good, clean food. Among their many activities, they publish Chef guides that cover issues such as Buying Clean Food, Running a Green Restaurant, Purchasing Sustainable Fish, and Working With Farmers.One source for a reliable fish vendor (Chefs Collaborative Meet EcoFish!) is a new company called EcoFish.Some of the featured fish for sale on the EcoFish website are: Dungeness Crab from the sustainably managed low by-catch trap fishery in Oregon; Pacific Halibut from the well-managed quota-based Alaskan long-line fishery; and environmentally friendly farmed Blue Mussels from Prince Edward Island Canada. That’s a mouthful, but it reflects the complicated issues involved in sourcing seafood obtained responsibly. By providing people with “environmental quality control,” EcoFish’s goal is to reduce pressure on depleted and threatened species and guide individuals toward purchases that […]
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Sustainable Products, Inc. is offering two workshops in March that cover the relationship of purchasing sustainable products with market transformation and environmental restoration. Held in Portland, OR. and Seattle, WA. the seminars focus on using the market to aid salmon recovery. The workshops are very comprehensive. Participants will learn to use life cycle analysis tools to determine whether a given product is indeed sustainable, as well how to use this information in designing products. Companies like Norm Thompson Outfitters and Nike and the municipalities of Portland and Seattle will present case studies looking at how to integrate green building products and processes and sustainable energy systems into procurement policy. Some other tools for green procurement are from The National Association of Counties (NACo’s) and EPA’s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing program (EPP). People working at the level of local government can use (NACo’s) “Environmental Purchasing Starter Kit” to set up a cost effective environmental purchasing program. It includes case studies on energy efficiency and pest control, a sample purchasing policy and a guide for establishing benchmarks. EPP is developing a number of tools to assist federal agencies in greening their purchasing practices. Check the website for new resources. Currently, it includes a […]
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Enron launched a real-time online trading system that enables visitors to buy from or sell to Enron hundreds of energy-related products and other commodities in markets throughout the world. Visitors can buy and sell sulfur dioxide, carbon emissions, and weather derivatives as well as traditional commodities such as electric power, natural gas, coal, pulp and paper, and petrochemicals. There is no charge for the service. [sorry this link is no longer available]
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Clean power, clean air, clean cars, and clean investments are the four tenets of the Earth Day 2000 Clean Energy Agenda. The goal of this year’s Earth Day – the 30th – is to mobilize people around the world in a unified call to action for renewable and efficient energy. Your organization can endorse the Earth Day Network’s Clean Energy Agenda online at: [sorry this link is no longer available] and, of course, get involved in many other ways. You can work with the World Wildlife Fund, for example, to develop a custom plan for your business to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or you can plan your own event. The Alliance to Save Energy is offering some great energy efficient prizes in an online contest as part of its celebration of the 30th anniversary of Earth Day. Some of the prizes are Whirlpool’s soon-to-debut Conquest refrigerator, Andersen Windows patio door, and a Black and Decker cordless electric mulching lawn mower. You can enter once a day until April 28. You just have to answer a four-question quiz. [sorry this link is no longer available]
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