via : Neewsweek, May 5, 2008.
1. Zero waste: Recycling paper, plastic and aluminum is a start, but, oh, so 20th century.
2. LED light bulbs: Never mind the cliché, they really might be a better idea.
3. Greener fairways: Not all golf courses are bad for the environment.
4. Kite sails: The world's oldest form of propulsion may soon return to shipping.
5. Plastic solar cells: Lightweight and inexpensive, they could be very practical.
6. Climate counts: You can vote with your dollars to support green companies.
Gary Hirshberg is constantly looking for ways to make his organic-yogurt company, Stonyfield Farm, even cleaner. He uses no toxic chemicals, has the largest solar array in New Hampshire and converts yogurt waste into a bio-gas that can be burned rather than turning it into sludge. Now Hirshberg is encouraging others to follow his lead.
Last year he launched a nonprofit and Web site called ClimateCounts.org to rank major corporations, from PepsiCo to Microsoft, on the basis of 22 criteria, including measuring their carbon footprint, reducing emissions and supporting progressive climate legislation. The scores, updated annually, are revealing. Stonyfield Farm itself rated only 63 out of a possible 100 points—and it was one of the top scorers. Apple Inc., despite its hip image, pulled a grade of just 2. "We all have a long way to go," says Hirshberg. But he hopes that consumers will put their dollars behind companies that are trying hard to help the environment. "We have to stop treating the Earth as if it were a wholly-owned subsidiary of our economy," he says.
Last year he launched a nonprofit and Web site called ClimateCounts.org to rank major corporations, from PepsiCo to Microsoft, on the basis of 22 criteria, including measuring their carbon footprint, reducing emissions and supporting progressive climate legislation. The scores, updated annually, are revealing. Stonyfield Farm itself rated only 63 out of a possible 100 points—and it was one of the top scorers. Apple Inc., despite its hip image, pulled a grade of just 2. "We all have a long way to go," says Hirshberg. But he hopes that consumers will put their dollars behind companies that are trying hard to help the environment. "We have to stop treating the Earth as if it were a wholly-owned subsidiary of our economy," he says.
7. The Aptera: A funky new hybrid-electric car gets 300 miles per gallon of gas.
8. Stoves for the masses: Inefficient cooking methods are not a trivial problem.
9. New roots for old crops: Perennials could have advantages over annuals.
10. Democratize green: Ecofriendly products need to go mainstream.
As long as green products are the exclusive domain of the wealthy, the benefits will be limited. That's why Adam Werbach, global CEO for Saatchi & Saatchi S, is working with major corporations to green their mainstream brands. Take Tide Coldwater, which is formulated to wash clothes best in, well, cold water. "It's a breakthrough product," says Werbach. "If everyone changed from washing laundry in hot water to cold, that alone would meet nearly 8 percent of the United States' Kyoto targets"—that is, if we'd actually signed the protocol.
© 2008
© 2008
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