Reusable Bags NewsReuse & Recycle Eco Community

Recycling is a great reclamation for our planet and for the environment.  But can recycling alone solve our waste problems in America?  The answer is a simple “no”.  There are many reasons why recycling alone will not be able to resolve all our waste problems.  If producers and manufacturers are not working cooperatively with consumers and partnering with waste management facilities to ensure there is a reasonable and accessible method for consumers to recycle the products sold to them, then it significantly reduces the chances that the products will be properly recycled at all.   We have to tackle waste problems at their source and so it is the corporations that produce the products that must play the biggest role in reducing the waste problems in our country and our world.

The Texas Campaign For The Environment (TCE), a non-profit, has recently brought this issue to center stage.   TCE basically says that manufacturers have to take responsibility for the full life cycle of their products.   They emphasize our current system of  “produce it, consume it, toss it out” must be redesigned to reduce and eliminate waste at its source.   If you think about it, it makes so much sense.  It is almost as if manufacturers get a “free pass” in our current system, leaving the responsibility for recycling largely in the hands of consumers.  Now of course, you would think consumers will always be ultimately responsible for recycling, since producers cannot force someone to recycle their products.  However, TCE points out that there are many “Zero Waste’ proponents who are pushing environmental laws for landfills which will create “producer take-back” programs.  This would force manufacturers to work with waste management companies and government agencies to recover and recycle their products. When it comes to long-term progress in reducing the harmful effects of landfills on the environment, this approach may make the most sense.

In the absence of  “producer take-back” laws, TCE is doing everything they can to be a great tool for consumers.  TexasTakeBack.org (funded by TCE), is a great guide to recycle just about anything from glass, styrofoam, household chemicals, pharmaceuticals and so much more.   Considering TCE (a non-profit organization), is making such a valiant effort to resolve our country’s waste management issues, it is time for the “for-profit” corporations to step up.

What is your company or organization doing to ensure your products are recycled after consumption?   In this time of great change in our world, and from a public relations stand point, it is imperative that your company clearly stands out as a green ambassador.  You can’t wait until you’re in the midst of an environmental controversy to begin your path as a green company (see BP).  It just doesn’t’ work that way.  You can’t run away from this issue. Your company must start now to do everything in its power to ensure you’re going green in all phases.

This is especially true with your products, which often have your company’s brand name on them, and which will be easily identified when wasted.   To begin with, ask yourself if your consumers will easily be able to recycle your product.  Ask for feedback from your customers, blog about it and show the world you are actively working towards a solution to making sure all your products are recycled.

Another great method to show the world your commitment to go green is through giving out eco promotional products like eco friendly pens, eco lanyards, custom promotional bags and wholesale recycled bags with your brand name on them.  These kinds of products are truly eco friendly and will not harm the environment if wasted.   Create a reoccurring community service event with your employees and plant some trees or pick up trash around town for a few hours on a monthly basis.

These are just a few small examples of the kinds of efforts companies and organizations can make in order to help ensure the continuity and success of the green movement.  When it comes to going green, consumer consciousness is at an all time high in our country and in the world, especially after the recent Gulf Oil Disaster.  Stay ahead of the tide, and take some advice from TCE by making sure you and your company are going green now.

The recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a huge wake-up call for all of us.  We all must carefully consider the devastating impact that the actions of corporations and individuals are having on our world’s eco-system. Much has been written and will continue to be written about BP and the public relations nightmare it caused itself through the epic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  But you may not know that there’s another ongoing environmental controversy centered around the issue of deforestation and a company called Asia Pulp and Paper (APP).   Businesses and organizations everywhere can learn a great lesson from the situation APP finds itself in. APP is a division of the mega corporation, Sinar Mas, and calls itself one of the world’s leading pulp and paper companies.

APP has recently been linked to being a major contributor to deforestation. Deforestation, the human-caused disappearance of naturally occurring forests by logging or burning, is a huge problem in today’s world.   It is estimated that around 50% or more of the world’s plants and animal species live in the 7% of the world where rainforests currently exist.  For example, the most famous of rainforests, the Amazon, a majestic 1.4 billion acre (5.5 million square kilometers) rainforest located in South America covering sections of 9 different countries, has only 82.3% of the moist broadleaf forest cover it had in 1970.   It is also estimated that between 1991 and 2000, the total loss of Amazon rainforest increased from 415,000 square kilometers to almost 600,000.  The data above is according to Wikipedia.com.

Another lesser known but equally struggling rain forest, the Indonesian rainforest, has made recent headlines after a report from Greenpeace.  In the report, Greenpeace accuses Asia Paper and Pulp of “relentlessly trashing rainforests, driving species extinction and, if left unchecked, will threaten Indonesia’s efforts to address climate change.”  APP is a division of the mega conglomerate, Sinar Mas, and calls itself one of the world’s leading pulp and paper companies.  According to CNN.com, Indonesia is one of the world’s biggest culprits of emitting greenhouse emissions largely because of the clear-cutting and burning of rainforests for logging and other purposes.   Indonesia has long been a recipient of criticism for its environmental practices mainly because of disregard for international and even their own laws. APP is currently going through a public relations nightmare due to the Greenpeace report, and of course is claiming Greenpeace’s claims are exaggerated.  Yet things recently took a turn for the worse for Sinar Mas when in July, 2010 Wal-Mart, already becoming a major advocate for transitioning its customer base to the use of sustainable green bags)announced it has “taken steps to stop” buying their paper, as a result of this and other controversies surrounding APP.  Sounds like APP’s denial of the problem is making things worse and now costing them major business.  The loss of Wal-Mart’s business over the next year will significantly impact their bottom line.

This brings us to a great question: In today’s difficult world-wide economy, how can business’s ensure they are adopting environmentally-friendly and energy efficient business practices and not on the wrong side of a PR controversy?   Business.Gov, the official business link to the US Government, has an 11-step guide to help companies ensure they are energy efficient, compliant with environmental regulations, and recognized as a “green business”.

Here are the steps (Click here to visit their site):

1 – Comply with Environmental Regulations

2 – Develop an Environmental Management Plan

3 – Build Green

4 – Buy Green Products

5 – Adopt Energy Efficient Practices

6 – Reduce, Reuse

7 – Recycle Wastes

8 – Conserve Water

9 – Prevent Pollution

10 – Create a Green Marketing Strategy

11 – Join Industry Partnership and Stewardship Programs.

Step 4 “Buy Green Products”, is a great suggestion that many companies fail to consider.   A unique way to raise awareness about deforestation while promoting your brand is through eco friendly promotional products like seed paper, which is made of actual seeds and can still germinate and sprout into a flower when planted.  Something as simple as seed cards such as a seed business card or a seeded thank you card can create a truly memorable interaction with a client or industry colleague.  You could also include a statement about deforestation on the stationary, making it absolutely clear about where your company stands on environmental issues.  Another one that stands out on this list is step 6, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Wastes”. Remembering to reduce and reuse is the best way to eliminate the need to recycle in the first place.

Now is the time to take action to stop deforestation as well as ensuring your company is recognized as a “green business”, thus solidifying your green reputation.  The 11 steps above are a great guide for any business owner or CEO to implement green practices in your business.   Embrace the challenge of perpetually improving your organization’s environmental footprint.  Your company’s leadership and example will help stop the devastating effects of deforestation and the investment will be well worth it.