GREENBUZZ :: April 7, 2008

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April 7, 2008 News, Tools & Resources from GreenBiz.com Hot Topics   |   News   |   Resources   |   Job Link   |   Our Sites   |   About GreenBiz.com   Taking Care of Business The G-word is back, with a vengeance. Greenwashing, coined by Greenpeace in the early 1990s, is defined as "the phenomena of socially and environmentally destructive corporations, attempting to preserve and expand their markets or power by posing as friends of the environment,” in the words of the watchdog group Sourcewatch. Wikipedia offers a slightly less militant definition: "the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service." By whatever definition, charges of greenwash are on the rise, resurgent after being all but absent for the past decade or so. Now, as a growing succession of large companies come forth with green policies, products, and proclamations, many are met with instant charges that they are anything from misleading to fraudulent. "How DARE you talk about that when you have all these other problems?" the critics seem to be asking. Of course, some companies deserve to be so challenged, but many others don't. The challenges were underscored by a report last week by Nielsen Online. It suggests that the blogosphere can be treacherous territory when it comes to the announcements of corporate green initiatives. The critics seem to want it both ways: they want big companies to step up to the plate, environmentally speaking, but they reject incremental change, demanding nothing short of instantaneous transformation. They want companies they deem to be evil-doers to reject and forever abandon their products and processes. And, of course, they want these companies' consumers to wholeheartedly accept these dramatic changes without question. Suffice to say, the world doesn't quite work like this. How is your company insulating itself against the G-word? What strategies have you used to ensure that your messages are immune, or at least resistant, to criticism? Or, are you just "damning the torpedoes," ignoring the critics in the belief that the market will be the ultimate judge? I'd love to hear your thoughts. -- Joel Makower, Executive Editor New on GreenBiz Radio: Making the Journey Toward Zero Waste There are some basic concepts to keep in mind when reducing waste, according to Larry Chalfan of the Zero Waste Alliance, who spoke with GreenBiz Radio about the most effective ways to cut down on waste and the many ways a business can benefit from making less, or even zero, waste. You can listen to GreenBiz Radio online, download programs to your desktop, or subscribe to the GreenBiz Radio RSS feed. THIS ISSUE'S SPONSOR Want to be a GreenBuzz sponsor? Click here. Subscribe to GreenBiz.com RSS Headlines The Latest News on Business and the Environment Dell's HQ Switches to 100 Percent Renewable Energy Energy from wind and landfill gas sources now completely powers Dell Inc.'s 2.1 million square foot headquarters in Austin, Texas, the computer maker said Wednesday. IKEA to Phase Out Plastic Bags in U.S. IKEA plans to stop offering plastic bags to its U.S. customers beginning in October following a successful plastic bag reduction program where 92 percent of customers opted out. Climate Registry Develops Reporting Protocol Just a few months shy of its first birthday, the Climate Registry released the methodology that will guide how its members will report greenhouse gas emissions. GM Moves to Green its Australian Supply Chain GM's Australian subsidiary will partner with the World Environment Center to help make the automotive supply chain there more sustainable following a successful test in China. HP Lists Suppliers, Aims to Increase Social and Environmental Accountability In a move to heighten transparency, Hewlett-Packard has released a list of its worldwide suppliers, all who must comply with social and environmental guidelines set by HP and the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct. IBM Expands Data Center Services Globally with Three New Facilities New Data Centers in Egypt, Switzerland and Austria showcase the company's energy-efficiency solutions and innovation ways to reuse heat generated by server setups. Wal-Mart Expands Sustainability Efforts With Coffee, Trucks The retailer is supplementing its long-range, ambitious goals for zero waste and renewable energy with new products, fleet improvements and solar experiments. Groups Release All-Encompassing Report on Forest Product Purchasing The World Resources Institute and World Business Council for Sustainable Development have released a report and companion website giving an overview of forestry concerns and the main ratings, certifications and resources on sustainable forests. Bloggers, Consumers Quick to Spot Greenwashing: Report Greenwash doesn't fly with consumers and bloggers, and can set tongues wagging online, according to a new report. Bank of America Adopts the Carbon Principles Bank of America plans to adhere to the guidelines developed by Citi, JPMorgan Chase and Morgan Stanley to assess carbon-related risks in the financing of utility-sector projects, such as coal-fired power plants. Sodexo Calculates Environmental Savings of Recycled Paper The food and facilities management services company started using recycled napkins in 1,300 operations one year ago and figures it has saved more than 23,000 trees and 10 million gallons of water because of the switch. CFOs View Sustainability as a Business Opportunity: Survey More than half of chief financial officers and finance executives in a recent survey believe their companies will boost revenue, investor returns and employee retention through sustainability. Put GreenBiz news on your site for free! Learn more... > MORE NEWS HEADLINES Featured Resource A Wealth of Hands-On Help Meeting Green: The Office Equipment Industry's Guide to Managing Product Emissions This report serves as a manufacturer's user guide for understanding the types of indoor contaminants emitted from electronic office equipment and the health impacts associated with chemical and particulate emissions. > MORE TOOLS     > MORE WEB SITES Columns and Features Insight and Inspiration from the Experts Not All that Glitters is Gold: Digging for Ethically Sourced Jewelry By Marc Choyt Blood diamonds and dirty gold are notions gaining traction in the popular consciousness, and thanks to efforts by major retailers, jewelry producers and NGOs, fair and ethically traded jewels are coming to a store near you. Will a Recession Be a Giant Green-Killer? By Kevin Klustner Perhaps the scariest aspect of the recession lurking on the edges of the economy is whether it will cause corporate cost-cutters to move in and trim away all the good green initiatives that have recently taken root in companies. GreenBiz Blogs Joel Makower's Two Steps Forward: A Deeper Dive into the Business of Water > More from Joel Makower Marc Gunther on Corporate America: Black, white or green? > More from Marc Gunther David Wigder's Green Marketing Strategies: Open Skies Agreement Provides a Glimpse of What's to Come in a Carbon-Regulated Environment > More from David Wigder Wanna write for GreenBiz? GreenBiz is looking for guest and regular columnists and feature writers. We're seeking contributions from business leaders as well as the journalists who write about them. If you're interested, send a brief query to managing editor Matthew Wheeland, at editor@greenbiz.com | Read our editorial guidelines > MORE COLUMNS     > MORE FEATURES Send This Newsletter to Colleagues Spread the Word! Amaze Your Friends! Win Our Gratitude! Your Name: Your E-mail: Colleague's E-mail:   Separate each address with a comma (,) View our Privacy Policy    FEATURED BOOK 50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth by John Javna, Sophie Javna, and Jesse Javna 50 Simple Things is back in a completely revised format. The authors have teamed up with 50 of America's top environmental groups, each of which provides a simple, step-by-step program on a specific issue. > BUY IT! > READ MORE FEATURED EVENT Nordic Green Host: Innovation Center Denmark Date: April 21-22, 2008 Location: SRI International Building, Menlo Park, Calif. This two-and-a-half-day executive event features CEO presentations, green tech exhibitions, and high-level debates on the most promising emerging green technologies and new entrepreneurial opportunities. > SUBMIT YOUR EVENT NEW GREEN JOBS > Consulting Manager ConSol Stockton, Calif. > Controller Solarcity Foster City, Calif. > 2008 Field Team Members Maine Conservation Corps Augusta, Maine > Human Resources Senior Manager TransFair USA Oakland, Calif. > Chain of Custody Assistant and Chain of Custody Associate Rainforest Alliance Richmond, Vt. > MORE JOB LISTINGS News Releases from the World of Green Business > Center for International Studies Educates and Engages to Fight Global Warming with Carbonfund.org > McAfee, Inc. Goes Green in Las Vegas > Top 100 Countries Ranked by Clean, Low Sulfur Gasoline Regulations > Dow Strengthens Contributions to Alternative Energy Solutions > More from the Wire > Submit Your News Release > About this Service YOUR AD HERE! 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