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Posts Tagged ‘environmentally-friendly’
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Tuesday, September 1st, 2009Eco-Friendly Cell Phone
Monday, August 24th, 2009As consumers are being educated and motivated to become more environmentally-friendly, we are seeing more and more eco-friendly products being introduced. One of these areas is the cell phone industry.
One example is the Samsung Reclaim that was recently offered for Sprint users. Not only is this phone a more environmentally -friendly option, but it is also Sprint’s first 3G QWERTY phone to get down to only $50 after rebates with a signed contract.
80 percent of the material used are corn-fed and recyclable. They skipped the paper manual, so less paper would be wasted. They also used recyclable packaging printed with soy-based inks.
You don’t have to gibe up quality cell phone features to be environmentally-friendly. This phone still has a 2MP camera, GPS, and Bluetooth. Better yet, with each purchase, a few dollars are donated to a land conservation charity. This phone proves once again, that you can have a quality product at a low cost, while still being eco-friendly.
Repurposing Packaging Materials
Friday, August 14th, 2009It’s been said that 30 percent of all garbage is packaging…but who says packaging has to be garbage? many forms of packaging can be recycled, such as cardboard, paper, glass, and some plastics. But there still are other options if the packaging is not recyclable. It can be reused again or re-purposed to do something else.
Rodney had the idea to re-purpose one of the most un-eco materials around, Styrofoam, into stunning lamps.
It’s amazing where a little creativity can get you.
Back to School Ideas
Tuesday, August 4th, 2009The summer is coming to an end and school will be starting soon…How did the time pass so fast?
The following is a list of tips and hits to make the back-to-school transition easier.
- Start going to bed earlier and getting up earlier to getting used to the schedule.
- Stock up on the variety of breakfast foods. Don’t forget that breakfast is the most important meal.
- If your child is new to the school visit the school before the first day to become familiar with where everything is.
- Check out Green Seal’s list of green office supplies.
Where the Green Rubber Hits the Road
Monday, August 3rd, 2009Pepsico has put its money where its mouth is when it comes to more environmentally-friendly packaging.
They have introduced Aquafina Bottled Water bottles that use 50% less plastic than before. While bottled water is not the most environmentally-friendly option, their new “Eco-Fina” bottle is a step in the right direction by reducing the amount of waste generated from plastic water bottles.
And their Frito-Lay division is launching a new compostable bag for SunChips Multigrain chips that will decompose in weeks in a compost. Frito-Lay is rolling out the launch of the new bag, and they anticipate it being the standard SunChips bag world-wide by Earth Day 2010.
A Cereal Box Of A Different Shape
Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009When it comes to packaging, a different shape or size package can accomplish many things.
- Use less materials to be more environmentally-friendly. Cutting down on the amount of materials being used can play a huge impact, rather than simply switching materials.
- It works better for the consumer. Shorter boxes will fit in kitchen cupboards and pantries better by take up less room.
- Using less materials can cut down on costs.
- Differentiation can help your product stand out on the shelf over the competition.
(Picture found at: Packaging Matters)
In the above example, Kellogg’s is testing a box of a different shape. It holds the same amount of cereal, uses less packaging material, fits into kitchen cupboards better, and it makes a great first impression. This cuts down on costs and generates less waste to be more eco-friendly.
If it turns out that the box will also help little tykes spill less cereal on the table, Kellogg’s has really got a winning design!
Reusable Packaging: The Packaging is the Product
Wednesday, July 15th, 2009When we think of being “green” and environmentally-friendly, we think of the 3 R’s: reduce, reuse, and recycle. TreeHugger showed some ways that companies are offering reusable packaging in a new way, in which the packaging is actually a part of the product itself.
With this product, lite2go by knoend, the clear packaging is actually the lampshade for the lamp:
This design, created by Tom Ballhatchet, utilizes the box that the TV is packaged in as a stand for the TV with shelves for your DVD cases or Blu-Ray cases:
With this laptop in a bag, HP won Wal-Mart’s Reduced Packaging Award for its Pavilion dv6929. Instead of coming in a box with styrofoam inserts, this laptop comes in a reusable messenger bag (made from recycled fabric) with a few plastic bags inside to hold the parts. With this design, HP was able to reduce the conventional packaging by 97 percent:
Steve Haslip designed the HangerPak, so that the packaging that holds the product can also be used for the product; the package transforms into a hanger for the t-shirt inside:
Although I’m not too keen on the idea of sitting on a cardboard chair, I do give props to David Graas for coming up with a line of flat packaging that can be put together into furniture:
These are all examples of how companies are encouraging customers to reduce waste by reusing the packaging of their products for other purposes. By doing this and recycling when you are finished, you can be on your way to being more eco-friendly.
7 Resources For Planning Green Meetings
Tuesday, July 7th, 2009From lists to directories, to informational articles, the following 7 resources will help any planner make their next event more environmentally-friendly:
- A 10-step checklist to a more environmentally-friendly destination event from Blue Green Meetings.
- Three reasons why green meetings are a good idea from the Association for Green Meetings and Events. Not only are green meetings good for the environment, but there are also economic and social benefits that come with it.
- Article: Green Meetings Are Free from Meeting Professionals International. Going green does not have to cost you a lot of money. By reducing and reusing, you can save money that you could invest in other green expenses.
- Information on environmentally-friendly cuisine from MeetingsNet.com Look for organic, local foods and foods that can be reused if not eaten at that meal.
- A list of GreenHotel.com members by state, so you can be sure the hotel you are using is truly environmentally-friendly.
- How to calculate your meeting’s carbon footprint from http://www.greeneventsource.com/. Being aware of your carbon footprint can help you see how much you are affecting the environment, where your problem areas are, and how you could improve.
Don’t forget to use eco-friendly name badges, luggage tags, folders and ring bindersthat are reusable and recyclable! All of these eco-friendly products can be created to match and coordinate with each other and with your meeting or event. Then you can just send them back to us to recycle when you are finished.
Bonus Resource: The Meeting Planner Survival Guidefrom MeetingsNet.com
Have a “Green” 4th of July
Friday, July 3rd, 2009
As we celebrate our nation’s holiday this year, let’s have fun and honor our country, without harming our environment. The Environmental Blog provided 5 tips for a “green” 4th of July:
1. Buy organic food. Support local farmers markets by buying their organic fruits and vegetables. Buy local and cut down on transportation. You could even shop with reusable shopping bags.
2. Bust out the silverware. Avoid wasting paper plates, napkins, cups, and plastic utensils. Save money by using your own plates and washing them. If you must use disposable plates and cups, try to find biodegradable alternatives.
3. Grill on the “green” side. Use a non-toxic cleaner on your grill.
Cut back on grilling and carbon emissions by eating fresh veggies, or grill food that will cook quickly, such as thin meats, fish, marshmallows, or veggies.
4. Buy “green” charcoal. Use 100% all-natural hardwood lump charcoal. They don’t have any chemicals or fillers, they burn faster, and produce less ash. This leftover ash from all-natural charcoal can be sprinkled around your plants to keep the bugs away.
5. Substitute lighter fluid. Try using a chimney starter, instead of toxic lighter fluid. They are inexpensive and you don’t have to worry about the toxic fluids cooking into your food.
Don’t forget to use these tips and add a little “green” to your red, white, and blue festivities this year. Not only would you be more environmentally-friendly, but you could save money as well!
Green-Minded Consumers
Wednesday, June 24th, 2009
More and more we are hearing about companies “going green” and offering eco-friendly products. There is a growing concern being shown for the environment, but is that one of the main factors shoppers are looking for 
when making purchasing decisions?
GreenBiz pointed out that consumers are becoming very eco-conscious. According to a study by Ipsos Marketing, consumers are tending to choose healthier food products with fresh ingredients and green packaging over products with more convenient packaging and food preparation. They even scored higher than improving the taste of the food. But taste should not be taken out of consideration. Taste is key to food choice and to many, taste and fresh ingredients go hand in hand.
Deloitte, along with the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA), also conducted a study of over 6,000 customers on how sustainability affects purchasing decisions. They determined that a substantial amount of consumers take social and environmental benefits into serious consideration when choosing a product.
What does this mean for you? Clearly green packaging is deciding factor in purchasing decisions, and environmental concerns are not going away. So if you want to stay on top of the market by paying attention to consumers’ concerns and help the environment, try using green packaging.