February 10th, 2013
January 22nd, 2013
Our Most Sustainable London Drugs Store Yet?
In the heart of Vancouver, one of North America’s most sustainable communities has been built on lands that were once an all-but-forgotten industrial zone. False Creek Village, home to the Vancouver’s 2010 Athlete’s Village, is now a bustling waterfront community. The buildings here are designed to be up to 70% more efficient than your average apartment block. The concept of the urban village is alive and well.
And right in the middle of it all, is London Drugs store #82. But it’s a London Drugs with a difference. Check out our latest GreenDeal video to find out why.
January 1st, 2013
Happy New Year!
Wishing our fans and customers a Happy New Year.
December 5th, 2012
Organic sugar with a sweet supply chain story.
When I came across Roger’s Organic Sugar on the London Drugs shelves, I was intrigued. The package states, ‘Certified Organic, Product of Brazil’, but I wanted to know more. Where exactly does it come from? Who is behind it?
So I did what I always recommend GreenDeal shoppers do; turned to the manufacturer’s website and used the contact page to ask some questions. (The speed and detail of the replies says a lot about the company’s sustainability dedication)
The Rogers/Lantic Quality Assurance department got back to me right away to let me know the sugar comes from a Balbo Plantation in Sao Francisco, Brazil. They also linked to a great LA Times article about Agricultural Director Leontino Balbo’s transition to organic cultivation.
The Balbo Group is no small family farm – almost half of all organic sugar consumed in the United States comes from their Sao Francisco mill – but they have made a significant commitment to sustainable agriculture.
Balbo turned the farm organic in 1995, abandoning the pesticides, chemical fertilizers that had served the family’s bottom line for years. Waste from ethanol distillation is turned into a potent fertilizer. Pests are controlled in natural ways. Beneficial critters, such as earthworms, are protected by tilling and harvesting without compacting the soil. Sao Francisco has even returned some acreage to woodland.
It’s amazing what a few clicks can teach you about what you eat.
So if you like your sweetener with a greener flavour, pick up some Roger’s Organic sugar.
It tastes like the real Green Deal to me.
December 5th, 2012
‘Like’ us on facebook and help give the gift of charity
‘Like’ us on facebook and help give the gift of charity. For every ‘Like’,another dollar is donated to The Salvation Army.
October 22nd, 2012
London Drugs wins BC Hydro PowerSmart Excellence Award
Energy was in the air, as hundreds gathered to recognize BC’s leaders in energy conservation. It was a gala event, hosted at the beautiful Vancouver Convention Centre West, itself a LEED® Platinum facility (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design). Celebrity presenters Mark Madryga and Tamara Stanners profiled the finalists in 10 categories. READ MORE
September 20th, 2012
Which laptop is greenest? A back-to-school showdown.
Electronics are complex, and the many components and processes in their manufacture makes it tough to choose the most sustainable option. Adira Vasil, self-proclaimed ‘ecoholic’ at Toronto’s NOW Magazine, took on this challenge, with some interesting results.
To start with, by choosing a laptop over a desktop machine, you are already using around 50% less power.
Beyond that, Vasil turned to Greenpeace International’s Guide to Greener Electronics, which has been scoring electronic brands since 2006 on factors like energy use, climate policies/practices, toxin reduction, recycling programs and more.
Two brands available at London Drugs were worthy of mention – HP and Apple.
All Apple products are now totally free of PVC and BFRs*, and they all meet or exceed Energy Star standards. Though the world’s most valuable company still doesn’t do as well when it comes to using post-consumer recycled plastic and sustainable paper.
Apple does get top points for e-waste recycling, and along with HP earns top points for avoiding the conflict minerals that fuel Africa’s most brutal wars.
HP squeaked into the lead on the Greenpeace report, mostly because it’s been a leader in “sustainable operations” and measuring and reducing greenhouse gases. HP also won’t get any paper from illegally logged sources, and its notebooks are free of PVC, BFRs and mercury.
Not mentioned on the Greenpeace list, but worthy of consideration, is London Drugs’ own Certified Data brand of laptops, which are made to the RoHS standard (reduction of hazardous substances) This is a higher European standard of manufacturing, not legally required in North American market, that mandates lower levels of toxic substances in electronics manufacturing.
Whatever your choice of machine, make sure you select the best energy saving settings, and recycle it responsibly when it is at the end of its life. Of course, you can bring back any London Drugs electronics back to us for recycling as well as your old equipment if you are upgrading. We will also take back all your packaging for recycling, including the Styrofoam®.
That’s the real Green laptop Deal.
*Polyvinyl Chloride and Brominated Flame Retardants – PVC & BFR are chemicals known to release corrosive and toxic gases if ignited in a fire, or if improperly disposed.
September 5th, 2012
Cosmetic packaging – another recycling first for London Drugs
As of September 4, 2012, you can take some more items off your non-recyclable list and out of your garbage. Separate bins will be available at all London Drugs stores for collection of beauty packaging , through a partnership with Garnier and TerraCycle – an international upcycling company.
(UPDATE – 2014: This Garnier/Terracycle recycling program is no longer available t London Drugs, but any packaging purchased from London Drugs can be brought back to our stores for recycling as part of our ‘Bring Back the Pack’ program)
It’s an interesting solution for some difficult materials. Cosmetics packages, in particular, pose challenges with multiple materials, residual cosmetics waste etc. TerraCycle tells me their downstream processor, based in the US, has solved these issues and is able to melt down the collected materials and produce products such as park benches, garbage containers and soap dispensers.
“London Drugs is excited to partner with TerraCycle and become the first major retailer in Canada to offer our customers these new recycling streams” says Clint Mahlman, Senior Vice President and Cheif Operating Officer, London Drugs. “This is an important solution as we move toward our company-wide waste diversion goal.”
So save up those old makeup containers you have been collecting and head on down to London Drugs. Look for the drop-off boxes, or just ask at Customer Service.
This is one Green Deal that is looking better and better.
August 13th, 2012
Reusable water bottles – which is right for you?
In the summertime heat, staying hydrated is important. But with millions of single use water bottles being disposed of every year, it’s a good green idea to make a reusable bottle part of your plan. So which to choose?
Plastic
For affordability, weight and versatility, plastic wins. Plastics #2, #4, and #5 are the healthiest bottle options as they are not known to leach. However, all plastic bottles may retain odors or stains and after repeated use. Plastic #2 is commonly recyclable, and plastics #4 and 5 may be brought back to any London Drugs for recycling.
What does BPA-Free mean? Bisphenol-A is a chemical that was once used extensively to make polycarbonate bottles. In 2010, Canada declared BPA a toxic substance, and now almost all water bottles are made BPA-free. For BPA-free polycarbonate plastic options, Look for plastic #7, like the Nalgene Everyday or Rubbermaid Refill/Reuse models shown here.
Stainless Steel
This material is non-reactive and requires no coating, so it’s one of the purest options out there. However, stainless steel may dent if dropped and it definitely heats up on a hot day. If you like art, the Threadless line from Thermos features innovative designs sourced from the online community.
Aluminum
There are some awesome high-tech bottle designs made from aluminum, as it is lightweight and strong. But because aluminum can react to acidic liquids, containers of this type must be coated on the inside. So look for high-quality models such as the Swiss SIGG and Wenger Eco-Bottle options shown here. Both are recyclable and feature BPA-Free linings.
Lids, Mouths and More
There are a wide variety of lids to choose from, whether you like to sip, pour or glug. Some are even recyclable. Again, look for #2, #4 or #5 stamped on them if this is important to you.
What’s the greenest deal?
My favourite is the Aladdin Sustain e-Cycle bottle, made of 90% recycled food-grade, dishwasher-safe #5 plastic, containing 22.5% post-consumer waste. It’s also 100% recyclable and has a wide mouth opening perfect for adding ice cubes.
But the important thing is to get a water bottle that is handy, functional and attractive enough that you will actually use it. Remembering not to leave it behind is another whole article.
July 16th, 2012
Meet the Green Deal Team: Store #45 Manager Perry Lubberding gets an ‘A’ for recycling – 93% waste diversion!
All of our stores are trying to reduce waste, but a recent audit brought to light some especially inspiring numbers.In first place, with a stunning 93% recycling rate, was our Oliver Square West store in Edmonton. And while he is quick to share the spotlight with his team, we would like to recognize the passion of Manager Perry Lubberding.Perry began his store recycling program over 2 years ago, putting blue boxes at each checkout and in the store departments. Since then he has been on a mission to reduce waste everywhere, from the lot to the lunchroom.
“We try to get everyone here to have some passion around recycling,” Perry says. “When we hire new people we make a point of educating them on our recycling programs. We need everyone on board.”
It also takes a bit of a carrot-and-stick approach. “We make it as easy as we can to recycle, putting recycling bins in key locations. At the same time, we are reducing the number of garbage cans available to staff and customers, making it harder to just throw stuff away.”
But Perry and his team are not about to rest on their laurels.
“There are always things we can do better,” he continues, “We still get some stuff thrown into the wrong bins. And some employees don’t remember to clean out their plastic containers before putting them in.
“I think we can get to 98% diversion rate, which we should be able to do once the organics recycling program is put into place.”
Go for it, Perry. You are the real Green Deal!
