Green Deal

March 17th, 2009

How will the recession impact green shopping?

It’s everywhere in the news. People are tightening their belts. So What’s The Green Deal for the future of eco-friendly products? A new study (Jan 2009) from the Boston Consulting Group, suggests that the trend toward green shopping is likely to continue, even in the face of a recession. (Note, specifically Canadian research is very hard to come by, but Canada was included in this study)
The survey involved face-to-face interviews of over 9,000 adults between the ages of 18 and 65 in major cities in the United States, Canada, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Japan and China.
In total, 34 percent said they “systematically look for and purchase green products,” up from 32 percent in 2007. 24 percent said a higher price premium for buying green is acceptable, up from just 20 percent the year before.
Seventy-five percent of people surveyed rated it as ‘important’ or ‘very important’ for companies to provide information on the environmental impacts of their products, and 66 percent want companies to routinely offer green products.
Not surprisingly, health is a big reason people are continuing to shop greener, with organic food and environmentally-friendly household cleaners being among the most popular choices. (BTW, you can check out Green Deal product options on the greendeal.ca web site – under the Health & Wellness, Homeware and Food/Candy sections)
What’s The Green Deal was started with the idea that there’s a big upside to continuing to shop green wherever we can. And London Drugs has always been focused on helping people get better value and advice for their money. So what do you think? Will the recession affect your green shopping? What else can What’s The Green Deal do to help? Let us know.

March 13th, 2009

What is the best dressed garbage wearing this year? Award winning kitchen bags by GLAD®.

In the world of retail, Canada’s version of the OSCAR® has to be the Best New Product Awards, held in Toronto. In this year’s awards, or the first time, a non-food product won best of show, with the award going to… GLAD® 100% Compostable and Biodegradable Kitchen Bags.
According to Robert Levy, president and CEO of BrandSpark International, which hosts the awards, consumers rated the product highly for being “an environmentally friendly product that works well,” adding that he suspects the green movement has much to do with it. “I think we’ve passed the tipping point and consumers are willing to act.”
According to the package, the GLAD® compostable bags are made from ‘vegetable based material that is 100% biodegradable’. This is backed up with certification by the Biodegradable Products Institute, which means they are designed to compost quickly, completely and safely, without leaving any plastic residues. (Unlike some ‘degradable’ plastics, which only break down into smaller plastic pieces)
The bags are designed for municipal compost systems, which unfortunately, don’t yet exist in all areas of Canada. I called the GLAD® Customer service number (1-800-561-5039) to find out more. Albert, from Peoria Illinois, seemed surprised that we didn’t have municipal composting in Vancouver. Even his supervisor didn’t have an answer when I asked about how well the bags might break down in a backyard compost system. So I guess it’s up to your faithful GreenDeal blogger to find out. Stay tuned.
For regular garbage, using a compostable bag is still a good idea, according to the person I spoke with at the Vancouver Landfill, especially if it contains leaves, food waste or other compostable material. It’s one less piece of plastic, and it does help in the long term.
Glad 100% compostable and biodegradable kitchen bags, made by Clorox, are available at London Drugs.

February 28th, 2009

Have you heard the Green Deal about Vers Speakers?

When you’re looking for quality audio for your iPod, there are things to consider that can make the sound even sweeter. Vers Audio, by Sprout Creation of Wayland Massachusetts, take their environmental commitment to heart. Their tagline is ‘Real wood, real sound.™’, but the rich wooden enclosures of their 2X iPod sound system and 1.5R iPod / AM/FM radio also deliver on sustainability.

All wood is selected from plantation sources, using fast-growing pine & eucalyptus trees – no threatened or endangered species are used anywhere in their systems – and all wood harvested is replanted.

All electronics components are RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) complaint and use the most energy efficient components available. The Vers Class D amplifier and switching power supplies consume 60% less energy than traditional amp/power supply options. In the packaging department, they have eliminated the use of twist ties, and all paper packaging is made from 100% post-consumer material and is 100% recylable.

Sprout Creation is a CarbonFund Partner and are the only consumer electronics company that has been carbon neutral since their founding. They also support the Basel Action Network’s goals for responsible electronics recycling and have set up an e-Steward-approved recycling/take-back program.

There are also acoustic advantages to the Vers rigid wood enclosures, (not to mention the sleek modern design) but that’s the subject of a whole different article. So if you want iPod sound that falls a little more lightly on the earth, come into London Drugs and give the Vers line a listen.

February 20th, 2009

BC powering up to recycle batteries.

Rechargeable batteries used in toys, small appliances and electronics can contain heavy metals like cadmium, lead, chromium and even mercury. These metals can make their way into the water system and into our bodies if they are disposed of with your regular trash.

“It’s absolutely integral in maintaining our eco-systems and health of humanity not to do that,” says Sarah Cox of the Sierra Club of B.C.

It’s so important, in fact, that B.C.’s Ministry of Environment is looking to bring in legislation within two years that will make battery recycling mandatory. This will add rechargeable batteries to the growing list of recyclables that includes electronic waste, motor oil and beverage containers.

Ministry Spokesman Chris Ord says the program will be industry-driven. “(Battery producers) need to talk to the public and stakeholders, then submit a plan to the ministry, which we review, and statutory decision-makers make a decision on that plan,” Ord said, adding that July 2010 is the target date.

In the meantime, recycling your rechargeable batteries is as easy as dropping by your local London Drugs, who has been collecting them for over 2 years. By the end of 2008, London Drugs will have collected some 12,000 lbs. of batteries, which are shipped to a toxic waste recycler in Trail where they are broken apart and the metals separated and sold.

February 20th, 2009

People who want to clean green for less drive Clorox Greenworks line to the top in just one year.

You know the green movement has gone mainstream when an industry giant Clorox launches a whole line of more eco-friendly cleaners. Greenworks hit the shelves just one year ago, but has already become the #1 line of natural cleaners with 42% of the market. One factor in Greenworks growing sales is their lower prices. Some estimates show many eco-friendly cleaners charge 50 percent to 60 percent more than regular products, while Greenworks is priced only 10 to 20 percent higher. (Although the main reason for the huge success of this brand likely has as much to do with Clorox’s huge distribution network)
Greenworks cleaners claim to be 99% natural, made primarily with coconut oil, corn and lemon. Perhaps most surprisingly, they contain no bleach. They are not tested on animals, and use recyclable packaging.
So are Greenworks cleaners as eco-friendly as less mainstream alternatives?
According to the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) from Clorox, and data posted on the Treehugger website, hazardous or non-natural ingredients include Alkyl polyglucoside (lowers water surface tension, enabling chemicals to spread and penetrate easily) Ethyl alcohol, preservative (Kathon) and colorant (Milliken Liquitint Blue HP dye and Bright Yellow dye X).
There are ‘greener’ cleaners out there, (Seventh Generation, for instance, boasts only 0.05% non-natural preservative) but the bottom line is, Greenworks is a great choice for anyone who wants to clean green on a budget.
Look it up on londondrugs.com here.

February 16th, 2009

Green Upgrades – How new computers, printers and scanners are lowering their carbon footprint.

Every generation of computers and peripherals are smaller, faster and more versatile. Now that evolution is making them greener as well.
First the size – less is more when it comes to material use. Safer, more recycled and less-toxic materials are being incorporated throughout many new designs, and more and more Energy Star labels are showing up on our shelves, as the newer generations of equipment perform with less environmental impact throughout their lifetime. Here are a few specific examples to look for if you’re thinking about upgrading:

HP Elite laptop models, and the Macintosh MacBook Pro line use recyclable aluminum instead of a plastic finish, and look for mercury-free energy-saving LED screens on Apple, Sony and HP laptops.

Smart surge protectors, like the Conserve from Belkin at $49.99, come
with a remote control that turns off up to six of its eight outlets for
non-essential overnight items like TVs, stereos or computers.

Printers are working on getting greener, too. Canon has a number of printers that offer automatic duplexing, which automatically prints one page, retracts the paper and prints the other side. HP has a free universal duplex driver for many of its laser printers, (including older models) that allows printing on both sides of paper, although using a driver to achieve duplexing means you have to manually take the paper out and turn it over to print the other side. In the last 7 years, Epson has reduced the total power consumption of its new printers by 78 per cent, using more energy-efficient ready and sleep modes.
Scanners (stand-alone, or those included in multi-function printers) are
using less power, too, thanks to LED light technology that allows them to be ready to scan almost instantly instead of having to warm up for a few minutes.

If you want to find out more, visit your local London Drugs and look for the What’s the Green Deal feature signs in our Computer Department.

February 12th, 2009

Sony site looks at the bigger environmental picture.

It’s inspiring when a brand we like for their products does some of the right things for the environment, too. Sony Canada has published a web site outlining their environmental initiatives in four areas: recycling programs, product design, educating youth and operational improvements. It’s worth checking out the site for yourself, especially if you are looking to purchase new electronics or recycle some Sony gear that’s past its lifespan, but here are a few highlights:
Sony works with industry partners to help develop and manage Province-wide waste electronics recycling programs, and led the development of an Electronics Recycling Standard that is now the benchmark for environmentally responsible recycling.
Product Design: Sony led the industry to reduce energy consumption of TVs in standby mode to under 0.3W, and the BRAVIA LCD TV’s have Power Saving features to reduce energy use by up to 50%.
For 10 years, Sony has been a sponsor of Earth Day Canada’s EcoKids
Environmental education program and is the primary sponsor of the Great EcoKids Challenge, where schools across Canada compete with their environmental programs to win great Sony prizes
In the operational improvements section, one line really stands out: “…to maximize the diversion of Sony products from landfill by making it as easy to recycle a Sony product as it is to purchase one.” If you like the sound of that, you may wish to consider Sony next time you’re shopping for electronics. Find out more about Sony’s green features at your nearest London Drugs electronics, computer or camera departments.

February 7th, 2009

What does ‘Organic’ really mean, anyhow?

These days, you see the term ‘organic’ on everything from shaving gel to energy bars. So it’s important to understand what that word means, and what it doesn’t. Organic has been defined as “…a form of agriculture that relies on crop rotation, green manure, compost, biological pest control, and mechanical cultivation to maintain soil productivity and control pests, excluding or strictly limiting the use of synthetic fertilizers and synthetic pesticides, plant growth regulators, livestock feed additives, and genetically modified organisms.” (source: Wikipedia)
It is generally accepted that reduced chemicals and pesticides in food is beneficial to human health, while reduced synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and genetically-modified organisms in the biosphere (at the growing stage) is better for the environment.
The best way to ensure a claim of ‘organic’ is to look for certification from a third party. This means that a recognized association has researched the product and put their seal of approval on the organic quality of the source.
Some organic certifications you’ll find on London Drugs products include:
USDA Organic
British Columbia Certified Organic
Oregon Tilth Certified Organic
California Certified Organic Farmers
Soil Association
OCPP / ProCert
QMI
Quality Assurance International
BDIH – Certified Natural Cosmetics
(Click on the links above to learn more about the methodology and criteria of each)
Look for these certifications on products like Lavera Cosmetics/Skincare, (BDIH Certified) Organic Wear Cosmetics, (Certified by Eco-Cert) and Kicking Horse Coffee, (Certified organic by QMI)

Now, just because something is organic, that doesn’t mean it’s necessarily good for you. And vice versa. (A non-organic carrot is probably better for you than an organic chocolate bar) Also, organic may only apply to certain ingredients used in production, from oils to grains to cotton.
So whether you believe in natural farming, like the idea of less pesticides in your diet, or just like the sound of it, get to know your organics. Chances are you’ll be seeing a lot more of them in the future.

February 1st, 2009

What’s the Green Deal? Welcome to our blog.

For those of you who haven’t seen our in-store program or visited our web site, ‘What’s the Green Deal?’ is a London Drugs program designed to give our customers more information on how to shop a little greener. This blog is our way of highlighting timely information on products, issues and our corporate commitment to reducing our impact. We also hope it’s a way for you to talk to us – about what you see out there, the environmental challenges we all face and what you want to see in our stores to help deal with them.
Most importantly, we recognize that sustainability is a journey. What is green today, may not be so tomorrow, and we must keep moving forward.
From time to time, we will make mistakes – we’re only human – but if we keep the lines of communication open, we can help our customers shop a little greener, before, during and after their visit to London Drugs.

How will the recession impact green shopping?

What is the best dressed garbage wearing this year? Award winning kitchen bags by GLAD®.

Have you heard the Green Deal about Vers Speakers?

BC powering up to recycle batteries.

People who want to clean green for less drive Clorox Greenworks line to the top in just one year.

Green Upgrades – How new computers, printers and scanners are lowering their carbon footprint.

Sony site looks at the bigger environmental picture.

What does ‘Organic’ really mean, anyhow?

What’s the Green Deal? Welcome to our blog.

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