Green Deal

August 15th, 2010

How to stay fresh and green in the summer heat.

If you search the Internet, you’ll find quite a bit of discussion about deodorant chemicals and health. Yet even the most dedicated green-freaks among us don’t want to go around smelling like a goat farm. Fortunately London Drugs carries a number of great deodorant brands with natural ingredients, fewer chemicals and some very interesting botanical scents.

Nature’s Gate Organics Deodorant
This brand gets my vote for best scent adjectives. Starting the day with a whiff of Lemongrass & Clary Sage, Grapefruit & Wild Ginger or Chamomile & Lemon Verbena has to do something for you. It’s also free of paraben, propylene glycol and aluminum.

Lafe’s Natural and Organic Deodorant Roll-On or Stick
Made with mineral salts that eliminate odor-causing bacteria, these deodorants contains no aluminum chlorhydrate, paraben or proplyene glycol, are alcohol free and are made with certified organic hemp oil and aloe vera to soften the skin.

Tom’s of Maine Natural Deodorant
Tom’s of Maine Natural Deodorant Stick combines natural odor fighting botanicals, lichen and coriander, with soothing, gentle aloe vera. Mild but effective, this formula contains no alcohol, artificial preservatives, or synthetic ingredients. Tom’s also offers a long-lasting deodorant stick with zinc ricinoleate, (sourced from castor beans), to absorb and neutralize odor.

Jason Tea Tree Deodorant Stick and Natural Deodorant
Jason Tea Tree Deodorant Stick is formulated without Alcohol, Aluminum Chlorohydrate or Propylene Glycol. Formulated with Certified Organic Tea Tree Oil, well known for its anti-bacterial and antiseptic properties, as well as Azulene, for its skin soothing properties.

July 27th, 2010

What’s the Green Deal with Fair Trade Coffee?

The Fair Trade symbol is one we see on more and more products these days. But what does it really mean? I visited Ethical Bean Coffee to find out, and was treated to a ‘cupping’ – the serious coffee tasting process used to judge and grade java on the market. I also found out this is one company that really lives up to its name, so join me for a quick look behind the grind. Then get down to your local London Drugs and grab some of these ethical beans for yourself. (P.S. If you have an iPhone, there’s a special surprise waiting on their new packages as well!)

July 12th, 2010

Making our Green Deal booth as green as we can.

Trade shows and networking events are a great way to spread our green message. But if our display doesn’t share those green values, what’s the point? When creating the display for our What’s the Green Deal program at the 2010 EPIC Sustainable Living Show, we wanted it to be 100% Recycled, Recyclable or Reusable.
We had four stories to tell: 1) Introduce the What’s the Green Deal program, 2) Make people aware of our Bring Back the Pack and styrofoam recycling, 3) Profile some of our green products and 4) Showcase our responsible electronics recycling.
Using a combination of custom-built displays and commercially-available ‘green’ booth components we were able to do all that and come pretty close to achieving ‘3-R’ status.
The Panda Banner stands are made from 90% renewable resources (bamboo) and images are printed on cotton fabric utilizing low VOC inks.
The laptop recycling and Bring Back the Pack styrofoam recycling displays were custom made with actual recycled components from our partner, Genesis Recycling. And at the end of the display’s life, all those pieces will be returned to the responsible recycling stream.
The EPIC show was successful for London Drugs. We spoke to a lot of people about What’s the Green Deal, and got TV interviews from Global and CBC. Watch for our display at other community events in the future. And when it’s message becomes outdated, almost every component will be able to be kept out of landfill. That’s a good feeling that lasts long after the tradeshow lights have dimmed.

June 30th, 2010

Green Deal 101: What makes a Green Deal product ‘green’?

Since we started the program in 2008, the list of What’s the Green Deal products has steadily grown as shoppers demand more sustainable options and manufacturers find more ways to make them. So how does a product qualify for a Green Deal sign in your local London Drugs?

When a product is considered, the Green Deal team looks for the following benefits:

Organic Production
Reduced Packaging
Reduced Energy Use
Recyclable Packaging or content
Products that are degradable or compostable
Recycled content in products or packaging
Reduced synthetic chemicals / toxins
Local production
Reduced carbon footprint
Logical environmental advantages (such as rechargeable batteries)
Third-party certification
Self-declared environmental claims
Corporate responsibility

The best recommendation a product can have is third-party certification, such as BC Certified Organic, Transfair or Energy Star. Self-declared claims are also accepted if the product’s package and/or website offer reasonable transparency and support for the claim. We may contact manufacturers directly with specific questions in these cases. We also look at the product relative to others in its category. (If all the products on a shelf have recycled packaging, for instance, it would take more than that alone to qualify for Green Deal status)

Corporate behaviour plays a role, too. Does the manufacturer contribute to environmental or social causes? Are they measuring and working towards reducing their carbon footprint?

Ultimately, ‘green’ is in the eye of the beholder – there is no such thing as a ‘zero-footprint’ product. That’s why What’s the Green Deal is an information program, pointing out product benefits that also have benefits for the environment and leaving the ultimate green shopping decision to you.

We continue to refine and define our What’s the Green Deal process, so if you have feedback on our program or products, we’d love to hear from you. Send us a message on Twitter @WTGreenDeal or leave a comment on this blog.

Because the real Green Deal is what you do with it.

June 29th, 2010

Manufacturers work to reduce packaging on the shelf and behind the scenes.

I always get irritated when I have to buy over-packaged products. But the environmental impacts of excess packaging also happen where we can’t even see them – in manufacturing, shipping and warehousing. That’s why smart companies are working to reduce the amount of material (and air) that they ship with their goods, as well as looking for more recycled and recyclable packaging.
Take the recent redesign of the box for the Braun cruZer razor, which resulted in a package that is 65% smaller and uses 66% less PET plastic. A similar redesign for the Multiquick allowed for 167% more units to be shipped per pallet. This change alone will result in saving of an estimated 480,000 litres of fuel in shipping & handling, representing 1,270 tons of CO2 emissions.
Panasonic has also been working to improve packaging. In 2009 they moved from plastic packs on all SD memory Card models, to 2-ply sealed paper Eco packs, reducing PET plastic used by 90%. The same year, they moved from plastic packs to recycled paper boxes for all DSC batteries and in 2010 will do the same for all Camcorder batteries.
Of course the best packaging is no packaging at all. The Sony Vaio W Series Eco Edition laptop not only has a case made from 20% recycled CD plastic material, it ships in a stylish carry case rather than a disposable cardboard box.
Shipping savings and efficiencies aren’t the only things companies respond to. If you think your favourite product is over-packaged, write to the manufacturer or call their 1-800 customer service line to let them know.

June 21st, 2010

Eco-Flossers help white teeth become greener.

I always wince when my kid has to throw out plastic – even if it’s as small as a disposable flosser. So I was happy to see an alternative, with ECO-flossers from Clean Idea™.
Clean Idea™ products are manufactured with starch-based resins that utilize crops like corn, wheat, tapioca, and potatoes. According to the Clean Idea website, this makes them “biodegradable and compostable, meeting BPI (Biodegradable Products Institute) standards for compostability (ASTM 6400 D99 and ASTM 6868), and European Bioplastics standards (EN 13432).”
Further, the website says, “…in order to achieve “compostable” certification, a plastic product must decompose within 60 to 180 days in a commercial compost facility. Unlike materials designated as biodegradable, those certified as compostable are designed to compost quickly without releasing any toxic residues.”
Even the paper package was a nice change from plastic.
Personally, I use floss from a big roll wrapped around my fingers, but my 10-year old doesn’t quite have the technique yet. These ‘pre-loaded’ flossers really help him get the job done and provide a good portable alternative as well.
So it’s a small green thing. But it makes me smile.

June 7th, 2010

The Green Deal team visits EPIC 2010 – Western Canada’s largest green trade show and eco marketplace.

Picture a huge trade show full of organic, fair trace, recycled and energy-saving products and services. With London Drugs right in the middle of it all.
We assembled a ‘What’s the Green Deal’ booth featuring an exploded laptop, a pile of styrofoam blocks, a shelf of Green Deal products and two eco-friendly banner stands. (In fact, the whole display was reusable, recyclable or made from recycled materials) We had a great time fielding questions, discussing issues and taking a few breaks to sample the other eco-friendly food and bevvies on display. Check out the video!
If you didn’t make it to EPIC Vancouver this year, be sure to mark it in your calendar for 2011.

June 5th, 2010

KINeSYS continues to B even better and greener.

When I interviewed KINeSYS spokesman Rob Takeuchi for the Green Deal blog last year, I was impressed with their commitment to local sourcing and lowering their carbon footprint. For 2010 they’re turning it up a notch further.

KINeSYS has launched two new products with London Drugs this year – both are SPF 50 sprays – both are fragrance-free and one is a product designed specifically for kids, called Funscreen.
“Funscreen is our first formulation to replace one of the basic carriers with a plant derived alternative called Dodecane.” says Rob. “In the long run, plant-derived alternatives may be more sustainable so we feel it is something worth investigating now.”

KINeSYS has also achieved official B Corporation certification. B Corporations are a new type of corporation which uses the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. They must first meet comprehensive and transparent social and environmental performance standards. (find out more at www.bcorporation.net).
Rob is naturally excited.
“I think companies at the forefront of a movement realize fairly quickly that nothing happens in a vacuum and certainly there is strength in numbers.” he says. “Thankfully, there are an increasing number of companies who share this view and based on some of the feedback we have had, many of our customers would agree!”

KINeSYS is featured at London Drugs check-outs this June, and look for it in the sunscreen section and online at londondrugs.com. You’ll be protecting more than your skin.

May 17th, 2010

Spreading the Green Word at Vancouver’s Olympic Village Open House

It was a beautiful day to be hanging out at Vancouver’s newest and (some say) most sustainable neighbourhood. This was the Grand Opening for the Athlete’s Village, and London drugs was there with a booth focused on What’s the Green Deal, and yours truly joining the LD crew behind the table. Come September there will be a new London Drugs right there, giving people shopping options without having to use their cars. In Fact, the whole zone is an extension of Vancouver’s Smart Growth philosophy, letting people live an ‘Urban Village’ lifestyle, with walking, transit and cycling being the main modes of transport.
Interest in the booth was high, with a good number of folks stopping to find out more about Styrofoam recycling, Bring Back the Pack and browsing our display of What’s the Green Deal products. Though many more were interested in entering our contest to win the basket of Green products and the DVD Player/ Flat-screen TV we had running our Green Deal videos.
A few challenged us on our green-ness. One lady felt we were ‘green-washing’ by promoting the GreenWorks line of cleaners from Clorox. Others loved that we recycled Styrofoam, but were disappointed it was only for packaging on purchases from our stores. But still more were impressed to learn how diligent London Drugs is at recycling electronics properly.
By 3:30pm, a boisterous and musical crowd of protesters showed up to show their obvious disappointment at the reduced amount of social housing in the new mix of suites. This provided good entertainment value, but event organizers were not amused.
All in all though, it feels like more and more people are making green shopping decisions, at whatever level is right for them.
My favourite conversation was with a young couple pushing their baby in a stroller, who described themselves as ‘totally green’. “We shop at London Drugs, specifically because of your green programs’ they told me.
Music to my ears.

April 20th, 2010

Green Deal Products for Earth Day are as close as your local LD!

I went down to my local London Drugs (Store #4, Broadway & Cambie, Vancouver) to help build a Green Deal products display for earth day. Did a little shopping, had a little fun, made a little video.
You may be surprised how many green products London Drugs carries – and this video by no means shows all of them.
So if you know anyone who likes to shop green, why not send them this link? It’s a good Green Deal for everybody!

Lorne Craig

How to stay fresh and green in the summer heat.

What’s the Green Deal with Fair Trade Coffee?

Making our Green Deal booth as green as we can.

Green Deal 101: What makes a Green Deal product ‘green’?

Manufacturers work to reduce packaging on the shelf and behind the scenes.

Eco-Flossers help white teeth become greener.

The Green Deal team visits EPIC 2010 – Western Canada’s largest green trade show and eco marketplace.

KINeSYS continues to B even better and greener.

Spreading the Green Word at Vancouver’s Olympic Village Open House

Green Deal Products for Earth Day are as close as your local LD!

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