New Line of Green Beds Inspired by Nature: An Interview with Oscar Valdemoros of Spaldin Sleep Systems

I recently interviewed Oscar Valdemoros, who is the Managing Director of the Spanish company, Industrias Tobia, and the CEO of its North American subsidiary, Spaldin Sleep Systems.

The slogan of Spaldin’s new line of mattresses, now available in Sleepy’s stores and at Sleepy’s.com is European Designed Luxury, Inspired by Nature:

Uniting certified green materials with the most advanced European technology and design, Spaldin offers a luxurious mattress collection that is truly remarkable. These durable plant-based foam mattresses are designed to adapt and support your body contours comfortably to minimize movement while you sleep.  They feature a Nature-inspired open-cell structure that eliminates heat and moisture with better air circulation.

The materials used in Spaldin mattresses have been certified as Oeko-tex 100 Class I: to contain no harmful chemicals and be safe enough “for babies”. When you purchase a Spaldin, you receive a perfect combination of heavenly comfort and high-tech eco-friendly materials – safeguarding your health and the health of our environment.

While his native tongue is Spanish, Valdemoros answered my questions in English far better than I’d be able to answer his the other way around (I thoroughly enjoy speaking Spanish, but my skills are pretty rusty right now).

JLG: How did you become interested in working for a company that makes safe, healthy, chemical-free sleep systems?  For example, was it concern for the health impacts of chemicals? Concern for environmental impacts of harmful chemicals such as flame retardants, which have a history of use by furniture-makers?

“We do not sell mattresses, we sell sleep experiences.”

OV: Spaldin is more than a company for me. This company was started by my grandfather more than 50 years ago and since I was born it has been part of my life. I only joined the company in 2004, when our partner, Metzeler, started to introduce in Europe the new eco-friendly foams. I immediately saw the fit between the two companies, with very similar business conceptions of innovation and care for what we do.  We both aim to make products as if they would be used by us, by our families, and therefore would be human and ecologically respectful. It is something that goes in the philosophy of our company, of our family, not anything that we looked to do for any strategic or commercial reason.

JLG: It’s refreshing to hear that kind of family company-based tradition and personal values reflected in your products. Tell us about the new line of Spaldin mattresses.  What is remarkable about them?

OV: As I said, we care about what we do and that is why we do not only look to save dollars in the materials we use to make our products. We strongly believe in people and that is why we partner with the best companies to source our materials, which are bought based on features, not on price. The result is a premium line of mattresses with the most strict certifications of being healthy and safe from harmful chemicals (Oeko-tex 100, Class I – “safe for babies and small children”), and with the most innovative technology to serve the comfort and well-being of our customers. We do not sell mattresses, we sell sleep experiences.

This new Spaldin line of mattresses has a slogan “European designed luxury, inspired by Nature”. Nothing is more perfect than Nature to provide the inspiration for a product. Selected green materials and the greatest sleep system engineering and design combine to create a premium and luxury line of mattresses with something to offer everybody – with choices of firmness, feel and cost. Among them I would highlight Tubes, “the mattress that breathes”, a worldwide patented technology that makes this mattress probably the best mattress in existence.

The inspiration for Tubes came from appreciation of biomimicry. As a bee, one of the best engineers in Nature, uses natural resources to make the honey comb – one of the most extraordinary designs created by any creature – our best German engineers designed Tubes.  Using green materials and a unique hive-like design, they created a perfect structure that supports and gives the best breathability features of all mattresses.

JLG: That’s quite a claim, and it sounds exciting.  But helping lead the advance toward a more sustainable furniture marketplace can’t be easy.  Tell us a little bit about the challenges you’ve faced.  What’s been easy?  What’s not come as easily? 

OV: The challenges we have to face deal mainly in communication and moving people to understand and believe in what we do, so they do not see this as just a niche market. The main challenge is therefore to reach this vast audience of consumers who state that they would buy green products so long as they do not have to pay more for them.  This requires communication and of course a big effort in our side to design products that meet the criteria even though we pay more money, as I said, for the raw materials. We want people to see that our products are great products for all kinds of people, and that they have been conceived in a way that offers them a luxurious sleep experience, plus contributes to a better world for our children and the children of our children.

JLG: Tell us a little bit about the sustainability of Spaldin and/or Tobia’s everyday operations.  For example, what green products and practices do you use in your facilities and offices, or even your shipping? What business benefits have you realized by using them?

OV: It would be difficult to sort out all our daily operations in terms of the sustainability, since as I said this is something I think each one of the persons that belongs to this company and particularly the management team have inside (their values). They range from the use of recycled paper to the use of recycled iron and PEFC-certified wood for making our beds, to the energy-efficient machinery we employ, to the payment to specialized companies to recycle our waste plastic, cardboard and foam that we separate into special containers at our facilities.

JLG: What’s your vision for the future sustainability of the furniture business in general – for how it can contribute to society’s greater efforts to protect the health of both people and the ecosystems that sustain our well-being?

OV: I think this is a trend nobody can stop. More and more people are aware that we have to take care of the natural heritage we have received if we want our children and the children of our children enjoy of it. This trend, with the help of smart policies and investments by governments, is seriously pushing us towards a sustainable economy.  I hope that in a few years, being sustainable will mean nothing special, but will just be the normal practices in our daily and business lives. This is what we have to push forward and hopefully we at Spaldin and Industrias Tobia are doing our small part towards that dreamed goal.

JLG: Thanks so much, Oscar, for sharing your inspiration and experience in the sustainable furniture business with our readers.

You can find Spaldin mattresses in Sleepy’s Stores throughout the northeast and Midwestern U.S.  You can also purchase them online at Sleepys.com.  

Social Media: Join Spaldin on FaceBook and Twitter for news of discounts, upcoming events and product updates.

Upcoming Events: Bay Area readers can visit Spaldin’s booth at the upcoming Green Festival in San Francisco on November 6-7, 2010 to try a mattress and receive a special coupon.

Jonathan L. Gelbard, Ph.D., Principal at Conservation Value, Inc., is a rare combination of conservation scientist, sustainability expert and communication specialist. He is a remarkable researcher, writer, speaker and problem-solver who excels at serving as a bridge ­ applying the science underlying sustainability to develop cutting-edge solutions. He is currently serving as a sustainability consultant for Spaldin.

Major Investment Bank Completes Uber-Green Renovation Project

When mighty, mega-rich investment banks start going with LEED-Platinum investments to renovate their corporate headquarters, heads turn.

Mine sure did -- here's the good news from The Triple Pundit about Deutsche Bank's newly (and sustainably) renovated headquarters:

Deutsche bank has spent upwards of €20 Million on a complete multi-year renovation project which will earn the company a LEED platinum rating for the million-plus square foot building–a rarity for a large skyscraper and arguably one of the “greenest” corporate headquarters in the world. 

A few facts on the renovation:

+ The thermal concrete mass of the old building is re-used to collect and store heat. This is just the way it was done in ancient times (see your local adobe for more information).

+ Electrical usage will be cut by over 50%. Lighting only comes on when needed and a fascinating intelligent elevator system (the subject of another post) that optimizes routing keeps usage low.

+ Heating energy cut by 2/3. Triple paned windows and excellent insulation combined with a heat exchanger that allows the sun’s energy on the hot side of the building to be transferred to areas of the building that are in the shade. Not only that, but most water will be heated by solar thermal panels.

+ Water use cut by almost 75%. A full greywater system will be in place for the toilets as well as rain catchment.

+ The new building will be 100% hydro powered. (By an agreement with a utility in Austria.)

+ LCD readouts in the elevators will show progress of each floor on meeting goals of energy use. This is especially fun because it allows for poor performing departments to be “called out,” creating informal competition between ares of the bank to use the least resources.

+ Operable windows to charm a banker’s heart. Remember the days when office buildings had operable windows? They’re back. Not only that, but these can be automated from central control if carelessly left open.

+ CO2 reduction will be cut by almost 90%. At the end of the day, an astonishing reduction on CO2 emissions is realized.

As for the payback on the bank’s investment, Noack told us it was definitely sound, but spared us the details on exactly how long the payback might be. That got me thinking that the payback for such an investment is a lot more than purely financial.

Clearly the rest of the return is about image.

There’s a lot of brand value in Deutsche Bank’s twin towers. Selling them and moving – even though Noack mentioned it would have actually been much cheaper to do so – would have resulted in considerable loss to the company’s image and mystique. The company board also saw considerable value in the cachet of being the bank that people might point to and say, “That’s the bank with the green building.” Evidently the value more than justifies €200 Million.

But so what? At the end of the day, one of Germany’s major corporate icons is offering the entire green building movement a huge publicity boost on the back of their own. It represents a great investment in engineering firms, design firms, and construction firms who have now been exposed to greener practices. It’s a real savings of resources and energy, and legitimizes green building in the eyes of the traditionally conservative banking and corporate sectors. Finally, knowing the ego of banks, they’ve issued a challenge for others to follow suit. Will we see Chase and Citibank greening their towers next? Time will tell.

That's my bold-facing above, since one of the most powerful motivating forces encouraging the spread of sustainable practices is seeing others doing it.  I sure hope this high-profile green building turns heads, attracts attention, and generates some copy-cats...

Read more>>
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The Evolution of Innovative Green Brands

Start off your week with a bit of food for thought from GreenBiz.com -- on how Wal-Mart has changed the game in the Green Products marketplace:

Walmart, being the sensible world-dominating company it is, saw a new twist on green that other brands (both the traditional and uber ethical) had missed. In short, green equalled efficient, and efficient equalled money saving.

From lowering energy consumption to "encouraging" suppliers to cut down their packaging, Walmart introduced innovations in products, services and business models that truly broke new ground.

More than any other entity, Walmart convinced shell-shocked traditional brands that they had to get with this green innovation thing.

Today, we are starting to see the results.

There's still plenty not to like about the mega-retailer's impact on the availability of well-paying jobs in the communities where they displace smaller/family-owned shops (among other things). But backed by Satchi and Satchi S, they seem to be leveraging their buying power to really make a difference up and down their supply chain.  I actually have it high on my priority list to dig deeper into what they're doing (and I'll report, from an ecological perspective, as soon as I have time)...

One thing I don't see them doing is offering many products that are old-school durable, helping us get a better bang for our buck, reducing our resource use and waste over time, and saving us time and money buying and replacing our stuff.  So many common consumer products today -- from computers to cell phones to coolers -- start malfunctioning or otherwise fall apart after a year or two, it's pathetic.  Then we have to recycle them -- if they can be recycled -- and most people then burn fossil fuels to go to the store (or to place an order that needs to be shipped from thousands of miles away) to get a new version of that thing from Wal-Mart that's fallen to pieces after just a couple of years.

What are you going to do about that, Wal-Mart?

Read more>>
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Perspective: Sustainability's Fourth Bottom Line

From Triple Pundit -- standing for "people, planet, profit" -- we have this piece on the importance of a fourth "p": Perspective.

The importance of perspective is illustrated through different approaches to increasing profitability.  One approach is reducing costs, but this path has a logical and finite end point — eventually we run out of things to cut and profit plateaus.  The only long-term sustainable approach is strengthening the company’s production and competitive position.

That same logic applies to the “planet” and “people” elements of the triple bottom line.  Reducing carbon emissions, for instance, is important and necessary, but it only takes us so far.  Beyond simply reducing harmful outputs, organizations must improve and strengthen the resiliency of the environment, helping ensure it can withstand and thrive in the face of the threats that accelerating change creates.  Resiliency must be the ability to not only recover from stress but also anticipate and thrive in the face of it. And it is vital for any company that seeks to be truly sustainable in a changing world.

This post reflects sound and smart thinking.  I like the way the author uses examples from GE and the Department of Defense to illustrate how a temporally expanded perspective helps "improve the resiliency, security and economic strength of all the enterprises that embrace it." 

Read the rest>>
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EDF Climate Corps Makes the Business Case for Energy Efficiency Investments

Here's a solute to EDF's Corps for their 2009 achievements:

The EDF Climate Corps program places MBA students from top-ranking business schools in leading companies where they make the business case for energy efficiency investments in office buildings and data centers.

According to the EDF, the 2009 class of 26 Climate Corps fellows uncovered efficiencies in lighting, computer equipment and heating and cooling systems that could:
• Save more than $54 million in net operational costs over the lifetime of the projects;
• Cut the equivalent of 160 million kilowatt hours of energy use annually—enough to power 14,000 homes;
• Avoid 100,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year—equivalent to taking more than 12,000 SUVs off the road.

Granted, those benefits won’t be realized unless the companies participating in the program actually implement the Climate Corps’ recommendations. But, so far, the track record of the program is impressive.

Yet another reminder to those in Congress who think that solving climate change and fostering energy independence is going to ruin our economy.  Get with the program, folks!

Read more>>
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Makower on Good Housekeeping's Green Seal of Approval: Game Changer or Notsomuch?

Joel Makower takes a very interesting inside look at Good Housekeeping's new Green Seal of Approval:

So, will the Good Housekeeping Green Seal help make sense of the eco-label clutter? Yes and no. On the one hand, it seems to be a well-thought-out initiative, done with rigor, responsibility, and a high sense of purpose. The bar seems to be set at a reasonable level: If a product has earned a Good Housekeeping Green Seal, it means something.

But the seal will have limited impact, if only because of its linkage to its magazine advertiser base. (Anyone can have a product evaluated by the Institute for $10,000, but such products aren't allowed to carry the seal unless they first earn the "regular" Good Housekeeping Seal, which inures only to advertisers.) That will be a barrier to all but the largest companies. Indeed, all of the seven products certified to date come from large companies -- six from Clorox, Johnson & Johnson, and SC Johnson (the seventh is from Physicians Formula, a $115 million revenue, Nasdaq-traded company). The big-company limitation will hamstring the seal's ability to gain traction among many green-minded consumers, who may prefer products from any of countless smaller companies.

We here at CVI are huge proponents of independent eco-labels that feature a rigorous process of "policing" the credibility of the New Green Economy by making sure that green products live up to claims of having sustainable production, use and re-use/disposal impacts.  Such labels are crucial for building a solid foundation of trust that our greener choices are making a difference -- that they truly help citizens and businesses, through our everyday choices, reduce habitat destruction, biodiversity loss, greenhouse gas emissions, fresh water depletion, toxic pollution, and solid waste generation.

It seems that while Good Housekeeping's new green seal is an important development, we still need something akin to it's famed credibility that is affordable for smaller green businesses.  After all, it's not just the already huge companies with new green product lines that need this kind of high-profile help gaining the trust of green consumers!

We'll keep you posted on emerging ideas for lowering the cost of green product certification, which is often too great for new and small businesses, as well as for landowners who seek to make a better living by sustainably managing their forests, grasslands, water resources, and other natural assets.  This financial barrier to the proliferation of credibly green products -- that certification costs too much for too many people -- urgently needs to be addressed. 

Read Makower's Story>>
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Musicians Inspiring Fans to Act on Climate Change Solutions

Another Medium ... The Same Message: Action on Climate 

Note: This is a re-post of my new article in the Yale Forum on Climate Change & The Media

In 2007, Live Earth held massive climate change-themed concerts in stadiums around the world. The star-studded shows, broadcast globally, were intended to leverage the power of music to raise awareness, change individual behavior, and increase public pressure for governments to enact solutions.

How did the American public respond to the programming?

Not so well, according to a 2008 study by experts at Yale University, Gallup, and ClearVision Institute. “Live Earth appears to have had no immediate impact on American public opinion as a whole,” the study concluded.

Could it be? With an effort committing untold millions on A-level talent, and with global media coverage, could Live Earth have fallen so short?

With many mainstream news organizations in disarray, musical acts and events are joining with visual artists, sustainability experts, and others in developing greening strategies to educate fans on solutions even as they strive to reduce their own environmental footprints. The fate of Live Earth may offer them a powerful lesson: motivating fans to become a part of climate change solutions takes more than a concert with a cause.

The Times … and the Climate … are a-Changin’

The rising numbers of musicians and event producers who are moving decisively to help fill the science information void resulting from newsroom disruptions couldn’t come at a more critical time. Climate legislation on Capitol Hill is mired in delay, compromise, and needless controversy, leaving some pointing fingers at real and perceived news media shortcomings as responsible for inadequately educating the public on the urgency of the need for solutions. This even as polar ice melt accelerates at eyebrow-raising rates, economic growth remains a hostage of Oil Addiction as Peak Oil looms, and large swaths of the America public remain dangerously clueless about the potentials of - and critical need for - wise investments to jumpstart a new, clean tech-powered economy.

Those old enough will recall well the galvanizing impact of songsters and poets Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Peter, Paul & Mary, Woody Guthrie, and others from the 1960s. Back in the Woodstock Era, artists from Joni Mitchell to Marvin Gaye composed lyrics that are still as relevant now as they were then, such as these from Canned Heat’s “Let’s Work Together”:

Together we’ll stand, divided we’ll fall
Come on now people let’s get on the ball

Can today’s music community again take up its historic mantle as a change maker?

Musicians: What They’re Doing	Messaging Tips For Promoters

For proponents of action, the lyrics of Samantha Stollenwerck’s “Oblivious” may better reflect the challenges that the music community faces in motivating fans to get involved in climate change solutions.
Consider, for example, the results of a recent study finding that 39 percent of Americans cannot accurately name a fossil fuel, nor 51 percent a source of renewable energy. Climate change doubters, in particular, appeared particularly misinformed: 63 percent said drilling offshore and in Alaska would eliminate the need to import oil. That is, of course, a far cry from the estimate of the U.S. Department of Energy that such drilling would constitute about 0.2 percent of world production in 20 years - too small to have a significant effect on oil prices.

The study’s authors concluded that many Americans simply lack the basic knowledge about energy needed to competently influence policy decisions. Their conclusion may not come as much of a surprise to those concerned, given that some of the country’s most pervasive news organizations have inadequately informed the public on energy issues.

Enter into this climate and environmental communications morass increasing elements of the music community, striving to inspire fans to get involved in climate change “solutions.”

But are musicians making a difference? Who are some key players? How are they succeeding? What obstacles are they encountering? And what can they do better?

Rothbury Festival’s ‘Think Tank’ and Greening

Seeing these challenges, Rothbury Festival co-founder Jeremy Stein dreamed up the “Think Tank.” “We’re in a phase where education is most important with the whole greening issue,” Stein said in a July 2009 interview. At the Think Tank, “you can hear some of the most advanced minds in the world talk about where they’re at with this subject … Our speakers … they’re the real doers. I think that resonates a lot, especially with the younger crowd … They want to hear what the real guys are doing.”

Of course, pioneering a “Think Tank” at a music festival - where mostly young audiences come precisely to NOT think - is no easy task. The inaugural 2008 Rothbury event, focused on “Finding Energy
Independence,” included three panels per day, showcasing such sustainability experts as National Academy of Sciences member and Stanford climatologist Stephen H. Schneider, natural capitalist Hunter Lovins, activist Winona LaDuke, educator and climate activist Eban Goodstein, and others (see disclaimer below).

Joined by musicians from performing groups and Rothbury attractions such as Widespread Panic, Spearhead, The Crystal Method, The String Cheese Incident, Citizen Cope, and STS9, panel discussions about climate change solutions, energy independence, and how to motivate change covered a wide range of issues for audiences consisting primarily of “20 somethings.”

Rothbury’s Think Tank

In the July 2009 second Rothbury Festival and its related “Think Tank” - themed “Joining the New Green Economy” - planners had to deal with significant budget cuts resulting from the difficult economic climate and with festival management’s reluctance to spend money on a program whose impact on ticket sales is, to say the least, hard to measure.

After the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) stepped in as a sponsor and saved the Think Tank from possible cancellation, organizers developed a more diverse program designed to reach more fans. They cut panels to two per day - each featuring musical participation, including by members of The String Cheese Incident, Guster, STS9, Railroad Earth, Toubab Krewe, Four Finger Five, and Giant Panda Guerilla Dub Squad. They added components such as interactive skills workshops in green jobs; home energy savings; organic gardening; and what turned out to be a very popular green fashion show.

To reach beyond panels and workshops, Think Tank speakers made daily calls to action from two of the festival’s big stages. Joined by HeadCount, the Think Tank held a “Vote With Your Actions” photo contest - rewarding winning fans with VIP treatment for submitting photos of themselves engaged in green actions, hundreds of which were showcased on FaceBook. To reach fans during musicians’ evening programming, the Think Tank joined forces with Our Future Now to produce inspirational video messages. The 2009 program filmed each panel, and plans are in the works to encourage festival attendees and fans to view and share clips of Think Tank speakers year-round.

Involving more of the Rothbury Festival’s most popular headliners - such as the Dave Matthews Band in 2008 and Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, and The Dead in 2009 - remains a challenge. This is an unfortunate obstacle to reaching more fans, as Think Tank panels featuring the biggest-name musicians have consistently been the best attended.

Singer-songwriter Jack Johnson - letting his lyrics make his case

In many cases, the challenge with such headliners is that their busy touring schedules have them in and out of the Rothbury Festival grounds too quickly to participate. In other cases, an artist comfortable singing or playing into a mic just isn’t big on speaking.

That’s not an uncommon barrier after all. Friends of singer-songwriter Jack Johnson, for example, say he does not feel comfortable preaching, but rather likes to set the example by letting his very impressive green actions and lyrics speak for themselves.

Rothbury Festival organizers say they expect to unveil new program components in 2010 to further tailor the Think Tank to its western Michigan festival setting.

The Path Forward - Partnerships with Experts

They say that even the worst of enemies can dance to the same song. In that context, the music community can be an especially appropriate vehicle for informing the public and inspiring support for bold climate solutions.

Currently, however, many in the music community aren’t actively talking to their fans about climate change. Rather, they are focusing their efforts on greening tours and events to reduce their own environmental and carbon footprints. And in that respect, events from Rothbury to Bonnaroo are making important progress, some quite creatively so. Even for those who are working to educate fans, however, most lack the time and resources needed to measure whether their messaging is motivating action, a key for assuring their time and resources pay off and make a difference.

If they are to achieve their promising potential of having a game-changing measurable impact on advancing climate change solutions, musicians and promoters should aim to pioneer new and innovative partnerships with respected science and policy experts, and also with funders, the latter always a challenge.

There are many promising matches to be made, as partnerships with musicians and major events can offer corporate sponsors valuable branding and public relations benefits. Additionally, these partnerships can provide grant makers with innovative ways to support initiatives that help them achieve their program goals.


Editor’s Note: The author of this piece, Jon Gelbard, was the director of the Rothbury Festival “Think Tanks,” and the editor of The Yale Forum was among the official participants both in 2008 and 2009.

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Jonathan L. Gelbard, Ph.D. is Executive Director of Conservation Value Institute in El Cerrito, CA., which works through its Entertainment Industry Partnerships program to leverage music to inspire fans to act on climate change and sustainability. He produced and directed the Rothbury Think Tank and served as sustainability producer for Green Apple Festival from 2007 – 2009.
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Growing Local Economy & Community - Literally

Joel Makower aglow about a cool business idea called "Sky Vegetables" -- growing food on roofs in cities...

"If you look at how many rooftop spaces are out there that can handle a 10,000 to 40,000 square-foot farm, you just keep adding zeroes to it. The economic potential of what we're doing is mind-blowing. But from a more general perspective, we'd be a catalyst in trying to localize food systems and localize vegetables, and protein perhaps as well."

As one who frowns upon unused roof space as wasted space, I love ideas like this.  As far as I'm concerned, a roof should have either solar panels or a roof garden on it.  Why destroy natural habitats to grow food or set up solar arrays when we have untold millions of acres of roof space that we can use?

Read the full article about Sky Vegetables >>
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Best Practices of Businesses Successfully Profiting From Green Initiatives

More food for thought from Triple Pundit -- this for all you eco-entrepreneurs seeking to do well by doing good...

Some of the keys to green business success:

Prove it, Conclusively! All of the successful green businesses in my network have a marketing plan that “overwhelms” the customer with evidence that their product and company are the “real deal.”

Sounds good to me -- as far as I'm concerned, the production impact, use impact, and re-use potential of products either reduces toxic pollution, habitat destruction, and emissions or it doesn't.  And I want to see proof, from a credible eco-label whose standards reflect the best science on the subject, be it sustainable forest management, materials toxicity, etc.

The next killer app for sustainability is price competitiveness. As a professional economist I inserted green price parity into my economic analysis and generated a stunning forecast of a $10 TRILLION global revenue sustainable economy by approximately 2017. I am seeing this green price competitiveness now emerging in all areas of our economy from sheet rock to solar to fast foods. Achieving the price-competitive killer app in sustainability is the key ingredient of The Secret Green Sauce™ that will provide us with restored employment, business profitability and a sustainable environment.

Couldn't agree more -- the sooner green products become priced more competitively (and they are), and we can shed the image of green products as more expensive (still the case too often, though it's getting better and better), the better.  Especially in this economy.

Studies show that given the choice between similarly priced items, consumers will choose the greener option.  Especially if it means it's the "safer" option, and the more efficient option (lower operating cost).  If it's legitimate, that option will use more sustainably produced materials (that don't for example, will come from destroying virgin forests), will be less toxic to people and planet alike, will emit fewer emissions, and it's end of life will be cradle to cradle or biodegradable.  And for us here at CVI, it's credibly achieving these outcomes that really benefit people and the earth that matters.
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Meet the CEO of a Company That Slashed Greenhouse Gas Emissions By 82% and Saw Profits Double

GreenBiz.com today featured a fascinating interview with Ray Anderson, the CEO of Interface Carpeting.  Since 1994, Anderson has lead the company as it has:

• cut its greenhouse gasses by 82 percent, 
• cut its fossil fuel consumption by 60 percent, 
• reduced its waste by 66 percent, and
• slashed its water use by 75 percent. 

What's been the impact on Interface purely from a business standpoint?

The impact on the business, says Anderson, has been to see sales increase 60 percent and profits double.

"The waste elimination effort alone," says Anderson, "the first face of Mount Sustainability, has produced over $400 million in waste avoidance, cost avoidance, which has more than paid for all the rest of the sustainability initiative, so sustainability for us has been self-funding. Our products are the best they've ever been."

Now that's Conservation Value!  How about the benefits to his employees' morale and company's image?  Says Anderson:

"Our people are galvanized around this shared higher purpose.

Maslow said it along time ago. At the top of this pyramid of human needs is this need for self-actualization and that translates into being associated with a higher purpose, and that has brought our people together in ways we would've never imagined and enabled us to hire better people too. I mean, people are seeking out Interface not because we make carpets, but because we're changing the way everything is made and creating the example.

And finally the goodwill of the marketplace has just been astonishing. There's no amount of marketing, of clever promotions, anything we could've done at any cost that would've created the goodwill that this initiative has."

You can read Marc Gunther's full interview of Ray Anderson here...

Vote for Top Game-Changer in Green

Here's an inspiring and fun read at Huffington Post, where you can read about what the "Top Game-Changers in Green" are up to.

A big thanks to these good folks for bringing us things like Carrot Mobs (which reward top green businesses for their choices via a "buycot" -- bringing them mobs of buyers) and Treehugger.com (one of my favorite sites to read daily).

These game-changers are making greener choices more accessible and more lucrative -- and that's what we here at CVI are all about.

--Jon Gelbard

Thoughts On Accountability and Opportunity As the Credit Crisis Slows Investment in Clean Energy Development

I just finished reading this post on Grist and a N.Y Times article that it links to about the credit crisis slowing investment in clean energy development, and I’ve gotta say – I’m pretty hoppin’ mad. As one of the sources cited in The Times piece acknowledged:

"financing for carbon-cutting projects is harder to find and...financiers (are) more cautious than before the crunch."

Reading this N.Y. Times expose last weekend detailing how the Bush Administration's policy blunders and negligence on oversight have brought us to this point didn’t exactly help me feel better. Lovely – thanks for bringing us to the verge of another Panic of 1873. As top market analysts have stated:

"We still don't know the extent of the damage still coming from Lehman. But we do know that the federal government has made it so we are all afraid. That's not going away. My hope is this -- new president, better team." - Jim Cramer, TheStreet.com

"Recessions are simply part of the business cycle... Depressions are caused by governments making major policy mistakes. And we have made some in the areas of not regulating mortgage lending, allowing the five large investment banks to increase their leverage to 30 or 40 to one in 2004 (what was the SEC thinking?), and failing to oversee the rating agencies." - John Maudlin, Thoughts from the Frontline Weekly Newsletter, 10/10/2008

While other sources in the articles about impacts of the credit crisis on clean energy investment fortunately remained optimistic - as do I - one thing that leaves me at a loss of words as I consult with top sources to understand both the problem and the best potential solutions is this: where is the accountability?

Name me one person charged by the Administration with overseeing Wall Street and the economy who’s been fired, reprimanded, transferred, tarred and feathered, or forced to eat McDonalds for 30 days straight… Or who’s stood up to bravely take the heat for our government’s gross mismanagement of its oversight of the financial system.

Granted, we’re about to have a big national accountability moment in a few weeks – on November 4th. I’m a registered independent – I vote by issues not by party. But there’s no way that if this was a Democratic administration and a Republican Congress, Congress wouldn’t be screaming like Puritans at the Salem Witch Trials for heads to be rolling and people to go to jail.

As the credit crisis slows investment needed to fuel clean energy and energy efficiency projects – the seeds of the emerging green economy that YOU are helping give birth to if you’re reading this blog – it’s time to get vocal and (1) demand some accountability here, and (2) step up to become part of the greater policy solution. Aside from our work advancing green living and business solutions and voting, we need to write to and meet with our local, state, and federal representatives – and make sure that the best ideas for how to green the recovery, from a ‘100 Days of Climate (and Energy) Action’ to ‘Green Collar Jobs', to how to gain ‘Freedom from Oil’ to 'Plan B' and 'Natural Capitalism' (among my favorites), are actually incorporated into legislation. We need to become active in the policy arena, as Focus the Nation leader, Eban Goodstein, emphasizes.

What steps to you recommend right now to help America and the world turn this crisis into the opportunity we’ve been waiting for: to gain major policy victories that propel us into the next – green-powered – economy?

Food Service Providers (and Beyond): Too Often, Still Clueless About Sustainability

Most of the time when I get a cup of coffee at a café, it's no sweat when I ask them to fill my steel mug rather than use their disposable cup. The attendant gladly fills the mug, and just about always gives me some kind of discount of a dime to a quarter (occasionally more).

Sometimes however, usually at places like an airport café, on an airplane, or at any range of coffee-selling places that are not the typical coffee house, the attendant will either refuse to fill my mug, or will do something completely stupid like pour the coffee into a disposable cup, pour it from the cup into my mug, and then throw the disposable cup into the garbage.

What is it with these people?

I’m guessing that their problem is simple lack of education at two levels.

At one level, many of these folks, working in places like an airport Duncin’ Donuts, are not very well-off and have been concerned with just surviving for most of their lives. Sustainability is the last thing to come to the forefront of their attention. They have learned to do what they are told to make sure they get a paycheck. When they see something a little bit out of their norm, such as a green citizen bringing their own mug to save a little paper or plastic, and it doesn’t cleanly fit into the “small”, “medium” or “large” category, they either refuse to do it, or have to make sure they serve the “right” amount of coffee by measuring it out in a disposable cup.

When I politely ask them to please not do that and try to help by telling them how many ounces my mug is (or just ask them to “please save yourselves a cup pour it into my mug – everybody else does”), these types of folks usually get angry and refuse to serve me coffee unless they use the disposable cup.

The best solution, I have found, is simply to explain what I’m doing, walk away for a few moments, and then come back and try a different attendant, who is usually fine. It’s usually just that one person’s ignorance (and stubbornness) that is the problem. Sometimes, it’s a bad manager who doesn’t have a clue and holds their employees to these dumb rules. But they’re out there. Those people whose way of doing things is just so far removed from the green revolution, and so stuck to wasteful, inefficient routines, that it makes those of us who take pride in living more sustainably wince.

At a second level, many of these folks are just not receiving the proper (if any) corporate education in (1) how to use efficient sustainable practices and (2) why these practices are important for benefiting the company’s bottom line (and, when used at home, help save money). The company is not adequately (if at all) making sure that efficient green practices – from knowing how to handle somebody who brings their own mug, to recycling, to using materials efficiently (I don’t need a bag for a single pack of gum or 12 napkins for my small fries), to using energy and water efficiently – are properly ingrained in the training of its employees.

Too often, I still find that we have a long way to go before internal corporate sustainability training – of employees in how to live and work and use resources in a smart, efficient manner – becomes ingrained at the mainstream level. Then again, too often, when visiting friends and family outside of my little green bubble, even the most basic of green (and often money-saving) products and practices have yet to be put to use. What will it take for this to change?

Best Greenwash-Spoofing Cartoon Ever?

I posted this cartoon with yesterday's news, but it's just too good to not post a bigger version...

Of course, the problem - and environmental impact - of greenwashing is very serious. If the company's claim of "environmentally friendly" is merely meant to boost sales, the only thing green about the product is the profits the false marketing is bringing to the company.

What's the solution? To make sure that the production or use of the green products you buy is truly sustainable, make sure they are certified by a reputable eco-label.

I'll be keeping a sharp eye on the validity of established and new eco-labels, from organic to sustainably harvested.

Eco-Labeled Coffee - To Reduce Environmental Impact, Make Sure It's 'Shade Grown'

While buying "Organic" and "Fair Trade"-labeled coffee helps reduce pesticide pollution and support the economic well being and health of farmers, only "Shade Grown"-labeled coffee actually helps protect biodiversity.

Such were the findings of a study conducted by researchers from the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, titled "Field Testing Ecological and Economic Benefits of Coffee Certification Programs", published in the August, 2007 issue of the scientific journal, Conservation Biology.

As the authors note:

"We found no differences in vegetation characteristics, ant or bird species richness, or fraction of forest fauna in farms based on (Fair Trade and Organic) certification"

"...vegetation variables for shade certification significantly correlated with bird and ant diversity."

Thus, they conclude that:

"Working toward triple certification (organic, fair trade, and shade-grown) at the farm level may enhance biodiversity protection, increase benefits to farmers, and lead to more successful conservation stragtegies in coffee-growing regions."

I am a huge fan (and shameless addict) of good coffee, always buy organic, and buy triple-certified whenever possible. It's great to see studies like this, which are badly needed to help test and verify the ecological validity of environmental claims made by the increasing (and somewhat overwhelming) array of eco-labels.

This study's findings regarding the positive effects of shade-grown coffee on biodiversity are similar to those that have been observed by previous studies - and thus reflect a growing body of science that documents the benefits of buying "shade grown". The biodiversity benefits of Organic and Fair Trade coffee (which do have well-documented social, health, and soil/water quality benefits), have proven less consistent.

The take home message here: if you want to make sure that your coffee not only (1) won't contain nasty toxic pesticide residues and won't pollute local soils and waterways (organic) and the (2) farmer receives a fair price (Fair Trade), but also (3) has minimal impacts on the biological diversity of tropical rainforests, make sure it is labeled as "Shade Grown".

Mainstream Green Examined

This week's LOHAS weekly email just arrived, and contains a neat little article detailing results from the Natural Marketing Institute's (NMI) LOHAS Consumer Trends Database™, an annual study of the U.S. general population regarding all facets of green consumerism (LOHAS stands for "Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability -- a prominent green marketplace segment).

It's a nice, positive story to take you into the weekend:

According to NMI’s LOHAS Business Director Gwynne Rogers, “In addition to green benefits, many LOHAS-related products and services are now balancing their offering with conventional benefits that appeal to a wider consumer base. For example, some consumers are motivated to purchase hybrid cars in order to save money on gasoline, with environmental impact being a secondary or feel good benefit.”

Sales of other green products have also increased due to declining price premiums (such as the case of renewable power) and improved product performance (for natural household cleaning products). In addition, LOHAS products are also becoming more convenient to purchase thereby requiring fewer trips to specialty retailers. Recycled paper products are widely available at stores such as Office Depot and Staples. And big box home improvement stores are selling natural and organic lawn care products among other eco-related items.

NMI believes that the continued growth of green and socially-conscious products will be based on the ability of product and service manufacturers to provide this suite of balanced benefits to consumers. Providing “green” benefits is an important differentiation and provides meaningful value to consumers, but many consumers expect additional (or at least comparable) performance. Particularly for manufacturers who need to achieve a larger critical mass in the market, targeting not only LOHAS consumers but also NATURALITES may be needed, which elevates the importance of products and services being able to communicate the optimal mix of both green and conventional benefits. As such, finding such a “sweet spot” is vital to the success of many green initiatives.

As a life-long conservationist, I marvel everyday at seeing "green" being as hot as it's ever been. It's great that as green products become more and more abundant, easy to find and buy, and easy to afford, people are finding that they benefit not just the environment, but also their finances, health, and quality of life. It's also fascinating to watch as marketers push the full suite of these benefits to appeal to more and more segments of the population.

There is, of course, a real danger that the desire to continue this mainstream push by searching for a "sweet spot" between environmental friendliness and improved performance ends up generating a flood of greenwashing: products that are green in name and marketing only; whose production and use don't really help curtail such human environmental impacts as climate change, toxic pollution, and deforestation.

Let's hope that instead, this mainstream push inspires creative new approaches for making the products that are best for the environment also the best in terms of whatever their target users most value - be it price or overall quality. With critical environmental problems such as climate change and deforestation accelerating, and Peak Oil drawing ever nearer, we need this kind of visionary innovation in the marketplace more than ever.

High Sierra Music Festival, Local Farmers Partner to Reduce Waste, Save Money

Note: Here is a short press release about a project that I am proud to have both organized and been a part of. - JLG

Compost Effort Keeps Over 2 Tons of Fruit and Vegetable Waste Out of Landfill, Provides Farmers With Free Feed and Fertilizer

Quincy, CA (July 20, 2007) -- High Sierra Music Festival , which took place July 5-8 at Plumas County Fairgrounds in Quincy, today announced the final results of their pilot composting program. The festival partnered with local area farmers to keep organic scrap by-products created by its food vendors out of the landfill.

In total, approximately 850 gallons of fruit and vegetable waste were kept out of the landfill by the composting team. The team included festival officials, along with conservation biologist, Jon Gelbard of Conservation Value, Bob Hollis of the California Resource Recovery Association, farmers Noel Carlson and Jim Holst of the Quincy Grange, Regional Grange Deputy, Ken Donnell, and Nick Aster of The Triple Pundit.

After setting up clearly marked compost bins behind the festival’s food courts, Gelbard informed food vendors of where to dispose of their surplus organic materials (meats excluded – to avoid attracting bears to the farmer’s compost pile). Gelbard, Hollis and Aster then monitored bin levels to see how quickly they were filling up.

Once the bins were close to being full, the team would contact farmers Carlson and Donnell to let them know the team was “on” for their pre-arranged evening pick-up. Upon arriving at the festival, Carlson’s blue truck was escorted to the pick-up site, where the group and festival officials used a fork lift to retrieve the bins and dump the contents into the back of the truck. From there, Carlson transported the mixture of mostly fruit and vegetable materials back to her Quincy-area farm, where it was mixed into the operation’s compost pile. The bounty of resulting compost – whose production saved the festival money on waste disposal – will help improve pasture for the Carlson’s locally-grown Icelandic lamb and wool, marketed under the Holst Station label.

The festival also introduced the use of biodegradable food utensils this year, and hopes to expand the program to all vendors for 2008.

“It’s a wonderful relationship we’ve seeded this year”, said Debbie Crockett of High Sierra Music Festival. “We are deeply grateful for the support of these Quincy area farmers, and look forward to exploring ways to grow this relationship in 2008.”

“This is yet another example of how business and land management practices that are good for the environment can also benefit local farms and communities. We started with organic waste that the festival would have had to pay to send to the landfill. But instead, we worked together to cut these disposal costs, and turn this waste into both free feed for farm animals and free compost that is being used to help restore a farm’s topsoil from historic mining damage.” said conservation biologist, Jon Gelbard of Conservation Value.

"The Grange is thrilled to be involved with this composting program and the High Sierra Music Festival. This composting program fits perfectly with the California Grange's goal of "Helping Farmers, Protecting Consumers™", and is a perfect example of thinking globally, acting locally,” said Regional Grange Deputy, Ken Donnell.

“All of the folks helping with the festival were great to work with! I’m looking forward to meeting up with them again in 2008. For an event of this size, the organization and logistics were fantastic. Our Icelandic sheep and American Guinea hogs thank High Sierra too—they dug for buried treasures in the compost pile and were totally in love with the oranges and cabbages,” said farmer Noel Carlson.

“This was a great project to demonstrate sustainable community practices, which is part of the mission of the Quincy Grange”, said farmer and Quincy Grange member, Jim Holst.

“It’s great that the High Sierra Music Festival took the initiative to implement a composting program this year. I hope that other groups who use the Plumas County Fairgrounds will follow this example. It was wonderful working with the local members of the Quincy Grange in support of sustainable farming,” said recycling expert, Bob Hollis

The festival looks forward to exploring ways to expand the operation in 2008, including by providing recycling bins for bio-degradable food utensils and possibly by providing compost bins for all festival goers.

About High Sierra Music Festival (www.highsierramusic.com): High Sierra Music has been producing world-class music festivals since 1991. An independent production company based in Berkeley, CA, the organization was founded with the first High Sierra Music Festival, its cornerstone event that takes place every July 4th weekend in Northern California, and remains committed to its grassroots origins by drawing support from its loyal community of patrons, staff, volunteers and non-corporate sponsors.

Press Contacts

High Sierra Music Festival (www.highsierramusic.com): Debbie Crocket 510-420-1529 debbie@highsierramusic.com

Conservation Value (www.ConservationValue.org): Jonathan Gelbard, Ph.D. 510-898-4895 jon@conservationvalue.org

California Resource Recovery Association (www.crra.com): Bob Hollis, (916) 717-8108 rhollis@carnegiepartners.com

Holst Station Farm (www.holststation.com): Noel Carlson & Jim Holst (530) 283-2414 noel_carlson@hotmail.com

California State Grange – (www.californiagrange.org): Ken Donnell, Deputy for Region 6 of the California State Grange: kdd@frontiernet.net
... 

Goldman Sachs Report: Stocks of Companies That Implement Sustainable Practices Perform Better

This is my favorite kind of Conservation Value story: a new report from Goldman Sachs details significant findings regarding the business value of sustainability.

Fresh off the GreenBuzz newsletter:

A report released at the (UN Global Compact Leaders Summit in Geneva) summit by Goldman Sachs (Download-PDF) showed that among six sectors covered -- energy, mining, steel, food, beverages, and media -- companies that are considered leaders in implementing environmental, social and governance (ESG) policies to create sustained competitive advantage have outperformed the general stock market by 25 per cent since August 2005.

The argument that doing what's right for the environment harms the economy continues to crumble.

Accountability of Ecosystem Impacts in the Green Products Market

As an ecologist, when I see "green" products, services and practices, it means one of four things to me, in terms of real impacts on the health of ecosystems:

1. The product's production impact is sustainable. For example, "certified" wood products should be produced via reclaimed wood or wood that is, following the best advice of scientists, from trees that have been sustainably logged. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, as demonstrated by the big difference in the sustainability of logging practices allowable by the similar sounding labels, "Forest Stewardship Council" (FSC) and "Sustainable Forestry Initiative" (SFI).

In other examples:

• If I go to a ranch that boasts producing "sustainably raised" meats, I will find healthy native vegetation, soils, and streams, not a mess of weeds, eroding soils, and degraded muddy streams that smell of cattle excrement. Unfortunately, I have seen the latter more than once.
  
• "Recycled" paper should be made from a significant (e.g., at least 30%) amount of post-consumer content and should really help reduce deforestation and resulting biodiversity loss.
  
• "Organic" crops should be produced without toxic pesticides that harm soil and water quality and threaten the health of fish and wildlife (and people!)
  

2. The product's use impact is sustainable. For example, the product produces clean energy (and thus little pollution), is energy and fuel-efficient (and thus produces little in the way of carbon emissions and other pollution), or non-toxic (and thus won't harm the environment, the kids, or Fido). Examples include renewable energy products, energy-efficient appliances (e.g., EnergyStar certified), clean vehicles, and safe, non-toxic household cleaners.

3. The product's re-use potential is sustainable. In other words, the product is re-usable, "Cradle to Cradle" certified, or biodegradable/compostable. Examples include something simple like a canvas shopping bag, as well as computers and appliances whose manufacturers will take them back at the end of their life to re-use whatever parts and materials they can. Or plastic plates and cuttlery are made out of biodegradable materials. Such products help save land by (1) reducing the amount of waste going into landfills and (2) reducing our need to log/harvest/mine raw materials for use in manufacturing. They help people and businesses save money by reducing our waste disposal costs (among other ways!).

4. The claim is "greenwashing". If it doesn't fit into one of the above 3 categories, the claim of eco-friendliness is probably false. Veritable bullshit.

Numerous eco-certification systems and eco-labels have cropped up to help consumers sort through and verify claims that a product or service is "sustainable". So many that we now even need resources like Consumer Reports' "Eco-Labels" web site just to help us sort through which eco-labels are legitimate!

I'm happy to see this type of independent verification of the true ecological sustainability of "green" prroducts and services starting to happen in the carbon market. I've always worried about whether when people or businesses claim they are going "carbon neutral" by offsetting a given amount (lbs or kg) or carbon emissions, that the "offsets" they purchase so they can make this claim are really accomplishing reductions in carbon emissions equivalent to the amount they are emitting. Is an online purchase of "carbon credits" from right here in my office, a little Tea Leaf Green playing on my computer, really equivalent to the amount of carbon emissions that I am paying to offset? How can I know and receive assurances that this invisible "product" is the amount of carbon savings that I am paying for? It seems efforts are well underway toward providing such assurances. A few recent articles and reports on the matter:

• The Center for Resource Solutions new certification system - Ecosystem Marketplace
• Are Carbon Offsets More Than Hot Air - Joel Makower
• Report Rating Carbon Offset Providers
• Voluntary Carbon Markets: A Business Guide to What They Are and How They Work
  

It's a good thing. Because as the New York Times reminded us today with "The Cost of An Overheated Planet", and as I heard firsthand this past April at the World Wildife Fund's Global Climate Camp, reducing our carbon emissions is an urgent matter. We need to take it seriously and make sure that when we buy a carbon offsetting product with the intention of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to compensate for those we are creating, we are getting what we pay for.

To prevent the rising sustainability trend from disappearing in a flash of confusion and deceipt, the same need applies to verifying the ecological sustainability of "green" products and services across the board.

Guster's Eco-Friendly Tour - Spreading Sustainability's Benefits to the Masses

It's not just big publications like Vanity Fair, Wired and the New York Times that are propelling the importance of sustainability into the public consciousness.

It's the ever-powerful and high profile music industry, with a long list of artists (e.g., Jack Johnson, Dave Matthews, Bob Weir, Bonnie Rait, The Everyone Orchestra, ALO), promoters (e.g., of the first ever Green Apple Music Festival) and publications (e.g., JamBase and Relix) contributing to the cause.

Now comes word of a new effort by the band, Guster:

Guster’s Adam Gardner and his wife, Lauren Sullivan have created the first annual “Campus Consciousness Tour,” a project of their environmental non-profit, Reverb.

The Campus Consciousness Tour’s aim is to educate, inspire, and activate students, and above all leave a positive impact on each community and college/university that the tour reaches.

In addition to Guster’s show, the tour will feature:

Eco-Friendly Tour:
• Thanks to our partner NativeEnergy, each concert will be offset by wind power, neutralizing carbon emissions. For info on how you can offset your own power use, go to www.NativeEnergy.com/guster.
• CCT will be partnering with the National Biodiesel Board to fill the tour buses with biodiesel fuel. Our goal is to use 100% biodiesel for the tour. For more info about biodiesel, click here.

For more information, click here!