I have been critical of Method for not putting their money where their mouth is and for sometimes taking ownership of other’s achievements. I tended to favor 7^th Gen and their transparency policy, mainly by disclosing all their ingredients and being a pioneer of Corporate Social Responsibility under Jeffrey Hollender’s leadership.

In our efforts to promote sustainable practices along with bringing to market safe, potent and natural products, calling on companies that best represent this effort is not always well regarded but I feel it is a as important as singling out the dirty ones.

So it is time to praise Method for stepping up not only for greening their household and personal care product lines, but also for being a leading socially responsible company.

Method: green and sustainable.

Kudos to the skippers, good cops and others for formulating greener and greener products. Kudos to the leadership team for disclosing the ingredients in all of Method product lines. Kudos to the green giants and others for lowering Method’s environmental footprint. And kudos to everyone for building successful partnerships. And that is probably what will set Method apart from their competitors – this and retaining talents – in years to come, which has become an increasingly important success factor in the FMCG space that requires a constant input of creativity. When Clorox and P&G buy a brand to grow their market share or reach, Method seems to have chosen to partner with topnotch experts and suppliers to expand their own. And it seems to add considerable value to the organization as this network of top green and sustainability experts, researchers and scientists are helping them stay on tracks, reach their sustainability goals, lower their environmental footprint and create even better products.

Method: a key member of the B-Corp family

One action is quite telling of the company’s mission and values – and to be honest, triggered this post. Assemblyman Huffman introduced a bill earlier this year that will establish a new form of corporate entity known as Benefit Corporation. There are probably over 100,000 businesses that operate on the principles in the country and California is home to the largest concentration of these companies that measure their performance not just by the money they make but also by their environmental and social impact. If passed, California would be the 5^th state to enact such legislation. There has been tremendous support for it, with many investors, businesses and other professionals rallying to Sacramento to show their support and offer their own testimony, a major factor in convincing committees. One company has answered Erik Trojian’s call every time and to add their voice to hearings both in the Assembly and in the Senate: Method and Ryan Williams’ (Method’s Good Cop) testimony was very compelling in passing the Senate Banking and Financial Institutions Committee yesterday.
In the photo: First row in light grey business suit A. Jared Huffman, far left Erik Trojian, B-Corp Policy Director, last row, third from right Adam Lowry, first from right, Marc Thibault. Click to enlarge.

So my hat off to you all at Method Home and thank you for stepping up and showing you are more than a branding genius.

Summer is coming, you need an anti-mosquito plan. Here is an easy solution using simple ingredients and a 2 quarts plastic bottle:
- 7 oz of hot water
- 1.75 oz of brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon of yeast
Cut the bottle in half. Keep both ends. Mix brown sugar with hot water, let it cool down. Add the liquid into the lower half of the bottle. Add the yeast, no need to mix. Put the upper half with the neck down in the lower half. Wrap the trap with a black sheet, do not cover the top.
Place the trap out of reach of children
Pictures here.

Happy new year everyone

There is one aspect of my job that I love beyond measure is that it gives me the opportunity to meet truly passionate individuals and groups, and let me underline a crucial point here, passionate entrepreneurs are often reasonable and progressive. These are actually three main traits that characterize successful entrepreneurs. The type of entrepreneurs that I have been meeting in the last three years shares this in common: they are very attune with their environment and the impact they have on the economy, society and environment, at any level. They are progressive, triple bottom line focused, social and environmental entrepreneurs, and one thing they will not compromise on is their values and code of ethics. I have discovered over this weekend this applies to organic medical marijuana outdoor growers as well. Continue Reading »

From our friends at Oceana
Oceana Applauds Commitment to New Analysis for Shell’s Plans to Drill in the Beaufort Sea, Calls for Better Science and Preparedness Before New Leasing

December 1, 2010

Contact: Michael LeVine ( mlevine@oceana.org )
Will Race ( wrace@oceana.org )

Anchorage, AK – Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar announced an updated strategy for the Bureau of Ocean Management, Regulation, and Enforcement’s (BOEMRE) management of offshore oil and gas activities. The announcement contains some good news for the Arctic: the agency will prepare new environmental analyses for Shell’s proposal to drill in the Beaufort Sea in 2011 with opportunity for public review and comment; and it will enter an agreement to collaborate with NOAA on future planning decisions. In addition, however, DOI has included the Chukchi and Beaufort seas as areas to be considered for future leasing in 2012-17 and stated that it will honor existing leases, which could include those purchased under Chukchi Lease Sale 193.

“The Obama administration took some important steps forward today,” according to Oceana Pacific Director, Susan Murray. “By rejecting Shell’s proposal to rush forward, BOEMRE has the opportunity to get better science and learn from what happened in the Gulf before allowing drilling in the Beaufort Sea.” Continue Reading »

For the complete story click here

We, scientists from a variety of disciplines, declare the following:

1. Parties to the Stockholm Convention have taken action on three brominated flame retardants that have been listed in the treaty for global elimination. These substances include components of commercial penta-bromodiphenyl ether and commercial octa-bromodiphenyl ether, along with hexabromobiphenyl. Another brominated flame retardant, hexabromocyclododecane, is under evaluation.
2. Many commonly used brominated and chlorinated flame retardants 
can undergo long-range environmental transport.
3. Many brominated and chlorinated flame retardants appear to be persistent and bioaccumulative, resulting in food chain contamination, including human milk.
4. Many brominated and chlorinated flame retardants lack adequate toxicity information, but the available data raises concerns.
5. Many different types of brominated and chlorinated flame retardants have been incorporated into products even though comprehensive toxicological information is lacking.
6. Brominated and chlorinated flame retardants present in a variety of products are released to the indoor and outdoor environments.
7. Near-end-of-life and end-of-life electrical and electronic products are a growing concern as a result of dumping in developing countries, which results in the illegal transboundary movement of their hazardous constituents. These include brominated and chlorinated flame retardants.
8. There is a lack of capacity to handle electronic waste in an environ-mentally sound manner in almost all developing countries and countries with economies in transition, leading to the release of hazardous substances that cause harm to human health and the environment. These substances include brominated and chlorinated flame retardants.
9. Brominated and chlorinated flame retardants can increase fire toxicity, but their overall benefit in improving fire safety has not been proven.
10. When brominated and chlorinated flame retardants burn, highly toxic dioxins and furans are formed.

Therefore, these data support the following:

11. Brominated and chlorinated flame retardants as classes of 
substances are a concern for persistence, bioaccumulation, long-range transport, and toxicity.
12. There is a need to improve the availability of and access to information on brominated and chlorinated flame retardants and other chemicals in products in the supply chain and throughout each product’s life cycle.
13. Consumers can play a role in the adoption of alternatives to harmful flame retardants if they are made aware of the presence of the substances, for example, through product labeling.
14. The process of identifying alternatives to flame retardants should include not only alternative chemicals but also innovative changes in the design of products, industrial processes, and other practices that do not require the use of any flame retardant.
15. Efforts should be made to ensure that current and alternative chemical flame retardants do not have hazardous properties, such as mutagenicity and carcinogenicity, or adverse effects on the reproductive, developmental, endocrine, immune, or nervous systems.
16. When seeking exemptions for certain applications of flame retardants, the party requesting the exemption should supply some information indicating why the exemption is technically or scien-tifically necessary and why potential alternatives are not technically or scientifically viable; a description of potential alternative processes, products, materials, or systems that eliminate the need for the chemical; and a list of sources researched.
17. Wastes containing flame retardants with persistent organic pollutant (POP) characteristics, including products and articles, should be disposed of in such a way that the POP content is destroyed or irreversibly transformed so that they do not exhibit the charac-teristics of POPs.
18. Flame retardants with POP characteristics should not be permitted to be subjected to disposal operations that may lead to recovery, recycling, reclamation, direct reuse, or alternative uses of the substances.
19. Wastes containing flame retardants with POP properties should not be transported across international boundaries unless it is for disposal in such a way that the POP content is destroyed or 
irreversibly transformed.
20. It is important to consider product stewardship and extended 
producer responsibility aspects in the life-cycle management of products containing flame retardants with POP properties, including electronic and electrical products.

Read

From Megan Schwarzman, (PI), MD, MPH, Research Scientist at the UC, Berkeley School of Public Health

UC Berkeley and NRDC publish a report from the Breast Cancer and Chemicals Policy Project
Although breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer and death in women, even the small numbers of chemicals that undergo safety testing are not routinely evaluated for their impacts on mammary (breast) tissue. The Breast Cancer and Chemicals Policy Project was conceived to address this issue by developing a toxicity testing approach for screening and identifying chemicals linked to the disease. This project followed the recommendations of the NAS report, Toxicity Testing in the 21st century by promoting the use of rapid, cell-based tests to detect early (upstream) indicators of the disease.

An expert panel of 20 scientists and policy experts investigated the biological mechanisms associated with breast cancer and developed a testing strategy for screening and identifying chemicals that could increase the risk of the disease. Download the report here: http://coeh.berkeley.edu/greenchemistry/cbcrp.htm

A brief description of the project and its findings is attached here.  Your comments and feedback on the report are welcome.
In addition, Sarah has posted a blog about the project here: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/sjanssen/breast_cancer_and_the_environm.html
Meg Schwarzman and Sarah Janssen
Co-Directors, Breast Cancer and Chemicals Policy Project

Just making sure you all know where I stand on this and what you should vote.

If you need a good reason, click here

AFN Calls for Action to Advance Resolution in Canada

OTTAWA, July 29 /CNW Telbec/ – The Assembly of First Nations welcomes the United Nations General Assembly resolution declaring clean water and sanitation to be a human right. More than 124 Nations voted yesterday for the resolution brought forward by the country of Bolivia. 884 million people around the world still suffer from a lack of access to drinking water.

“This is welcome news for First Nations people and communities who are struggling to access safe drinking water and sanitation,” said National Chief Shawn A-in-chut Atleo. “This resolution establishes new international standards and, in affirming that clean water and sanitation are a basic human right, compels Canada to work with First Nations to ensure our people enjoy the same quality of water and sanitation as the rest of Canada.”

As of June 2010, 114 First Nations communities across the country were under Drinking Water Advisories and 49 First Nations water systems were classified as “high risk”. Some of these communities have been under a Drinking Water Advisory for 10 years or longer.

“The situation facing First Nations would not be tolerated in any other community or city in Canada,” National Chief Atleo stated. “It is shameful that these conditions are allowed to fester in a country as rich as Canada. This is about nothing less than the health and safety of First Nations children. It is time to act to address longstanding inequity in infrastructure and training to enhance and support safe drinking water systems. The current approach of Canada to focus on regulation will not address these inequities and this is why we are calling for a joint effort to address underlying problems as the real solution.”

Canada was one of 41 nations who abstained from the vote on this resolution. The Assembly of First Nations calls on Canada, as a member of the United Nations, to respect the resolution and engage in real action with First Nations to make sure efforts and resources are in place to honour the right to safe drinking water and sanitation. A resolution passed at the AFN’s recent Annual General Assembly in Winnipeg, Manitoba called for advocacy and action to affirm First Nations rights and interests with respect to First Nations water.

AFN Regional Chief for Nova Scotia-Newfoundland Rick Simon stated: “Canada has committed to endorsing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People and the UN resolution passed yesterday is consistent with principles in the Declaration that states Indigenous peoples have an equal right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health. The AFN has put forward many plans and initiatives on this issue and we look forward to working with Canada to honour and implement this resolution.”

The United Nations resolution calls on “States and international organizations to provide financial resources, build capacity and transfer technology, particularly to developing countries, in scaling up efforts to provide safe, clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation for all.”

The Assembly of First Nations is the national organization representing First Nations citizens in Canada.

#1 – Obama for President! Being part of this historical moment was overwhelming enough to make us forget that the road ahead was not going to be as smooth as this charismatic and brilliant elocutionist made us dream. After 8 years of Bush’s era characterized by ignoring the threats caused by the warming of our planet, the over-exploitation of our natural resources, the toxic nature of many industries and the blatantly disregard for human health and the environment Obama’s arrival to the White House was lived like deliverance for most of green and climate activists and professionals. Although energy was at the center of its platform, we knew, based on conversation with its transition team that the environment will also be addressed. Continue Reading »

Updated 4/29:

April, 26th 2010, San Francisco, CA. American Sustainable Business Council (ASBC) hosted a premier event featuring Jeffery Hollender. Co-founder and Executive Chairman of Seventh Generation. Jeffrey discussed the role of ASBC in shaping a new just, vibrant and sustainable economy and his new book “The Responsibility Revolution”. He addressed the crossroad facing the Corporate Social Responsibility current model, pointing out that business’s marginal, compartmentalized initiatives are too often nothing more than a PR stunt and lack any meaningful change. Jeffrey Hollender advocates for a more holistic and systemic approach to our current environmental, social and economic challenges, and believes businesses adhering to these principles should support the role ASBC is playing to promote them.

————————— April 27 version below —————-

Continue Reading »

Testifying before the House Interstate and Foreign Commerce Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Finance, which is currently considering legislation to control toxic substances, John R. Quarles, EPA Deputy Administrator said: “Existing Federal laws fail to deal evenly and comprehensively with toxic substances problems. While some authority exists to control the production of certain categories of toxic substances, such as pesticides, drugs, and food additives, most existing Federal authorities are designed to prevent harmful exposure only after the substances have been introduced into production.” Continue Reading »

Can businesses focusing on the triple bottom line lead the way in addressing matters as diverse as climate change, social justice, environmental health and financial responsibility? Can they drive much needed policy reform such as climate change, toxic chemicals and consumer financial protection?

As surprising it might sound to some, the answer is yes. Continue Reading »

NEW GLOBAL WATER PRIZE ANNOUNCES WINNERS

Winning Innovations Show Promise for Vastly Reducing Water Consumption

SAN FRANCISCO, March 8, 2010 – A web application that alerts wine grape farmers when their vines are thirsty. Rainwater storage that’s easy to install and fits in tight spaces. Technology that tells water utility customers their usage rate and rewards them for cutting back. These are the winning business ideas for the inaugural Imagine H2O Prize and they’re ready to save the world hundreds of billions of gallons of water. Continue Reading »

No, it’s not the new black, or the new green or even the blue gold. Water should, if it is not already, be your new project. The hot days will be coming before we realize it and many states will be – once again – asking their constituents to reduce their water consumption. Well, can you think of 5 critical issues the world is facing because of our lack of access to drinkable water? Here are mine: Continue Reading »