Big Ideas For a Small Planet - The Work episode
by Warren McLaren, Sydney on 07. 3.07
‘Hi Ho, Hi Ho it’s off to work we go,’ tonight with Sundance Channel’s Big Ideas for a Small Planet . In this, the penultimate episode of motivating series, the producers ask; wouldn’t it be great to know exactly what the ecological footprint of your workplace was, so you could set about improving it? Mathis Wackernagel (co-creator of the ecological footprint concept) shows just how it’s done. Or maybe you like to work at the New Belgium Brewing Company—they’re striving to be zero waste and will give you a free bike after a years service. Or how about working in an office, like David Hertz’s with a green roof, bamboo ceiling, recycled tiles, energy efficient lighting and solar power?. As you’ll observe when you click through that link (or the one below, this is just one of myriad happenings as part of Sundance’s The Green website. Sneak peek clips. podcasts, green living guides, blogs, Simran Sethi’s Second Life virtual seminars, an ‘eco-mmunity help round out this significant offering. And there is bucketloads more too. Be sure to visit — ::Big Ideas for a Small Planet.
So, how does a manufacturer of a non-nutricious, highly processed agricultural product packaged in a disposable bottle become an icon of sustainability? New Belgium recently opened its new bottling facility where the company is now able to send 700 disposable bottles a minute into the waste stream. Most of these will be landfilled, the remaining 25% will be diverted to an energy intensive recycling process.
The company's claims of being "100% wind powered" are false. Approximately 40% of the company's energy budget comes from fossil natural gas. The company only recently changed their web site to reflect this after independent media in Fort Collins, CO began asking questions.
A company that sends 700 bottles a minute into the waste stream advertises that is nearly a zero waste company and the media constantly falls for it. I began a campaign to alert our local community to New Belgium's many misstatements and to ask the company to start a token reusable bottle program. Belgium beer drinkers have the choice of reusable bottles, why not, at least, in Fort Collins. In return I was hit with a restraining order and slandered by the company. You can read about this in the Denver Post.
http://www.denverpost.com/allewis/ci_6199211
Also be sure to check out NB slandering me and my response on the associated blog:
http://blogs.denverpost.com/lewis/2007/06/22/hyperbolic-editorializing-overlooks-new-belgiums-efforts/
When will the media stop parroting the greenwashing and ask some serious questions?
sutherix@yahoo.com
So, how does a manufacturer of a non-nutricious, highly processed agricultural product packaged in a disposable bottle become an icon of sustainability? New Belgium recently opened its new bottling facility where the company is now able to send 700 disposable bottles a minute into the waste stream. Most of these will be landfilled, the remaining 25% will be diverted to an energy intensive recycling process.
The company's claims of being "100% wind powered" are false. Approximately 40% of the company's energy budget comes from fossil natural gas. The company only recently changed their web site to reflect this after independent media in Fort Collins, CO began asking questions.
A company that sends 700 bottles a minute into the waste stream advertises that is nearly a zero waste company and the media constantly falls for it. I began a campaign to alert our local community to New Belgium's many misstatements and to ask the company to start a token reusable bottle program. Belgium beer drinkers have the choice of reusable bottles, why not, at least, in Fort Collins. In return I was hit with a restraining order and slandered by the company. You can read about this in the Denver Post.
http://www.denverpost.com/allewis/ci_6199211
Also be sure to check out NB slandering me and my response on the associated blog:
http://blogs.denverpost.com/lewis/2007/06/22/hyperbolic-editorializing-overlooks-new-belgiums-efforts/
When will the media stop parroting the greenwashing and ask some serious questions?
sutherix@yahoo.com
The air in downtown Portland Oregon is soupy most days. During my morning commute there is often idling paper recycling trucks everywhere and gas powered dust blowers. An easy fix would be for the City of Portland to ban the use of these polluters when people are walking to and from work.