More on Apple

I previously posted about Apple being listed as a non-environmentally friendly company, in part for being one of the only computer companies to still use toxic materials. CNET now reports on a study by Climate Counts that puts Apple dead last in a list of electronics companies in terms of carbon footprints. They gave Apple a score of 11 out of 100 (which interestingly enough is up 9 from last year). It's amazing that a company that is so forward looking with designs is so backward in regards to the environment.

Supply Chain Footprint

Patagonia has a new, refreshingly honest feature on their site. It details the supply chain for several of their products. It maps the progression of the products from raw material to finished good. What makes me say "refreshingly honest" is that it's not just a highlight of what they do well. The do point out for example that the Synchilla vest, though it's made from recycled materials, travels a great distance throughout North America and much of that by truck. They even offer a total amount of carbon emitted to get the product from origin to distribution. Seeing how much traveling a product does should emphasize to everyone to buy locally produced products*, especially if reducing your own carbon footprint is a major emphasis.

* Note that I try to purchase as locally as possible for the Green Business Networking events. I'll take recommendations for good regional wine, since what I've been getting comes from California (even though it's essentially the store brand from Earth Fare.)

State of Green Business

Joel Makower and the folks at greenbiz.com (no affiliation) have just released their report on the state of green business. You can download it here: http://stateofgreenbusiness.com/ (note that you'll have to fill out a short survey to download the report). According to them it "is the first report to take stock of green business activities in the United States, and features the debut of the GreenBiz Index, a set of 20 indicators of green business progress that we will update annually."

The report shows that the US has done well in areas like clean tech, energy efficiency and paper. But we are failing in terms of e-waste and carbon intensity. Given these two major weaknesses in green business in the US, what can we do here in Charleston? What do you do with your e-waste? What have you and/or your business/organization done to reduce carbon emissions?