Retail giants go green
Amidst the stories of environmental doom and gloom, it’s heartening to hear that some of the largest companies on the planet are implementing ways to reduce their carbon footprint. In the past, some of these companies have been the biggest polluters and waste producers, so it is encouraging that a shift in consumer consciousness has led to rethinking corporate structure from an environmental perspective.
Where environmentalism was once a side note (perhaps even a joke), it has now become high on the agenda of many corporate notepads. Each of us makes daily decisions that include how we interact with products and what effect they have on the environment. The power of choice is an individual vote for the kind of future they hope to see (and big business is beginning to see the light).
Some of the most popular companies are determined to lead by example and show people that being environmentally friendly is not only a necessity, but also a reward. We’ve put together some of these stories for you to enjoy.
Panasonic creates an energy efficient headquarters
For Panasonic, the idea of ​​sustainability has been an important part of its business for some time. This Japanese giant has been supplying the world with electronics for decades and saw the writing on the wall when it came to its environmental policy.
When Panasonic decided to create a new location in Newark in 2013, the company tried a different approach in the way it designs and builds new facilities. Panasonic’s new tower in Newark is LEED certified, which means it meets international standards for buildings designed for energy savings, water efficiency, reduced CO2 emissions and better indoor environmental quality. In addition to this, the tower is in close proximity to one of the busiest transit nodes in the area, allowing employees to conveniently get to work instead of driving. It is estimated that this decision by Panasonic keeps 500 cars off public roads every day.
apple recycles
While Apple is a company known for bringing innovative technology to market, it is less well known as a green energy company. Their priorities are beginning to change and the company has increased its efforts to make the company more environmentally friendly.
For example, the company will launch a mobile phone model made entirely from recycled parts. A notable phrase from their website is ‘Mining less of the land’. And more from old devices. Their goal is to manufacture products using only renewable resources or recycled material. One challenge they face is disassembling old products and recovering the many small parts they contain. The solution? Daisy the Recycling Bot is a new disassembly robot Apple is testing that can take apart 200 iPhones an hour and retrieve the material from each one to use in a new product.
Walmart goes organic
Ten years ago, Walmart’s CEO at the time proclaimed that the company was on the path to sustainability. He talked about the company using only renewable energy, eliminating waste and selling more organic products. A decade later, the company sat down to review its progress. Fortunately, in some cases they were further along than they had realized.
For example, a goal for the business was a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions of 20 million metric tons by 2010. They exceeded this and achieved a total of 28.2 million metric tons, which is equivalent to removing 5, 9 million cars off the roads for a year. Fertilizer use on farms growing Walmart products was one of the sectors where they had the biggest impact on emissions, and it was largely due to working with their suppliers.
In the past decade, the company has also helped preserve more than one million acres of wildlife habitat.
Ikea knows the value of clean energy
In 2015, Ikea announced a plan that was going to improve the sustainability of the company, not only by investing in renewable energy, but also using it for the company’s offices and stores. Currently, IKEA stores have 342,000 solar panels to help contribute to energy use.
The furniture conglomerate has also committed to selling only LED bulbs in a push to promote green energy to its customers, who believe they will ultimately reap the rewards through energy savings. This is part of a strategy to “offer products and solutions that help customers save money by using less energy and water and reducing waste.”
Among other things, IKEA currently sources half of its wood supply from FSC-certified forests, promotes clean water projects, and sources sustainable, chemical-free cotton purchased from certified farmers.
