Green Tips from the NonProfit Center

Personal Responsibility and the Gulf Oil Spill

Message in a Bottle

Nearly one month ago on Thursday, April 29, Concord residents took action, strong action, to support the environment by voting to ban the sale of bottled water. The town became the first in the United States to do so.

• One-third of bottled water tested had bacterial or chemical contaminants at levels that exceed state standards.
• In most states, bottled water suppliers are not required to disclose where their product comes from, or even how and if it is purified.
• Fewer than 20% of plastic water bottles are recycled.

Just two days later, the water main that serves Boston and dozens of neighboring communities broke. A State of Emergency was declared. Clearly this was a catastrophic event, not a long-term, systematic lack of access. But during the crisis, the 2 million who were impacted joined with 884 million others (13% of the world population) who lack access to safe drinking water.

People were instructed to boil tap water for one minute before drinking, brushing teeth or otherwise consuming it. However, for many boiling wasn’t going to work: the process took too long and the tap water didn’t seem safe. Bottled water sales skyrocketed. While the final numbers aren’t in yet, one bottled water association reported that more than 1,400,000 bottles of water were provided. Many stores sold out.

The public’s choice of bottled over boiled water isn’t so surprising because even in normal times, Massachusetts loves bottled water. In 2008, the state was 4th in the United States with sales of 46.3 gallons of bottled water per resident.

Now a month out, I think about these experiences and the timing feels deeply ironic. Just as Concord voted to ban bottled water, the disaster caused millions of Concord’s neighbors to purchase it at extreme levels. The public frame of reference so quickly changed from bottled water as environmental offense to bottled water as emergency relief. Or so bottled water companies hope.

Personally, I hope the environmental consequences of bottled water continue to be publicized and that Concord’s example is followed. I also hope we recognize our crisis as a small taste of normalcy for the hundreds of millions who live everyday without easy access to drinking water. And that we work together to ensure global access to this resource that can so easily be taken for granted.

Other resources:

• Calculation of environmental impacts for a bottle of water
• The Story of Bottled Water
• Think outside the bottle pledge
  

When It’s Not So Easy Being Green

All organizations face multiple priorities when selecting vendors and making major purchases. Usually products and services are evaluated by cost and quality.

But oftentimes, nonprofit organizations have other concerns. Spending decisions may be tied to issues of social responsibility, commitment to diversity and environmental management, just to name a few. As a result, what may seem like a simple purchasing decision can quickly become far more complex.

As an example, several staff at Third Sector New England recently discussed a purchasing decision about coffee, more specifically, about the rental of a single-serve coffee machine. For quick background, our organization generously provides fair trade, shade grown, organic coffee for staff consumption along with a large-sized coffee maker.

A single-serve coffee/tea machine was recently introduced to the office kitchen so that those who want caffeine in the afternoon could enjoy a single serving without making more than was needed. The intention was to reduce waste and save money.

But of course, it is not that easy.

Green and Local vs. Easy and Efficient

Very soon after the new machine’s arrival, a few staff voiced concern because the single-serve machine uses plastic cups that are not recyclable. Another person focused on increased cost of single-serve coffee and the community benefits of purchasing bags of coffee from a cooperative vs. the machine and coffee packets from a multinational corporation. (Both provide organic, fair trade coffee.)

Several others supported the single-serve machine explaining that it allowed more individual choices, it was easier to use, and it reduced the amount of wasted coffee. Still another person pointed out that many staff didn’t drink coffee and questioned why the organization was using its resources to provide it.

All points are valid and will be considered carefully when the decision is made to keep or return the machine. I’ll keep you updated.

Help Is Available

Thankfully a growing number of resources are available to help us navigate our desire to make better purchasing decisions:

1. Good Guide offers simple numerical ratings for 14,000 products backed up by detailed information about the environmental, health and societal impacts of the product and its alternatives. Categories of products currently include food, personal care, household chemicals and toys.
2. The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics provides environmental and health indicators for personal care products including makeup, toothpaste, sunscreen and much more.

More Than One “Right” Choice

As these and other resources become available, we still need to recognize that for many purchasing decisions, one solution isn’t going to fit all needs. There is usually more than one “right” answer. The best we can do is support decision makers by providing information, engaging in dialogue – and respecting that environmental management can be one of several priorities to consider when it comes to spending wisely.

Green Appliances: Upgrading for Earth Day

True confession: My refrigerator is nearly 20 years old, and it is not ENERGY STAR compliant. I didn’t choose the fridge, it came with the place when I moved in. While I would have preferred an updated model, I decided to use the existing appliance to curb material consumption and reduce spending.

At the time, this seemed like the best strategy. But here’s the catch – my refrigerator and other major home appliances have long lifespans, and new ENERGY STAR versions use significantly less energy.

Saving Energy... and Money

Understanding these decision factors, a rebate program for major home appliances was approved last year through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Massachusetts is rolling out its Mass Save Great Appliance Exchange this Earth Day, April 22. Residents take part in this program by purchasing an ENERGY STAR appliance from a participating business that in turn recycles the old appliance that is being replaced.

ENERGY STAR provides a handy calculator to estimate the energy and resulting financial savings that can occur from upgrading to an ENERGY STAR refrigerator. ) In my household, an ENERGY STAR refrigerator of the same size and capacity would conserve an estimated 30 – 40% of our current unit’s energy use each year. This savings will accrue for the lifetime of the appliance, ideally 15 years or more. The environmental incentive to upgrade is clear. Financially, the rebate will definitely help make the purchase possible.

Great Start on the Next 40 Years

Upgrading our refrigerator is a good place to start. However, living in a fixer-upper and historic home, it’s really only the beginning. Future targets include roofing, insulation and other weatherization projects that similarly have potential to significantly reduce energy consumption and create long-term financial savings.

On April 22, 2010, we will mark the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, a special time for reflection about our use of natural resources and resulting environmental impacts. This Earth Day, consider updates you can make to existing resources to increase energy efficiency now and for years to come.

Sources for more information:

• Rebates for ENERGY STAR appliances, offered through State-level programs
• ENERGY STAR appliances for home
• Mass Save Great Appliance Exchange starting April 22nd, 2010
• Weatherization: a guide from the National Trust for Historic Preservation for updating roofs, insulation, windows and mechanical systems

Green Coffee for St. Patrick’s Day?

There’s no doubt about it, we love coffee – especially in the wake of celebrations like Saint Patrick’s Day. In 2009, an estimated 54% of adults in the United States drank coffee daily (National Coffee Association).

When it comes to coffee, what choices do we have for going green?

Shade Grown and Bird Friendly® Certified

The benefits of shade grown coffee depend on the level of shade provided and whether or not multiple species of shade trees are involved. Coffee plants grown under the cover of different varieties of shade trees can promote a more diverse ecosystem. Shade trees are preserved rather than harvested. This can counter devastating deforestation trends and the related loss of animal and plant species in many coffee-producing areas. In particular, shade grown coffee can support migratory bird populations, many of which are severely declining.

There are many production standards that are labeled “shade grown” and as of yet, there is no one independent agency that provides certification. However, the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center has established a “Bird Friendly”® certification that encompasses aggressive standards for shade grown coffee and the conservation of migratory birds.

Fair Trade

Coffee production is an intensive agricultural operation. Fair Trade certification signifies multiple standards for coffee roasters, importers and producers, ensuring that community-oriented practices are used throughout production. Among the many agreements involved in Fair Trade, a guaranteed floor price for coffee is set and access to affordable credit is provided. Together these Fair Trade standards enable an investment in coffee production techniques for labor, the environment and our greater community. An estimated 85% of Fair Trade coffee is shade grown and organic (Global Exchange).

Organic

The Organic Trade Association promotes the use of organic coffee, coffee that has been certified for adherence to strict standards that include soil health, production, pest and weed management, harvest and more. No synthetic chemical pesticides or herbicides are used throughout production.

Among many environmental benefits, organic production promotes soil health, reduces waste water pollution and supports diverse plant and animal species by preserving natural ecosystems.

For more information:
Birds & Beans: shade grown, Fair Trade, organic coffee that is Bird Friendly® certified
TransFair USA: Fair Trade certification
The Organic Coffee Collaboration

Choosing the Green Fork in the Road

While it is important to use plates and utensils that can be washed and reused repeatedly as part of your personal environmental strategy, using non-disposable items isn’t always possible for employee or community events. The same is true for home-based parties, celebrations and other gatherings, especially those with large numbers of people in remote locations.

Sometimes environmentalism involves making better choices given the outcomes needed. When it's necessary to use disposable food service items, you can still choose to reduce your environmental impacts. Many products are now available with recycled content and/or biodegradable materials.

For example, compostable utensils look similar to their plastic cousins but eventually breakdown during the disposal cycle. In Third Sector New England’s offices, when we first used cornstarch based forks, spoons and knives, they were not as heat-resistant as needed for hot drinks and foods. However, these utensils have been recently redesigned to be sturdier and stronger. Furthermore, the new packaging is biodegradable. And new products are available as well – even biocompostible condiment cups and bowls.

So, have fun at your next baby shower, birthday party or other soiree. And consider the options for food service items that you will use. If disposables are necessary, choose to use items with lower environmental impacts. This way, we can all have fun for generations to come.

Learn more about buying biodegradable and/or compostable cups, bowls, utensils, plates and more at:

• EcoWise
• Biocorp
• Biodegradable Store