PenPack Plastic Packaging: Recycled Materials Made with Solar Energy

I noticed the apples at my local Costco were packaged in plastic containers to keep the apples from bruising.  What really intrigued me was the information on the plastic containers.  Made by Peninsula Packaging of California ... they are:

- made from 70% recycled drink bottles
- made with 50% energy from the sun

" ... as much as 70 percent recycled ... are themselves recyclable ..."

" ... 10-acre photovoltaic "sun farm" generates 1.1 megawatts ... produces about one-percent of all of California's solar generated power."



Via:  PenPack  LINK

The Green Office - Environmentally Friendly Office Supplies

thegreenoffice makes it easy to be green at work. Their line of products are all earth friendly and they "walk the talk".

The site also provides lots of interesting information about definitions of green, recycled, etc. Lots of good information and good products !!

Read on for more ... >>>


" ... the first online retailer to offer a full selection of office products focused on Green choices, giving you the power to make socially and environmentally responsible purchasing decisions for the workplace. ... "walk the talk" ... industry leaders whose values are in line with our business. ... dedicated to the environment ... we ride our bikes and take public transportation, ... are driven by a need to make a meaningful impact with our work ... working to achieve sustainability in the workplace ..."

"... Green Screen™ ... ranks office products by Greenness (Dark Green, Green, or Conventional) ... to make informed decisions about the products that you bring into your office."

" ... Dark Green products are at the forefront of sustainability, challenging the conventional market in interesting and pioneering ways. ..."

Via: thegreenoffice.com LINK

Vibram ECOSTEP®

Vibram is well known for its soles for hiking and other boots. They are also a GREEN company... they recycle, use recycled materials and suppoirt renewable energy.

" ... Vibram ECOSTEP® includes at least 30% of recycled rubber ... extended its environmental efforts to EVA products ... uses 10% recycled EVA from EVA midsole flash."

" ... Vibram North America production site ... developed a full line of "green" products for flooring application based on 100% recycled rubber."

" ... Vibram gadgets and promotional items feature eco-sustainable requirements (organic cotton t-shirts, recycled paper house organs, product-tags and bags, pencils, pens and keyholders in recyled and/or eco-sustainable materials)."

Via: Vibram.com LINK

Green Starbucks Stores in Pike Place Market

Starbucks opened " ... an innovative new store in 2009 just a few blocks away from the original. ... has many green features ... on the picture the left are a number of "leafs" and clicking on these on the web site illustrates some the green features ... including ... LED and CFL lighting, reusing building materials, using green building materials and offering a 10 cent / cup discount if you bring your own mug.

Check out the interactive store to learn about each of the features in detail.


Via: Starbucks LINK

stm bags - born green

stm laptop and other bags are "born green". Incorporating green thinking into the entire production, transport and display process they try to minimize the environmental impact of their products.

stm is ..." ... aware of our ecological footprint and the impact we have on our world. ... don’t use any internal stuffing to bulk up the products for display purposes. ... eliminates waste (which reduces landfill) and ... cuts down on transportation by-products that can be damaging to the environment"

" ... packaged, using simple, reusable and recyclable poly bags. ... hang tags are printed on recycled material, using biodegradable coating ... use recycled materials where we can, and we participate in recycling programs. ... an ongoing commitment to improving our ecological footprint. When you use an STM bag, you are supporting a company that was born green"


Via: stmbags.com LINK.

Alchemy Goods - turning useless into useful

Alchemy products are all made from reused materials. "Raw" materials are really reused bicycle tire inner tubes and car seat belt straps.

Read on for more about this interesting company .... their products and their story.

" ... mission... "Turning useless into useful." ... look for materials that are normally discarded that might have value with a little bit of imagination and some hard work. ... all our products should have the highest possible recycled content, ..."

" ... logo intentionally looks like the periodic table. The number in the upper right hand corner represents the percent (by weight) of recycled material in the product you purchased."


Via: alchemygoods.com LINK

PNC Green Branch® Facts

In an earlier post I mentioned the PNC has the most green buildings of any company on the planet and that they have a drive to build green bank branches - and have trademarked the term "Green Branch".

Here is some more info about their LEED certified branches / buildings ... " More than 50 percent of the branch, including floors, wall covering and furniture fabric, is made from recycled or “green” materials., ... Carpet is made from 51 percent recycled material and is 100 percent recyclable into new carpet backing. ... Cabinets are wheatboard, a byproduct of wheat processing, instead of plywood. ... Entry way flooring is made of animal hair and reduces dirt/dust tracked inside. ... Energy usage is reduced 50 percent or more compared to a
traditional branch due to high-efficiency systems and insulation along with maximum use of natural light, ... Water usage is reduced by 6,200 gallons a year. ... walls are insulated above code to improve efficiency. ... construction waste, such as wood, steel and cardboard, is recycled or salvaged, reducing landfill waste by 150 tons per branch. "

Via: PNC.com LINK