Archive for June, 2009
PepsiCo Opens Green Beverage Plant in China
Posted on 29. Jun, 2009 by admin.
CHONGQING, CN — PepsiCo opened a new manufacturing plant in China specifically designed to be more environmentally friendly than conventional company facilities.
The company expects the plant, located in western China in the city of Chongqing, will use 22 percent less water and 23 percent less energy than other PepsiCo plants in the country. The company predicts the annual savings will total 100,000 tons of water, four million kilowatt hours of energy, and 3,100 tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
It was built to meet LEED standards with 35 water and energy saving features. For example, it sports water saving fixtures, waterless lubricant for conveyor belts, a high-pressure cleaning system, while recycled water is used for landscaping
A green roof covers the facility, which also enjoys natural lighting in 75 percent of its indoor areas, along with a skylight in the warehouse and packing area. An environmental management system measures water and energy use on every piece of equipment and production line in real time, PepsiCo said.
PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi at the new facility in Chongqing, China Image courtesy of PepsiCo
The company called the facility China’s first green beverage plant, and is the first of five new facilities planned for the next two years. PepsiCo has committed to investing $1 billion in China, which is the company’s fastest-growing market and largest market outside the United States.
In the U.S., General Electric will receive $60 million in incentives over 12 years for a new manufacturing plant in Michigan that will produce renewable energy, aircraft engine, and gas turbine products, in addition to serving as a software development hub for advanced technologies, such as the smart grid. The $100 million research and development facility is expected to employ more than 1,100 workers.
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Digital TV Transition May Create Tons of E-Waste
Posted on 15. Jun, 2009 by admin.
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — The long-awaited digital TV transition began today, leaving millions of Americans without a signal unless they secured a set-top converter box.
Many will replace their older analog TVs with new flashier models, creating a mountain of e-waste that some TV manufacturers are ill equipped to recycle. Some estimate one in four households will throw out a TV this year, which could mean millions of TVs ending up in landfills.
That makes environmental groups worry.
“With the upcoming digital TV conversion looming before us, many people don’t know where to take their old TVs,” Barbara Kyle, Electronics TakeBack Coalition National Coordinator, said in a statement this week. “There are some responsible manufactures and retailers who offer takeback programs, but unfortunately not all — including market leader Vizio.”
Kyle called out Vizio and others in its second TV Company Recycling Report Card released Wednesday. Most manufacturers increased their scores compared to the rankings of the first scorecard published in November.
Read entire article at GreenBiz.com
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In with Green Packaging, Out with Convenience
Posted on 12. Jun, 2009 by admin.
NEW YORK, N.Y. — Food producers, take note: Forget the easy-to-prepare foods and give consumers items made with fresh ingredients and encased in environmentally friendly packaging.
A new Ipsos Marketing study suggests consumers may be more willing to ditch convenient packaging for greener packaging, while the food itself should include fresh ingredients and deliver health benefits.
Green food packaging has landed in the headlines in recent weeks. Marks & Spencer said in its latest corporate social responsibility report that it reduced food packaging 18 percent and uses salad containers made from recycled PET bottles.
Meanwhile, DuPont honored several companies for innovative food packaging with a green hue in late May. Whole Foods, for example, was touted for its use of Sealed Air’s Renew-A-Pak compostable bakeware made from 100 percent renewable content, while Healthy Choice frozen food trays contain 40 percent post-consumer recycled PET plastic. Bertolli’s microwavable pasta sauce pouches use 70 percent less materials compared to standard glass jars.
Read entire article an GreenBiz.com
