Aquamantra On Greenwashing Environmental Lawsuit

Posted on October 29, 2011 by quest

In response to California’s greenwashing lawsuit against its Balance and Aquamantra brands, Danny Clark, President of ENSO, states, “Our industry is young, and we are still improving standards and dispelling false beliefs. Our products perform as we claim, and we have the data to prove it. The situation in California is a lack of education and misunderstanding new technologies; this is not an issue of false claims. We will take this opportunity to bring legislators up to speed with ENSO technologies and the value they bring to the environment.”
“The citizens of California and the environment deserve better,” stated Del Andrus, VP of ENSO. “History is full of examples where science has provided the facts to overcome false beliefs, a principle that ENSO will continue through the pioneering of new information, technology and education.”

At ENSO, we stand behind our claims and our mission to solve the world’s plastic pollution. Every one of us has contributed to this global problem, and it will take each of us, working together, to solve it. Companies like Aquamantra and Balance should be recognized for rising above status quo and implementing environmentally sound solutions.We do not claim that biodegradability is a silver bullet, but it is a huge step in the right direction. Consumers should be educated on the true impact of the products they are buying and have the opportunity to take that step. The lawsuit filed by Attorney General Kamala D. Harris was a first-of-its-kind “greenwashing” lawsuit against three companies that allegedly made false and misleading claims by marketing plastic water bottles as “100 percent biodegradable and recyclable.” Under California law, it is illegal to label a plastic food or beverage container as biodegradable. Plastic takes thousands of years to biodegrade and may never do so in a landfill.

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CA Attorney General Sues Balance For GreenWashing

Posted on October 26, 2011 by quest

Attorney General Kamala D. Harris today filed a first-of-its-kind “greenwashing” lawsuit against three companies that allegedly made false and misleading claims by marketing plastic water bottles as “100 percent biodegradable and recyclable.” Under California law, it is illegal to label a plastic food or beverage container as biodegradable. Plastic takes thousands of years to biodegrade and may never do so in a landfill. Today’s lawsuit is the first government action to enforce the state’s landmark environmental marketing law. “These companies’ actions violate state law and mislead consumers,” Attorney General Harris said. “Californians are committed to recycling and protecting the environment, but these efforts are undermined by the false and misleading claims these companies make when they wrongly advertise their products as ‘biodegradable.’”

Balance and AquaMantra sell their products in plastic water bottles marketed by ENSO Plastics LLC; according to the label, ENSO claims that a microbial additive created the “first truly biodegradable and recyclable” plastic bottle. The bottles’ labeling states that the bottles will break down in less than five years in a typical landfill or compost environment, but that claim is false because the additive does not speed up the centuries-long process required to break down plastic. The claim of recycling is also deceptive. The microbial additive put into the bottle is considered by the Association of Post Consumer Plastic Recyclers to be a “destructive contaminant” that can compromise the strength of the products they make. Consumers may buy these defendants’ bottles and either dispose of them incorrectly, on the assumption that they will biodegrade quickly, when in fact they will simply take up space in landfills, or they will try to recycle them, creating problems and costs for recyclers.

A recent Gallup poll found that 76 percent of Americans buy products specifically because of their perception the product is better for the environment. In 2008, the California Legislature banned the use of words like “biodegradable,” “degradable,” or “decomposable” in the labeling of plastic food or beverage containers. Senate Bill 567, signed into law by the Governor this year, will expand that law to all plastic products beginning in 2013. Deputy Attorney General Raissa S. Lerner and Deputy Attorney General Laura J. Zuckerman are handling the case for Attorney General Harris’ Environment section. A copy of the complaint filed today in the Orange County Superior Court is attached to the online version of this release at www.oag.ca.gov.

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IBM Grants $50 Million For Sustainable Eco Smart Cities

Posted on October 25, 2011 by quest

IBM today announced that it has opened the IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grant program to new applications for 2012. Smarter Cities Challenge is a three-year, 100-city, $50 million grant program in which IBM’s top technical experts and consultants provide actionable advice to urban centers. Issues that IBM’s consultants addressed this past year were diverse, ranging from transportation and public safety, to economic development and budgeting. One of the funded recipients of IBM Smarter Cities Challenge grants from last year was Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Leaders from Milwaukee’s private sector, and local urban agriculture organizations are establishing an Urban Agriculture and Aquaponics Council to advance the aquaponics industry, an eco-friendly approach to agriculture that recycles water from fish farms to nourish crops without the use of soil. Participants want to collaborate more effectively to make food healthier and more profitable, available, and affordable — and in the process, create opportunity and local jobs.

This highly successful grant program provides select applicant cities with access to teams of elite IBM employees with expertise on a variety of urban-related matters, such as finance, sustainability, public safety, and citizen services. After conferring with officials, citizens, businesses, academics and community leaders, the IBM teams recommend actions to make the delivery of services to citizens more efficient and innovative. Issues addressed include jobs, health, public safety, transportation, social services, recreation, education, energy, and sustainability.

Key factors for a successful grant application include strong city leadership, willingness to collaborate with many stakeholders, and the desire to make their cities smarter and more efficient. Cities will also need to champion actionable and measurable efforts that have the potential to make a real impact on the lives of its citizens. In addition to Milwaukee some of the other dozen cites participating included: Rio de Janiero, Brazil, Johannesburg, South Africa, Boulder, Colorado and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As in 2011, selected applicants must demonstrate a commitment to using all publicly available urban data to help identify local problems and solutions. To that end, IBM will provide special assistance to each winning city on the use of City Forward, a free online tool it developed with public policy experts that explores trends and statistics in a visual way, and which can be adapted for the study of any number of issues across cities. The deadline for 2012 grant applications is December 16.

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Model Angela Lindvall Gets Eco Friendly Jewelry Line

Posted on October 23, 2011 by quest

“Green” is the new black…especially when it comes to the Angela by John Hardy Jewelry Collection. Created entirely of recycled silver, this exquisite new line by model and environmentalist Angela Lindvall and award-winning sustainable jewelry company John Hardy, launched on QVC Tuesday, October 18.

The Angela by John Hardy Jewelry Collection unites Lindvall’s romantic sensibility and natural attraction for authentic beauty with John Hardy’s bold designs inspired by nature. Each piece from this unique collaboration features stunning sterling silver designs with oxidation, natural and Diamonique simulated gemstones and 14K gold accents for a look that is truly breathtaking.”Each piece in the Angela by John Hardy Jewelry Collection is truly a work of art,” said Doug Howe, executive vice president of merchandising, planning and sales for QVC. “With its stunning designs and impeccable attention to detail, this exciting new line is sure to become an instant favorite among shoppers. We are pleased to add this iconic brand to our existing portfolio of jewelry designers.”

Angela by John Hardy Jewelry Collection will include statement items that range from over sized cocktail rings and bangle bracelets to elegant everyday pieces, including stud earrings and station necklaces. Prices will range from approximately $79.00 to $500.00.

“Angela has been working with us for the past two years. She has been so passionate about sharing our core values that when she expressed her interest in starting her own line, it was obvious to me that we would work together and produce her creation,” says John Hardy CEO Damien Dernoncourt.

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Green Boot Camp Instructs Teachers In New Jersey

Posted on July 24, 2011 by quest

Union County and Honeywell last week hosted the third annual Green Boot Camp, an interactive workshop focused on best practice instruction methods for teaching energy, sustainability and environmental concepts. As part of the five-day event, 40 middle school teachers from across North America gathered to explore the roots of green technology, sustainable living and environmental awareness by using the Union County Vocational-Technical Schools (UCVTS) campus in Scotch Plains, N.J., as a living laboratory.

“Our objective is to equip teachers with the tools to get students excited about science and engineering, and enable them to understand sustainable practices that will positively affect their families, schools and communities,” said Paul Orzeske, president of Honeywell Building Solutions. “By teaming with a renowned institution like UCVTS, we are educating the next generation of green workers and building a foundation for environmental stewardship.”

Green Boot Camp participants covered a comprehensive set of topics ranging from green energy and greenhouse gas emissions to electric vehicles and the smart electrical grid. For example, attendees worked on course materials to clearly articulate the principles of renewable energy by designing a solar house, and constructing a wind turbine and bicycle generator. In addition to the on-site instructors, Honeywell and UCVTS also invited a host of special guest speakers who specialize in environmental and energy-related disciplines, such as rainwater conservation and building energy management.

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Kenyan Eco Entrepreneur Turns Trash Into Treasure

Posted on July 20, 2011 by quest

The 2011 Cartier Women’s Initiative Finalist have been announced. The aim of The Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards is to support meaningful business projects that combine innovation and audacity. Started in 2006 in partnership with the Woman’s Forum, the INSTEAD business school and Mckinsey, the Cartier Women’s Initiative Awards are an international business plan competition for female entrepreneurs who lead creative, financially sustainable and socially responsible companies. The finalist are selected from around the globe. One of this year’s finalists is Kenyan EcoPost founder Lorna Rutto. EcoPost is a Kenyan firm that uses 100 % recycled plastics to manufacture aesthetic, durable and environmentally friendly fencing posts and custom lumber profiles. Plastic waste is a frequent blot on Kenya’s beautiful landscapes. In spite of a government ban on the use of plastic bags, which came into force in 2007 when Kenya was producing 48 million of them, plastic of all kinds and shapes litters the land or piles up in open tips.

Lorna has been troubled by this plastic litter ever since she was a schoolgirl. At the time she used to collect bits left lying around and turn them into earrings, ‘though it wasn’t really the earrings I was interested in—I just wanted to find a way to get rid of all that plastic!’ After graduating in commerce and accounting five years ago, she started a career in banking to play safe in a tough employment market, but ‘something felt wrong; I was working on systems and structures and not with people and science, which had been my other passion at school. I wasn’t comfortable about it.’ Two years ago, she took the entrepreneurial plunge. Her love of the environment found an echo with a young biochemical engineer she met at her first job, now her business partner, who brings his technical expertise to her financial and managerial know-how. After researching potential avenues for their cause they found that plastic was the best place to start, much to Lorna’s delight!

Kenya has barely 2% of forest cover, yet high demand for posts to make fencing around the country’s houses, plantations and huge game reserves. For years these were made from red cedar trees, which are now an endangered species; a presidential directive has made it illegal to chop them down since 2007. Those looking for an alternative can bank on EcoPost, which recycles waste and helps the environment. Utilising dirty plastic to make a product that saves wood is not just an environmental plus, it boosts employment: alongside its 15 permanent staff, to source its raw material EcoPost hires the services of hundreds of women working as casual labor to collect the plastic and sell it to them by the kilo. In its first eight month of operations, EcoPost manufactured 5,000 posts, removing 300 tonnes of plastic waste from the environment. ‘That’s 500 trees that won’t be chopped down,’ Lorna states. And who knows, some might even end up fencing the forests they have helped to save.