While the shear amount of paper, [Read More]]]> Great move by Starbucks on their new logo. Obviously they are freeing the brand from the constraints of being a coffee business and preparing to move toward areas that are intrinsic to their founding principles. Look for moves into social media, social shopping and environmentally friendly products and services.

While the shear amount of paper, plastic wrap and cash and carry merchandise, not to mention the impact of expanded coffee cultivation, may run counter to the idea of environmental concern, Starbucks has always been a visionary company and all things “social” and “environmental” are where the consumer is headed.

Unlike the disastrous GAP log redo, which simply scrambled the elements of a well loved standard, the new Starbucks logo creates a real “icon” as potentially powerful as the Nike Swoosh. The distraction and limitations of the text are gone. The image is iconic in the most direct sense of the word and the color scheme is blatantly green.

Hats off to Mr. Schultz and team.

The project is being led by the Consumer Goods Forum and it aims to define measurable standards for packaging that will be more friendly to the environment.

Members of the Global [Read More]]]> GreenRetailDecisions.com is reporting that a group of major consumer marketers are planning to create standards for sustainable packaging under the mantle of the Global Packaging Project.

The project is being led by the Consumer Goods Forum and it aims to define measurable standards for packaging that will be more friendly to the environment.

Members of the Global Packaging Project include the Food Marketing Institute, Target, Tesco, Kroger, Kraft, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Pepsico, Sara Lee and Colgate-Palmolive and over 80 other companies.

Not unlike Walmart’s efforts to rank retail products based on their environmental impact, the retail packaging initiative aims to standardize the methods used to measure the environmental impact of product packaging. This retail trend toward measuring the environmental impact of products, product packaging and product transportation will have long range impact on all aspects of retail operations for both small and large retailers.

More info on the new sustainable retail packaging standards can be found in the full article at GreenRetailDecisions.com

Alternately called “audaciously innovative” and “self-serving greenwashing” the jury is still out on the true motivation behind the [Read More]]]> Wal-Mart, “Your source for crummy plastic stuff”,  has taken on the mantle of environmental leader with their Sustainable Product Index.  The project, initiated by Wal-Mart,  is actually managed by a consortium of industry leaders, NGO’s and university researchers.

Alternately called “audaciously innovative” and “self-serving greenwashing” the jury is still out on the true motivation behind the initiative and the ultimate value it may provide to both consumers and the environment.  To Wal-Mart’s credit they don’t call themselves a “green” company, saying only that they are actively moving in that direction.

The shear scale of the task , providing a certified sustainability rating for all products would argue against success. It has been compared to the placement of nutritional labels on food products, yet it is inherently more complex and difficult to standardize.  The process of nutritional measurement is well documented, standardized and easily tested.  The Wal-Mart initiative must start at the level of creating the standards, tests and documentation putting it miles away from the labeling end game.

Assuming Wal-Mart and the other major retailers involved succeed in creating a framework that provides accurate ratings that can be used to compare products, and assuming that consumers come to trust this system, where does that leave all the other retailers, large and small, who don’t have the clout to force suppliers into testing and compliance or who sell products from unstandardized niches?

Can a top down initiative from the biggest player in the industry really hope to drive a revolution in vendor accountablility, retailer responsibility and consumer decision making? Or do we need a more grass roots, ground up, dare we say… organic approach! Either way, this won’t happen overnight.

Check out the video…

Here’s what some others are saying…

Fast Company

Tree Hugger