A couple weeks ago I approached Ecostore USA about a commenter's query: "[Is] organic soap from new zealand worth the fossil fuel expenditure?"And today my friends, I have an answer for you. Coming straight from the mouths of Ecostore themselves:
"NZ has the lowest carbon footprint electricity in the world (mainly from renewables)...shipping takes little power. Most of the carbon footprint of our products will be shipping them around the USA same as [our] competitors. Our products will thus have less carbon footprint than the other eco brands (until [we] start making them in the USA). "
I was also told that they are working on getting US manfuacturing for their products, so at some point that won't even be an issue.
But this does make me think...should companies bear the labels of how much carbon they output. I envision a nutritional facts for greenhouse gas emissions. Would you buy Doritos over a can of sour cream Pringles, if you knew that it had a lower carbon footprint? Do you think it's a necessity for companies to expose this information?
I find the question interesting, and ecostore's response even more interesting. Which opens up a whole new can of questions to think and ponder about when using different products.
But I like the fact that this question was brought up. If you ever have any questions about green stuff or green products we've featured, please don't hesitate to shoot me an e-mail or post a comment and ask away. That's the point of this blog [or at least one of them].
UPDATE (3/28): Still have questions? Now's your chance to ask them: AskMalcolm_9sm
2 comments:
Not only should we be aware of it, we should absolutely be paying extra for it. If we were required to pay the full cost of an item-- if the dollar amount covered energy taxes and premiums based on what type and how much fuel and materials were used both in its production, useful life, and disposal-- or rather if companies themselves were required to CHARGE for the full cost of their products, whether that be electricity or soaps or Doritos, it would be very easy to decide on what to purchase. It would simply become more and more cost prohibitive to buy things made with the electricity of coal plants and then shipped to China and back. Not to mention it would incentivize businesses to reconsider their practices.
Hi Ben,
What you're getting at is almost a "life cycle assessment/analysis" (LCA) way of thinking. Basically, you anyalyze any product or material - from a dorito to an automobile - and look at how much greenhouse gas is produced per each stage.
A bit technical, but an exceptionally accurate way of reviewing a product's full carbon footprint.
I'm thinking I might do a post on this soon - thanks for sparking my interest!
Much green vibes,
Gingerly Green
(Gawky's co-conspiritor)
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