Home Spending
Showing posts with label Spending. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Spending. Show all posts

Twitter Buying Trends: Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Add Comment Edit
Holiday shopping is increasingly being influenced by social media platforms like Twitter, this is particularly true of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. As indicated in a 2013 poll, those who use Twitter spend more and use the portal as a strategy resource that informs their buying decisions.

According to a DB5 survey of 1,000 US adults 7 out of 10 of our users will rely on Twitter to enhance their Black Friday and Cyber Monday experiences. A total of 85 percent of Twitter users shop on Black Friday and 81 percent shop on Cyber Monday. Unsurprisingly, Twitter uses are bigger online shoppers than non-Twitter users. While 54 percent of all adults plan to shop on both Black Friday and Cyber Monday days, that number jumps to 68 percent among Twitter users.

Twitter users not only buy online, they are well informed and they do their research. Sixty percent of users say that Twitter plays an important role in their Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping. One survey respondent shared, "Twitter is invaluable for planning my strategic attack: for [finding out] about deals, where friends were shopping and whether the lines were too long."

Twitter users craft a shopping strategy ahead of other shoppers. Eighty percent of Twitter users start to plan for Black Friday at least one week in advance this is eleven points higher than the percentage of preparation exhibited by average shoppers which is 69 percent. For Cyber Monday, 72 percent of Twitter shoppers plan at least a week in advance.

Fifty-six percent say Twitter is one of the first places they go to research products. These shoppers also expect to hear about products and special promotions from brands. In fact, 78 percent say if they saw a Tweet for a sale at a nearby retailer they’d visit the store on Black Friday.

Eighty two percent of Twitter users cite cost saving as the reason they use the platform for shopping on Black Friday. Even more importantly Twitter is perceived as an enjoyable social experience. Fifty-nine percent of Twitter users say they shop Black Friday to "have fun" and 39 percent say it’s a tradition with loved ones.

Seventy percent of Twitter users say they wait in Black Friday lines at stores compared to 61 percent of all Black Friday shoppers.

Eighty percent of Twitter users indicated that they want to save money on Cyber Monday but they also value the ease and convenience of shopping online. The survey revealed that 57 percent of Twitter users appreciate avoiding the crowds and not leaving the comfort of the house or office on Cyber Monday.

Thirty eight percent of Twitter users get online at midnight on #CyberMonday while thirtyfour percent shop between midnight and 6 am to access popular products and special promotions.

Smartphones are a critical tool in Twitter users shopping arsenal. Eighty-seven percent of of Twitter users say they will rely on their smartphones during Black Friday. That is 21 points more than non-twitter users (66 percent). The phones of Twitter users continue to be used as a mobile strategy device. Twenty-two percent of Twitter users continue to check their phones while in line on Black Friday and fifty-four percent stay in touch with family and friends who are shopping, fifty-seven percent. Fifty-seven percent use their phones to find out about different sales and forty-nine percent check prices. Forty one percent use their phones to make purchases while only 22 percent of non-twitter users do so.

Twitter users spend more than other shoppers on both Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Only a third of Twitter users strictly stick to their shopping lists on both days. Twitter users spend 19 percent more than the average Black Friday shopper and 14 percent more than Cyber Monday shoppers. For people who shop on both days the The average spend for Twitter users was $700 more than non-Twitter users.

The top items purchased online are electronics and clothes. They visit an average of 4.6 stores on Black Friday. They also share what they score on Twitter: 18 percent tweet photos of purchases and 23 percent tweet about great deals they got.

For real time insight into the marketing and purchasing mayhem on Twitter follow the hashtags #BlackFriday and #CyberMonday

Related
Black Friday Purchasing Behaviors: Shop Local and Recession
Online Shopping: Cyber Monday vs. Black Friday 
Online Shopping is Greener than In-Store Shopping
Online Holiday Season Spending
Let the Consumer Buying Frenzy Begin
Thanksgiving Shopping: Consumption and the Earth's Carrying Capacity
Thanksgiving Shopping: From Black Friday to Green Tuesday
Infographic - Thanksgiving Shopping Tips
Video: Retail Shopping from a Sustainability Standpoint
Video: Sustainable Shopping
Read More»

A Green Christmas and a Sustainable State of Mind

Add Comment Edit
The holiday season is here and many of us are making more responsible choices, however, while personal actions are critical, this time of year is also a wonderful opportunity to green our consciousnesses. While we all must strive to reduce our energy consumption and eliminate the waste we produce, there is a psychological dimension to environmental stewardship that may not be so obvious.

People who are interested in being more environmentally and socially responsible do a host of things at Christmas time and throughout the year. 

Decorations

When it comes to decorations, they use natural materials like organic cotton and sustainable wood. They avoid plastic containing PVC and toxic chemicals like phthalates, as well as decorations that contain lead and mercury.


Gift Wrapping

They are recycling their wrapping paper or using newspapers, old tin boxes, cloth, and brown paper. Their gifts are tied with string or wire instead of disposable ribbon. They use natural adornments for gifts like evergreen branches, pine cones and cinnamon sticks. Perhaps they even give gifts that do not require wrapping paper at all.

Cards

They are giving out electronic cards instead of paper cards or if they do give paper cards they make sure it is 100 percent recycled.

Lights

They are using lead-free low energy LED lights that conform to RoHS standards and they put them on a timer so that they are not on any longer than they have to be. They are not trying to win awards for lighting displays that consume enough energy to power a small village.

Christmas Trees

They are responsibly sourcing their Christmas tree. If they use a fake tree it is made from polyethylene (PE) plastic. If they are buying a real tree it is a living tree that can be transplanted outside or it is responsibly farmed and when they are done with it they are using it for mulch rather than throwing it into a landfill.

Candles

They avoid candles that have synthetic fragrances and petroleum-based products, which emit toluene, benzene and alkenes. They use candles that are made with safe alternatives like beeswax and soy.

Gifts

They are looking for more responsible gift options. When giving electronics they make sure it is from environmentally concerned companies with a take-back program. They avoid toxic toys, and they try to choose those that are made from natural sources like sustainable wood and organic cotton. They buy responsibly produced non-toxic clothing and they avoid toxic personal care products.

Food

They are choosing healthy antibiotic free organic foods, like humanely farmed, organic chicken and turkey and they are minimizing waste by never making more than they will consume. They may even buy from responsible independent poultry farmers.

While it is entirely laudable that we should be mindful of our choices when it comes to decorations, gift wrapping, cards, lights, Christmas trees, candles, gifts and food, we should also be acutely aware of how our state of mind contributes to or detracts from the world we are trying to create.

In addition to all we do, Christmas is a great time to engender hope for the future. People do not respond to negativity and only a positive attitude can induce the changes we need to see. We must replace well warranted pessimism with the faithful belief that we can change our current environmentally destructive trajectory.

Christmas is also good time to ask ourselves how we foster family traditions that communicate the value of the natural world to our loved ones and especially to the children in our lives. An important part of this involves cultivating a deep and abiding gratitude for nature.

The best part of the holidays comes from being with family and close friends. The love that we feel for those that we care about should be the guiding force informing our attitude, not just at Christmas but throughout the year.

We must inhabit the change we seek, not only through our actions, but in our thinking and in our efforts to share the notion of environmental stewardship with others. We need to acknowledge and communicate the fact that this planet is not ours to abuse, we merely borrow it from future generations.

May we renew our commitment to act with the planet in mind this Christmas, but let us also strive for a sustainable state of mind that informs our actions all throughout the year.

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
Green Market Oracle's Gift Guide: A Summary of More Responsible Gifts
Environmentally Friendly Alternatives to Traditional Christmas Lighting
Environmentally Friendly Alternatives to the Traditional Christmas Tree
Black Friday Purchasing Behaviors: Shopping Locally and Learning from the Great Recession of 2008
Infographic - Thanksgiving: Staying Within 100 Miles and Other Tips from Sustainable America
Video - How Sustainable is your Christmas?
Electronic Receipts are Convenient and Save Trees
Read More»

Video - Unsustainable Christmas Statistics and How to Make Christmas Greener

Add Comment Edit

Video - How Sustainable is your Christmas?

Add Comment Edit

Electronic Receipts are Convenient and Save Trees

Add Comment Edit
Instead of printing out a paper receipt, many stores you now give you the option of sending your receipt by email instead. This is both convenient for consumers and it saves a precious resource. Around ten million trees are cut down each year to make receipts in the US. Trees both provide oxygen and sequester CO2. 

In addition to being better for the environment it also is a great way to organize your records. They can be kept in a separate folder for future reference. This is ideal in the event that you need to return an item or for filing tax returns.

Apple was one of the first stores to provide this option in 2005. Then other retailers started offering this service including Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, Nordstrom, Anthropologie, Patagonia, Sears, Kmart and Whole Foods Market.

New retail payment technology has leveled the playing field and enabled smaller retailers to get in on the act. Now stores of all sizes are able to provide e-receipts.

In addition to being convenient for consumers, there is also value for retailers as these e-receipts can also be a valuable new communications and marketing channel.

E-receipts are sure to follow the popularity online statements and bills from utilities, banks, credit card issuers and other service providers.

The trend towards e-receipts will only increase as more transactions take place virtually with the help of cell phone wallet technology, a phenomenon that is already very popular in places like Japan.

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
Green Market Oracle's Gift Guide: A Summary of More Responsible Gifts
A Green Christmas and a Sustainable State of Mind
Black Friday Purchasing Behaviors: Shopping Locally and Learning from the Great Recession of 2008
Infographic - Thanksgiving: Staying Within 100 Miles and Other Tips from Sustainable America
New Methods of Manufacturing and New Patterns of Consumption
Green Tuesday: The Best of Thanksgiving Consumerism Strives to be Both Sustainable and Profitable
Video - Small Business Saturday Contributes to Sustainability
Thanksgiving Shopping: Consumption and the Earth's Carrying Capacity
Thanksgiving Shopping: From Black Friday to Green Tuesday
The Environmental Toll of the Holidays
Greenpeace’s Guide to Greener Electronics 2012 
Video: Retail Shopping from a Sustainability Standpoint
Video: Sustainable Shopping
Video: The Story of Stuff
New Methods of Manufacturing and New Patterns of Consumption
Read More»

Green Market Oracle's Gift Guide: A Summary of More Responsible Gifts

Add Comment Edit
Are you someone with a green conscience looking for a last minute gift idea? Look no further than the Green Market Oracle's summary of green gift ideas that are sure to please everyone on your holiday list. These gifts are not only more environmentally responsible they also communicate something about your own ecological attitudes.

Here is a quick review of 18 gift recommendations as well as a dozen catalogs each full of green gift ideas.
 

1. Green Gifts that Help Animals and the Planet


Some of the best gifts we can give take the form of donations that help to protect animals and their habitats. Two of the most prominent organizations are the NRDC and the WWF.  The NRDC and WWF are two of nature's leading champions. By donating to the NRDC or the WWF you can help them protect the natural world. Two other organizations that have been included in this list of animal conservation organizations are Orangutan Outreach and the Born Free Foundation. Here is a summary of some of the most earth-friendly gifts on the planet:

NRDC

Revive a Rainforest: Plant a tree in Costa Rica, $15.00

Ocean Protector: Revive our oceans, $25.00

Butterfly Beauty: Create a monarch sanctuary, $25.00

Den Defender: Protect polar bears and their cubs, $35.00

Leader of the Pack: Adopt a wolf in Yellowstone, $25.00

Cozy Cats: Protect North America's big cats, $50.00

All gifts are tax-deductible and every NRDC Green Gift comes with a beautiful print or e-card that will be sent to the person receiving the gift. You can write a personal message and choose exactly when it is sent. Each Green Gift provides much-needed funds that allow NRDC to protect our environment, wildlife, and wildlands. For more information click here.

WWF

Panda: Give a Panda Room to Grow $100.00

Tiger: Give a Tiger a Fighting Chance $100.00

Polar Bear: Help a Polar Bear Keep Cool $100.00

Walrus: Help a Walrus Keep Its Toothy Smile $75.00

When you symbolically adopt a species at risk, you’re giving an extraordinary gift while supporting WWF’s conservation efforts. All WWF gifts come with a tax receipt. For more information click here.  

Orangutan Outreach

Adopt an orangutan and help save these creatures and their habitat. For more information click here.

Born Free Foundation

 Born Free helps hundreds of thousands of animals worldwide including lions, elephants, gorillas, tigers, wolves, bears, dolphins and many others. For more information click here.


2. Greeen Gifts for Kids


This section of the Green Market Oracle's Green Gift Guide is intended for for kids and parents who prefer greener play products. Here are a number of gift ideas that are both fun and eco-friendly:

KidsCraft Playhouses: An amazing gift idea that fosters creativity with well-designed, eco-friendly, and durable cardboard structures. No need for tape or glue to build these structure. Two options, The Shuttle Imagination, $69.95, and The Creation Cottage, $59.95, both of which are made from 100 percent recycled materials that are made here in the US. KidsCraft, a new and rising company, believes strongly in providing families with environmentally-friendly products. Additionally, the Atlanta based business contributes to charitable organizations and values the significance of sustainability. Their dedicated responsibility led them to partner with Trees for the Future Foundation, a program that plants one tree for every KidsCraft product sold. For more information about the playhouses, and other KidsCraft products, click here.

The Magic School Bus Solar Energy to the Rescue: This award winning educational eco-friendly activity kit is made by The Young Scientists Club and it teaches young children about the incredible power of solar energy. With the help of the Magic School Bus driver, Ms. Frizzle, kits can learn how to collect real carbon dioxide, recreate global warming in a bottle, and use a solar panel to spin a fan, among the kit’s many activities. At just $19.99, this green children’s kit, is both enlightening and affordable. With simple and well written directions, the Magic School Bus Solar Energy to the Rescue kit is also easy enough for older children to comprehend and use while on their own. The Young Scientist Club was started by a mother of five, who as a Harvard trained biologist, wanted to expose her own children and others to the incredible world of science. For more information about the science kits or about other products made by The Young Scientist Club, click here.

Haba’s Arranging Game, Corner to Corner: This Eco-friendly toy was developed for little ones three and older. It is comprised of a set of small wooden tiles help to provide endless opportunities for your child to create a variety of fun and exciting patterns. The 62 colorful pieces included, help to spark creativity and imagination growth. Haba toys and games are now available in more than 1,000 stores across the United States. Arranging Game, Corner to Corner retails for $36. For further information about Haba’s green toys and other products, click here.

3. Ethical and Sustainable Candles

Here is a collection of 3 ethically made, sustainable pillar candles (Vetiver, Lavender and Bergamot). These candles are made with renewable, biodegradable materials, natural vegetable wax, cotton wick and 100 percent pure essential oils extracted without chemicals or pesticides. The company behind the candles is LITE+CYCLE, they seek to blend form, function, utility, beauty and responsibility.  They approache everything with a sense of purpose, sustainability and ethics while never compromising on design and quality. The idea is a conscious, and aesthetic approach to living, and the things that add comfort to our lives.

Bergamot: Citrus bergamia An effervescent citrus providing! an uplifting and enlivening aroma to brighten any atmosphere.! Cultivated in Italy without pesticides or chemical fertilizers our bergamot oil!is cold-pressed for aromatherapy that is safe for you and the earth. LITE+CYCLE -

Lavender: Lavandula officinalis + Lavandula angustifolia A balanced lavender providing a tranquil and clarifying aroma to enable calm and complete peace.!Cultivated in France without pesticides or chemical fertilizers our lavender oils!are steam distilled for aromatherapy that is safe for you and the earth.

Vetiver: Vetiveria zizanoides A deep and warm earth aroma to root and ground the mind encouraging harmony. Cultivated in Haiti without pesticides or chemical fertilizers our vetiver oil is steam distilled for aromatherapy that is safe for you and the earth.

LITE+CYCLE Pillar Candles are available in two sizes that burn for 40 hrs ($36) and 85 hrs ($68). For more information click here.

4. Green Gift Catalogs


This section of the Green Market Oracle's guide contains a number of catalogs each with a wide assortment of greener gifts. Check out each one of these twelve catalogs chock-full of eco-focused products and services.

Ethiquette: A database of over 600 responsible products and services. For more information click here.

Grassroots Environmental Products: This site offers a wide array of green products. For more information click here. 

Green America's Holiday Green Gift Guide: Features great deals on green products. For more information click here. 

GreenDeals: Green products and services. For more information click here. 

GreenPages: The nation's leading directory of green products and services, featuring thousands of businesses nationwide. For more information click here.

Inhabitat: The well known green living site also has a green gift catalogue. For more information click here.

NRDC: An extensive catalog of holiday gifts. For more information click here. 

Save Green Money: A wide assortment of Green Gifts. For more information click here. 

Shop Organic: Eco Friendly Gifts that are organic, green and natural For more information click here.

The Daily Green: Another green site that has compiled a list of more than 100 green gift ideas for the home and garden, for women, men and kids, and special selections of radical recycled materials, volunteer opportunities, charity giving etc. For more information click here. 

TreeHugger: This well known site also offers a green gift guide. For more information click here.

WWF: The World Wildlife Fund has a wide variety of colourful, high quality toys and games are a fun way for kids to learn about nature and animals – and a great tool for teaching about the importance of conservation. For more information click here.

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
A Green Christmas and a Sustainable State of Mind
Black Friday Purchasing Behaviors: Shopping Locally and Learning from the Great Recession of 2008
Infographic - Thanksgiving: Staying Within 100 Miles and Other Tips from Sustainable America 
New Methods of Manufacturing and New Patterns of Consumption
Green Tuesday: The Best of Thanksgiving Consumerism Strives to be Both Sustainable and Profitable
Video - Small Business Saturday Contributes to Sustainability
Thanksgiving Shopping: Consumption and the Earth's Carrying Capacity
Thanksgiving Shopping: From Black Friday to Green Tuesday
The Environmental Toll of the Holidays
Greenpeace’s Guide to Greener Electronics 2012 
Video: Retail Shopping from a Sustainability Standpoint
Video: Sustainable Shopping
Video: The Story of Stuff
New Methods of Manufacturing and New Patterns of Consumption
Read More»

Event - Halton Halton Environmental Network (HEN) Holiday Social & Enviro Guide Release

Add Comment Edit
Halton Environmental Network (HEN) Holiday Social and 2014 Enviro Guide Release will take place on Thursday December 12, 2013, at Queen Elizabeth Park Community & Cultural Centre in Oakville Ontario. The gathering will start at 5 pm in the multi-purpose room, C-094, near the front entrance. It's also the launch of HEN's 10th anniversary year! They will be sharing some holiday enviro tips and doing a re-gift exchange! Bring a new unwanted gift you've received, leave it on our table, and take one you want. (Participation is optional.) They will donate any leftover gifts to a local charity. If you haven't seen their new office yet, they will be happy to take you on a tour. All are welcome. Light refreshments provided.

The Halton Environmental Network (HEN) is an incorporated non-profit organization operating in the Region of Halton (Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton, and Oakville). HEN's members are 45 non-profit environmental groups operating in Halton. HEN shares information and resources with member groups, other non-profit organizations, businesses, governments, and the public.

For more information go to their website or

Contact Name: Lisa Seiler
Phone: 905-815-6185
E-mail: info@haltonenvironment.ca

For directions and to RSVP click here.

Related Articles
Green Tuesday: The Best of Thanksgiving Consumerism Strives to be Both Sustainable and Profitable
Video - Small Business Saturday Contributes to Sustainability
Black Friday Purchasing Behaviors: Shopping Locally and Learning from the Great Recession of 2008
Infographic - Thanksgiving: Staying Within 100 Miles and Other Tips from Sustainable America
Video: Retail Shopping from a Sustainability Standpoint
Video: Sustainable Shopping
Video: The Story of Stuff
New Methods of Manufacturing and New Patterns of Consumption
Thanksgiving Shopping: Consumption and the Earth's Carrying Capacity
Thanksgiving Shopping: From Black Friday to Green Tuesday
Read More»

Green Tuesday: The Best of Thanksgiving Consumerism Strives to be Both Sustainable and Profitable

Add Comment Edit
In 2011 Green America launched Green Tuesday to promote sustainable products and services during the period of rampant holiday consumerism. Green Tuesday is celebrated on the Tuesday after the Thanksgiving weekend, it is designed to inspire consumers to make "thoughtful, purposeful, eco-minded choices." Green Tuesday has a lot of competition from other sustainability initiatives including those associated with Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday. The day is also being claimed by another event called "Giving Tuesday," which encourages Americans to donate to charity.

Green Tuesday is vying for a slice of the $5 trillion annual US retail market. According to the National Retail Federation about $600 billion of that consumer spending will occur between Thanksgiving and the end of the year.

Despite the competition from other consumer days, Green Tuesday is gaining ground. Since its launch in 2011 Green America's GreenDeals.org has acquired hundreds of thousands of green members and it has featured hundreds of deals from green businesses.

“Green Deals makes it possible to give great gifts for the holidays, while also giving back to the planet. Many consumers who are turned off by shopping at big-box stores during the holiday season will welcome this opportunity to participate in a way that is in line with their values, and save money at the same time,” says Green America Corporate Responsibility Director, Todd Larsen.

While helping to reduce the impact on the planet is laudable it is also salable. When it launched Green Tuesday in 2011, Green America published some research which supports the profit making potential of green focused consumer goods and services:
Green Tuesday is an important day to raise awareness about more responsible consumerism.  The growth of green consumers is a necessary part of addressing the environmental crisis we face and changing our current trajectory.

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
Video - Small Business Saturday Contributes to Sustainability
Black Friday Purchasing Behaviors: Shopping Locally and Learning from the Great Recession of 2008
Infographic - Thanksgiving: Staying Within 100 Miles and Other Tips from Sustainable America
Video: Retail Shopping from a Sustainability Standpoint
Video: Sustainable Shopping
Video: The Story of Stuff
New Methods of Manufacturing and New Patterns of Consumption
Thanksgiving Shopping: Consumption and the Earth's Carrying Capacity
Thanksgiving Shopping: From Black Friday to Green Tuesday
Read More»

Video - Small Business Saturday Contributes to Sustainability

Add Comment Edit


Small Business Saturday has been around for three years and in that time people are increasingly seeing the value of shopping at mom and pops instead of the big boxes. As explained in a Treehugger article,

"[T]he best tool for greening our lives is Urbanity- building communities that you can get around in without a car. Where you can get what you need within walking or biking distance. That's where small businesses come in to play. They are local, they support the community, and they make our main streets come alive."

As explained in a West Michigan study:

"When West Michigan consumers choose a locally owned business over a non-local alternative, $73 of every $100 spent stays in the community. By contrast, only $43 of every $100 spent at a non-locally owned business remains in the community. There are so many reasons for that; the buildings are often locally owned instead of by some distant big developer; the real estate and sales taxes stay in the community; the wages paid to staff are often higher; the staff are local too and spend their money in the community."

Related Articles
Black Friday Purchasing Behaviors: Shopping Locally and Learning from the Great Recession of 2008
Infographic - Thanksgiving: Staying Within 100 Miles and Other Tips from Sustainable America
Video: Retail Shopping from a Sustainability Standpoint
Video: Sustainable Shopping
Video: The Story of Stuff
New Methods of Manufacturing and New Patterns of Consumption
Thanksgiving Shopping: Consumption and the Earth's Carrying Capacity
Thanksgiving Shopping: From Black Friday to Green Tuesday
Read More»

Waste is an Unfortunate Thanksgiving Tradition

1 Comment Edit
The holiday season represents a high point for retailers and a low point for the environment. There are two major things we can do to help minimize our impacts. The first is to be more mindful of purchasing behaviors and second is to do a better job of managing our waste. Waste is one of the biggest problems associated with the holidays. Waste is highly detrimental to the environment and according to the EPA, 32 million tons of plastic waste are generated yearly, 14 million tons of which are used in packaging. During the period from Thanksgiving to the New Year, Americans generate 25 percent more waste than average. This includes

• 125,000 tons of plastic packaging
• 744 million holiday cards
• 8,000 tons of wrapping paper (which according to Treehugger is the equivalent of 50,000 trees).

The Thanksgiving feast is a notorious celebration of gluttony. Apart from the fact that this contributes to the epidemic of obesity in the country it also generates additional waste. During this feast.46 million turkeys will be consumed (20 percent of the yearly total) and the average American will consume 4,500 calories. Sadly much of the food consumed during this period will end up rotting in landfills.

A total of five million tons of food will be wasted between Thanksgiving and the end of 2013. Worldwide, some 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted annually, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization. In the US, 33 percent of food is thrown away as a result of over-buying and misinterpretation of expiration and sell-by dates. In the developing world, an equal amount of food is lost because of poor infrastructure, pests, and disease.

The amount of food wasted in the U.S. each year totals some US$165 billion—and more than US$40 billion of that waste comes from households, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

Recently, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon issued the Zero Hunger Challenge, aimed to reduce all food loss and waste. Moon called for nations to correct the inequity of food waste in a world plagued by hunger. "By reducing food waste, we can save money and resources, minimize environmental impacts and, most importantly, move towards a world where everyone has enough to eat,” he urged. Making enough food rather than too much food is a good place to start.

When it comes to giving gifts, an experience rather than a thing is almost always waste free. When you do receive material gifts make sure you recycle, this especially applies to plastic items which do not properly biodegrade. Wrapping paper and gift bags can either be recycled or reused.

The best way to reduce waste is not to make it in the first place, this includes little or no packaging and wrapping. The next best way is through responsible waste disposal which is primarily about recycling and re purposing. 

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
Black Friday Purchasing Behaviors: Shopping Locally and Learning from the Great Recession of 2008
Infographic - Thanksgiving: Staying Within 100 Miles and Other Tips from Sustainable America
Thanksgiving Shopping: Consumption and the Earth's Carrying Capacity
Thanksgiving Shopping: From Black Friday to Green Tuesday
The Days of Overconsumption
Green Tuesday's Sustainable Consumerism
How to Make Gift Giving More Green from C2ES
All Indications Suggest a Banner Year for Cyber Monday Shopping
Black Friday 2011 Saw a Big Year-Over-Year Spending Increase
Seven Ways to Make Your Thanksgiving Greener
The Environmental Toll of the Holidays
Video: Retail Shopping from a Sustainability Standpoint
Video: Sustainable Shopping
Video: The Story of Stuff
New Methods of Manufacturing and New Patterns of Consumption
Read More»

Black Friday Purchasing Behaviors: Shopping Locally and Learning from the Great Recession of 2008

Add Comment Edit
What can the environmentally conscious consumer do to be a more responsible shopper? One obvious thing we can do to help offset environmental impacts is to buy local. We may also benefit from reflecting on the implications of the economic meltdown of 2008. Black Friday is a fascinating conflagration of consumerism kicking off a spending frenzy worth more than $59 billion in 2012, which was up from $52.5 billion in 2011. To capitalize on this orgy of consumerism, retail outlets are opening earlier every year. This year many big box stores opened their doors on the Thursday prior to Black Friday. Just five years after the start of the Great Recession, consumers are battling each other in retail outlets to save a few dollars. This may be a good time of year to remember what happened in 2008 and why.

Shopping locally reduces the distances traveled by consumers and locally owned businesses tend to make more local purchases, requiring less commercial transportation. Shopping in town centers translates to less urban sprawl, habitat loss and pollution.

In addition to supporting the retail establishments closest to us, we can also learn an important lesson from the Great Recession of 2008.

Deregulation allowed for rampant greed in financial markets. This led to the development of a number of highly sophisticated financial offerings including collateralized debt obligations or CDOs. These instruments packaged oversold mortgage debt to give the impression of a good investment. Many institutions did make money at first, but it was a bubble that was destined to burst. When it did collapse it brought down the global economy with it.

Short sighted consumerism is in some respects analogous to the events that led to the Great Recession. Responsible purchasing is like responsible investing. Our purchases can be reviewed in the same way that assess any investment. A good purchase, like a good investment involves understanding the associated impacts, both short and long term.

Before you make a purchase consider the implications for the environment, for the people and for society.

We are seeing record stock valuations, improving employment numbers and better housing statistics. However, we should not be blinded by an improving economic picture. When making purchases, just like making sound investments we would be wise to consider products and services that are good for the triple bottom line of people, planet and profits.

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
Infographic - Thanksgiving: Staying Within 100 Miles and Other Tips from Sustainable America
Seven Ways to Make Your Thanksgiving Greener
The Environmental Toll of Thanksgiving
Video: Retail Shopping from a Sustainability Standpoint
Video: Sustainable Shopping
Video: The Story of Stuff
New Methods of Manufacturing and New Patterns of Consumption
Thanksgiving Shopping: Consumption and the Earth's Carrying Capacity
Thanksgiving Shopping: From Black Friday to Green Tuesday
Read More»

Silencing Scientists (NY Times Editorial)

Add Comment Edit
This is a New York Times, Sunday Review, Opinion Pages, Editorial/Notebook piece by Verlyn Klinkenborg. It was published on September 21, 2013. 
_________________________________________________________ 

Over the last few years, the government of Canada — led by Stephen Harper — has made it harder and harder for publicly financed scientists to communicate with the public and with other scientists.

It began badly enough in 2008 when scientists working for Environment Canada, the federal agency, were told to refer all queries to departmental communications officers. Now the government is doing all it can to monitor and restrict the flow of scientific information, especially concerning research into climate change, fisheries and anything to do with the Alberta tar sands — source of the diluted bitumen that would flow through the controversial Keystone XL pipeline. Journalists find themselves unable to reach government scientists; the scientists themselves have organized public protests.

There was trouble of this kind here in the George W. Bush years, when scientists were asked to toe the party line on climate policy and endangered species. But nothing came close to what is being done in Canada.

Science is the gathering of hypotheses and the endless testing of them. It involves checking and double-checking, self-criticism and a willingness to overturn even fundamental assumptions if they prove to be wrong. But none of this can happen without open communication among scientists. This is more than an attack on academic freedom. It is an attempt to guarantee public ignorance.

It is also designed to make sure that nothing gets in the way of the northern resource rush — the feverish effort to mine the earth and the ocean with little regard for environmental consequences. The Harper policy seems designed to make sure that the tar sands project proceeds quietly, with no surprises, no bad news, no alarms from government scientists. To all the other kinds of pollution the tar sands will yield, we must now add another: the degradation of vital streams of research and information.

Source: New York Times

Related Articles
Canadian Conservatives Cut Research Funding but Spend on Fossil Fuel Pipeline
Video - When is Canada's Environment Minister Going to Listen to Experts on Climate Change
Video - Calling on Canadian Environment Minister to Apologize for Denying Climate Change and its Impacts
Canada's Ruling Conservatives Take Another Swipe at Environmental Protections
Canada's Ruling Conservatives are Trying to Silence American Scientists
Canada's Ruling Conservatives Muzzle Scientists
Canadian Conservatives Silence Opposition to the Northern Gateway Oil Pipeline
Canadian Conservatives Admit to Killing Environmental Dissent
Conservative Budget Guts the Environment
Canada is a Dirty Energy Superpower
Read More»

European Commissioner for Climate Action Urges Development Banks to Divest from Fossil Fuels

Add Comment Edit
The European Union (EU) Commissioner for Climate Action has urged development banks to cease supporting fossil fuels and divest from related projects, plants and infrastructure.

Connie Hedegaard is the first ever EU Commissioner for Climate Action. Prior to 2010, She was an accomplished journalist and a distinguished politician. When she was elected to the Danish Parliament in 1984 she was the youngest person ever to be a Danish MP. In 2007 she was appointed the Danish Minister for the Environment where she set up the 2009 UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen. In 2008 she published Da klimaet blev hot, [When the climate got hot]. In addition to her work as a politician, journalist and author she is also a lecturer who has sat on a number of committees and boards.

In a June 25, 2013 report she singles out three institutions, the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the World Bank.

Although the 3 banks have policies aimed at encouraging lending to renewables and energy efficiency, Hedegaard suggests that they "take a lead role in eliminating public support for fossil fuels"

Hedegaard said that one of the best ways to decrease fossil fuel investments is to press for greater transparency in reporting on emissions. She also called on the banks to increase investments in renewables and energy efficiency.

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
Curbing Fossil Fuels is Essential to Climate Change Mitigation
A Large and Growing Chorus is Calling for an End to Fossil Fuel Subsidies
Video - Bill McKibben on Faith and Fossil Fuel Divestment
Pursuing a Moratorium on New Fossil Fuel Development
Fossil Fuel Action Day Divestment Strategy
Video - A Debate about the 350.org Fossil Fuel Divestment Campaign
Video - Bill McKibben Makes the Case for Fossil Fuel Divestment at Middlebury College
Students Advocating Divestment from Fossil Fuels
Burning Fossil Fuels and Staying Within the 2 Degree Limit
End Fossil Fuel Subsidies Totaling One Trillion Per Year
Obama Striving to Put an End to Oil Subsidies
End Fossil Fuel Subsidies
Scientists Urge Government Action on Climate Including Removing Oil Subsidies
4 Principles for Climate and Energy Legislation
Read More»

Conservative Confusion about the Role of Government in Support of Green Jobs

1 Comment Edit
According to traditional conservative doctrine, governments do not create jobs only free markets can do that. However, economists around the world contradict that facile and dated logic. Investment in green job creation is a short term strategy that helps green industries to grow. Helping green industries to achieve economies of scale reduces costs, enhances competitiveness and provides jobs. Government investments also drive innovation.

The jobs creation potential of the green economy is unparallelled and governments all around the world see the wisdom of helping to grow their tax base by supporting green industry. Green-collar jobs are high paying positions that benefit the environment while cutting pollution and reducing waste.

According to Shari Shapiro, associate with Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel LLP, the numbers show that government green stimulus investments are the most cost-effective ways to create jobs.

We are in an era of unprecedented growth in the green market, and this growth will supply millions of jobs. The emergence of green industries will also have a ripple effect that will create countless employment opportunities. These include teaching positions required to train people for their new roles in the emerging green economy.

Governments see green investments as a way of putting people to work and preparing for the future. Governments that fail to support the green economy will fall behind, while those that support green industries will produce jobs and grow their economy.

In the final analysis government support for cleaner more efficient business is a matter of gaining a competitive advantage. Failure to provide such support is a recipe for economic decline.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
10 Jobs that Serve the Environment
Green Skills that you Need to be an Energy Contractor
Hopeful Statistics for Green Job Growth Top 10 "Shovel Ready" Green Jobs
Green Job Bank
Green Jobs Growth First Quarter 2012
Best Places for Green Jobs in the US
Green Jobs for America
Hot Green Jobs for 2011 and Beyond
Government Investment Green Jobs and Economic Recovery
Green Government Investments and Job Creation
The Fate of the Democrats is Tied to Green Jobs
State Green Jobs Initiatives Need Federal Legislation
Republican Cuts Target Green Jobs
Electric Vehicles Create Jobs
The Economic and Employment Benefits of Forests
Excerpts of President Obama's American Jobs Act Speech
Obama's Jobs Plan Emphasizes Education and Greener Schools
Video: President Obama's American Jobs Act
Video of White House Policy Briefing on Green
Clean Tech Job Trends 2010 Report:
Hot Green Jobs for 2011 and Beyond
Read More»

Carrotmob's Partnership with Unilever

Add Comment Edit
Carrotmob is a social venture organization that harnesses the influence of consumers on sustainable consumption. Carrotmob organizes crowdsourced “buycotts,” in which consumers use their purchasing power to push businesses to be more sustainable. Now Carrotmob is joining forces with Unilever, one of the world’s largest consumer packaged goods companies.

Brent Schulkin, the founder of Carrotmob staged his first campaign in 2008, with a small liquor store in San Francisco that installed energy-efficient lighting. Most recently Carrotmob worked with Thanksgiving to develop a campaign to help finance wind powered transportation of coffee.

Over the last four years Carrotmob has been part of more than 250 campaigns in 20 countries with small and medium-sized businesses. Their new partnership with Unilever is part of their efforts to scale up their operations to include bigger companies.

Carrotmob consumers around the world will determine what action they would like to see from Unilever. Within a year the first campaign will decide the products they want to support, the actions which will be taken and sales goals.

With campaigns that create emotional bonds and cultivate authentic relationships, Carrotmobs may well be the future of cause marketing.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
Carrotmobs: Adding Incentives to the Consumer Arsenal
The World's First Global Carrotmob Campaign
Educating Consumers about Sustainable Consumption
Profiting From the New Rules of Green Marketing
The Revolutionary New Model of Consumption
The Frugal Green Consumer
Sustainability is the Future of Consumption
The War Between the Earth's Carrying Capacity and Rising Demand
US Environmental Attitudes 2007 - 2020
Consumers Skeptical of Environmental Claims
Surveys of America's Greenest Brands
Don't Count on the Young to Save the Planet
The Power of Social Media and the Importance of Market Segmentation
The Cycle of Climate Change Acceptance
US Consumer Attitudes on Green 2011
Consumer Groups Push for a US Vehicle Efficiency Standard
Consumer Demand for Green (2009)
Green's Coming of Age
Green Opportunities in Volatile Times
Consumers Continue to Embrace the Burgeoning Green Market
People Remain Loyal to Green Even in an Economic Downturn
Green Consumers Really Can Save the World (Video)
Read More»

Incentivizing Consumer Engagement in Cause Campaigns (Webinar)

Add Comment Edit
In today's economy, convincing people to part with an extra dollar or two on behalf of a worthy cause isn't as simple as it used to be. With budgets tightening and a renewed focus on value, many consumers want to know "what's in it for me?" before doling out their money or time. Join MSLGROUP's Anne Erhard as she discloses the keys to crafting successful cause marketing campaigns in this hour-long session focused on incentivizing consumer engagement.

The webinar will take place on October 24, 2012 from 1:30pm to 2:30pm ET.  The cost is $99 or FREE to Members. For more information or to register click here.

Related Articles
Educating Consumers about Sustainable Consumption
Profiting From the New Rules of Green Marketing
The Revolutionary New Model of Consumption
The Frugal Green Consumer
Sustainability is the Future of Consumption
The World's First Global Carrotmob Campaign
The War Between the Earth's Carrying Capacity and Rising Demand
US Environmental Attitudes 2007 - 2020
Consumers Skeptical of Environmental Claims
Surveys of America's Greenest Brands
Don't Count on the Young to Save the Planet
The Power of Social Media and the Importance of Market Segmentation
The Cycle of Climate Change Acceptance
US Consumer Attitudes on Green 2011
Consumer Groups Push for a US Vehicle Efficiency Standard
Consumer Demand for Green (2009)
Carrotmobs: Adding Incentives to the Consumer Arsenal
Green's Coming of Age
Green Opportunities in Volatile Times
Consumers Continue to Embrace the Burgeoning Green Market
People Remain Loyal to Green Even in an Economic Downturn
Green Consumers Really Can Save the World (Video)
Read More»

All Indications Suggest a Banner Year for Cyber Monday Shopping

Add Comment Edit
By all indications, Cyber Monday is likely to set records this year. Buying online is a greener form of consumption because it reduces the amount of fuel used to find, price and purchase an item. Online shopping is also a greener way to shop due to the fact that trucks can deliver goods more efficiently and it takes a lot less energy to run a warehouse for boxes of goods than a mall. Online shopping can be a more beneficial option for the planet particularly when it is paired with more responsible purchasing (ie: purchasing items with smaller footprints).

Online commerce has played a bigger role in the holiday shopping season virtually every year since its inception. This is largely due to the increased sophistication of Internet marketing and consumers who are becoming more web-savvy.

Black Friday saw a 6.6 percent increase in buying over last year and according to IBM, online shopping was even stronger with a 24.3 percent increase for the day.

According to a annual holiday spending survey by Robert Passikoff, president of Brand Keys, a retail marketing company, 60% of shoppers said they will use online shopping and price-comparison applications before making any purchases.

Online sellers and shoppers are both optimistic about the holiday season. According to Shop.org’s eHoliday survey 68% of online retailers say they expect to see growth of at least 15% over last year.

On the consumer side, data from the National Retail Federation, shows that consumers plan to do 36% of their holiday shopping online. This is an increase from 32.7% in 2010.

This holiday season, mobile shopping will be even more important with 51% of retailers say they’ve “significantly invested” in mobile-optimized websites. Only 19.6% have invested in tablet apps, but 35.3% are using QR codes to bring in customers.

Social is also important with 72.5% of retailers building up their Facebook presence and 41.2% using Twitter. 29.2% of consumers said they would check a company’s Facebook page for holiday shopping information. 65.1% said they read customer reviews on the company website.

Consumers want to shop online because of convenience (43.2% said it was 24-hour convenience). Consumers also said online was a great way to avoid the crowds and it was easy to compare prices, so they knew they were getting the best deal.

According to a Deloitte Holiday Survey titled "Digital Shopping Will Keep the Grinch at Bay this Holiday Season," the Internet has tied discounters as top destination for gift shopping. Online shopping, once the preferred option of younger shoppers, is now prevalent across generations and mobile tools are assisting holiday shoppers more than ever.

Almost half of consumers surveyed (48 percent) say they most likely will shop for gifts online this holiday season – a double digit (13 percent) increase from last year. This makes the Internet the No.1 shopping destination, (tied with discount stores), for the first time since adding the channel to Deloitte’s annual study.

Social media sites are helping shoppers as 44 percent of consumers plan to use them while holiday shopping. While social media use cuts across all income groups evenly, high-end shoppers will be the most active online and on their phones this holiday season.

Smartphones are also key to the online buying experience. Among smartphone owners surveyed (42 percent) who plan to use their phones for holiday shopping (27 percent), nearly six out of 10 (56 percent) will check or compare prices specifically while in a store, and 38 percent will scan barcodes to locate product information.

For more information about Deloitte’s Annual Holiday Survey, including additional statistics, historical data and useful links, click here.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Posts
Cyber Monday 2010
Eco Cyber Monday 2009
Online Consumers and E-Commerce: Holiday Season 2009
Black Friday 2011 Saw a Big Year-Over-Year Spending Increase
Retailers Incorrectly Expected Frugal Holiday Buying on Black Friday 2011
Greenpeace Green Electronics Guide November 2011
Patagonia Shows the Way with Responsible Business Leadership
Greener Gifts
Video: Retail Shopping from a Sustainability Standpoint
Video: Sustainable Shopping
Video: The Story of Stuff
New Methods of Manufacturing and New Patterns of Consumption
Thanksgiving Shopping: Consumption and the Earth's Carrying Capacity
Thanksgiving Shopping: From Black Friday to Green Tuesday
Thanksgiving for those who Feel Thankless
Thanksgiving: Living in Harmony with the Planet
Read More»

Patagonia Shows the Way with Responsible Business Leadership

Add Comment Edit
Patagonia is an outdoor clothing company that is showing real leadership by asking consumers to think twice about whether they really need to buy a new jacket. They offer services to fix the jacket you have rather than buy a new one. They will even help you sell it without charge. If it is really beyond repair, they will recycle it.

Patagonia is a business and like many businesses they exist to make and sell things. But Patagonia only wants to sell things to people that really have a need.

Although the health of their business and the livelihoods of their employees depends on people buying their wares, they realize that there is no business on a dead planet.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

responsible, leader, leadership, sustainability, green, corporate, company, business, best, top, leading, action, journey, model, footprint, environment, climate change, global warming,

Related Articles
10 Reasons Why Patagonia is the World's Most Responsible Company  
Patagonia May be the World's Most Responsible Company
Video - Yvon Chouinard Founder of Patagonia and 1% for the Planet
The 8 C's of Sustainability
The 2013 World's Most Ethical Companies (Ethisphere)
Andrew Winston: Top 10 Sustainable Business Stories of 2012
Harvard Business Review Blog: Top 10 Sustainable Business Stories of 2012
Bschool.com's "10 Great Companies Who Were Green Before It Was Cool"
Read More»

Black Friday 2011 Saw a Big Year-Over-Year Spending Increase

Add Comment Edit
Early reports indicate that the 2011 Black Friday spend saw a huge year-over-year increase. According to the data group ShopperTrak, retail sales on Black Friday grew 6.6 percent this year compared to just 0.3% in 2010, raking in an estimated $11.4 billion dollars compared to last year's $10.7 billion of annual sales. This is the most total sales in the history of Black Friday.

"This is the largest year-over-year gain in ShopperTrak's National Retail Sales Estimate for Black Friday since the 8.3 percent increase we saw between 2007 and 2006," said ShopperTrak founder Bill Martin in a statement to CNN Money.

Despite the sluggish economy, shoppers proved that they are ready to buy. With preliminary reports for Black Friday indicating that retailers may have seen their strongest sales ever, American consumers appear to be eschewing expectations of frugal spending.

The US is well known for its domestic spending powered economy, however, given the implications for the earth, this kind of spending is environmentally unsustainable.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Posts
Retailers Incorrectly Expected Frugal Holiday Buying on Black Friday 2011
Video: Retail Shopping from a Sustainability Standpoint
Video: Sustainable Shopping
Video: The Story of Stuff
New Methods of Manufacturing and New Patterns of Consumption
Thanksgiving Shopping: Consumption and the Earth's Carrying Capacity
Thanksgiving Shopping: From Black Friday to Green Tuesday
Thanksgiving for those who Feel Thankless
Thanksgiving: Living in Harmony with the Planet
Read More»

Retailers Incorrectly Expected Frugal Holiday Buying on Black Friday 2011

Add Comment Edit
Frugal buying would make the holiday spend less than some had hoped for. But what is bad for retailers would have been beneficial for the Earth. Estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau indicated that US retail and food services sales for October were up 0.5 percent from the previous month (economists expected a 0.3 percent rise) and 7.2 percent above October 2010. Excluding gasoline, retail sales rose 0.7 percent.

Holiday buying estimates from the National Retail Federation (NRF) expected sales of around $465.6 billion, represent a 2.8% increase over last year’s robust results which were 5.2% above 2009 results.

On a per-person basis, the NRF surveys found that consumers say they will spend about $516 on gifts, down 4.6% from last year.

The global port tracker, a monthly report about import-cargo volume at the nation’s major retail container ports, is forecast to fall 1.9% in November.

Concerns about the prevailing economic climate is causing retailers to be cautious. “Retailers are being very strategic with their supply chains,” said Jonathan Gold, NRF’s vice president for supply chain and customs policy. “Although sales are expected to be in line with the 10-year average, retailers are keeping inventory levels extremely lean and filling their stores wall-to-wall with discounts and promotions. Unlike in 2008, when the financial crisis caught everyone off-guard, retailers have a strong understanding of the consumer mind set this Christmas,” he added.

Many retailers were expecting what can only be described as frugal spending. Consumer sentiment as measured by the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan’s preliminary reading on the overall index edged up in October, but the ratings are about the same as they were in 2008, the worst holiday-shopping season in 35 years.

The industry feared what they were calling “mission shoppers,” who only purchase what they came for, meaning less unplanned buying. They were expecting consumers to embrace the “new normal” by spending less and looking for savings wherever they can.

While this would have been bad news for some retailers, less buying translates to less manufacturing, which implies less resource and energy use and ultimately less waste.

While many were predicting less not more holiday spending, these predictions have proven inaccurate as early indications suggest Black Friday's retail spend represented a big year-over-year increase.

© 2011, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Posts
Black Friday 2011 Saw a Big Year-Over-Year Spending Increase
Video: Retail Shopping from a Sustainability Standpoint
Video: Sustainable Shopping
Video: The Story of Stuff
New Methods of Manufacturing and New Patterns of Consumption
Thanksgiving Shopping: Consumption and the Earth's Carrying Capacity
Thanksgiving Shopping: From Black Friday to Green Tuesday
Thanksgiving for those who Feel Thankless
Thanksgiving: Living in Harmony with the Planet
Read More»
Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )