Green business news

We are happy to report that there is a "green" business phenomenon emerging. More businesses than ever are responding to consumer demand for environmentally responsible business practices. We believe that, in light of current environmental concerns all over the world, this significant trend will persist. We will provide ongoing green businesses news here. Please bookmark this page, or include your own green business news story below. One website that we support is Greenbuzz. You can read their up-to-the-minute headlines below.

After a judge ruled that the planting of genetically altered alfalfa crops should be banned, the USDA recently approved their use. This is bad news for organic alfalfa farmers and organic milk producers. Read the latest on the lawsuit being launched by the Center for Food Safety and Earthjustice by visiting the Center for Food Safety's website here.

Hydrogenated fats controversy continues
Trans fats labeling on processed goods will become mandatory after January 1, 2006. The company that has taken the most steps to eliminate hydrogenated fats from their products (including the Boca line, cookies, and crackers) has been Kraft Foods. As for fast food chains, only a few have eliminated trans fats from their products. They inclue Au bon Pain, Panera Bread, Jason's Deli, and California Pizza Kitchen. For the full story, go to the Center for Science in the Public Interest trans fats labeling page.

According to a recent New York Times article, the well-known shoe company Timberland will be including "nutrition labels" on its shoes. It will include information about the energy used in making the shoes, where they're made, etc. They're called "green index tags", and they will measure the impact on the environment on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 denoting the smallest impact (less than 4.9 kilograms of carbon equivalents). An average size refrigerator uses about 17 kilograms. Perhaps in the near future, nutrition labels will become standardized, allowing consumers to make more informed choices about everything they buy, from cars to shoes! It's all part of their "Earthkeeping" initiative, which includes tree planting and the use of recycled rubber and plastic. For more information, visit Timberland's Green Index page.

A company called Green Living Technologies, LLC is building roof panels and, most recently, wall panels that can support plant life. They have current projects in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and other locations, and hope to create panels for retail sales to consumers. To learn more about this interesting green technology, go to agreenroof.com.

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