Blog Entries

IKEA Canada Achieves 90% Reduction in Plastic Bag Use

tzetter@findmore.ca — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100

In the first six months of the "Bag the Bag" program, IKEA Canada has reduced its Plastic Bag use by 90 per cent across the country. Last October, IKEA Canada conducted a survey with its customers and received more than 60,000 responses, which concluded that plastic bags were an environmental issue that needed action. Shortly thereafter, the retailer began charging for its plastic bags, donating the full $0.05 to Tree Canada.

In the first six months of the program, more than $102,000 h [...]

ERMA's madness endangers New Zeeland beef exports and our health

tzetter@findmore.ca — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100

It is madness that the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA) is risking New Zealand's meat and dairy exports by continuing to allow the use of a highly toxic insecticide which is banned or heavily restricted in more than 50 countries, the Green Party says.

Endosulfan, an environmentally persistent chemical linked to breast cancer, has turned up for a second time in New Zealand beef exports to South Korea, our second largest beef market.

This incident comes just one week a [...]

www.IonAvs.com Offers Ionic Foot Detox Baths Worldwide

tzetter@findmore.ca — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Many are going online to buy the new Ion Cell Cleanse foot detox from Alternative Vitality Systems. They are using this new foot detox technology for arthritis, joint pain, removing numerous toxins from the body, improving the immune system, improving sleep, mental focus, increasing vital energy, AIDS/HIV, Skin disorders (Dermatology), Diabetes and more. All that is required for a session is to soak your feet in a tub of warm water for 30 min. During the session negative and positive ions are ge [...]

Promoting Ethanol Fuel Misguided

tzetter@findmore.ca — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Federal and provincial policies that promote the production and use of ethanol fuel to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are misguided, according to a Commentary released today by the C.D. Howe Institute. The strategy should be reconsidered, says the study, since the net environmental benefits of ethanol fuel are uncertain, and the costs to consumers and governments are high.

In The Ethanol Trap: Why Policies to Promote Ethanol as Fuel Need Rethinking, economist Douglas Auld of the [...]

Dion won't shift on green slogan

tzetter@findmore.ca — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Liberal Leader Stephane Dion says he doesn't think the Green Shift environmental company is being hurt by his party's use of the same name for its carbon tax policy and "it will be OK."

Monster.ca introduces online video to help Canadian employers target and attract top talent in ...

tzetter@findmore.ca — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 03:08:46 +0100

Monster Canada has launched Monster Video Profile, an exciting new multimedia tool designed to let employers easily introduce streaming video into their Monster.ca job postings.

With Monster Video Profile, already a huge success among employers in the U.S. since its launch there less than a year ago, Monster.ca will be offering video production, hosting and job posting integration to employers who want to put their best foot forward as the war for talent grows in Canada's tight labor m [...]

TD Canada Trust greens all its Green Machines with renewable electricity

tzetter@findmore.ca — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

TD Canada Trust has announced an agreement with Bullfrog Power and The Pembina Institute through which the bank will annually purchase 6,432 megawatt hours (MWh) of clean, renewable power from emission-free generation sources such as wind power and low-impact water power. This renewable electricity will match the power used by the TD Green Machine network of nearly 2,600 Automated Bank Machines across the country.

The decision to purchase green power follows up on the bank's commitment [...]

Certified and Delicious coffee served and sold at IKEA

tzetter@findmore.ca — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Starting this month, IKEA will only sell and serve certified coffee at all its stores and offices globally. To ensure that all coffee sold and served at IKEA is produced under socially and environmentally responsible conditions, IKEA has decided to strictly use UTZ Certified coffee. UTZ Certified is an independent not-for-profit organization that sets a standard for responsible coffee growing and sourcing.

This recognized and trustworth [...]

Where does the corporate culture come from?

tzetter@findmore.ca — Sun, 18 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Some CEO's believe they can define the corporate culture of their company - we argue that they can't.
The reason for this is that corporate culture - like any other type of culture is a product of behaviors, norms, values, history and leadership style. If you want to develop a certain corporate culture it doesn't help you writing it down in a powerpoint presentation - you have to live it out.

Just look at your family. The culture you have in your family isn't written down - it is s [...]

Did you know about disposable cups

tzetter@findmore.ca — Mon, 12 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

More than 8 billion disposable cups are thrown out every year in Canada., according to Change The World For Ten Bucks: 50 Ways To Make A Difference. Buy a resuable mug for your coffee break.

Looming worldwide food crisis

tzetter@findmore.ca — Sat, 03 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Did you know that food costing more when you shop? Here's why -- we're plunging headlong into a world food crisis. Rocketing prices are squeezing billions and triggering food riots from Bangladesh to South Africa. Aid agencies say 100 million more people are at risk of starvation right now[1].

In Sierra Leone alone the price of a bag of rice has doubled, becoming unaffordable for 90% of citizens[2]. Fears of inflation stalk the whole world, and the worst could be yet to come.

Six in ten shoppers think they can pay by fingerprint in 2015

tzetter@findmore.ca — Sat, 03 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Biometric fingerprint payment, interactive dressing room assistance and intelligent shopping trolleys could depart the realms of science fiction for the real world, as a TNS study reveals that new technologies look set to revolutionize the way we shop.
Six in 10 Internet-connected consumers across the globe believe that they will be able to pay for purchases using just their fingerprint by 2015 - with this innovation rated top by the greatest proportion of people questioned. The UK is m [...]

Allergies: Suffer the Sneezing Worker

tzetter@findmore.ca — Sat, 03 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Ah May: the leaves are opening, flowers blooming, your eyes are a watery haze and your nose is running like a faucet. Allergy season is here!
In its Spring edition, Allergic Living magazine looks at the hidden toll of spring allergies and finds a lot more than cases of the sniffles. In fact, there is widespread "presenteeism" on the job - in which allergic employees show up but are too irritable, congested and sleep-deprived to do a proper day's work. And the costs? One study [...]

CIBC migrating office paper supply to stock certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

tzetter@findmore.ca — Sat, 03 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

CIBC is taking a major step towards preserving Canada's boreal forest by switching its office paper supply to FSC-certified paper. This includes copy, printer and fax office paper, and also client statements, statement envelopes, ABM envelopes, and annual reports. CIBC also has cut its office paper purchases by 22 per cent since 2004 by implementing environmental best practices.
On April 1, CIBC switched its office copy, printer, and fax paper to FSC-certified stock, equivalent to [...]

Planet Organic Wins Top Rating Among Canadian Food Retailers

tzetter@findmore.ca — Sat, 03 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

A national magazine picked Planet Organic Markets as the top organic food retailer across Canada.
The survey of 14 major grocery retailers by Corporate Knights magazine gave Planet Organic an overall "Excellent" rating or an 'A', while Planet's most direct competitor, Whole Foods, garnered second spot with a 'B+'.
Other major retailers such as Loblaws, Safeway and Sobeys came in with distant 'C' ratings, meaning they were either "showing potential" with their o [...]

Hbc Purchases Eco-Friendly

tzetter@findmore.ca — Sat, 03 May 2008 00:00:00 +0100

Hudson's Bay Company (Hbc) has entered into a three year partnership with Canadian companies The Global Group and Harkel Office Furniture to furnish its newly redesigned head office in Brampton, Ontario, with eco-friendly products.
Hbc and The Global Group are Canada's largest companies in their respective fields. Harkel Office Furniture has a 28 year history of providing superior service in this country. This partnership is one of the largest of its kind in the Canadian market place. T [...]

GE launches 'Green Environment' project to make Delhi green; Plants 2,000 saplings

tzetter@findmore.ca — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

In line with its strong commitment towards preserving the environment, the philanthropic arm of GE, the GE Volunteers India launched a tree plantation drive "Green Environment" in partnership with the Defense Services.
More than 20 volunteers from the Delhi chapter of GE Volunteers India actively participated in the drive flagged off by Mr. William Blair, the Country Director of GE Aviation, India and Chairman, Delhi Chapter, GE Volunteers India. Around 2,000 saplings of diff [...]

HongKong to introduce tax cuts for environment-friendly facilities

tzetter@findmore.ca — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100
Hong Kong will soon introduce one-off and accelerated tax cuts for environment-friendly machinery and installations, a 100-percent deduction under profits tax will be provided in the year of purchase for the capital expenditure incurred on the provision of eligible machinery.
The amendments will be made to the tax law upon the passing of a Revenue Bill by the Legislative Council, the HKSAR government said in a statement.
Environmental protection machinery includes low noise constr [...]

Conservation of Genetic Diversity Must For Sustainable Agriculture

tzetter@findmore.ca — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100

The Indian Government considers proper management of plant and animal genetic resources integral to sustainable development of agriculture. A number of steps have been taken to conserve the country’s rich genetic diversity and many more are in the offing.

This came out in the discussions in the Indian Parliamentary Consultative Committee meeting held earlier this week. Parliamentarians and Government officials discussed the issues relating to genetic resource management in t [...]

The Crown Estate to Purchase The World’s Largest Offshore Wind Turbin

tzetter@findmore.ca — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 00:00:00 +0100
The Crown Estate has signed an agreement to purchase Clipper Windpower’s prototype of the world's largest offshore wind turbine, http://www.clipperwind.com/pdf/MBE_Size.pdf Clipper’s 7.5MW MBE turbine, also referred to as the Britannia project.

This investment will allow The Crown Estate to gain firsthand knowledge of the challenges facing the development of wind turbines specialised for deep water marine deployment as the process of engaging industry to develop th [...]