For most of you, this probably sounds like a fairytale land, filled with green and eco-friendly products (or maybe that’s just me?).

But really, Greenopolis is a new concept that I had never heard of and probably would have never heard of unless I had been on a grocery run at Whole Foods. Located next to the recycling bins for light bulbs, ink cartridges, and old electronics were arcade-looking machines which had slots for aluminum, glass, and plastic (HDPE and PET). There are also two slots located below which are used for scanning the product you have into the machine—based on the kind of product, the Greenopolis kiosk will determine the amount of points you get which will translate into rewards at its various partnered locations.

Greenopolis Kiosks

This is an excerpt of what Greenopolis is about straight from their website:

We are about doing good. Specifically, our goal is to provide you with information and tools to:
-Help you to recycle easily
-Help to save our natural resources for our children’s children
-Track conservation through recycling and re-use
-Educate and reward conservation

So what’s the catch?
There’s really no way to go wrong—Greenopolis pays you back for “closing the loop” by awarding points each time you use the Greenopolis Recycling System to recycle, reuse, or conserve your personal resources. Points can earn you discounts and coupons for entertainment, dining, travel, personal services, and much more. All from nationally recognized names you trust, like Marriott, Johnny Rockets, Domino Pizza and Blockbuster located in the community.

One can earn these points through two main ways: 1) sharing experiences and ideas about recycling and reusing on Greenopolis.com, or 2) by using a Greenopolis Kiosk to recycle beverage containers made out of glass, aluminum. The best part is it only takes 100 points to earn a reward for your eligible activities.

Here are some quick and easy steps to get started on Greenopolis.com:
1. Set up an account on http://greenopolis.com/.
2. Earn points in the two ways mentioned above (submitting a recycling or reusing idea OR recycling your own bottles and cans).
3. Track your points in your own personal point-bank, which is linked to a web-based reward catalog that provides offerings from more than 10,000 retail partners with 130,000 physical locations nationwide. Just enter your local zip code to view the reward offers in your area.
4. Share the wealth. This year, members will also be able to donate points to one of several designated charities to support a cause you love.

Other perks:
• Exclusive travel related benefits just for members (not sure what this entails but I guess you can find out more when you start to rack up those points).
• An online system to purchase discounted tickets to first run movies playing at more than 1,400 theaters nationwide, including those in your area.
• Access to a members-only on-line shopping mall that offers major discounts and cash rebates for purchases.
• Introduction of the Greenopolis App for iPhones that will allow GO members to use their phone to scan materials destined for recycling and automatically upload points.

So if you need a little incentive to rid your residence of recyclables, Greenopolis is a great way to make sure your good deeds don’t go unrecognized. They have modified their three R’s to: Rethink, Recycle, Reward!

This post is actually inspired by my mom. She rang me up the other day and told me about a whole slew of eco-friendly changes she’s started making in her life.

Some of them are incredibly simple and almost all of them can be applied to both your home & office. As such, I thought we should do some sharing. Here it is – straight from a Viv Mama:

1. “We haven’t used paper towels since Christmas”
2. “I’m not buying paper napkins anymore; we’re using cloth napkins and I just throw them in the laundry”
3. “We’re using recycled toilet paper; I really don’t mind it at all”
4. “I’m actually noticing that we’re recycling a lot more too; I’ve even been rinsing out tin foil and those plastic containers that lettuce and spinach come in and putting them in recycling. Raleigh actually takes a lot of stuff”
5. “I’m even breaking down my Cheez-It boxes!”
6. “I’m trying to cut back on tissues, but that’s gonna be hard…”
7. “I almost always bring re-usable bags to the grocery store (even the Indian Grocer!). I try to keep them on the front seat of the car so that I remember them”
8. “We’re also buying more organic… and cage free for eggs. I was watching this clip from this movie that showed some of the chicken farms. It starts out with these baby chicks on a conveyor belt… and they’re going along… going along… and then they get to the end of this conveyor belt and then there’s this shoot and they slide down it… except they’re all tumbling over each other and everything down this shoot – i really was not ok with it”
   • “Also, they were talking about chickens and how they can take a chicken from birth to slaughter in 7 months now. And how everyone prefers white meat, so they’re breeding these chickens that have such enormous breasts and such weak bones, that they can only take a few steps before they topple over. It’s really pretty sad.”

Increasingly products are being made with “compostable” and “biodegradable” on their labels (we should know ;-)).

But here’s the little known fact – the word “compostable” actually means something, and it’s definition is tightly controlled by International Standards… whereas the word “biodegradable” has a very loose, almost meaningless definition.

UPDATE (8/3/2010): Viv Video | “Biodegradable Packaging vs Compostable Packaging – DON’T get Greenwashed”

Let’s talk about it in the context of the new generation of eco-friendly plastics.

So, what is the difference between compostable and biodegradable plastic?

Well, the simplest way to identify a truly compostable product is to just look it up at the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) (the leading authority on compostable products).

As mentioned in our post on compostable cutlery that isn’t actually compostable, the long definition goes as follows:

Compostable Plastic“is capable of undergoing biological decomposition in a compost site as part of an available program, such that the plastic is not visually distinguishable and breaks down to carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds, and biomass, at a rate consistent with known compostable materials (e.g. cellulose), and leaves no toxic residue.” – as defined by the American Society for Testing and Measurement (ASTM-D6400 & ASTM-D6868).

According to ASTM D6400 and D6868 (and the European equivalent EN13432), compostable plastics must meet the following three criteria:

1. Biodegradability – Determined by measuring the amount of CO2 produced over a certain time period by the biodegrading plastic. The standards require 60% (90% in Europe) conversion of carbon into carbon dioxide within 180 days for resins made from single polymer and 90% conversion of carbon into carbon dioxide for co-polymers or polymer mixes.
2. Disintegration – Measured by sieving the material to determine the biodegraded size and that less than 10% remains on a 2mm screen within 120 days.
3. Eco-Toxicity – Measured by testing the concentrations of heavy metals to ensure that they are below the limits set by the standards and by testing plant growth by mixing the compost with soil in different concentrations and comparing plant growth in test and controlled compost samples.

So that’s the standard for “compostable plastics”.

Biodegradable Plastic, on the other hand, is plastic which will degrade from the action of naturally occurring microorganisms (e.g., bacteria, fungi) over a period of time. Note, however that there is no requirement for “eco-toxicity” and no time requirement for the biodegradation of biodegradable plastic.

The ASTM standard for compostability is applied to a range of products, but most typically is found on bags and food service ware, including: cups, cutlery, plastic coated paper items, and even bagasse and sugar cane products.

The rate of biodegradation for compostable products varies based on composition of the product, thickness, as well as composting conditions. Commercial composting systems, where compost piles are turned and typically reach high temperatures, often result in a much faster rate of biodegradation. (World Centric, a compostable food packaging manufacturer, actually has a fantastic chart showing high level estimates of biodegradation of their products in home composting vs commercial composting systems.)

In short, the term “biodegradable” is typically a term used to green wash products and make them seem good for the environment.

So, have you ever purchased “biodegradable” supplies and wondered if they actually break down? Tell us about an experience you’ve had.

And next time you’re making a purchase, make sure to purchase products that are certified compostable.

For more information, we suggest the following resources:
Biodegradable Products Institute
US Composting Council
ASTM
World Centric’s FAQ

I heard about this new campaign recently called TakeOutWithOut and decided this was a must share.

The Mission: Enabling people & restaurants to reduce restaurant waste by forgoing excess food packaging.

A few thoughts on why this is so sweet:
1) I don’t need 50 napkins every time I buy a burrito.
2) If I’m grabbing take out and going home, I don’t need a plastic (or even a biodegradable) fork. There’s no need to waste the fork and metal tastes better in my mouth anyway.
3) There’s a reason 6-packs were built with handles – that way you can carry them back to your house/car/apartment/bike? without the plastic bag.
4) I’m sick of the awkward stares I get from cashiers (even in San Francisco – heart of green) every time I refuse a bag, cutlery, napkins, condiments… the list goes on.
4b) I’m sorry to admit that some of these confused stares (or maybe just a ‘not wanting to deal them’ attitude) have been bad enough that I’ve actually taken the excess packaging… which is obviously the worst way to go.

So needless to say – go ToWo. I’m still dubious of the “glass straws” you’re pushing (I’m not a straw biter, but it just seems dangerous) – everything else I’m on board with though.

(ps – just because we’re helping businesses switch over to compostable food ware or other products, doesn’t mean it’s not important to reduce or reuse first. don’t forget that.)

One bad apple can give all the others a bad name.  A number of companies and perhaps more have been distributing compostable cutlery or utensils that really fall short of their name.  A “compostable” utensil (fork, spoon, knife, or even the magical spork) is one that is made of sustainable materials and does not contain traditional plastic or toxic chemicals.  Here is the fancy definition if you really want to know:

“…capable of undergoing biological decomposition in a compost site as part of an available program, such that the plastic is not visually distinguishable and breaks down to carbon dioxide, water, inorganic compounds, and biomass, at a rate consistent with known compostable materials (e.g. cellulose) and leaves no toxic residue.” – American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM).

UPDATE (8/3/2010): Viv Video | “Biodegradable Packaging vs Compostable Packaging – DON’T get Greenwashed”

We touched on this news in an earlier blog post where Whole Foods acknowledged that their Taterware forks & spoons are not compostable. So here is some more meat to the story.  Third-party testing of samples of the following companies’ cutlery has shown that these utensils contain large amounts of plastic and are not compostable:

- Dispozo sample had 96% polystyrene by weight

- EPS Spud Ware sample had 41% polypropylene homopolymer by weight

- TaterWare sample had 73% isotactic polypropylene by weight

- Terra Wave sample had 57% polypropylene block copolymer by weight

Basically, this stuff is bogus and should never be called compostable.  As icing on the cake, none of the above brands are certified as compostable by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI).

Remember how one bad apple can also spoil the whole bunch?  So one of these utensils by the brands above gets tossed into a composting bin.  Then it ends up in a composting pile, which then becomes fertilizer.  Then that organic fertilizer ends up back in the food chain and poly-fill-in-the-blanks (= not-so-edible substances) with it too.  Not good.

Here is our recommendation.  Stop buying the stuff above.  Switch to something actually compostable. And yes, we can help you find products that are actually compostable, actually green, and actually do what they’re supposed to.

(If you’d like more information on the above, please feel free to email us at partners@vivbizclub.com)

I was googling expanded polystyrene (typically known as “styrofoam”) food packaging bans the other day searching for a list of all the cities in the US that had banned polystyrene (aka PS). I was having quite a tough time finding the answer (though I eventually did… as any persistent googler does).

As a result, I wanted to draw up a quick post with the findings. Enjoy!

There are 100+ total polystyrene bans across cities in the US. I’ve listed most of the major cities & counties with polystyrene bans below along with reference links to either the ordinances themselves or articles on the bans. The “effective date” for the ban is also provided.
Most of the full bans are for polystyrene food ware (e.g., to go containers) and force restaurants and businesses to use recycled plastic or compostable alternatives (awesome!) to cut down on trash and landfilling. The partial bans typically ban the use of styrofoam at any city owned building or event. If we’re missing any cities or counties, let us know!

Alameda, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 1/1/2008
Albany City – Styrofoam Banned – 9/1/2008
Aliso Viejo, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 6/2/2004
Berkeley, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 6/1/1990
Calabasas, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 4/1/2008
Capitola, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 6/1/2009
Carmel, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 1/1/1989
Emeryville, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 3/1/2007
Fairfax, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 1/1/1993
Freeport, ME – Styrofoam Banned – 1/1/1990
Glen Cove, NY – Styrofoam Banned – 6/1/1989
Hecules, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 5/1/2008
Huntington Beach, CA – Partial Styrofoam Ban – 4/19/2004
Laguna Beach, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 7/1/2008
Los Angeles, CA – Partial Styrofoam Ban –
Malibu, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 7/1/2005
Milbrae, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 1/1/2008
Monterey, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 8/17/2009
Newport Beach, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 6/1/2009
Oakland, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 1/1/2007
Pacific Grove, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 6/1/2008
Pacifica, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 1/1/2010
Palo Alto, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 4/22/2010
Pittsburg, CA – Partial Styrofoam Ban – 1/1/1993
Portland, OR – Styrofoam Banned – 6/12/1990
Rahway, NJ – Styrofoam Banned – 12/1/1996
Richmond, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 7/1/2010
San Bruno, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 4/1/2010
San Clemente, CA – Partial Styrofoam Ban – 3/1/2004
San Francisco, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 6/1/2007
San Jose, CA – Partial Styrofoam Ban – 11/10/2009
San Juan County, WA – Styrofoam Banned – 4/22/2010
San Mateo County – Styrofoam Banned – 4/1/2008
Santa Cruz, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 10/18/2008
Santa Monica, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 2/9/2008
Scotts Valley, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 6/17/2009
Seattle, WA – Styrofoam Banned – 7/1/2010
Sonoma, CA – Partial Styrofoam Ban – 1/1/1989
Suffolk County, NY – Styrofoam Banned – 1/1/1998
Ventura County, CA – Partial Styrofoam Ban – 10/1/2004
West Hollywood, CA – Styrofoam Banned – 7/1/1990

Other cities currently considering bans:
Chicago, IL – Proposed Styrofoam Ban
New York, NY – Partial Styrofoam Ban Proposed
Boston, MA – Proposed Styrofoam Ban
Philadelphia, PA – Proposed Styrofoam Ban

Looking to make a purchase? Check out our Viv utensils that are 100% compostable.

Our offices are based in SOMA San Francisco and after picking up a salad at Whole Foods for lunch today, I saw the following sign next to their disposable cutlery – Taterware. If you can’t read the sign it says:

“Dear customers, we have been informed by Golden Gate Disposal & Recycling that the present formulation of Taterware cutlery has not been found to be compostable in the commercial compost program at Jepson Prairie Organics where our compost is currently being sent. The product is not presently acceptable in the San Francisco composting program or in its recycling program.”

First, I’ll say this was not a suprise to me, as Taterware is not certified as compostable by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI). Further, I have reports on my desk from Cambridge Polymer Group which state that Taterware is made up of 73% polypropylene (or plastic).

I imagine though that this will come as quite a surprise to the many business owners & consumers that use Taterware everyday, expecting it to compost in a commercial composting facility.

Something that many folks don’t know is that “biodegradable” does not mean “compostable”, and while Taterware is labeled biodegradable it was never certified compostable.

I am happy to say that our food ware partner, World Centric, uses cutlery that has been 3rd party tested as containing no plastic and is currently under process of ASTM 6400 testing. (Further speaking to the integrity behind World Centric, they share on their website, that they were previously using cutlery which despite being BPI certified and meeting ASTM standards was found to be not fully compostable. They discontinued the corn-resin which was causing the issue and have now had their utensils re-tested and confirmed as fully compostable containing 0% PP).

If you have further questions, there’s a Whole Foods contact (noted in the sign) that you can reach out to. We’ll be reaching out to Whole Foods to see if they’re interested in switching over to World Centric’s compostable cutlery: a mix of 70% non-GMO PLA and 30% talc.

(ps – sorry for the spills on the sign, looks like Whole Foods customers were a bit messy today.)

UPDATE (8/3/2010): Viv Video | “Biodegradable Packaging vs Compostable Packaging – DON’T get Greenwashed”

So I’ve been reading quite a few articles (see Greenfudge or The Pitch highlighting innovative London based grocery store, Unpackaged.

If you haven’t heard of them yet, it’s a novel (though strangely traditional concept) through which the market sells completely “unpackaged” goods. You bring your own container, and Unpackaged fills it with whatever groceries, produce or good you’ve purchased. To quote the store:

“…bring anything you like, there’s nothing to date that we haven’t been able to refill (even our lovely friend who likes putting lentils in old water bottles!) Bring glass jars, tupperware, old takeaway cartons, brown paper bags, plastic bags, old packaging.. if it’s heavy, we’ll weigh it first, if it’s light then just refill and we’ll weigh at the end.”

After reading about Unpackaged, I thought we should give a similar shout out to Green11 (a SF based Viv Supply partner) who focuses on allowing local SF residents & businesses to refill their empty cleaning product bottles with Green11′s biodegradable green cleaning products.

The store, located in Noe Valley, is quite lovely, and as you can see is filled with hand soap, dish soap, shampoo, body wash, multi-purpose solution, detergent, etc – giving locals the opportunity to top off with just a quick pump & squirt.

If you’re a resident in the area, it’s a must stop. If you’re a business in San Francisco, Green11 delivers, so don’t be a stranger.

And re-use those bottles!

We recently received a note from our sticker manufacturer Lightning Labels stating that they would be switching their eco-friendy Earthfirst PLA label material over to a new material called Natureflex – a wood pulp based substance manufactured from sustainably farmed trees. As a side note, cheers to Lightning Labels – these guys have great customer service and noting that we are an environmentally friendly (understatement ;-) ) company made sure to send us a specific note on the switch.

Most importantly though, it sounds like the right move from an environmental perspective. Lightning labels cites 3 main reasons for the switch, and I’ll add a 4th:

1. PLA is made from corn which takes away from the food supply for humans and farm animals, and has contributed to an increase in food prices for products with a corn component.
2. There are problems with the recycling of plastic containers with a PLA label – which means many such containers actually end up in landfills rather than being recycled.
3. Whole Foods is actively discouraging its suppliers from using PLA.
4. Many forms of PLA are only compostable in a commercial composting facility (not in your backyard).
   

You can read more at lightning labels blog about their reasons for switching, and you can also check out an article from Oregon Live regarding composting & recycling concerns with PLA.

For now, we have quite a few PLA-based stickers already eagerly waiting to be stuck. We did however want to share what feels like a smart move on the part of one of our suppliers and let ya’ll know that we’ll be keeping a close eye on the most environmentally responsible way to manufacture Viv stickers.