June 1, 2007
Bob on Being Green
By Bob Francis, Owner
soundRUNNER
Kermit the Frog taught us it’s not easy being green. The Nike Corporation just pumped up the volume in the contest to see how green a company in the outdoor industry can be. In a recent news release, Nike pledged to reduce unpaid overtime at the plants of overseas contractors who manufacture Nike products, set new targets for reducing waste from product design and packaging by 2011, and pledged to become “climate neutral” by the same date, adding that it had exceeded its carbon reduction targets over the past two years. But the statement that really caught my eye had to do with making environmental responsibility the core of all its business processes.
Some years ago, Prana rolled out its organic collection, predicated on the principle that the fabrics in their clothing should be made from fibers grown free of pesticides, in soils amended with natural fertilizers. At this past winter’s Outdoor Retailers show in Salt Lake City, the Timberland booth included billboard advertising of the reductions in carbon dioxide emissions at its plants. Companies with Hummers bearing their corporate logos were déclassé this year. “Leave no trace” is the mission statement for responsible use of the public domain. A recent climbing expedition on Mt. Everest was organized around the goal of cleaning up the trash left behind by climbers over the last fifty years.
The heightened sense of corporate responsibility follows key findings on climate change having scientific validation: first, confirmation of the “hockey stick” theory of global warming, showing a sharp, non-cyclical increase in average temperatures; and second, the conclusion that these temperature increases have been caused by human activity, including the manufacture of running shoes and apparel. The main culprit is the emission of carbon dioxide from thermodynamic processes, the number one “greenhouse gas.” So what is soundRUNNER doing?
Out of enlightened self-interest, we are converting the lighting in the store to fluorescent mini-bulbs, reducing energy consumption by roughly 50%. We already have policies about turning the lights off. We are looking at the supplies we buy to see how much we can increase the content of recycled and renewable materials, and whether we can buy things made closer to Branford. We will institute a collection system for old shoes and clothing, and determine how these goods can contribute most effectively to the cause, whether through recycling or reuse. We will begin to evaluate our sponsorships from an environmental perspective. Perhaps most important, we are engaging in discussions with our suppliers to learn which products represent best practices, helping us decide what to carry in the store. For example, there are new fabrics made from bamboo, a material considered very green because it has a rapid renewal cycle.
The notion of becoming climate neutral is predicated on eliminating the “carbon footprint,” reducing to zero the greenhouse gasses emitted by the collective systems comprising business activity. That is a tall order. There will be serious tensions when reducing emissions conflicts with making high-quality products. We wouldn’t expect you to buy a scratchy shirt just because it is made from “green” fabric. I just wanted to let our customers know that the staff at soundRUNNER is taking itself to school on the broad environmental issues, taking steps as a business to reduce its impact, and working at the retail level in the system to effect change.
Archive of Bob’s Lane
Issue 1: May 1, 2007: Bob on the Bash
Issue 2: May 10, 2007: Bob on Dave Parcells
Issue 3: May 24, 2007: Bob on the Branford Road Race
