The website was created and designed by me and my class mates Elena and Kevin and we were able to establish a system of marking companies as “Early Innovators” and “Late Bloomers”.  We created a scale of our own to examine a company based on five core issues: transparency, social impact, diversity, greenwashing and environmental impact.

We plan to examine the true definition of “greenwashing” and if such a term currently exists. There are many different definitions and scales of which to measure how sustainable or green a company truly is…. We plan to compile our findings and from our own definition of greenwashing as well as our own green scale which we will rank the top 5 best and worst sustainable companies. Our findings will help shed light on the companies that are helping our diminishing ecosystem stay afloat as well as those companies that are oblivious to the negative effect they are having on the earth’s already scarce resources.

Many credible sources such as BusinessWeek, NewsWeek, and activist groups like Green Peace have published “Top Ten” charts and other listings of elite green companies in the United States however; many sources show little evidence to back up their green claims and no two measurement systems are the same so how can they be accurate? We would like to look at businesses as a whole and see how they are financially, environmentally, and socially being sustainable and working towards a greener tomorrow. Rather than provide opinions on who appears to be green, we will conclude our research with evidence of the companies whose accomplishments and efforts are truly sustainable and not those companies just trying to profiteer off of the latest trend.

We truly believe that consumers have the right to know what companies are sustainable and those who are not so they can make the conscience decision of which company if the best fit for them.   To give one example, many parents will buy their kids Oreos, Kraft Mac & Cheese and other Nabisco treats but not really know who is behind the scenes…Phillip Morris.  That’s right, the cigarette company that provides cancer causing products to many individuals across the globe.

With our site we will be able to aid consumers by educating them on what a company stands for and how they affect the world we live in.

Come visit us @ www.forthegreenergood.weebly.com

Now I don’t know if you have picked up a bag of these new SunChips lately but I encourage you to do so to hear the difference sustainability.  Since the bag is made of plant matter it actually makes a louder sound which I prefer because to me it’s a constant reminder that when I throw that bag in the trash it’s not going to sit in a landfill for  decades but a matter of weeks and then the cycle starts all over again.

Does anyone want to call greenwashing on this?  If so please watch the video that demonstrates the decomposition of the bag within 14 weeks and please feel free to comment on this blog.  It’s a step in the right direction and this could be something that all companies may catch onto.

I have always been a Pepsi fan and loyal to the great taste and what the company stands for and recently I was given the opportunity to interview with the company for a marketing internship.  After going in and talking with the head of the marketing department it got me thinking of all the unanswered question I have about the company, so I began researching and came across the specifics of their gigantic solar power creation.

I came across this great article in the “Mail Tribune” discussing what went into the project and how big the 2^nd largest really is.  It turns out that to be the 2^nd largest solar power plant means installing a solar powered system costing $2,068,000 and producing over 10 million kilowatts of electricity over its 35 year lifespan.  The company is led by two intelligent individuals, one of which is Andy Moore.  I had the opportunity to meet Andy and discuss the work over an ice cold Pepsi.  What he said to me is that he is always looking for new and improved ways to make his company better.  By installing his solar power system and also turning his trucking fleets over to biodiesel, Moore is definitely making his company better, setting an example for other business owners and saving his company money in the long run.  While the project is incredibly expensive, the money they will save over time by producing their own energy and selling excess energy back to Eugene Water & Electric Board.

Innovation is the first step in becoming a successful company and taking risks and being a pioneer comes along with it as well.  If you are able and willing to take the bold first step you could uncover something great and a potential diamond in the business world.

The institute holds workshops and other programs as well as offer internships for individuals to brush up on their know-how in sustainable living.  I think the institute is doing amazing things for the advancement of sustainable thinking and with over 200,000 visitors a year they will slowly transform the minds which will be passed on the future generations.

I’m finding more and more as I travel through wine country that California is a making serious headway in to movement of sustainability, particularly in the field of renewable energy.  I hope that other states and cities catch on to this rather new lifestyle of sustainability.

The amount of energy that Griffith says this revolutionary invention can produce is something I do believe is worth looking into.  He poses valid points on the relatively low amount of time it would take to get the entire country of America powered by this form of wind energy and how it could positively affect our environmental state by reducing energy from coal and oil products.

This past week in my advertising class, Green Brand Strategy, our groups were giving their senior presentations and pitching the latest and greatest ideas on how to be sustainable or green and how they were going to implement this idea.  What I thought was most interesting about this is that nearly half the groups in some form or another used hand outs or printed signs to demonstrate what was already in their power point presentation.

One group used pizza boxes to write different statistics in but never had time to get around to using them so nearly a dozen new pizza boxes were ruined and the same group printed out flyers, posters, and advertisements to pass around that were already up on the screen for viewing.  Another group printed out brochures, laminated visuals and other hands outs to give the audience a chance to see up close what was being projected onto the giant screen no more than 15ft in front of them.  Lastly, the last group to present with props came prepared with three gorgeous visuals that were 3ft x 2ft and printed on heavy stock board and cost nearly $300…$300?!?!?!  Now remind me again how this is sustainable?

All of these examples go to show how we have been trained throughout our schooling that objects we can pass around are good and visuals are must-haves in a presentation however, what they are only beginning to teach us are that visuals can stay in the power point and additional resources don’t have to be spared.

I think as we move out into the business world we will take the knowledge of sustainability with us and share the valuable tips we have with corporate America.  I also believe that our children, if taught accordingly, will bare the biggest influence on the world of sustainability and the future of our precious natural resources.

Most of the time I would say that being sustainable can seem hard, expensive, or a pain in the butt.  That’s what I thought when I first started working on the issue however, I have come to learn and love the lifestyle of sustainability and how it makes you look at our lives on a micro and macro level and understand the circle of life with products, people and resources.

The homepage of this website is broken into three categories of learn, shop and blog.   It’s great to have the learn category so people who are not as educated on the subject matter can begin to familiarize themselves with what sustainability means.  If the viewer is still interested they can either read the various blog topics and see what others are saying and get real tips from real people, or they can shop around a bit.  Personally this is my favorite section because I’m a shopper and a sucker for new gizmos and gadgets.  What blew my mind was they had listed everything from solar oven to natural lawn care products all the way to kid’s toys.

Being able to encompass all of these materials and share this information with the masses is what sustainability is all about.  They are making a difference in the environment, impacting people on socially, being diverse in the audience they are speaking to and they are not claiming anything that cannot be backed up with simple fact.  EarthEasy is a great resource for sustainable information and I recommend everyone visit once, you’ll learn something new…I did.

One building in particular that exemplifies new sustainable architecture is the White Stag building in Portland.  This building was renovated and reopened recently as the University of Oregon Downtown campus.  This building has many unique features that make it like any other in the entire city and like any school in the downtown area.

The rooftop of the building alone is something to gaze at.   Covered with solar panels and a rain catchment system it makes the White Stag standout from its neighboring buildings.  The solar panels are not out of the unusual for this day in age to see but the catchment system is.  Prior to the White Stag building I had never seem this type of sustainable technology built into any building or home.  The rain catchment system is designed to catch the rain during the winter months when Portland sees most of its rainfall.  Catching the natural water is important in being sustainable because this water is put through a system of ultraviolet lights to sanitize the water and is held in storage tanks which are used to run the toilets.  This process saves the White Stage water usage for the entire winter months, saving on water and saving the company a hefty water bill.

I think what stands out about this the most is that it’s not a community activist group gathering together to get the government of California to change the way they consumer energy but, the State of California stepping in and introducing their residence to the use of solar energy.

Such a large project in Marin County would not be possible without the help of their Community Development Agency-Sustainability Team that has made this all possible.  There work is being noticed by millions of people who driving down the I-5 corridor and see houses and businesses alike sharing a common architectural addition…solar panels.  As an added bonus for the county they were recognized and awarded by the U.S. Department of Energy for their commitment to solar.

Pepsi’s CEO, Indra Nooyi, has recognized the importance of sustainability and how it affects the company, social responsibility and environmental impact.  The Pepsi Refresh program is what I would classify as a call-to-action of the American people and searching for what to do in order to make the world we live in a better place.  I recommend that people view this website and see the great things that people are submitting and how these ideas are being accepted by individuals all across the globe.

While some may think this is a ridiculous attempt to save the world one good deed at a time, I will have to disagree and I think this is a smart move both socially and financially.  Socially people are coming together on a public forum and sharing their ideas and I think this will catch on with other companies and impact the world one smart event at a time.  Financially this is a great move on Pepsi’s behalf because the advertising of the brand is via the website and best of all, word of mouth.  The Pepsi name has no problem with recognition and devoted consumers don’t need to see advertisements on the side of the road, during super bowl or in great television commercials to understand what Pepsi is about.  Instead they are doing something great for the environment and local economies that will benefit the company ten-fold down the road.

Pepsi has the opportunity to refresh the world we live in and refresh their marketing/advertising tactics.