unconsumption:

Start-up called RecycleBank described here. 

Using truck-mounted scales and bins with electronic identification tags, the company weighs the paper, glass, and metal left on the curb by individual households and rewards them with shopping discounts.

Think of it as ‘frequent flyer points for recycling.’ Every month, RecycleBank deposits a weight-based credit in each recycler’s account. Those points can be used for discounts on products or services. The companies honoring the points are happy for the business and the goodwill that comes with encouraging a “green” project.

Inkless / tonerless printers aren’t exactly new, but here’s a more novel approach: inkless, tonerless, and completely reusable. The PrePeat rewritable printer is exactly that: using special paper made of PET plastic, you can make all the flowcharts and meeting notes you need, and when you want to start fresh, feed the paper back in to start fresh. Upfront cost is 500,000 yen (about $5,600 in US) for the printer and 300 yen for each sheet, in lots of 1,000 — which we’re taking to mean at least another 300,000 yen / $3,360 to get some use out of it. Each piece of paper is said to work about 1,000 times, but no word on how much (if any) history can be extracted from the materials — just keep that in mind should sensitive information be your daily trade. Video demonstration after the break.

Strenghten Your Branding Through Green Printing Do More To Reach Out To Constituents And Less To Damage The Earth

By: Alpa Patel

an excellent article on how and what to choose

Ecolabel Index is the largest global database of ecolabels, currently tracking 363 ecolabels in 213 countries, and 25 industry sectors.

Global Ecolabel Monitor 2010

Produced in collaboration with the World Resources Institute, this report provides a snapshot of ecolabel transparency, including the results of a survey of 340 ecolabels from 42 countries, conducted between Q4 2009 and Q1 2010.

Download the Global Ecolabel Monitor 2010 (PDF: 1.6mb).

Big news: The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has recently released recommendations for revised guidelines on green marketing claims. This development has important implications for both online and print marketing materials, and is intended to “prevent deception and unfairness in the marketplace” when properly implemented.

Perhaps the most significant change to the existing guidelines is the FTC’s advice to marketers not to use general terms such as “environmentally friendly” and “eco-friendly.” The FTC is also proposing guidance on marketers’ use of product certifications and seals of approval, claims for renewable energy.

The Electronics TakeBack Coalition has released a new report card grading electronics manufacturers that produce TVs, computers, gaming consoles and printers on their sustainability efforts around recycling. Somewhat similar to Greenpeace’s rankings, the report card shows where manufacturers are succeeding at walking the talk about minimizing the environmental impact of their products — but more often it shows where they’re failing miserably.

The companies on Electronic TakeBack Coalition’s list were even graded on a curve, but unfortunately, all the printer companies (save HP) received giant F’s.

(Source: unconsumption)

C2C book publisher

“Made in such a way to be upcyclable, the synthetic “paper” can be melted down and reused in perpetuity, thus sparing trees and reducing toxins in the earth’s ecosystem. DuraBooks™ are also non-toxic and child safety tested.”