“The Future is “Green” – A Major Report Examines Green Living in the United States – 2008- Research and Markets Report
April 11, 2008
Green Living in the United States 2008
<>- reprinted and excerpted from
http://www.researchandmarkets.com/
Mintel, Feb 2008,The “green” marketplace is one of the fastest growing, most dynamic sectors of the US economy. This report examines the size, scope, and growth of the green consumer marketplace, as well as driving forces that will shape its future. The report keeps an eye toward expected changes sector by sector, as well as short-term and long-term outlooks for the market as a whole.
We also explore the current trends and future outlook for eight key sectors of the green consumer marketplace, including personal care products, home building and home improvement supplies, electronics and appliances, automobiles, and travel.
Our exclusive consumer research identifies four types of green consumer: Super Greens, True Greens, Light Greens and Never Greens. A threefold increase in the ranks of the Super Greens and True Greens in just 16 months has driven growth in all sectors of the green marketplace. This report explores the special role of 18 to 24 year olds and college students in adoption of new green product categories, as well as the sometimes surprising influence of demographic factors such as race, ethnicity, education and household income.
In a new take on the green marketplace, we move beyond demographic categories to explore how green consumers think, identifying the lifestyle choices and personality characteristics that most closely relate to green behavior. These are the insights marketers need to reach out directly to core green lifestyle consumers.
In addition to a broad array of quantitative data presented for this report, we conducted qualitative research with respondents who described themselves as having already made lifestyle changes due to concerns about the environment. Our qualitative research explores the motivations that drive consumers toward green purchases, as well as the barriers to green shopping for different types of consumers, such as price premiums, perceptions of effectiveness and quality, and the critical importance of mainstream distribution.
This report covers many aspects of the emerging Green Market and has a huge scope of associated topics as well.
This is the Contents List:
Scope and Themes
Definition
Consumer research conducted for this report
Abbreviations and terms
Abbreviations
Terms
Executive Summary
Drivers and corporate developments
Climate change leads environmental concerns
Corporations scramble for “green” investing dollars
Slowing economy and rising fuel prices spur demand for energy efficiency
Health and safety concerns bolster the market
Market in transitional phase as green products mainstream
Green personal care goes corporate
Automakers scramble for position in green future
Consumer influences
Green consumers optimistic but skeptical
Consumers believe that “green” products work
Most consumers not willing to search for “green” products
Tolerance of price premiums at 10% or less
Efficacy, awareness, habit key issues in qualitative research
“Greenwashing” concerns reinforce need for more objective standards for “green” products
Demographics of Green living
Young adults key targets for cutting-edge “green” products
Asians lead; blacks lag in environmental interest
Students and college graduates committed to “green” lifestyle
Households with children pose a challenge for “green” marketers
“Green” lifestyle transcends demographics
Low-income households need not be excluded from the “green” marketplace
The future of Green living
Interest in buying “green” for major purchases skyrockets
Marketing of multiple values will ensure success of “green” products
The future is “green”
Market Drivers
Climate change continues to hold public attention
Figure 1: General attitudes toward environmental concerns, December 2007
Green investing dollars pour forth
Stagnant economy and rising fuel prices spur demand for energy-efficient products; limit willingness to pay
Figure 2: Willingness to pay extra for “green” products, December 2007
Product health and safety concerns spike following rash of recalls of Chinese imports
Figure 3: Attitudes toward health benefits of “green” products, by gender, December 2007
Large corporations enter the green marketplace in force
Green products linked to concepts of health and quality
Market Size and Trends
The LOHAS Market
Figure 4: Graph: LOHAS “green” market size, by segment, 2005
The U.S. Healthy Products, Healthy Planet Market
Figure 5: HP2 market size and forecast, at current and constant prices, 2002-12
The Natural Products Marketplace
Figure 6: Sales of natural products through conventional FDM and natural supermarkets, segmented by product type, 2004 and 2006
Market Segmentation
Introduction
Food and beverage
Figure 7: Sales of natural food and drink products at FDM and natural supermarkets, at current and constant prices, 2004-08
Green personal care growing 20% annually
Pet foods and supplies
Household cleaning products
Clothing and linens
Building, building materials and home improvement supplies
Certification systems blossom
Green building gets pop culture boost
Housing bubble bursts
Local mandates
Costs of green building shrink
Solar is hot
Green design goes from exception to rule
Electronics and appliances
Industry faces substantial sustainability and power consumption issues
New products ahead
CE recycling goes mainstream
Major appliances
Cars and trucks
Figure 8: Price premiums and estimated fuel savings for hybrid versus conventional passenger vehicles, 2008
Consumer services
Climate change concerns drive market for greener air travel
Carbon offsets to ease guilt
Hotels
Car travel
Finding and booking green travel
Super/True Green Population Tripled over 16 months
Figure 9: Change in frequency of “green” consumer population, August 2006-December 2007
Awareness and Use of “Green” Consumer Goods
Awareness of “green” household consumables
Figure 10: Frequency of purchasing different categories of “green” products, December 2007
All product categories show greater penetration among Asians and Hispanics
Education most important for awareness of established “green” categories
Awareness of “green” durable and infrequently purchased consumer consumables
Figure 11: Influence of “green” factors on major purchases, by category, December 2007
Youngest and Oldest Core of “Green” Market in Online Population
Introduction
Green categories by age
Figure 12: Frequency of buying “green” products, by age, December 2007
Attitudes toward recycling, pollution, and premiums
Figure 13: Environmental attitudes, by age, May 2006-June 2007
Interest in conservation tends to increase with age
Figure 14: Environmental behaviors, by age, December 2007
Seniors lead in “green” shopping choices
Figure 15: Environmental shopping behaviors, by age, December 2007
Interest in “green” shopping growing fastest among seniors
Figure 16: Influence of “green” factors on CE products, by age, December 2007
The Impact of Household Income
Introduction
Attitudes toward recycling and pollution
Figure 17: Environmental attitudes, by household income, May 2006-June 2007
Green shopping by the rich and poor
Figure 18: “Green” shopping habits, by household income, May 2006-June 2007
Race and Ethnicity
Introduction
Figure 19: Frequency of buying “green” products, by race/ethnicity, December 2007
Attitudes toward recycling and pollution
Figure 20: Environmental attitudes and behavior, by race/ethnicity, May 2006-June 2007
Looking forward, “green” factors to play a larger role
Figure 21: Influence of “green” factors on purchases of CE products, by race/ethnicity, December 2007
The Impact of Education
Introduction
Figure 22: Frequency of buying “green” products, by education level, December 2007
Figure 23: Frequency of buying “green” products, by student status, December 2007
Attitudes toward recycling and pollution
Figure 24: Environmental attitudes, by education level, May 2006-June 2007
Willingness to sacrifice convenience or income
Figure 25: Environmental behaviors, by education level, December 2007
Households with Children
Introduction
Figure 26: Environmental attitudes, by presence of children in the household, May 2006-June 2007
Convenience is a must for families with children
Figure 27: Environmental shopping behaviors, by presence of children in the household, December 2007
How do Greens Think?
Introduction
Figure 28: Environmental attitudes, by personality traits, May 2006-June 2007
Reasons for Buying or Not Buying Green
Introduction
Effectiveness/quality
Figure 29: Attitudes toward effectiveness of “green” products, December 2007
The majority of respondents do not see “green” products as safer
Figure 30: Attitudes toward health benefits of “green” products, by household income, December 2007
Health and savings vs. environmental concern
Figure 31: Main reasons for “green” shopping, by gender, December 2007
Figure 32: Main reasons for “green” shopping, by race/ethnicity, December 2007
Availability
Figure 33: Consumer experience with the availability of “green” products, December 2007
Figure 34: Consumer experience with the availability of “green” products, by age, December 2007
Will consumers pay more for “green” and energy-efficient products?
Figure 35: Attitudes toward the cost of “green” products, by gender, December 2007
Figure 36: Attitudes toward the cost of “green” products, by age, December 2007
Figure 37: Attitudes toward the cost of “green” products, by household income, December 2007
Figure 38: Attitudes toward the cost of “green” products, by race/ethnicity, December 2007
What is an acceptable premium for “green” products?
Figure 39: Willingness to pay extra for “green” products, by age, December 2007
Figure 40: Willingness to pay extra for “green” products, by HH income, race/ethnicity, presence of children, and student status, December 2007
How Do We Know It’s Really Green?
Figure 41: Attitudes toward the effectiveness of “green” shopping, by race/ethnicity, December 2007
More standards needed
“Greenwashing” concerns provide incentives for industry-led standards
Results from Mintel’s Qualitative Survey
Introduction
Figure 42: Descriptions of “green” lifestyle interviewees, January 2008
Environmental concerns
“Green” shopping commonalities in qualitative study
Availability and awareness problematic for “green” shoppers
Figure 43: Availability and awareness of “green” products, by respondent and location, January 2008
Habits are hard to break
Figure 44: “Habit” purchasing, January 2008
Many see link between personal health and planetary health
Figure 45: Respondents’ thoughts about effectiveness and quality of “green” products, January 2008
Product quality and function overriding issues for some
Figure 46: Effectiveness and quality of “green” products, January 2008
Prices need to be competitive
Figure 47: Respondents’ willingness to pay extra for “green” products, January 2008
A “Green” Future
Green market to lose trendiness
Christian conservatives joining the “green” movement
Fair trade and local to become the new “green”
Fair trade
Local
Appendix: HP2 Market Detail
Figure 48: HP2 market detail, 2005
Appendix: Trade Associations
~~~
Specific large companies are mentioned such as -
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Wal-Mart Stores (USA)
Clorox Company , The
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Whole Foods Market Inc
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
~~~~
This report costs about $4500 to buy – it is meant for big corporations to use to support their extensive marketing departments. Why the small guy cannot get their hands on such awesome research is probably a matter of pure economics of scale and competitiveness of the innovation curve. The summary of this report and others like it would be useful to anyone trying to “Green up” their business in the light of today’s trends and branding successes. I suggest that we can find a summary somewhere on the web. If I find it, I will post it for all of us to share. If you find it, please let me know!!!
Yours for Open Source,
Annie Green Jeans
FAIR TRADE IS HERE FOR TEXTILES
April 11, 2008
Fair Trade is coming to the garment industry. There have been a number of successful years now of Fair Trade penetrating the Natural Food industry with passionate and deeply committed producers and retailers – of coffee and chocolate especially. In garments and textiles, Europe is leading the way, with many hemp lines made in Romania, and Organic Cotton from India being made under Fair Trade principles and by certified manufacturers under several programs. The US is behind, but catching up. Recently I attended the Eco-Fashion Show in Las Vegas. The numbers were small but committed, with many suppliers calling their products “Fairly Traded” as they had personally adhered to Fair Trade Principles but were not actually certified. It is time we operated on trust and commitment in these areas. As we transition into Green textiles, things will become easier to access, suppliers will make plans to certify, and the whole chain will slowly link us to Eco-logic.
Here are the principles if you want to apply them to your own supply chain. I suggest that it is the wave of the future, nothing less will do.
The Fair Trade Federation
The Fair Trade Federation (FTF) is an association of businesses and organizations who are fully committed to fair trade. FTF strengthens the capacity of its members, encourages the exchange of best practices, and raises awareness about the importance of choosing fairly traded products and supporting businesses committed to fair trade principles.
FTF Principles and Practices
FTF members are committed to the following principles and practices in their trading relationships:
FAIR WAGES
Producers are paid fairly for their products, which means that workers are paid at least that country’s minimum wage. Since the minimum wage is often not enough for basic survival, whenever feasible, workers are paid a living wage, which enables them to cover basic needs, including food, shelter, education and health care for their families. Paying fair wages does not necessarily mean that products cost the consumer more. Since Fair Trade Organizations bypass exploitative middlemen and work directly with producers, they are able to cut costs and return a greater percentage of the retail price to the producers.
<>COOPERATIVE WORKPLACES
Cooperatives and producer associations provide a healthy alternative to large-scale manufacturing and sweatshops conditions, where unprotected workers earn below minimum wage and most of the profits flow to foreign investors and local elites who have little interest in ensuring the long term health of the communities in which they work. Fair Trade Organizations work primarily with small businesses, worker owned and democratically run cooperatives and associations which bring significant benefits to workers and their communities. By banding together, workers are able to access credit, reduce raw material costs and establish higher and more just prices for their products. Workers earn a greater return on their labor, and profits are distributed more equitably and often reinvested in community projects such as health clinics, child care, education and literacy training. Workers learn important leadership and organizing skills, enabling self-reliant grassroots-driven development. Safe and healthy working conditions are maintained and producers gain greater control and decision making power over the use of their local resources.
CONSUMER EDUCATION
Fair Trade Organizations educate consumers about the importance of purchasing fairly traded products which support living wages and healthy working conditions. By defining fair trade and conducting business in a manner that respects workers’ rights and the environment, the fair trade movement strives to educate consumers about the often hidden human costs of their “bargains.” By providing information about producers’ history, culture and living conditions, Fair Trade Organizations enhance cross-cultural understanding and respect between consumers and communities in the developing world. They also educate consumers and policy makers about inequities in the global trading system.
ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY
Fair Trade Organizations encourage producers to engage in environmentally friendly practices which manage and use local resources sustainably. Many FTF members work directly with producers in regions of high biodiversity to develop products based on sustainable use of their natural resources, giving communities an incentive to preserve their natural environments for future generations.
FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT
Small-scale farmers and artisans in the developing world lack access to affordable financing, impeding their profitability. FTF members that buy products directly from producers often provide financial assistance either through direct loans, prepayment or by linking producers with sources of financing. Unlike many commercial importers who often wait 60-90 days before paying producers, Many FTOs ensure prepayment so that producers have sufficient funds to cover raw materials and basic needs during production time. They also often provide other critical technical assistance and support such as market information, product feedback and training in financial management. Unlike commercial importers, FTOs establish long term relationships with their producers and help them adapt production for changing trends.
RESPECT FOR CULTURAL IDENTITY
Fair Trade Organizations encourage the production and development of products based on producers’ cultural traditions adapted for Western markets. They seek to promote producers’ artistic talents in a way that preserves cultural identity.
PUBLIC ACCOUNTABILITY
FTF members’ finances, management policies, and business practices are open to the public and monitoring by the Fair Trade Federation.
<>To Access FTF go to http://www.fairtradefederation.org/
About Peak Oil and Gender
April 9, 2008
About Peak Oil and Gender …..
There has been much good written about ways of re-creating our society in a partnership model, as different from the dominator continuum . Riane Eisler is the originator of this paradigm, and she is modeling this in her own lifework. Neither she or I am proposing that women and men model separate types of behavior exclusively – but, if you have the chance to participate in women’s groups and note their leadership style, you will also note that there is a great deal to be emulated for our society and governance as a whole.
Spirituality has become the word of the hour. But what is spirituality? What does being spiritual mean? For me, as for many others, spirituality means feeling at one with that which we call the divine. But when I think of the divine I… think of our own most evolved qualities: our profound human capacity for empathy, for love, our striving for justice, our hunger for beauty, our yearning to create. I think being spiritual means being ethical and, in the true sense of the word, moral.”
-Riane Eisler
Why not take the conversation about spirituality and gender balance one step further …if you dare!
I am happy to say that recently the WELL (Willits Economic LocaLization) group in Willits voted to make gender a priority in our governance documents. This is significant in the Peak Oil movement which is predominately lead by men and whose opinion leaders are also almost exclusively white, male and over 40. This is understandable, since the science and information that guides this trend comes from oil geology, climate theorists and geologists, most of whom have worked in the hallowed halls of industry and academia for decades to get their “take” on the situation. I am not debating their qualifications to get us the undeniable information and facts.
However, my concern is the present lack of numbers of women and youth as speakers and presenters of this information. And, further – the lack of balance between the much heralded intellectual/action oriented skills and the relational/nurturance skills that will also be very much required under duress or conditions of change as imagined in most peak oil scenarios. This very thing could doom us to failure of future – we are not hearing the voice of balance – not only gender, but the component I choose to call divine feminine. Yes, I am jumping into a discussion of spirit and values here.
The Divine Feminine movement is about re-establishing values that our cultural paradigm (shall we say it – patriarchy ) considers “feminine,” and has rendered insignificant and of less value. The qualities of relationship building, caring and nurturing are among them. I would add the value of cooperation instead of competition is on my list – although we can argue that it is hardly a gender issue. The important point is that we always create the future using the tools of the present, and the process is the end result. This, guided by the values of nurture and cooperation – we will create a future climate of kindness, compassion, justice and fairness. Peace and wholeness might prevail for ourselves and our children. It might mean and end to war and environmental disaster. It would mean the end of a climate of power over and domination, as the partnership model would be valued as preeminent.
This discussion has a spiritual element, actually – its very center, and I believe this is the true key to bringing the Balance back. Our cultural role model is a Masculine God (and His Son or prophets – all male) How can we worship within a mythology that has no female element to it – even though almost all life on this planet comes out of the female? The spiritual future we would create requires bringing back into balance the male and female faces of God,
placing the Sacred Feminine alongside the Divine Masculine that has ruled alone for over 4000 years. Perhaps the newfound interest in the Mary Magdalene mystery is due to this need for balance. What if the message of Christianity has been sidelined for these years, and really was meant to come from the wisdom of a woman and man – in balance? To quote the famous Bahai leader, Abdul-Baha, “We believe the world of humanity is possessed of two wings: the male and the female. So long as these two wings are not equivalent in strength, the bird will not fly.”
The Divine Feminine movement is about partnership, not just among genders, but within society, institutions and governments, for all peoples. It’s potential is the peaceful future of justice, love and relationship we all crave. How can we bring it into action? Start by ending the denial of such a thing. We can grow from there.
“Human Evolution is now at a crossroads. Stripped to its essentials, the central human task is how to organize society to promote the survival of our species and the development of our unique potentials. A partnership society offers us a viable alternative.“
Riane Eisler
The Chalice and The Blade <>
<>- Wishing you the best of our alternative future <>…Ann Brigit Waters Weller
LET’S TALK ABOUT PLASTIC WATER BOTTLES!
April 9, 2008
I hope you are taking it all in as the News exclaims the hype on bottled water… Are you making the switch from plastic personal water bottles to reusable glass bottles or a stainless bottle? I am not talking about “sometimes”, “when it is convenient” – I mean – why not eliminate plastic bottles completely from your life, your recycling bin, your personal contribution to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch? Hey – I know I sound harsh, and really – This is not a lecture, it is about your health and your pocketbook. Bottled water is simply a BIG WASTE OF MONEY! The bottled water industry expects that you will pony up $100-400 per year for their special water because you have become scared of tap water by years of advertising spin, and besides – the drinking fountains are hard to find, or it tastes weird – or…hey, have you even tried drinking it recently? I find tap water to be pretty good, actually!
In fact -
“about a third of all bottled water comes straight from our municipal water facilities”.
The New York Times Week in Review section calculated that drinking eight glasses of water a day will cost you about 49 cents a year if you take it from a New York City tap and $1,400 a year if you buy bottled.
Ok, here’s more facts….
There is a limit to plastics recycling and that we should be more concerned with reducing consumption of plastic packaging at source….that means – don’t use it! Only about 12 percent of “custom” plastic bottles, a category dominated by water, were recycled in 2003, according to industry consultant R.W. Beck, Inc. That’s 40 million bottles a day that went into the trash or became litter… I got about 100 in a few days from just a couple of local parties – most of them I scooped out of the trash. Pathetic. In fact, at Earthdance 2007, I had an informational display about plastic water bottles, with a big bag of 100 plastic bottles to make a point.
I was also selling stainless bottles and water bottle carriers while across the bowl from me was a brand new start-up plastic bottled water dealer who had sponsored the show. He was getting 1/2 hourly advertising from the main stage – what seemed like constant spin to go and buy their plastic bottled water right away, stay hydrated, support the sponsor…blah, blah. Well, this was not just any old tap water in a bottle, but was bottled tap “water with intention” Yep, that’s right – they had put words like “Gratitude” and “Love” on their labels, so that you could have a better life merely by buying and drinking their water! I am all for positive thinking, and in fact – as part of my obsession about water in general, botled water in particular, and the amazing capacity of water to offer us all life on this small planet – I often give away lots of great positive word/stickers that can be put on bottles – DIY style. But, really – by the end of Earthdance, there were huge piles of water bottles in the Recycle area, almost mountains – to my eye – perhaps as many as 5000 plastic bottles were brought and bought by us Eco-educated Earthdance Greenie types and to not taken home to reuse, to “create intention” and were NOT being “safely reused” beyond a quick hydration in the hot sun.
More bad news-
Your personal plastic water bottle contains toxic plastic traces….chemical names that you or I cannot pronounce…these chemicals end up in your fatty tissues…yuck!
<>Did you leave it in the car – did you wash it with hot water in order to reuse it? nice idea – to reuse it – but the hot water leaches out even more weird chemicals!…and never use the dishwasher !!! In other words, it is hard to safely use or reuse these things, so why get one at all?
Toxic Production of plastic bottles –
Some good news-
*city water in almost every town is as pure or better than the water the bottle was filled with – if you don’t like the taste, get a filter and refill your GLASS or STEEL bottle with that!!
*Let’s talk about glass-
“Bottled water may be no safer, or healthier, than tap water in many countries while selling for up to 1,000 times the price,” the World Wildlife Fund says. Bottled water market is partly fueled by concerns over the safety of municipal water and by the marketing of many brands which portray them as being healthier than tap water.”
*if you have to use plastic- ( I hate this part – ok, yes – you will use plastic sometimes, I know, I know…)
Optional but fun and safer too….Put your glass or stainless bottle in a carrier bag to mark it as your own, to keep it cooler, to make sure you don’t break the glass anywhere except in the bag.
Ancient Circle water bottle carriers are one great source for your bottle bag. They can be had by calling 800-726-8032
STOP USING
USE GLASS
REDUCE TOXIC CHEMICAL MANUFACTURING
YOUR BODY DESERVES 
-Annie Green jeans wishes you health and happiness, and hopes that you drink filtered water from your own reusable bottle!
Retail Stores are using LEED for Greening Up!
April 9, 2008
The new face of retail by Debra Atlas
– Sustainable Industries 4.8.08
The U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) newest rating system—set to launch in 2008—could have significant impacts on the retail building market.Since 1998, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards have transformed the design, construction and operation of high performance sustainable buildings. The LEED for Retail program offers certification opportunities for retail spaces that are either new construction (NC) projects or commercial interior (CI) projects.LEED for Retail-NC encompasses new and newly renovated standalone buildings while the LEED for Retail-CI classification allows tenants of shopping centers, malls or other adjoined space to certify a face-lift or build-out of their retail space. The system’s evolution. A consensus-driven organization, USGBC realized from member feedback that credits for LEED-CI certification didn’t fit retailers’ varied needs, prompting the organization to launch the LEED for Retail pilot program.
While office buildings have long-term employees, fairly consistent water usage, and office-specific lighting, the energy and resource use in retail spaces are typically irregular: Customer traffic and water use varies, and some spaces, such as restaurants and grocers, often use refrigeration or other high-energy equipment. In particular, the lighting needs of retail—vastly different from offices—are critical for business.
In developing the LEED for Retail-NC rating, UCGBS recognized that equipment with high energy consumption unique to restaurants and grocery stores, including commercial kitchen equipment, refrigeration units, commercial dishwashers and washing machines—even the ventilation and hoods above a cooking area— needed to be incorporated in the rating system. Unique to retail, the components (which contribute to “process energy loads”) hadn’t been considered in any LEED rating before.
Similarly, retail stores pose a challenge in terms of what falls under the certification’s purview and what doesn’t. “If you took the roof off and turned the building upside down, whatever didn’t fall out is part of the certification,” says Ralph DiNola, principle at Portland–based consulting firm Green Building Services, which USGBC contracted to help manage the LEED for Retail pilot program. More than 80 project teams joined the pilot in 2007 to create and test the new ratings.
| What’s in store? LEED for Retail’s new standards are important, as are their consequences. Companies utilizing the standards will impact the manufacturers of the products they stock. Sustainable Industries reports on the impact large retailers such as Coldwater Creek (Nasdaq: CWTR) are having on the marketplace. Read more |
Many retail locations have large pieces of casework or furniture that aren’t exactly part of the building—they’re not built in or bolted down. Such features are not currently considered in the rating system, which DiNola says is an oversight. On the whole, however, the new LEED for Retail rating systems make it easier for retailers to renovate and achieve LEED certification requirements, says DiNola’s colleague, Nina Tallinger.
Inside the program LEED for Retail covers a wide spectrum of projects, accommodating any size building. Pilot program projects include quick-serve restaurants, large-format retailers, big stand-alone stores, small retail stores, banks—even a spa. They’re in both urban and rural areas across the United States and in Canada.
Like the other LEED ratings, LEED for Retail is scored on a point system, requiring rigorous documentation from conception, through the design and construction phase, to the finished building. Top-rated projects achieving Platinum certification can earn up to 70 points, while Certified-level projects must earn at least 26.
Parking and site access to public transportation are key elements of LEED for Retail. LEED offers credits when retailers provide preferred parking for employees, and offer incentives to employees that ride public transportation to work or that book time in a car sharing program for work-related driving. There are also credits available for retailers that provide preferred parking for low-emitting and/or fuel-efficient vehicles. While some retailers worry about pushing people farther from their entrances, a few retailers, including Wild Oats (now owned by Whole Foods Markets), PCC Natural Markets, and Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI) have all designated preferred parking spots for customers with alternative-fuel vehicles.
Pilot program participants also recognized the need to educate in-house sales teams on the LEED for Retail guidelines. Since many companies continue working with contractors with whom they have long-standing relationships; therefore, educating such partners about LEED standards, practices and requirements is vital for a project’s success. For example, San Francisco–based design firm Gensler worked with REI’s existing contractor to educate them on LEED.
As with other LEED certifications, cost can be a serious concern. While most retail-oriented developers can find cost-effective materials and see a quick payback on efficiency investments, undergoing LEED certification can add significant costs to a project. Registering a LEED project costs $450 for USGBC members and $600 for non-members.
The USGBC application fee for LEED certification is $1,750 for up to 50,000 square feet. Fees for large buildings (up to 50,000 square feet) are $0.035 per-square-foot. Smaller retail projects, or developers with numerous locations, can find the process pricey and LEED documentation difficult to justify on a cost basis.
To that end, USGBC is also testing out a volume certification program aimed at retail brands with a growing real estate footprint. The volume certification program allows companies to submit their prototype to a design review, verify the suitable execution of three projects for every 50 locations included in the program, and call all locations certified at the end of the process. While the final fees haven’t been determined, current participants pony up $45,000 just to enroll. However, for companies with 50 to 100 buildings, the program can bring per-building costs within a developer’s budget.
It also fits in with chain retailers’ business strategy, DiNola says.
“It’s serial repetition of the prototype,” he says. “It’s the whole idea behind a consistent brand. Customers will get the same product every time, everywhere they go.” If a company can green its prototype, it can streamline the reduction of its real estate’s overall carbon footprint.
| Why stock green building principles? Why would developers or retailers put themselves through such a rigorous and intensive process? Where’s the payoff? The benefits start with the savings. Read more |
Research shows a direct correlation between time and money spent by customers and increased levels of natural light through bigger windows, skylights or products such as Solatubes. Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) has reported higher sales in stores with increased natural daylight. In addition, many LEED projects qualify for a variety of financial incentives from state and local governments, including rebates from utilities, city rebates on investment costs, expedited permitting, state and federal tax credits and even federal grant programs.
“There’s a lot of ‘free’ money out there, says Scott Shippey, director of design for Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG). Chipotle, a well-known Mexican fast-food chain that offers customers sustainably raised meats, organic ingredients, and recycled paper products, has two projects in the LEED for Retail pilot program. The company expects to break ground on its Gurney Mills, Ill., site outside of Chicago, a free-standing building that’s part of the LEED for Retail-NC program.
A Chipotle outlet in Ridgedale, Minn., a tenant finish in an existing mall, is pursuing LEED for Retail-CI. The Gurney Mills project design includes a 6-kilowatt wind turbine, which could capitalize on Lake Michigan winds to offset 7 to 10 percent of the store’s energy needs, Shippey estimates. Both locations are expected to open by the end of the third quarter of 2008.
Building green wasn’t a big struggle for Chipotle, according to Shippey. He notes Chipotle’s management team led the process, as part of the company’s goal of operating responsibly. “What would it mean to have a more sustainable vision for development?” Shippey says, “You may need to start with small steps, building up to full LEED for Retail practices. Do your best for the company and increase towards sustainability.”
Kirstin Ritchie, regional director of sustainable design for Gensler, offers a different perspective. Gensler designs numerous LEED-certified buildings, including Toyota (NYSE: TM) dealerships, several Gold-certified REI stores, and the anticipated “Live in L.A.” facility, adjacent to the Los Angeles Convention Center. “If you want to influence green design, you have to do it at the prototype stage,” Richie says. “If you don’t get it in at that point in time, trying to modify the specs … is very difficult. When we’re working in prototype, we really try to push the envelope on green features before it goes to roll-out.”
REI’s award-winning retail store in Boulder, Colo.
Several companies have adopted this approach, and the last few years have seen a batch of prototype stores pursuing LEED certification: Best Buy (NYSE: BBY), Starbucks (Nasdaq: SBUX) and Toyota. A nationally known retail cooperative providing quality outdoor clothing and gear, REI received Chain Store Age’s 2007 Retail Store of the Year award; it’s Boulder, Colo., store—a prototype to test green design and building concepts—is the first-ever winner in the Environmental Sustainability award category.
As for many retailers, the feel of an REI store is critical for communicating the brand’s image. How do LEED-driven changes to store design, lighting and materials affect the customer experience?
For REI, lighting was a key issue. As a clothing retailer, the company is concerned with color rendering and product visibility. But that’s not all: “Lighting for this nature-oriented store is key,” says Ted Jacobs, director of design at Gensler. With custom-designed lighting, Solatubes and light monitors that automatically adjust lighting, REI’s 44,000-square-foot store has “blurred the lines between daylight inside and out,” he says.
REI’s Portland, Ore., store received a LEED-Gold certification in 2004. Later this year, the co-op anticipates earning a LEED-Silver rating for its Boulder retail store and plans to open a second prototype store in Texas. Looking to the future Ritchie says a growing number of progressive shopping center developers, designing for urban and suburban areas, will make it easy for tenants to get LEED certified or pursue greener retail strategies, from energy-efficient design to low-emitting paints and finishes. In part, she says, demand will help drive the market; brokers see LEED as an attractive benefit for retail leasing.
“Retailers are curious, watching their competition to see what they do in terms of sustainability and LEED certification,” says Tallinger. USGBC expects both LEED for Retail ratings to be completed in 2008—with LEED for Retail-NC projected to “go live” by August, and LEED for Retail-CI by November.
For retailers unsure about taking that first step, Justin Doak, manager of the LEED for Retail program, says the program is a great way to introduce companies to the LEED certification process and learn more about the costs and benefits of green building practices.
For those already incorporating LEED design principles into their business decisions, LEED for Retail is a practical next step. Whil the pilot program is closed to new participants, companies eager to get involved can register under current LEED programs, but certify under the LEED for Retail standard once it’s released for the regular market.
More information:
This article appeared as part of the “2008 Green Real Estate Guide,” a digital supplement to the April 2008 issue of the magazine. Download Sustainable Industries “2008 Green Real Estate Guide” for more information about LEED for Retail as well as complete listings of LEED-certified commercial and retail spaces on the West Coast.
Find the LEED for Retail Checklist and the LEED for Retail Policy Manual at www.usgbc.org.
GREENING UP!
April 1, 2008
Ancient Circles is “Going Green.” This is becoming an interesting and not altogether simple process. In this early stage – it still comes down to price points and sourcing. My tried and true suppliers are not able to easily source Organic or other sustainable materials at a price my current customers want to pay. What to do? Do I educate my customers & help my suppliers to source? Cut my margins? Find entire new markets? At what cost? As we all know – 25 years of sound business policy cannot be turned on its head overnight just because we are in a planetary crisis…but wait! What did I just say?
INCREMENTAL STEPS
Ancient
YOUR UNIQUE
There are other things we can do. Each business has a unique opportunity:
Open Circle has helped finance the installation of a simple dye waste treatment plant for my batik artist in
FABRICOLOGY
I have been researching rayon to see if it better for the planet than conventional cotton, and so far – I think it is. Balinese rayon products made by a small supplier, with good working conditions and family continuity can have a Green edge even though the Balinese cannot easily source Organics. I call these items “Fairly Traded”, as they adhere to the principles of fair trade agreements.
It sometimes comes down to the Shade of Green.
SIMPLE FIRST STEPS
I also have been offering flex-time for employees, reduced days a week ( saves commute energy) have been recycling and reusing most paper products, packing boxes and materials, using light wells and low energy lights, turning off office machines at night, flushing less often, and many other simple energy reductions. Solar would be great – but since I am renting that is a problem. Many businesses are in the same boat. We cannot install solar, radiant heat, or other large ticket energy savers without our landlord’s interest and frankly – financial backing. Why am I so interested in Greening my business?
ANCIENT CIRCLES HISTORY
Let’s begin with some history.
Ancient Circles began over 25 years ago with my discovery of meaningful ritual and a concurrent desire to create jewelry and designs that enhanced and empowered people’s lives. At that time, I was fabricating crystal pendants – hand making each one as the energy of the stone spoke to me. The crystals were very clearly part of our new Planetary harmonic, and it felt very right to be sharing them at that time. This successful launch evolved into a study and sharing of the symbolic images of world religions and ancient cultures- especially Goddess images and Celtic designs, which I felt strongly were bringing us all “back home” to our tribal roots and Planetary consciousness. Now, years later, the mass market has taken these images into our daily lives. Dragons, Fairies, Goddesses and the Green man are all about us now, and I feel that the arrival of the Divine Feminine as rightful counterpart to the Male God energy is also arriving for us all as we begin to reconsider the Green meaning of our lives.
GREENING OF THE SPIRIT
The spiritual background and discovery of our Ancient Roots is a great starting point for deep ecology – that deep “knowing” that does not require scientific proof of a melting arctic ice shelf to know that we are out of balance.
The Greening of our inner spirit with positive Male (The Green Man) and Female (Triple Goddess, Isis and others) Archetypes is offering us a way to connect with forgotten or untapped layers of our being. The outer world reflection of this rebalancing is seen in the current collective interest in Ecological matters, the Greening our lives, our material possessions and businesses. Many of us are in this place right now, right today. I feel strongly that soon we will evolve our deepest and truest values further – to a future of simplicity, fewer material goods, a sense of place, of community, of extended family and shared commons. This is – of course, not new at all, but rather a return to the ancient ways of our ancestors. We lost touch as we “partied” in the last millennia of cheap energy – especially the gross burning of an entire planetary supply of ancient sunlight – coal and oil resources.
GREEN VALUES
This re-newed emphasis on deep values is a necessary spiral curve as humans evolve to survive in the crisis ahead. Re-valuing love of family, re-considering nature, the beauty of sustainable goods, all of these outer signs are created and matched by a less obvious personal inner transformation. These are the elements of my own transition at this time, and I feel it being shared by most folks I meet. A study of the ancients, the stories of our grandmothers, and memories of the early years of the 1960′s and 1970′s culture are now the guiding light of an entire worldwide localization movement intent on reducing our energy consumption.
GREEN TRANSITION
Green products have always been with us, we are merely rediscovering and “Branding” them. The practice of using baskets and cloth bundles has been going on as long as there has been trading and sharing of goods. I still have several “Save a Tree” canvas market bags from the 1970′s. I don’t know who made them – but they were early innovators who have passed on their good idea to the rest of us “Ecobag” makers. My own product mix has included personal water bottle bags, and suggestions for reducing plastic bottles for about 10 years. This is just now gaining interest. How far ahead of the curve can we afford to be when in commerce? I have spent much of my professional life educating people about products because they were seeing the idea for the first time. Years ago – when I branded the personal care line – “Desert Essence”, I needed a huge space on the shampoo label to educate the buyer on Jojoba and the desert herbs that I chose for the innovative formula. Nowadays, it is common practice, but back then – it was a huge innovation. The usual creed of Branding – “Don’t make them think”, just help them unconsciously select your item in the store.” is at its heart very inauthentic! Let us all use some energy to bring everyone into this Green Transition. GREEN BRANDING WILL REFLECT OUR SUSTAINABLE VALUES, NOT THE OLD ADAGES.
As we truly Green our lifestyles and businesses, we will become better at choosing the best thing for the right reasons. Right now, we are all a bit unsure about the Shades of Green in our choices. Should I choose conventional cotton over rayon? Is that tag “Made in
ANNIE GREEN JEANS CONSULTING
We all need help with these questions. My consulting services include research to fit your specific needs, direction and business plan. What is it that you have always wanted to do, but felt was not practical? Can you start simply with some surefire energy savers, and declare your Green Transition? What is the difference between true green and green washing?
My consulting practice offers an opportunity for research into these Shades of Green and share solutions to any business who wants to “Green-up” and is not sure how to begin, how far to go, how much they can afford, and how to best position themselves in this emerging Eco-marketplace. I offer the know-how to do all of these things, in a manner that makes pocket cents, and gives you a truly sustainable triple bottom line. You will now begin to consider profits, people and the planet in your economy, and make even more cents!
GREENING YOUR BUSINESS
There are several key areas to Greening your business or service.
We can all agree -
* It is time to change our way of doing business
*We are running out of cheap energy resources
*What to do? ~ Change from extraction to a sustainable economy- simple, but difficult.
*How to do it? ~ Baby steps are a great beginning. Baby steps are incremental and measurable
Some basic steps:
TAKE AN INVENTORY : Where are you now in the use of resources? What steps have you already taken?
MAKE A VISION: In the biggest sense, where could you be in 5 years with your use of energy, product sources or services that add to sustainable community?
BEGIN THE PROCESS- Know What Works – Monitor and Measure Your Sustainability
Where does this Green Transition take place?
The way to your fully sustainable business begins here:
Infrastructure: your energy sources and uses, the lunch room, drinking water service, and waste stream management
Product Mix: choose your front end displays using considerations for local production, priorities for fairly traded, living wages and other Eco friendly supplier practices. BUY LOCAL if you can!
SHADES OF GREEN
Ultimately this will take us way beyond the common advice of changing light bulbs, recycling plastics, yet – everyone will begin where they are right now . The important thing is to start BEING, thinking, talking and acting Green
Commit to going the distance as the societal greening process emerges further with new energy resources & future levels of clear choices in both products and services. What did I just say?
BEGINNING the GREENING
A quick start for a retail store might look like this-
~ REDUCE : How about minimizing or eliminating packaging? Ask if they want a bag before offering one.
~ REUSE : Encourage the reuse of market bags with register discounts or rewards. Sell several versions of reusable bags, or give them away!
~ RECLAIM : Use your local “rebuild store” when remodeling. Think out of the box when building displays – is it a sustainable use?
~ REMAKE : Offer those closeouts to a local school for craft projects, don’t throw things away that can be used by others.
~ RETHINK : Schedule store hours for ease of commute times, what if we all shared rides or worked one less day week.
~ RECREATE: Can you compost lunch leftovers? Host a Barter night for your customers to exchange used art or craft
~ RECONSIDER : Add a small garden bed or container of lettuce or parsley to your back area or your front window, and eat it for lunch! In fact, invite munching and tasting, you may make some converts to slow food.
OUR GREEN FUTURE
On the horizon for us all is a whole new sustainable lifestyle and a new way of doing business. For my design business – that means downsizing products that I no longer feel are sustainable, cannot be “greened” due to supplier stubbornness or even due to the lack of usefulness in our simpler Green lifestyle. I am proud to have made a great contribution to many people’s lives with deep symbology and offered added meaning in their clothing and adornment. However I am now looking to Organics instead of conventional cotton, to creative ways that remind people to simplify, to choose wisely. I discuss this daily with my friends and community, and would love to talk to you and point you in the right direction. The baby steps we spoke of are now at hand. Do we choose to step into the sustainable choices that carefully conserve our finite ecological resources or will we continue with business as usual and hope that we can get away with yet one more year of good profits before we are forced to change? Join me in this Green Transition.
- copyright 2008, Ann Waters Weller
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