The current methods for measuring the full material cost of imported goods are highly inaccurate, according to a new study by the US National Academy of Sciences. The study states that three times as many raw materials are used to process and export traded goods than are used in their manufacture. The researchers involved in the study said that in 2008, 70 billion tonnes of raw materials were extracted worldwide but just 10 billion tonnes were physically traded. In this analysis, China had the largest material footprint, twice as large as the US and four times that of Japan and India. One of the researchers, Dr Tommy Wiedmann, said that "by relying on current indicators, governments are not able to see the true extent of resource consumption. The trade figure just looks at the physical amounts of material traded, but it does not account for the materials that are used to produce these goods." (BBC)
Global skincare companies under scrutiny over palm oil use
According to a survey by the Rainforest Foundation UK and the UK magazine Ethical Consumer, Clarins and Estée Lauder are among the global beauty and skincare companies that use unsustainably sourced palm oil in their products. As part of a consumer guide called Appetite for Destruction?, Rainforest Foundation UK and Ethical Consumer surveyed more than 25 skincare companies to assess the use of unsustainable sourced palm oil across the cosmetics industry. The survey findings also revealed that the UK retailer Superdrug and US ethical skincare companies Jasön and Avalon Organics rely on unsustainable sources of palm oil. Ethical Consumer said that “whilst companies such as Clarins and Estée Lauder are involved in the beauty business, their products are implicated in some of the biggest acts of environmental destruction in the world.” (Blue and Green Tomorrow)
Environment
Financial institutions to put a price on overuse of natural capital
43 financial institutions, including the World Bank, are setting up a working party to monitor companies’ use of natural resources and to create a means of withdrawing financial credit if companies are seen to have overused natural capital and refuse to reduce their environmental impact. This move follows the signing of the Natural Capital Declaration by 39 financial institutions at the 2012 United Nations Conference in Sustainable Development. The Declaration stated that the food, fibre, water and energy are worth trillions of dollars each year, but warned that the resources are not adequately valued. The financial organisations are aiming to persuade governments to force companies to disclose their dependence and impact on natural capital in annual financial reports, and offer tax incentives for those who protect natural capital as part of their business and penalties for companies that are not. This follows the announcement in July this year, that both the World Bank and the European Investment Bank would limit their financing of coal-fired power plants. (Eco Business)
UK airlines need 'industry standard' for carbon reporting
In support of the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority's (CAA) proposal to develop a standardised methodology for carbon reporting, the international travel group TUI Travel has called for an industry standard to report carbon emissions to ensure greater transparency within the industry. TUI Travel’s Director of Sustainable Development, Jane Ashton, said internal researched had showed that “customers are starting to take this kind of information into account when booking holidays, which is why we believe we should be doing more as an individual company as well as an industry to make this type of information accessible and easy to understand." The call follows recent reports that the European Commission is considering limiting carbon dioxide discharges of flights in and out of European airspace to globally reduce pollution by the aviation industry. (Edie; Eco Business)
Nike’s new Shanghai store made from 100% waste
The US retailer Nike has opened a new concept store in China using waste materials that include 5,278 aluminium cans. Constructed by the Taiwanese architectural firm Miniwiz Sustainable Development, the Nike X158 Hyper Nature building has been designed to be 100 percent adjustable using a suspension ceiling system to adapt to different retail and exhibition programmes. All of the materials were recycled from consumer lifestyle rubbish and by not using glue the designers have ensured that all of the materials can be recycled separately. The building uses 2,000 metres of tension cables made from 2,000 recycled water bottles. The building is constructed from Miniwiz’s RiceFOLD ceiling panels, which were made from 50,000 recycled CDs and DVDs. The panels are fire resistant and can be used as wall or ceiling panels for residential and commercial buildings. (Environmental Leader; 2 Degrees Network)
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