A recent announcement by Samsung Electronics Canada is making the laundry room green (not your clothing, or course).

Samsung is giving away a year supply of environmentally preferable ATTITUDE fabric detergent with the purchase of a 27” Samsung washer and dryer.

Both Samsung and ATTITUDE are making large strides when it comes to the environment. Samsung has a full line of laundry products that are energy efficient and carry the Energy Star rating and ATTITUDE household products are the largest line of home cleaners in the world that are EcoLogo-certified. read more

Energy is in the spotlight again as governments look for ways to stem climate change and air pollution while continuing to power cities and towns across North America.

With the attention on reduction and renewable sources of energy, many emissions limiting terms such as carbon tax, cap and trade systems, renewable energy credits (RECs) and carbon offsets are being deployed.

As the energy debate and our planet heat up, we’re left wondering, “What does it all mean?” read more

What do hand-harvesting stones off a beach in Indonesia and a Canadian company called Beachbums have to do with social responsibility and environmental stewardship? Everything.

Heather Beach and Jeff Bumstead founded Beachbums Import Co. more than six years ago in an effort to create a line of durable, handmade stone floor and wall coverings while ensuring fair labour practices are being observed and environmental standards are upheld. Their partnership with Indonesian workers is a great example of sustainable global business. Today, more than 2,400 people are supported through this micro-economic, value-added model.

The idea of attaching stone to a mesh backing to create a floor and wall covering product was created by Rudy Laurens, a licensed Indonesian beachstone harvester. Heather and Jeff partnered with Rudy to create the Nusantara Stone Mosaics ™ brand that would reach around the world.

A recent achievement for Beachbums is the receipt of EcoLogo certification for their Nusantara Stone Mosaics™ products.

Beachbums ensure that their beachstone harvest is carefully controlled (for the wellbeing of both the workers and wildlife), that a minimal amount of energy is used in the production of the mosaics and that the most efficient means of transportation is sourced. Whether by harvesting this raw material from a continuous, renewable supply or by filling the 70% of vacant space in shipping containers with light weight, locally produced crafts and household items, Beachbums has gone the extra mile to provide socially and environmentally responsible products.

For more about Nusantara Stone Mosaics, visit www.nusantaramosaics.com.

Canada’s largest distributor and retailer of hardware, home renovation and gardening products just got greener.

Walk into any RONA store and find new eco-responsible signage to help consumers make more eco-responsible choices. And there is a lot of choice. More than 300 brand name items from gardening products to building supplies have been selected because of their low impact on the environment.

RONA looked not only at the life-cycle when selecting products, but also chose many products that are certified by EcoLogo, Energy Star, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Forest Products Marking Program (CSA), Watersense, Green Seal and/or Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI).

Also available are new RONA ECO products that take the concept of eco-responsibility even further by being assessed against major environmental issues. The four environmental performance indicators addressed include: climate change, ecosystem health, human health and natural resources. Visit rona.ca/eco for more information.

Ecolabeling representatives from around the world met in Ottawa last Tuesday for the Global EcoLabelling Network’s (GEN) annual general meeting to talk about the evolving role of ecolabeling as an effective policy and marketing tool.

Policy makers, leaders in ecolabeling and industry and consumer representatives spent the day learning about using ecolabels as a trade tool, sharing ways to leverage ecolabels in marketing and finding out how ecolabels can help change policy and move the market toward greater sustainability.

International case studies were presented by ecolabeling experts from Norway and Sweden. Marianne Eskeland from Ecolabelling Norway addressed the need to unite commercial and public interests in a trustworthy way when products are placed in shops. Eva Eiderström of the Swedish Society for Nature Conservation (SSNC) spoke about how ecolabeling has helped shift the market toward more sustainable consumption. Visit Ecolabelling Norway and SSNC’s website for more information.

One of the main messages to emerge from the day-long meeting: the need for greater collaboration and information-sharing between global ecolabels. This further highlights GEN’s important work as an association of third-party, environmental performance labelling organizations.

Visit www.globalecolabelling.net for more.