Ecotality Life

The second half of this week`s list of the Top Ten Green Brands in the US and UK. You can find part one of our series here.

Sub Zero:

A pioneer in the refrigeration industry since 1943, Subzero was founded in the basement of Westyne F. Bakker. It recognizable today as one of the industry`s leaders with quality handmade products that are on the cutting edge of kitchen design.

They recently made headlines with the release of their new Sub Zero Pro 48, a stainless steel giant that consumes less energy than a 100W light bulb! With “see through lids, two compressors and three evaporators that keep food fresh longer and intelligent controls that will adjust intuitively to usage patterns” it leaves little to be desired but itself with an MSRP of 10k.

Ikea:

For 60 years Ikea has strived to maintain a responsible attitude towards the environment while offering its customers a quality product at the lowest possible cost. Their commitment to low cost doesn’t end with money but extends also to the environment and resources they use. They aim to have hazardous-material free products and use only wood that has come from areas where the forests have not been over harvested.

The following are the three cornerstones of IKEA environmental work as per their site:

• Cost consciousness and resource efficiency.

We use fewer raw materials and create less waste and discharge.

• The extensive use of wood in our products.

Wood is a recyclable, biodegradable and renewable material - an excellent material to use from an environmental point of view.

• Training co-workers and engaging them in environmental issues.

The Body Shop:

The Body Shop is dedicated to the idea that “businesses should aim to be ecologically sustainable and environmentally responsible, and should provide an example to the public by raising environmental awareness”.

They are firm believers in the three Rs (reduce, reuse and recycle). Working hard to conserve energy in their stores and offices they also offer their clients environmentally friendly and organic based products.

“We are committed to continuous education for our staff and for our customers on environmental issues. We are committed to freedom of information and to the full public disclosure of the results of our environmental assessments.”

GE:

Just recently released in the news, GE “announced that it will invest more than $1 billion on cleaner technology research and development (R&D) for 2007, drawing closer to its pledge to invest $1.5 billion annually on ecomagination R&D by 2010. One of four GE ‘ecomagination’ commitments originally made in 2005, R&D investment has reached a total of more than $2.5 billion since the program’s inception.”

Their ‘ecoimagination’ program embodies GE’s commitment to proving that both, environmental sustainability and financial prosperity, can coexist in the battle to promote corporate growth and the promotion of ecologically sound technology.

Aveda:

Aveda is committed to maintaining environmental sustainability in their business methods. they do this through the promotion of the following values:

• environmentally preferable business operations and on-site daily life;
• innovative research and development processes that promote the use of environmentally preferable raw materials, components, and other natural resource inputs;
• education and outreach programs that raise awareness about and offer solutions to environmental challenges; and
• community service and philanthropy that supports Aveda’s commitment to a sustainable planet and the protection of biodiversity.

Aveda strives to incorporate green ingredients in the attempt to further their “commitment to providing you with high performing plant-based products”.

Once again, as mentioned in the previous half of this series, it has become evident that more larger and mainstream corporations/companies have been shifting their focus towards green and safer ecological practices, but the most important thing to note is the fact that this shift has been in direct correlation to a change in consumer demand.

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