Package Design - May 2012 - 8

FRONT PANEL

Green Stamp of Approval
CarbonFree Label helps eco brands stand out on shelf.

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arbonfund.org (Bethesda, MD), recently launched its CarbonFree Certified Product Label for product packaging in an effort to educate consumers and let companies advertise their environmentally sound products. According to Carbonfund.org, this is the first carbon-neutral product-package label in the United States. In order to obtain a CarbonFree Certified Product Label, companies must complete a four-step process, which includes productlifecycle analysis (including raw materials, agriculture, transportation, storage and use), registration, quarterly emission offsets based on unit sales, and an annual review of the company’s environmental impact and policy. “Climate change has reached a point where time is no longer on our side,” says Carbonfund.org executive director Eric Carlson. “The CarbonFree product label gives consumers a very clear choice about which products and companies are leading the fight against climate change.”

By informing consumers of environmental practices, Carbonfund.org states the CarbonFree package label will help brands stand out in the market and increase sales and brand loyalty. The product-lifecycle-analysis protocol for the certification process was formulated by the Edinburgh Centre for Carbon Management. The protocol aims to track emissions a product is responsible for, including the mining of the materials, shipping, production, operational use and disposal. Yakima, Monarch Beverages, Domino Sugar, Motorola, LG Electronics and EcoFuture are ® companies that have already signed up for the CarbonFree product label. Carbonfund.org, a 501(c) (3), offers options to combat climate change, including green energy supply, tips on personal carbon footprint reduction, and three types of carbon offset projects: renewable energy and methane; energy efficiency and carbon credits; and reforestation and avoided deforestation. According to Carbonfund.org, global emissions need to be cut by 50% to 85% in the next 50 years, which can be achieved by a 2% annual emissions decrease.

BOOKSHELF

Design and Designing
Edited by Steve Garner, professor of design at The Open University (U.K. and Ireland), and Chris Evans, design program director at Aston University (Birmingham, U.K.), this tome includes 28 chapters across the spectrum of design, each written by different experts from around the world. The chapters encompass such topics as creative thinking, ethics, sustainability, intellectual property and markets, and include design project examples. Available from Berg Publishers for $49.95.
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MAY 2012
Package Design - May 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Package Design - May 2012
