We’ve covered a fair amount of greentailing topics on Retail’s BIG Blog, but no other day of the year is it more appropriate to celebrate the ways retailers are doing their share to preserve and protect this beautiful earth. Earth Day has come a long way, 40 years to be exact. Who knew 40 years later that Twitter’s top trending topics in a few U.S. cities today would include #HappyEarthDay and “Recycling”? Even U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood is getting into the swing of things today!
Earth Day has officially become big business. In addition to retailers completely eliminating plastic bags at their stores or even local governments charging shoppers for their bags, some businesses are using today as an opportunity to promote eco-friendly products or simply get on board the sustainability bandwagon.
FAO Schwartz has an entire line of toys that encourage parents to teach their children about the environment. Greenzys Peat the Penguin (one of many Greenzys products) is not just adorable – he was made in a socially responsible factory using soy fibers and non-toxic dyes with packaging made from recycled paperboard. Additionally, every time a Greenzys toy is purchased, a tree is planted in its honor. But wait, it gets better – portions of each purchase benefit the Environmental Media Association and the Arbor Day Foundation.
Starting today, North Carolina-based The Fletcher grocery chain will ditch plastic bag usage completely. Whole Foods did the same thing two years ago on Earth Day.
From 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. , 250,000 lucky Texas residents will score reusable shopping bags at H-E-B stores across the state.
Another company called Global Way has found a “way” to recycle water bottles and turn them into reusable shopping bags. This month, the company shipped thousands of reusable totes to such retailers as Stop&Shop, CVS/Caremark and Walgreen’s to celebrate Earth Day.
Best Buy has come up with 40 ways to make your technology green. No more tech guilt, as they put it. Suggestions such as paying your bills online, buying a energy efficient surge protector, using recycled paper in your printer, using cold water when doing laundry and donating old cell phones are just a few of the amazing suggestions Best Buy has come up with.
There are so…many…great…things that retailers are doing, have done and will continue to do to help reduce, reuse and recycle. It’s very hard to capture it all in one place! Do you know of any other great ways retailers are honoring Earth Day today?
2 Comments
While I applaud the great strides retailers are taking for reduce, resue and recycle I am VERY frustrated. I was in Borders Bookstore the week of earth day wanting to buy some books to contribute to my school. I asked an employee if they had an endcap featuring environmental, earthday, etc…. books. Nothing. In fact there was only 3 childrens books about earthday/recycling in the store. The adult section was just as pathetic. The pre-teen, teen books nonexistent.This holiday – the most widely celebrated secular holiday in the world (over 175 countries) and many retailers do not promote the holiday in their stores in a more visible way. Why???
Indeed there are plenty ways on how to celebrate earth day. Well in fact, we should celebrate earth day EVERYDAY for the whole year! Let’s start with the most fundamental body in the community – our very homes. Reuse old plastic bottles, turn off lights when not in use, reuse water in various ways such as watering the plants with harvested rain water.
All of us has a part.