Can 400 Green Labels Do Anything But Confuse The World's Consumers?
Anyone would think these things were there to help informed choice, lead to better enviROI behaviours, etc.
And were nothing to do with box-ticking, target-meeting, jobsworth-creating, greenwashing, ace-tasting, motivating, lip-smacking...
Showing posts with label TARGET CULTURE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label TARGET CULTURE. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
'Could' news
Green failures 'may hit taxpayer'
Now, there's a thing.
I am always intrigued, in matters fiscal, who constitutes the benefactor and beneficiary when it comes to 'government' largesse vs. taxpayer funding/penalty.
Nothing like a target to obscure real, tangible, and probably actually worthy aims.
Anticipate a flurry of half-baked box-ticking initiatives to extricate bonus-addicts from holes soon.
Addendum - Asian giants put the West’s targets for solar energy in the shade - 'East is East and West is West, stick it where the sun don't shine, 'cos we have the best'. Next... NZ challenges Saudi on Hydro, Chicago challenges my back yard on wind. I think this is how international 'negotiations' go, right. I feel a bit sorry for Lapland if they are in the 'West' (it's a biggish expanse), at least for half the year.
Now, there's a thing.
I am always intrigued, in matters fiscal, who constitutes the benefactor and beneficiary when it comes to 'government' largesse vs. taxpayer funding/penalty.
Nothing like a target to obscure real, tangible, and probably actually worthy aims.
Anticipate a flurry of half-baked box-ticking initiatives to extricate bonus-addicts from holes soon.
Addendum - Asian giants put the West’s targets for solar energy in the shade - 'East is East and West is West, stick it where the sun don't shine, 'cos we have the best'. Next... NZ challenges Saudi on Hydro, Chicago challenges my back yard on wind. I think this is how international 'negotiations' go, right. I feel a bit sorry for Lapland if they are in the 'West' (it's a biggish expanse), at least for half the year.
Monday, July 13, 2009
It's a shame we can't harness the power of blame
Councils blame supermarkets for £1.8bn cost of excess packaging
I hold no candle for the supermarkets (lord knows, they have not made my, or Junkk.com's life very easy with their arrogant, money-grubbing ways), but 'they' seem to have become a very convenient whipping entity for failings across the whole system, from the time a product's raw materials are dug up from to when they are returned to the ground.
At the end of the day, as it is with 99.99999% of life, it is about money. Spend the least you get get away with, and make the most. From the individual to the corporation to the establishment.
All complicated by 'systems' that have evolved over decades if not centuries, and which only now are being required to make radical adjustments. And as most will appreciate, with complex systems a tweak here can have 'consequences' there.
It's interesting to ponder what a supermarket publishing the amount of packaging they produce will do to help me with my decisions. Or what goes in my bin. The stuff is either necessary, or it is not. And seemingly ignores the brands whose products sit upon those shelves too. Not all in my basket is own label.
It seems quite simple, and that is an attempt to push costs from one place to another. But at the end of the day if it goes from my rate demand to my shopping bill the same person ends up paying.
Now, if there is a way for me to influence what I pay downwards via decisions based on packaging impositions then I can see a glimmer of an end-benefit and hence value. But until there is a properly coordinated cradle to grave packaging materials creation/disposal system this mostly smacks of box-ticking and target-meeting to help public servants in LAs and quangos drive bonuses their way.
For something that costs the consuming public nothing, and then goes on to save both pocket and planet in a small way, may I commend Junkk.com to those who would like to do something proactive as others bicker.
It even offers rewards with a competition for neat reuse ideas on plastic at the moment!
I hold no candle for the supermarkets (lord knows, they have not made my, or Junkk.com's life very easy with their arrogant, money-grubbing ways), but 'they' seem to have become a very convenient whipping entity for failings across the whole system, from the time a product's raw materials are dug up from to when they are returned to the ground.
At the end of the day, as it is with 99.99999% of life, it is about money. Spend the least you get get away with, and make the most. From the individual to the corporation to the establishment.
All complicated by 'systems' that have evolved over decades if not centuries, and which only now are being required to make radical adjustments. And as most will appreciate, with complex systems a tweak here can have 'consequences' there.
It's interesting to ponder what a supermarket publishing the amount of packaging they produce will do to help me with my decisions. Or what goes in my bin. The stuff is either necessary, or it is not. And seemingly ignores the brands whose products sit upon those shelves too. Not all in my basket is own label.
It seems quite simple, and that is an attempt to push costs from one place to another. But at the end of the day if it goes from my rate demand to my shopping bill the same person ends up paying.
Now, if there is a way for me to influence what I pay downwards via decisions based on packaging impositions then I can see a glimmer of an end-benefit and hence value. But until there is a properly coordinated cradle to grave packaging materials creation/disposal system this mostly smacks of box-ticking and target-meeting to help public servants in LAs and quangos drive bonuses their way.
For something that costs the consuming public nothing, and then goes on to save both pocket and planet in a small way, may I commend Junkk.com to those who would like to do something proactive as others bicker.
It even offers rewards with a competition for neat reuse ideas on plastic at the moment!
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Something to bear in mind when targets get mentioned in certain quarters
And at certain odd, rare, times....
Why did the government dump its green building regulations plan?
I often disagree with Mr. Monbiot*, but he does raise a worthy question here.
Maybe one for Ed Miliband, who was out and about recently.
*Especially on matters of 'tis/t'isn't climate change. When he comes up with stuff like this, it steer well clear as it really can only end up in tears... and no winners.
Why did the government dump its green building regulations plan?
I often disagree with Mr. Monbiot*, but he does raise a worthy question here.
Maybe one for Ed Miliband, who was out and about recently.
*Especially on matters of 'tis/t'isn't climate change. When he comes up with stuff like this, it steer well clear as it really can only end up in tears... and no winners.
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