Category Archives: sustainability

Gelato. Done by the wind!

In Scotland, the ice cream that does not pollute is an example of how it can be exploited as a source of renewable energy such as wind. In Westertown farm in Aberdeenshire, the ice cream is produced by three wind turbines that can produce about 2.5 MW.

30% of renewable energy is used to power the farm and the rest is sold to Good Energy the leading company in the UK for renewable energy.

In addition to this, the company run by the family Makies produces 10 million liters of ice cream per year sustainable and aim to be one of the greenest business in Britain.

Although the choice of sources and the consequent reduction in CO2 emission, is his strong point, the choices environmental family Makies not seem to end here: many trees have been planted around the farm to encourage the repopulation of wild animals, also the biological waste in the production of ice cream are reused to fertilize the fields where it grows fodder that the cows they say they eat happy. 

What do you think of this “new attitude”? Is green business a real best practice? Well, I personally think, and ECOFFEE is the prove, that the world must change and even a small gesture like having a coffee or an ice cream, could help the cause.

In Italy we love gelato and we have Sigep, the most famous gelato Exhibition in the world. Should we think to improve this important approach and mentality starting from mass event to share the eco-conscious way of life and business?

What do you think my Sigep’s friends?

 

Kitchen nano garden

I never thought of buying a Hyundai!

Trust me, if this beautiful concept will be soon available, I will be the first out of the store and I guess, the first of a long queue. 

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I can already think about the same concept applied also to our business. Whatever will be an hotel, a restaurant or just a coffee shop, this could be a very revolutionary equipment that could solve lots of environmental and economic problems.

That’s for sure: I will surely add it to the ECOFFEE equipment list.

This cool concept could be the best way to sensibilities the people about sustainability and responsibility, especially young generation, enabling you to add a real vegetable garden to your apartment kitchen or coffee shop, without too much of trouble!

There’s anybody of Hyundai management reading this post? Please contact me, thanks!

Verso la sostenibilità: on-line il blog del Progetto ParCO2

Il Progetto ParCO2 nasce da un’idea di SERINT GROUP e DESITA. Sviluppata con l’apporto di L’UMANA DIMORA, è stato condiviso ed approvato da MEETING DI RIMINI, che vi partecipa a supporto nella fase di start-up, con l’intento di intraprendere un percorso verso la sostenibilità, al fine di diminuire gli impatti ambientali prodotti durante l’evento Meeting di Rimini, comunicando l’attenzione dell’organizzazione verso le tematiche ambientali, la responsabilità e la sostenibilità. Realizzare uno spazio permanentemente e polifunzionale che riporti alla realtà del Meeting ed il suo impegno a beneficio del territorio. Generare cultura ed incrementare l’offerta marketing offrendo contemporaneamente ai potenziali sponsor la possibilità di condividere la propria attenzione verso i temi trattati.

Maggiori informazioni su www.progettoparco2.it

Vi ricordo che sarò presente al Meeting di Rimini dal 19 al 25 agosto presso l’Area della Sostenibilità chiamata Meeting Hearth, sia con uno stand DESITA che con lo stand dedicato al Progetto PArCO2.

ECOFFEE produce le magliette per il Meeting di Rimini

Sono contento di annunciarvi che la linea di magliette eco-friendly di ECOFFEE di DESITA, con i suoi     eco-mindful message attached (di cui l’acronimo è riferito ad Emma, mia figlia), è stata scelta come partner da un cliente speciale: il Meeting di Rimini.

In occasione della prossima edizione del Meeting, che si terrà dal 19 al 25 agosto, ed in riferimento all’Area della Sostenibilità, denominata “Meeting Hearth“, abbiamo prodotto le Polo ufficiali per lo staff.

Le Polo, di color bianco, sono di cotone piquet organico al 100%, certificate OE100, realizzate stampando direttamente con inchiostri a base acqua.  I colori ad acqua presentano un’ ottima morbidezza sul tessuto e sono ideali per creare effetti di stampa più tenui e meno appariscenti. Gli inchiostri a base acqua hanno finitura opaca, quasi come se il colore avesse tinto il tessuto a differenza degli inchiostri plastisol che hanno finitura più lucida e superficie più plasticosa, del tutto impermeabile e non fanno traspirare il sudore. Inoltre il plastisol non asciuga in fase di stampa e quindi necessita assolutamente di una sorgente di calore a 150°C per polimerizzare, a differenza degli inchiostri ad acqua che possono asciugare a temperatura ambiente.

Come potete vedere, il logo è stato posto in corrispondenza del cuore, mentre la scritta staff, sulla schiena. Vi Piacciono? 

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Vi ricordo che sarò presente sull’Area Meeting Hearth, con lo stand DESITA, sia come espositore, sia come co-ideatore assieme a Serint, della stessa Area e del “Progetto ParCO2“.

H&M in the quicksand – A very short pop-up story

When H&M unexpectedly opened a new store on the beach of Riccione (Rimini – Italy) I thought this was a smart marketing action. Then I started wondering if this could work.   Of course the store would have benefited from massive visibility, but was this enough?

The great adventure of the pop-up store only lasted one week. It seems that those in charge of developing the concept did not have all relevant licenses.

The Italian Guardia di Finanza sealed off the area and confiscated property.           Someone thinks H&M violated some provisions, while others state inspections were too severe. It seems evident to me that someone chose to turn a blind eye in order to authorize the opening of this beautiful pop-up store on the beach. 

I think that if some licenses were missing works could not have been authorized.  And I’m also convinced that if inspections were too severe the shop couldn’t have been inaugurated.

Do you want to know my opinion? I don’t care who is right or wrong, nor which business activities were damaged the most. What really infuriates me is that in order to place the new pop-up store several square metres of “dunes” were destroyed, thus damaging an enchanting protected area gathering fine sand and lush vegetation.

Just for another shop! And I’m saying this in a conflict of interest. This behaviour is really not acceptable, especially because H&M has always been involved in sustainability and conscious collection campaigns, we also spoke about.

I think everyone involved in this matter should deeply reflect on it. Don’t you think so?

Oliva e Marino – The pop-up store of Pavesi, Barilla.

It sometimes happens to find something new just around the corner.  Just think about Bottega di Oliva e Marino, Pavesi pop-up store that opened in Riccione on June 28.  At first glance, it seemed interesting to me for both its stylish design and brilliant business marketing strategy.

Everything revolves around “aperitivo”, the happy hour.
A very successful Italian format that is currently being copied everywhere else abroad.  But how did Pavesi pop-up store by Barilla impact Riccione?  Tourists certainly enjoy it because of its highly competitive promotional prices, but the managers of nearby restaurants and bathing establishments are far from being happy.

In fact, the pop-up store is situated just in front of two beach bars and next to a highly popular restaurant. But there is more.  It is located just in the heart of one of the most convenient paying car parks of the sea front, the best place for tourists to leave their car without worrying.  

Was local government good at promoting equality? What would have happened if the same proposal had been presented by an ordinary citizen rather than by Barilla?   Would the proposal have been welcomed?

I don’t think so.

What a good tasting packaging!

Some people have a lot of ideas. Inventor and chemical engineer David Edwards chronicles the ones he makes happen on his personal website—everything from text books hes written to new companies hes started.

In the past, he figured out a way to make and sell “breathable” food, but his latest idea, and the startup he founded to commercialize it, is one that actually may change the way we eat.

WikiCells is a form of edible packaging that will attempt to eliminate societys wasteful addiction to packaging—millions of tons worth end up in landfills each year, according to the EPA.

According to the new ventures website, the idea for WikiCells is rooted in the way nature has always delivered nutrients: in a digestible skin “held together by healthy ions like calcium.”

Apples, potatoes, tomatoes: they all have an edible exterior that protects the treat within. Even something that isnt exactly delicious—like a citrus peel—finds its way into the kitchen in the form of zest.”This soft skin may be comprised primarily of small particles of chocolate, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, or many other natural substances with delicious taste and often useful nutrients,” writes the WikiCells team.

“Inside the skin may be liquid fruit juice, or thick pudding.” So far Edwards and his collaborators—chief among them the industrial designer François Azambourg—have experimented with a gazpacho-stuffed tomato membrane, a wine-filled grape-like shell, and an orange juice-laden orb with a shell that tastes like, you guessed it, an orange.

Possibilities like an edible milk bottle or yogurt container are not out of the question. This summer WikiCells plans to market ice cream in an edible shell to a French audience—a high-tech version of something the Japanese have long enjoyed: ice cream-stuffed mochi.

via Packaging Never Tasted So Good: The Brave, New World of Edible Wrappers – Lifestyle – GOOD.

Chefs asked: how green is your kitchen?

Does a British apple have a smaller carbon footprint than an imported one if it has to be refrigerated for up to a year after harvest? And how do you design a kitchen so your chefs are naturally working in an energy efficient manner?

These are just some of the questions explored in a new guide launched on May 31st by the Sustainable Restaurant Association (SRA) and Space Catering to help the catering industry reduce its energy bills and drive down greenhouse gas emissions.

According to The Carbon Trust, energy used in catering accounts for 4-6 per cent of operating costs, while around 20 million tonnes of food waste is created every year in the UK food service sector.

The National Restaurant Association 2008 survey also found that 62 per cent of diners would prefer to eat in an environmentally-friendly restaurant.

“Chefs and restaurateurs are always looking for simple solutions to difficult challenges,” said Mark Linehan, managing director of the SRA.

“This guide provides them with a straightforward, easy to read guide to sustainable kitchen equipment that the SRA believes will be of huge interest and practical use to any restaurant that takes seriously its environmental responsibilities.”

The 20-page guide will be free for anyone to download from the Space Catering website, covering topics such as food waste, water consumption, energy efficiency and “green cuisine.”

via Chefs asked: how green is your kitchen?  News from BusinessGreen.

Otarian eco-minded restaurant lists carbon footprint for each menu item

Much the way French Europcar shows customers the carbon emissions associated with each of its rental cars, so a new restaurant chain includes such information for every item on its vegetarian menu.

With two restaurants in each of New York and London, Australia-based Otarian bills itself as “the first ever low-carbon restaurant chain, using a cradle-to-grave analysis in the carbon footprinting of every menu item.”

Almost everything in Otarian’s restaurants—from the floor to the tables and chairs—is made from recycled materials. They use the most energy-efficient equipment available, and all the electricity powering them comes from wind, water or sun. Water use is minimised, and local supplies are selected whenever possible.

Targeting the heavy emissions associated with the livestock industry, meanwhile, the restaurant offers no meat on its menu. Most interesting of all, however, is that Otarian uses international standards like BSI PAS 2050 to carbon footprint its entire menu; it has also been selected to road test the new Greenhouse Gas Protocol product standard.

Its “Eco2tarian Labelling” shows the difference in greenhouse gas emissions between its veggie meals and similar dishes containing meat, fish or egg. Otarian even goes so far as to reward consumers for the carbon they save by eating at its restaurants.

Specifically, every purchase earns them “Carbon Karma” credits, which are tracked by way of the restaurant’s Carbon Karma cards; consumers can track both their credits and their carbon savings online. After 100 credits, they are treated to a free Choco Treat off the menu.

As legions of eco-minded consumers begin tracking their impact on the environment, there’s no shortage of opportunities for companies to stand out by offering the eco intel they need to do that.

via Eco-minded restaurant lists carbon footprint for each menu item | Springwise.

 

FoodDrink Europe targets sustainability

FoodDrinkEurope has launched a report outlining its goals to move towards more sustainable food and drink production by 2030.

The report came following an event in Brussels yesterday featuring stakeholders such as Members of the European Parliament, UN representatives and key food industry players such as Nestle. 

FoodDrinkEurope’s ‘Environmental Sustainability Vision Towards 2030 ’ details three core areas of focus: sustainable sourcing, resource efficiency along the food chain and sustainable consumption and production.

Sustainable sourcing

Europe’s food and drink industry accounts for 70% of all EU agricultural produce, said FoodDrinkEurope, which showcased examples from companies that could help to promote sustainable sourcing and contribute towards food security.

The report praised Ferrero, General Mills, Mars, Nestlé and Unilever, which all pledged to source 100% certified sustainable palm oil by 2015. Mars and Ferrero have also committed to used only sustainable certified cocoa by 2020.

The report also lauded the development of harmonised assessment methods through the European Food Sustainable Consumption and Production (SCP) Round Table.

Energy

FoodDrinkEurope encouraged the industry to collaborate to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). Between 1999, food and drink manufacturers in Europe cut GHG emissions by 18%, while production value rose 29%.

The report endorsed using low carbon technologies, such as Combined Heat and Power (CHP). “The best way to provide heat is from a CHP plant as this provides maximum primary energy saving opportunities,” it said.

Kellogg is one large company using CHP. Its plant in Manchester, UK, has a 4.9 MWe CHP Plant that supplies 85% of the plant’s current steam demand and approximately 50% of electricity demand, which it claims reduces CO2 emissions by approximately 12% annually.

Alternate refrigerants

FoodDrinkEurope is also promoting refrigerant alternatives. “Some of the refrigerant gases commonly used by food and drink manufacturers, such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), contribute to climate change if they escape to the atmosphere,” it said.

While no viable alternative is currently available, the EU trade body said that it supports a multi-stakeholder initiative by Coca-Cola, Unilever, McDonald’s and PepsiCo to find a solution.

Water use

The report estimated that the industry’s water use accounts for 1.8% of the European total. It encouraged employing tools to measure water use through a Life Cycle Analysis, but said the method was not ideal for communication with consumers.

Several FoodDrinkEurope companies are involved in developing a new ISO standard (14046) on water footprint based on a life-cycle approach which is expected to be completed by 2014.

Other initiatives

FoodDrinkEurope’s report also details ways manufacturers have converted waste into energy to power operations. Nestlé and Kraft for example have been recycling coffee grounds to power production processes, which has contributed 12% to Nestlé’s on-site renewable energy resources in plants in the UK, Germany and France.

FoodDrinkEurope also supports using biofuels for transport operations to limit the environmental impact. Nestlé, for example has been using liquid methane powered trucks in the UK.

European Commissioner for the Environment Janez Potocnik said: “It is also clear that consumers should be increasingly informed via modern communication channels, such as smart phones applications and social media.”

The French food and drink industry association (ANIA) has developed the smart phone app ProxiProduit, which allows consumers to scan barcodes and obtain environmental information such as GHG emissions, biodiversity and water use.

The report concluded that its ‘vision’ was not a benchmark for the industry as “no one-size fits all”, but it could give inspiration to companies to promote sustainable growth.

via FoodDrink Europe targets sustainability.