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CLIMATE CHANGE
The burning of fossil fuels is
rapidly changing the composition of the earth's atmosphere leading to
the warming of the planet. The British Government's Stern Report
estimates that if global warming continues on its present course, it
will cost the world £3.68 trillion. In addition, the Pentagon's
report on climate change warns that major European cities will be
sunk beneath rising seas this century. Given the profound nature of
this problem Belu has made reducing our impact on climate change our
number one priority. The question is what can be done?
The Forum for the Future argues that all man-made greenhouse gas emissions are created in the manufacturing and/or use of consumer goods and services. In other words, it is shoppers driving global warming. One solution is encouraging businesses to create products with far fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
CARBON
REDUCTIONS AND NEUTRALITY
Belu has pushed for a "low
carbon" economy by reducing their present and future carbon
footprint. We have done this in the following ways:
* manufacturing Belu in the UK
(they don't import from overseas).
*do not to export.
* have light-weighted their packaging.
* use packaging made in the UK
using recycled materials when available.
*corn bottles offer carbon
savings opportunities over petro-chemical bottles.
In 2006, Belu also became the world's first carbon neutral bottled water (and the first of 70,000 products sold in Tesco). We have done this by measuring the entire life-cycle of our products (cradle to grave) and offsetting our emissions by purchasing carbon offset credits from the Carbonneutral Company and Carbon Clear. The importance of taking leadership on the issue of carbon reduction and neutrality is threefold:
1) They are helping to reduce the CO2 impact linked with buying bottled water.
2) They are empowering consumers to make global warming part of their shopping decision.
3) They have put significant pressure on our competitors to become carbon neutral which is helping to transform the industry. Since Belu became carbon neutral in 2006 and began winning considerable market share, at least seven other bottled water brands have begun making efforts to reduce or offset their emissions.
All three of these are essential if we are to expedite the development of a low carbon economy. Although it is this final point that demonstrates the industry transforming value of a brand like Belu.
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THE UK'S
FIRST COMPOSTABLE BOTTLES What if instead one had an alternative bottle that is derived from renewable and natural materials but can be recycled into products that return to nature rather than end up in landfill at the end of their useful lives&ldots;
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CLEAN
WATER PROJECTS - OVERSEAS
In Yelekebougou Mali, West
Africa, on the Southern Edge of the Sahara Desert, we have provided
wells and water pumps that will service 1,129 people.
In the Satkhira and Jessore
districts of Bangladesh, we have provided water pumps and rain water
harvesting systems to 35,000 people. In the Ambalavao district of Madagascar, Belu has funded the installation of three water pumps and wells providing 1,200 people with access to clean water. Combined, the total number of people getting access to water is 43,429. Although these water facilities could well remain functional for 20 to 30 years, we are conservatively estimating a lifespan of only 15 years (180 months). All combined, Belu's water projects are providing 43,429 people with 180 months of water for a total of 7.8 million months of water In addition, in the Jaipur district of Rajasthan, Belu has initiated a project to rebuild a 400 year old dam that will create a rainwater reservoir providing water to a community of over 13,874 people. This dam and reservoir is expected to remain functional for over 50 years (600 months). This project will deliver the equivalent of 6.6 million months of water. We are expecting to complete the rebuild of this dam and reservoir this year. The combined impact of these water projects in India, Mali, Bangladesh and Madagascar will provide over 14 million months of water, meeting our pledge to provide one month of water for every bottle sold.
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CLEAN WATER PROJECTS - UK In spite of recent efforts to clean the River Thames, thousands of tons of rubbish make its way down the river and into the sea every year. This contributes to the more than 40,000 fragments of plastic polluting every square mile of the ocean. This plastic is responsible for the annual death of hundreds of thousands of birds, turtles and other marine creatures that mistake it for food. |
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To help address water pollution in the UK, Belu is working to clean the River Thames by building a 40-foot long "rubbish-muncher" that will remove nearly one tonne of waste from the river each week (see example on the right). Belu has hired a marine engineering firm to build this device and we expect it to be completed over the coming months. We further aim for a launch date in the late Spring or Summer. Belu has thus far invested over £80,000 in its clean water projects. We could have invested more had we not also invested in making Belu the most eco-friendly brand possible. However, we strongly believe we made the right decision. First, it would be hypocritical to claim to be cleaning water with one hand while unabashedly polluting the air and sky with the other. Second, as Belu has reached profitability these environmental advantages will help us expand and thereby donate ever larger sums to our water projects. Finally, since launching Belu at least five other bottled water brands have started making similar donations. One of the additional values of Belu is we are encouraging the rest of the industry to take social and environmental responsibility more seriously.
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Headlines § e-mail § Publisher details
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Mood Food is published by FSR, London, England © 2009
Tel: 020 8399 4831 email: GroveInt@aol.com |