CREATIVE GREEN

GREEN business has become the trend of the century. While the Earth Hour was a short-term effort to create awareness about the environment, or as critics claimed, a mere publicity stunt, some organisations are going green by making long-term changes for sustainability.

The following are some examples of green business initiatives by several companies:

Waterless urinals in men’s washroom

At the Sunway Pyramid, there is no more need to flush at the urinals in the men’s toilets as each urinal is coated with BioCare liquid, a special chemical that breaks down urine into environment-friendly components without using water.

“This is part of the mall’s effort to conserve water and reduce wastage to help the environment. As the breakdown of the urine takes place immediately upon contact, this system ensures the urinals are always hygienic for use,” said the mall’s leasing and marketing general manager Kevin Tan.
Waterless urinals: There is no need to flush at the urinals in men’s washroom as each urinal is coated with BioCare Liquid, a special chemical that breaks down urine into environment-friendly components without using water

According to Tan, the chemical is changed weekly to ensure its effectiveness.

Other green activities by the mall include a car park guiding system, the Alam Flora Recycling Buy Back Centre, and the Bring Your Own Bag campaign.

The parking system uses red/green LED (light emitting diodes) light to guide motorists to the nearest available parking bay.

“This system helps drivers to save time in locating available parking bays and reduces the time spent on finding available parking bays means less carbon monoxide emission from running vehicles,” Tan said.

“Shoppers and tenants can also recycle old cardboard boxes, newspapers, can and hard plastic for cash at the Alam Flora Recycling Buy Back Centre (BBC), which is open daily from 10am to 5pm except Thursday,” he said.

“A recycling buyback centre in the mall encourages not only the public but the retail outlets to trade in recyclables for cash as well.

In addition, the Sunway Pyramid will be rewarding shoppers with free parking every Tuesday (except public holidays) for supporting the environment. To qualify for the scheme, shoppers need to bring their eco-friendly bags (paper or plastic bags are not allowed) and buy product-based goods worth a minimum of RM50. They then have to present their receipts to one of the concierges and exchange their parking ticket for a free ticket.
Recycling help: Shoppers and tenants can recycle old cardboard boxes, newspapers, can and hard plastic for cash at the Alam Flora Recycling Buy Back Centre (BBC) in Sunway Pyramid.

“The main message of the campaign is not solely about the mall going green for the long-term, but that its shoppers take ownership and do their part for Mother Nature,” Tan said.

100% PCR PET Bottles

The Body Shop, known for its environment-friendly initiatives, is no stranger to the concept of green business.

According to The Body Shop marketing communication manager Jennifer Chan, one key value at The Body Shop is to protect the planet.

“Early last year, 100% recycled plastic bottles were introduced. That’s because some people still discard the packaging the usual way even if there’s a recycling centre or the option to return it to our outlets. The bottles are also 100% recyclable, from the cap to the label, even if it ends up in a landfill,” Chan said,

She said The Body Shop paper bags were made from 100% recycled paper with printing using water-based ink that did not harm the environment.

For the Green Office concept, the company’s workers are encouraged to practice the 3R — reduce, reuse and recycle.

Recycle bins are placed in the office for used paper and empty bottles.

Employees are advised to switch off all electrical appliances such as lights, air-conditioners, and computers when not in use, print emails or documents only when necessary and print all documents double-sided where possible, as well as publish, distribute or copy documents electronically.

As for reuse, the workers are encouraged to use scrap paper for taking notes and printing, re-use envelopes from internal mail and use own coffee mugs or water bottles for water and beverages instead of plastic/paper cups.

Up next is the “Kick The Bag Habit” on World Environment Day on June 5. Launched on Earth Day last year, the campaign raised RM91,953 towards the protection of the Temengor rainforest and over 77,000 paper bags saved over the period of the campaign.

For each shopping bag declined by every customer during the campaign, The Body Shop donated 50 sen to its campaign partner Malay­sia Nature Society (MNS). Customers who requested a bag donated 50 sen towards the campaign.

“The concept is same for this year, but customers can now have the choice to purchase a limited edition tote bag at RM5, where RM2.50 will be donated to the MNS for the Save Temengor campaign,” Chan said.

Reducing carbon dioxide emissions

Panasonic Malaysia Sdn Bhd is committed to reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from its production activities by 300,000 tonnes globally over three years from fiscal year 2008 to 2010.

According to its assistant general manager (corporate communication and branding), Azizah Wahid, as part of the company’s environmental sustainability management activities, it will focus on three initiatives: Eco ideas for manufacturing, Eco ideas for everybody and everywhere, and Eco ideas for products.

Internally, the company has adopted a series of activities such as “no overtime” day, saving energy by switching off air-conditioners and lights, “no driving out for lunch” day to save petrol and reduce carbon footprint as well as recycling and office cleaning to maintain a clean and healthy work environment and work culture.

Azizah said the company was also striving to develop technologies for resource conservation while improving product functions.

To reduce CO2 emissions in the group’s activities, Panasonic will improve productivity in all manufacturing processes, including product planning, procurement, marketing, logistics and recycling.

“Reducing resources will reduce the amount of material used; reduce the rate of non-circulating resources over their life cycles; use more recycled resources; and increase recyclable resources. At the same time, Panasonic will reduce CO2 emissions,” Azizah said.

For the Clean Factories initiatives, Panasonic emphasises preventing global warming, reducing total waste, and reducing the release and transfer of chemical substances.

The company is endeavouring to minimise all input and output and to make all their manufacturing sites into Clean Factories.

Panasonic also promotes green logistics and recycling waste to help prevent global warming and reduce air pollution.

Panasonic will expand its eco- activities to local communities around the world. The company is promoting awareness-raising activities such as Love the Earth Citizens Campaign to encourage employees and their families to be active parti­ci­pants in eco-initiatives at home, the workplace and local communities.

Panasonic is aiming to establish factories co-existing in harmony with local communities and societies.

In addition to giving environmental consideration to materials and promoting recycling-oriented de­signs, Panasonic will accelerate development of energy conservation technologies while eliminating products with low energy efficiency.