Cleaner Greener China: Clean Technology, Green Products, New Ideas, Clean China

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During a conversation last week between myself and the strategic director of a global eNGO, the topic of industrial based programs came up. It was a conversation that she and I had had in the past as part of a project to help them target 4 industries for research, advocacy, and engagement… and as part of this conversation we asked ourselves what industry was likely to come under fire for its (broad brush) sustainability practices… or lack there of.

Right off the bat, it was the food and beverage industry, an industry dominated by global brands and supply chains that reach into some of the most important issues.. water management, land management, forestry, packaging.. the works.

At one point, I even summed up the drive-thru coffee shop model as: A coffee bean in grown in Kenya, shipped to the US, brewed in shop in Omaha, packaged in a paper cup, surrounded by a paper ring, and is handed out the window to a customer waiting to drive off in their car…. what about that model is “sustainable”?

It was the perfect case for how, brands aside, and as you saw in the clip above, with , things will have to change.

Another example became evident while I finished off my McDonald’s fries yesterday. I was already aware of the fact that the box had useful lifespan of about 5 minutes (the time it took me to finish the box), but upon a closer look I noticed that the box itself had 0.. ZERO.. recycled content… and had none of the traditional reduce, reuse, recycling materials that I have grown so used to seeing on nearly everything from the pulp and paper industry.

Except of course the piece of paper that us used to line the McDonald’s tray for hygienic.. er.. marketing purposes.

All examples of where I see changes coming. That, aside from the water foot print of my food, there were dozens of other examples of where I foresee the food and beverage industry becoming a target for change.. from environmentalists, consumers, and regulators. The business models are built on a use it once model, and as water tables drop and landfills fill, things will have to change.

I would be interested in hearing other examples of industries that are in for simliiar future constraints.. so leave a comment.