The Walt Disney Co., the world’s largest publisher of children’s books, has announced a dramatic shift in how the company will use and source paper, vowing to minimize the amount of paper it uses overall and eliminate its purchase of irresponsibly harvested timber products.

In an announcement, the multinational media company said it would increase its use of recycled paper and paper products certified by the Forest Stewardship Council and will avoid products coming from what it called “high conservation-value” and “high carbon-value” forests. In addition, executives say they will work with the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) and other non-governmental organizations “to identify… regions with poor forest management and high rates of deforestation,” specifically calling attention to Indonesia, where rampant deforestation for pulp and paper products is decimating rainforests.

The policy shift comes two years after RAN launched a campaign against Disney, citing evidence that its publishing arm — which produces 50 million books and 30 million magazines annually — was using hardwood pulp likely sourced in Indonesia rainforests.

Article appearing courtesy Yale Environment 360.

“Winter is coming.”

This is the common refrain in the popular book, Game of Thrones, in which kings vie to take over lands. As I thought about the green building policy mess of 2012, I couldn’t help but draw comparisons to Game of Thrones.

This was supposed to be the year of the USGBC’s (more…)

International Paper, a global paper packaging company, announced that it will be providing North American customers with a sustainable paper option. Called Hammermill Great White, it is 100 per cent recycled and will be produced at IP’s mill in Riverdale, Alabama. IP invested millions of dollars into its recycled product capabilities. The company already (more…)

For those who want a custom home made with more sustainable materials, the choices are rather diverse – many more than the straw, wood and brick of Three Little Pigs fame.

Most of us live in traditionally constructed houses and buildings, but we’ve all heard about the unique homes made out (more…)

This week, São Paulo is hosting the International Conference on Biofuels. Organized by the Brazilian government at the Hyatt Hotel, the event wants to encourage an international discussion on ethanol production and application worldwide. So far, the plenary session that called my particular attention was the Plenary Session III on “Biofuels and Sustainability” moderated by Marina Silva, the former Brazilian Minister of Environment. Some of the participants brought up a very provocative subject – the “Black Agenda”.

For Maria Foster, Director for Gas and Energy at Petrobras, the “Black Agenda” is an international lobby against international certification of Brazilian ethanol. In her opinion, this group is blocking worldwide commercialization of Brazilian ethanol because of oil companies’ concerns regarding the potential of ethanol on a global scale.

(more…)