|
Icelandic Glacial Gets Green Props |
|
Tuesday, 19 June 2007 |
At a time when the bottled water industry has been criticized for its impact on the environment and global warming, Icelandic Water Holdings ehf. makers of Icelandic Glacial Natural Spring Water, has stepped up.
In June it received CarbonNeutral Certification from climate change company, The CarbonNeutral Co., making Icelandic Glacial the first super-premium bottled water distributed in the United States to be recognized for its ongoing efforts to continually measure and reduce its carbon emissions and offset any remaining environmental impact that contributes to global warming.
“(This) is just the beginning of an ongoing commitment to continually assess every aspect of our business so that we can take ongoing positive action in the international fight against global warming,” says Jon Olafsson, chairman of Icelandic Glacial.
To carry the CarbonNeutral brand mark on a product or activity, a company’s CO2 emissions must have been accurately assessed, the areas of reduction identified and the remaining emissions offset through high-quality carbon projects around the world.
Icelandic Glacial has taken a three-pronged approach—assessment, reduction and offset of emission.
In the area of assessment, the company, which already uses only geothermal and hydroelectric natural energy in it manufacturing facility based in Iceland, Icelandic Glacial also plans to take into account the energy and resources consumed by the company and its employees in all activities and operations.
The company’s focus when it comes to reduction includes switching to local energy providers instead of using fossil fuel derived energy vendors outside of Iceland, restricting flights and travel wherever possible, using low energy lighting throughout its manufacturing plants and other offices, recycling where possible and encouraging suppliers, customers and employees to do the same practices.
Icelandic Glacial also has outlined specific ways the organization will offset any remaining emissions it is responsible for using bona-fide programs.
“Icelandic Glacial is excited to take a leadership role in the international bottled water community to reduce our overall impact on the environment and encourage others within the industry to follow in our footsteps,” says Olafsson.
Since 1997, The CarbonNeutral Co., one of the world’s leading carbon offset and climate consulting businesses, has worked with hundreds of companies throughout the world that take voluntary steps to measure and then reduce their emissions through internal measure as well as externally through carbon offsetting. When emissions are reduced to net zero, companies may apply for the CarbonNeutral brand mark.
“It is great to see a market leading bottled water company taking this issue seriously and working hard to achieve CarbonNeutral status,” says Jonathan Shopley, executive director of The CarbonNeutral Co. “We hope Icelandic Glacial’s leadership will encourage other companies to follow suit and reduce their carbon emissions.” |
