Straits Times 20 Dec 09;
They may peddle upsized meals, but fast-food chains have been downsizing their packaging.
Zinger burgers from KFC, for instance, now come in smaller boxes, while the chain's napkins and plastic bags have become thinner.
For that, it won the National Environment Agency's 3R Packaging award last year and this year.
Two years ago, it shrank home delivery boxes by 20 per cent, saving an estimated 20 tonnes of paper board, or $24,600, a year.
Boxes and sleeves for its spicy Zinger burgers (below) and dessert pies have also been reduced in thickness by 12.5 per cent, from 240 gsm to 210 gsm. This has translated into savings of more than five tonnes of paper board a year.
McDonald's stopped distributing ketchup sachets over the counter and introduced self-service stations two years ago, with signs reminding customers to take only the amount they need.
Subway reduced the thickness of its paper wrappers by 9 per cent, saving an estimated 3.5 million kg of paper annually. Kopitiam introduced microwavable paper containers for all takeaways at its food court in the eco-friendly City Square Mall at Kitchener Road, replacing plastic containers.
Fuji Xerox, go-green adviser
Straits Times 20 Dec 09;
The next time you want to throw out your used toner cartridge, photocopier drum or circuit board, think twice. These items can be turned into new products.
Japanese copier company Fuji Xerox has been doing this since 2004. It collects the used accessories from its customers in Singapore and ships them to a manufacturing plant in Pattaya, Thailand, where they are broken down into finer gold and copper components and remade into new products.
'It's the parent company's vision that no equipment will go to a landfill,' said general manager Ri-chard Teo.
Recycling used components is just one of the company's green efforts. It designs its machines to use less electricity and ensures the paper it sells comes from internationally certified and approved sources, and not from illegal loggers.
It also began advising companies last year on ways to use less energy and paper at the workplace.
One multinational company in electronics manufacturing halved its paper usage after it got help to identify the number of copies of documents it actually needed to print for its operations, said Fuji Xerox's industry solutions architect Mak Chee Hong.
Giving eco-friendly advice benefits the copier company, he pointed out.
'It adds value to the hardware we sell,' he said.
Eco-friendly shopping at Tangs
Straits Times 20 Dec 09;
Use an eco-friendly tote bag, get a discount.
Department store Tangs followed in the footsteps of supermarket chains by introducing this new green measure this year.
It was one of several such measures - including putting up energy- saving Christmas decorations - that earned the store the inaugural Green Retailer of the Year award from the Singapore Retailers Association in October.
Tangs was one of two winners, the other being The Body Shop.
Tangs' assistant vice-president of marketing and communications, Ms Lin Pei Hua, said its green efforts dovetailed with its values of being a responsible retailer.
'We are promoting consumerism, but we must be responsible in letting people know there are alternatives.
'It also reinforces the positioning of our brand.'
Tangs' shoppers get 80 cents off their bill when they use the store's tote bag, and 40 cents off for using other eco-friendly bags.
Retailers like furniture store Ikea go further by charging customers five to 10 cents for each plastic bag, while supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice gives customers 10 cents back when they use their own bag and spend at least $10.
Ms Lin said that Tangs cashiers are also trained to ask customers if they need a bag.
'It's not ingrained in our shoppers yet to refuse a plastic bag. But if you remind them, they will say they don't need the bag. They do feel a bit guilty.'
Tangs' green efforts started when one of its vendors, beauty brand Clarins, set up an exhibit last year at its Orchard store to educate customers about measuring their carbon footprint.
Other vendors have since partnered Tangs to promote their eco-friendly products.
Tangs also cut back on glossy promotional mailers by encouraging its card members to go online. Window dressing has also gone green.
Tangs will continue to promote the green message in the new year, said Ms Lin. Its first sale of the year in February will come with a tagline to remind shoppers to be environmentally responsible.
