| Carbon Credit |
Carbon credits are a way of reducing greenhouse effect emissions on an industrial scale by capping total annual emissions and allowing the market to assign a monetary value to any shortfall through trading. Credits can be exchanged between businesses or bought and sold in international markets at prevailing market prices. |
| Carbon Credit Exchange |
The Kyoto protocol has sanctioned carbon offsets as a way for governments and private companies to earn carbon credits that can be traded. Organizations having difficulty meeting their emissions quotas are able to offset their obligation by buying credits. |
| Carbon Footprint |
A calculation of the impact human activities have on the environment, measured in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced, and expressed as units of carbon dioxide. |
| Cradle-to-Cradle |
This is a way of thinking about life cycles. If the grave of one cycle can be the cradle of its own or another, the life cycles are called cradle-to-cradle. |
| Cradle-to-Gate |
Cradle-to-gate is the life cycle analysis [LCA] of the efficiency of a product or service until it is produced or delivered. |
| Cradle-to-Grave |
Cradle-to-grave is the LCA of the materials used in making a product: from the extraction of materials and energy to the return of materials to the earth when the product is finally discarded. All inputs and outputs are considered for every phase. |
| MarketGate |
A resource developed to support consumer product goods suppliers in their search for raw material suppliers, packaging converters, co-packers and other providers able to help them meet their sustainability objectives. |
| Packaging Modeling |
This is an educational tool for manufacturers providing packaging to retailers. It allows the user to create packages using a scorecard identical to that of the Wal-Mart Sustainable Packaging Scorecard, to determine a package score or to run comparisons against existing packaging. |
| Scorecard Metrics |
Metrics for the packaging scorecard were developed by a group of 200 leaders in the global packaging industry. They are:
15% – Based on GHG/CO2 per ton of production
15% – Based on health and safety
15% – Based on package to product ratio
15% – Based on cube utilization
10% – Based on transportation/average distance
10% – Based on recycled distance
10% – Based on recovery value
5% – Based on renewal energy
5% – Based on innovation
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| Wal-Mart Packaging Scorecard |
A measurement tool that allows suppliers to evaluate themselves and their products based on specific metrics. |
| 7Rs of Packaging |
Wal-Mart and SAM’S CLUB buyers created this list of specific packaging issues. To help Wal-Mart meet its sustainability goals, suppliers are asked to consider these 7Rs when it comes to their packaging.
Remove Packaging – Eliminate unnecessary packaging, extra boxes or layers
Reduce Packaging – Right size packages and optimize material strength
Reuse Packaging – Pallets and reusable plastic containers
Renewable Packaging – Use materials made of renewable resources; select biodegradable or compostable materials
Recyclable Packaging – Use materials made of the highest quality recycled content without compromising quality
Revenue – Achieve all of the above principles at cost parity or savings
Read – Educate yourself on sustainability and how it can be supported
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