Doing and making the right things in a super-connected world - GAP

Patricia Cameron 
InfoStream Guest Author

"In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity." 

Albert Einstein 

Recent media articles on the (un)sustainability of pet ownership, and closing of more big box pet stores in Canada are just two indications of changing times.  While many businesses are sleep walking toward a future that looks identical to the past, some businesses are seeing the opportunities in realities that others may ignore or deny. 

As it is currently configured, the pet retail sector is no different than other industries in our consumer society - that is, heavily reliant on a global system of production and consumption that is unsustainable, and in many cases toxic and wasteful, both in the products produced and to the environment. Indeed, the current industrial model is based on a "cradle-to-grave" process - raw materials are sourced using an enormous amount of energy, producing large amounts of emissions, and often using toxic chemicals and leaving devasted landscapes in the wake. The materials are processed using yet more energy and chemicals, shipped using even more energy, sold, used and then as “waste” are disposed of - leaving society to deal with massive, toxic landfills. 

While grim, this reality presents a huge opportunity to businesses that want to start now on what will be inevitable - creating products that from sourcing and processing of materials to disposal are neutral or nurturing to the earth and all life forms. 

In their book, Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, a Manifesto, Michael Braungart and William McDonough discuss how designing products such that all elements of a product nourish life while the product is in use and when disposed of (e.g. through composting or “upcycling" to new products), and the production process is free of toxic and dangerous ingredients.  

In food industries, we see some positive, if reluctant, movement toward animal welfare and humane practices, largely in response to animal welfare campaigns and growing consumer awareness of and concern about low animal welfare standards in global food industries. When finally acting in response to campaigns and concerns, the PR glow shed on the company is less warm than it would be if the company had pro-actively done the right (humane and environmentally friendly) thing.  

For example, in Aug 2014, Big Food giant Nestle announced it was adopting much stronger animals welfare standards. Nestle’s Chief Procurement Officer, Kevin Petrie was quoted as saying,  “In the digital world, everyone has a smartphone and they want to know where things come from and share that information. [people want to know] 'Is it good for me? Is the quality good? Has it been responsibly sourced?'”  

As Mr. Petrie of Nestle’s suggests, it’s never been harder to cover up bad products and practices, and people are increasingly concerned with issues of health, well-being, environmental damage, and animal welfare. There is huge opportunity for pet industry companies that actively embrace this reality and pro-actively do and make the right things. 

What is your company doing to protect the planet?  Have you looked at a cradle-to-cradle strategy to eliminate toxic waste and nurture the earth?  Are you afraid of having people film anything in your operations?  Does your business have animal practices, the best defence you have for is “It’s tradition”? The answers to these and other questions should tell you whether your business is ready to take advantage of today’s emerging opportunities.

Creating a sustainable pet population

Are pets bad for the environment? 

With the world's resources under increasing pressure, Erik Assadourian argues that pet ownership needs a drastic rethink

An article emerging last week about the sustainability of the pet industry and pet ownership ruffled some feathers among pet communities and organizations.

In his Guardian story, Erik Assadourian questioned the carbon footprint of pets and the many products they consume or require. He writes that, "as our pets increasingly adopt the consumer habits of their owners, it's clear that no matter how "green" the industry becomes, it will never be sustainable." Assadourian argues that unnecessary pet products like toys, clothes and even burial caskets are putting a strain on the already stressed climate.

"Fast forward to a climate disrupted future. . . Where do pets fit in? When climate change disrupts grain supplies, shoots food prices through the roof and also eviscerates the global consumer economy, pets may be abandoned in droves as families suddenly can no longer afford their upkeep," he said.

And while Assadourian's suggestions (satirical or not) to slaughter the abandoned cat and dog population for meat or adopt 'time-share' relationships with animals garnered knee-jerk and emotional reactions in the comments section of the article, his message is simple: Consumers need to be mindful of the products they purchase for their pets.

Green Calgary Executive Director and former Calgary Humane Society Executive Director, Patricia Cameron noted that Assadourian's article may have sent the wrong message. Rather than promoting mindful consumerism and sustainability, it appealed to a reader's emotional ties to his/her pets.

"It is true that, currently, the pet industry is unsustainable, just like all the other industries. It is not an exception but rather part of the overall way that we produce, consume and dispose of things," she said.

"It is no different than any other industry. We're all in this together and we need to start buying for durability, trying to stay local, thinking about whether the products we purchase are necessary and are contributing to well-being. If we love our dogs, and we love owning dogs, then people should be looking at more sustainable ways of feeding their pets and meeting their recreational needs."  

READ THE ARTICLE

InfoStream Guest Author Program welcomes Green Calgary's Patricia Cameron

InfoStream is pleased to introduce Patricia Cameron, Green Calgary Executive Director,  entrepreneur and visionary, as a contributing Guest Author. 

Patricia comes to InfoStream with nearly a decade of urban animal expertise, five years as executive director at the Calgary Humane Society. Her experiences in both the urban animal industry and creating a sustainable environment give Patricia a unique perspective and passion to create healthy communities for pets and people. 

With graduate degrees in both English literature and business administration, Patricia Cameron has had a varied career, including success as an entrepreneur, more than a decade in post-secondary education (where she taught public relations, media studies, interpersonal and technical communications);  6 years in animal welfare (during which she was executive director of one of Canada’s leading animal welfare organization), and her current role as executive director of Green Calgary, an awarding urban environmental charity focused on supporting Calgarians  in developing  resilience and increasing sustainability in their homes, communities, schools and businesses, through education, services, products, and hands-on support.  

She is particularly experienced and skilled in business development and marketing / communications. “I have had unique opportunities to study, to consult with,  and to develop collaborative relationships with a wide variety of industries: information technologies, health care, energy, trades, non-profits, and the pet industry.  I have a deep appreciation for pets and the pet industry and hope my insights into communications, public relations, collaboration, corporate social responsibility, and business development will be of interest to the great  people working in this vibrant sector,” says Cameron.

She values time with her family, which includes rescue pups Suzie and Zach and 5 grandchildren, and pursues interests  in music, organic gardening, and writing.

Stay tuned to InfoStream for Guest Author posts by Patricia Cameron! 

P&G releases Annual Sustainability Report

Procter & Gamble released its 15th annual Sustainability Report, demonstrating its commitment to helping people around the world live better and more sustainably through an integrated approach to environmental and social responsibility. The report ncludes P&G's sustainability results from the past fiscal year and progress updates on the company's environmental and social responsibility goals for 2020. 

This year, P&G reported absolute reductions in waste, water, CO₂ and energy - all four of the company's major manufacturing footprints. 

READ THE NEWS RELEASE

VIEW THE FULL REPORT

BC SPCA shelter goes GREEN

The BC SPCA's Community Animal Centre in Maple Ridge is Canada's first gold level LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accredited animal shelter. 

To meet LEED requirements, the Maple Ridge branch incorporates modern animal welfare designs such as shared 'apartments' for dogs to increase socialization and a sophisticated ventilation system to reduce the spread of airborne disease. Other 'green' components include: movement-triggered light sensors, programmable thermostats, rooftop rainwater collection, heat recovery built into the HVAC and Dark light technology in the parking lot. 

The internationally recognized LEED rating system promotes sustainability by recognizing performance in the areas of sustainable site development, green building design, water and energy efficiency, materials selection and improved indoor environmental quality. 

This groundbreaking project, created in partnership with the District of Maple Ridge, provides a model for other sustainable shelters across the country. 

READ THE NEWS RELEASE

Wind Energy Sustains Nova Scotia SPCA

The Nova Scotia SPCA has uncovered a predictable, reliable and sustainable source of revenue that will benefit not only the organization, but the community and the environment as well.

Working within the Province's COMFIT regulations, RMS Energy selected the NS SPCA to provide a "community" benefit for its application for a wind energy project. In return, the SPCA will receive dividends which could reach $100-200,000 annually for the 25-30 year lifecycle of the project beginning in 2014.

"Non-profit organizations like the SPCA need to be very adaptive and flexible. We are quickly moving toward framing our organizations quite differently than we traditionally have," said NS SPCA executive director Kristin Williams. "We're not necessarily the charities of the past, we are going to be hybrid organizations that are involved in business development, social enterprise and that are looking at new and interesting ways to become sustainable."

The Sustainable Wind Initiative will be presented by Kristin Williams as part of the Regional Innovation Showcase at the upcoming Regional Conference in Halifax on 18 April. 

Register now to

GET THE FACTS, HAVE YOURSAY, MOVE THE INDUSTRY

Coquitlam Animal Shelter demonstrates sustainable income

Coquitlam Animal Shelter opened in May 2002 with a unique component. As a means to raise funds for the City's Animal Care and Control Services sector, the shelter housed areas for cats, dogs and one for the intended purpose of Private Dog Boarding.  

At Summit 2012, manager of Bylaw and Animal Control Services for the City of Coquitlam, Andrea McDonald, presented delegates with statistics, facts and future insights regarding the Shelter's decision to add private boarding to it's services. 

Each year, the private boarding unit of the shelter earns approximately $90,000 in revenue. The revenue from fees helps to offset the general operating cost of the shelter. In addition, the boarding kennel produces increased exposure for the shelter, supplies additional staff to help with general shelter duties and provides opportunities to educate and inform clients about responsible pet ownership. 

In her presentation, McDonald stated that Coquitlam Animal Shelter has found a sustainable source of income and resources that will continue to offset the shelter's overhead for years to come.
  
Over the coming weeks, InfoStream will highlight shelters and humane societies across Canada that are discovering alternative and creative ways to garner revenue, gain community recognition and involvement and ultimately, create healthy and happy pets and pet families. 

Nova Scotia SPCA saves more than 11,000 animals in 2012

Nova Scotia SPCA releases 2012 year end report 

Through investigations and intake, the Nova Scotia SPCA saved more than 11,000 animals in 2012. The organization's year end report, released last week, cited a provincial adoption rate of more than 90% of the 6,000 plus animals admitted to provincial shelters and investigated 1,632 complaints affecting 5,084 animals. 

According to the report, the Society continues to respond to an exceptionally high call volume. In excess of 18,000 inquiries and complaints regarding the welfare of companion animals in the province of Nova Scotia were received by the provincial office in 2012.

"Through investigations and through intake via our network of branches, the Nova Scotia SPCA saved 11,002 animals in 2012, a staggering increase of 37%," said NSSPCA executive director, Kristin Williams. "The society maintains a 91% live release rate, which we attribute to our robust transfer program, palliative care foster program and an active off-site adoption program in partnership with a variety of retailers."

In addition, the report detailed a number of initiatives undertaken by the Society in 2012 to provide long-term financial sustainability. 

"Many of these strategies are innovative and will morph the SPCA into a hybrid organization, more akin to a social enterprise, which is a cutting edge non-profit fiscal strategy," said Williams. 

In an effort to broaden the reach of the SPCA, the Society partnered with a number of retailers to provide off-site adoption opportunities. This strategy won the NSSPCA a Summit for Animal Homing at the 2012 International Summit for Urban Animal Strategies.

Other initiatives include partnering with the Department of Justice to offer a canine therapy program to assist both dogs and offenders, opening a veterinary clinic as part of its shelter in Halifax and partnering with the province's lead wind engineer to develop a sustainable and long-term income.  

READ THE REPORT

About the Nova Scotia SPCA:
Over the last three years, the NSSPCA has increased live release rates from 65% to 91% province-wide an established NS as the only No Kill province in Canada. The Society achieved a 100% conviction rate for companion animal cruelty investigations. The SPCA has also been recognized as a leader in animal welfare internationally with seven industry awards in the categories of Wellness (2010), Leadership (2010), Sheltering (2010), Communications (2011), Media (2011), Homing (2012) and Volunteerism (2012). 

P&G Announces Progress Toward Long-Term Vision in Annual Sustainability Report

Proctor & Gamble's 14th annual Sustainability Report, released 12 November 2012, announced absolute reductions in its energy, waste, water and CO₂ manufacturing footprints over the past five years and improved the lives of over 400 million children worldwide. 

The report examined several initiatives taken by P&G and shares specific progress in its sustainability focus areas of Products, Operations and Social Responsibility. Highlights from this years report include: 

• Launching pilot in the Philippines to address global issue of waste
• Eliminating maternal and neonatal tetanus in six countries
• Committing to sustainable forestry
• Decreasing days of illness and absenteeism through handwashing education 

"P&G's commitment to environmental and social sustainability is unwavering," said P&G chairman, president and CEO Bob McDonald. "From our founding, we have invested in the communities where we sell our products, and we have embraced the responsibility of ethical and sustainable operations."

In addition to the Sustainability Report, this is the 14th year the company has been included on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. P&G is also among the Corporate Knights "Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World" and is 5th on Gartner's "Top 25" list of Global Supply Chain Leaders. 

VIEW P&G'S FULL SUSTAINABILITY REPORT