Shop for bathroom and kitchen fixtures responsibly. Ask your retailer the right questions. Be sure that the fixtures you select comply with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines for water conservation.

Not sure where to begin with decorating responsibly? Always surf the website of your retailer and search for key words like “corporate social responsibility”, or “sustainability reports”.

Make every home purchase worth it with fittings that are good for the environment. If you’re searching for stylish new fittings for your bathroom, but can’t find a company with a good corporate social responsibility plan, start at ROHL.

Style and sustainability are two sides of the same coin with luxury kitchen and bath fittings from ROHL. ROHL designs showerheads that are sync with EPA guidelines for water use. ROHL also markets low-flow water saving aerators for your kitchen and bath.

Marketing water saving devices is not the only facet in selling high-end faucets, or other quality fixtures. ROHL has committed to reducing pollution in the world’s oceans by supporting Oceana, a non-profit headed by Ted Danson to save the world’s oceans.

Agreeing on the right look for your bathroom and kitchen is hard enough, especially if you’re arguing with a significant other about what finish to choose. Details like make and model are debatable. But, eco-friendly purchases are not.

Design your home with fittings worthy of a stamp of sustainability. Shop from retailers that don’t compromise on corporate social responsibility. Start your kitchen and bathroom on sturdy ground with quality bathroom fittings that you can feel good about.

The road to sustainable use of water resources is paved with seemingly small decisions from consumers, retailers, and end users like you. Make a difference and invest in water saving appliances for your kitchen and bath.

If anything, it’s a good story for your house warming.

If you enjoyed this article, you should also read:

Singer Lizz Wright Takes You to the Water

D.J. Knowles Releases Hot New Track for H20 Charity

Family Fun on a Budget in Florida

WaterWideWeb Celebrates World H20 Day in NYC

Why NOLA’s Water Meter Jewelry is a Must Buy

The innovative Water Restoration Certificate Program by BEF reportedly returned over seventeen million gallons of water to damaged watersheds and streams in the United States. Input from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation provided BEF with information on locations where water allotments would make the most sustainable impact on endangered ecosystems.

BEF, along with its water trust partners , is engaging water rights holders in the western United States in the movement toward a new and improved vision of corporate social responsibility. Water rights holders can contribute their coveted water allotments to restorative projects.

According to a report published by the CSR Wire, each water credit is worth 1,000 gallons of water. This unique effort by BEF merges two issues that are notoriously hard to handle in the world of water resource management. Water rights in the western United States are legally binding. Water rights were established by agreements made before factors such as global climate change, carbon gas emissions, and environmental degradation became part of the sustainability equation.

Managing a program to strategically ally corporate private sector investors with water rights holders represents a breakthrough in water management that other government actors are still navigating with caution.

Ever since corporate social responsibility became a buzzword in terms of investments, major companies have rushed to update their websites and annual sustainability reports to reflect best-practices methods in water conservation.

The BEF program for corporate social responsibility moves beyond just a water conservation approach. Now, there is an alliance of private sector parties with other people in power, water rights holders. In essence, either participant in the arrangement can leverage influence with other.

Hopefully, the term “corporate social responsibility” will continually expand to include other novel efforts of engaging investors, corporations, and private sector parties in the effort to cope with the adverse effects of poor water resource management.

Fragile freshwater ecosystems and fisheries are compromised every day due to decreasing water flows to support these systems. If these natural resources and environments continue to degrade, the people and ultimately the organizations that they support will suffer from dwindling profit margins. And who can afford that?

If you enjoyed this article, you should also read:

Biz Ethics: Investing in Sustainability

Weathering the Age-Old Gap in the South Caucasus

Hydropower to Empower Rural Village in Liberia

Belarus and Ukraine Make Plans for the Pripyat River

Timok River Talks: Serbia and Bulgaria

Expense reports are starting to list the cost and benefit of socially responsible business practices. Anne-Leonore Boffi, Assistant Project Manager of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s (WBCSD) Water Program, told WaterWideWeb “Simply said, all businesses need water.”

Boffi spearheaded efforts at WBCSD to launch the Global Water Tool, a free and accessible tool to assess water availability for global supply chain needs.  “With increasing pressures on freshwater resources, businesses face risks in relation to security access to water in sufficient quantities at the right time and of adequate quality.”

Please watch the video of the Global Water Tool here

At the expense of inefficient water management, businesses stand to lose profit and reputation. Corporations that can’t readily access water to manage operations are at risk for decreasing rates of timely production. Moreover, public debates between major corporations and local end users about access to water resources could devastate investments in said companies. Bad press about water disputes will certainly undermine a company’s credibility and future success.

Stewarding natural resources in a transparent way has fortuitously worked its way into the global business management agenda. “As investors become aware of potential risk exposure to water-related challenges, they will seek to assess companies’ ability to anticipate and respond to these challenges,” continued Boffi.

Creative solutions to climate challenges imposed on the private business sector are the answer to water supply worries. These solutions also offer a new competitive marketplace for cutting edge solutions for ever mounting concerns about water access.

Dr. Terry Yosie, President and C.E.O of the World Environment Center told WaterWideWeb, “The vision of sustainability for business can be connected to innovation.” Developing new mechanisms and translatable technologies for sustainable development are common denominators in the equation of increasing profit margins in the global marketplace.

Interestingly, Yosie concluded the interview with WaterWideWeb saying, “It’s really the private sector that has the capability to address these needs.

Should the public sector turn their eyes to private sector parties to pioneer the sustainable development movement?

Is the private sector ready to charter the frontier of completely transparent socially responsible business practices that protect the environment and the wallets of Wall Street investors?

If you enjoyed this article, you should also read:

Oil Spill Clean Up in the Everglades

Should Water Be Free?

Australia’s Flood Problem Just Starting

World Bank Invests in Uzbekistan’s Water Management Resources

eScience and Water Cyberinfrastructure

The GWT is a massive database that renders relevant facts on water information with respect to local communities. Water is a fundamental business asset. Accurately accessing risk management and implementing effective strategies requires a t user-friendly tool for major corporations with high water needs in their supply chain network.

The GTW was developed to provide corporations with important water statistics for the sustainability of their business and the environment. In 2007, the GWT was launched. Now, over 300 corporations access the various datasets, charts and information available via the GWT. It maps water use and calculates projected water availability in specific regions of the world.

Data on the GWT includes input from reputable sources such as the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Aquastat, the International Water Management Institute, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund Joint Monitoring Program, and other sources.

Statistics on urban annual growth rates, the environmental water scarcity index by basin and projected total annual renewable water resources per inhabitant by 2025 and 2050 are featured on the GWT. Investing in a new plant that is estimated to operate in an area for over ten years must be considered against points about urban growth rates, and projected water availability for future production ventures. If they weren’t, investors and corporations would be allotting funds to projects that may not be worth the initial financial output. The GWT enables companies to invest safely and to execute business practices soundly.

These datasets allow corporations to make major financial decisions with respect to launching new plants in particular areas of the world. Corporations can review these datasets and consider necessary modifications to existing water and wastewater policies. Corporations can now invest in supply chain operations responsibly, environmentally and economically.

The GWT gives important reports on water availability, water quality and water stress in regions of the world. Water stress is calculated when population, environment, and agriculture are factored into water availability measures.

Irrigated agriculture accounts for 70 percent of the world’s water use. If a supply chain functions in an area close to irrigated agriculture, these corporations must be aware of the water used by nearby farmers. Then, corporations can partner with local farmers on water conservation techniques.

Tangible facts about safe drinking water access and sanitation systems are also provided by the GWT. When considering employee safety and health conditions, employers can not overlook crucial analysis of safe drinking water and sanitation systems in local areas.

Unsafe drinking water and faulty sanitation systems is a major risk to employee health. Corporations will lose labor due to mortality and sickness from water-borne diseases and poor hygiene. Moreover, corporations can be penalized for violating international or domestic codes for workers rights if these amenities are not in place prior to the start of operations.

Advancement in water management methods and reliable empirical evidence on the status of water throughout the world is an invaluable addition to the field of corporate social responsibility and international business.

Corporations in water stressed areas can accurately quantify their water needs and qualify suitable follow up action to sustain renewable water resources for their enterprises.

The GWT has incredible potential for risk assessment strategy and increasing awareness about the global water crisis. When water becomes tied into business and profitability, investors and policy makers will begin to take the global water crisis more seriously.

There’s only so much water on the planet and major corporations need it to increase their profit margins.  Hopefully, corporations utilize the GWT to its fullest extent and share best practices on sustainable water resource management. If so, there is hope for a sustainable future.

If you enjoyed this article, you should also read:

Heineken: Brewing Beer Responsibly

Anhueser Busch: Brewing a Beerable Future

The Coca Cola Company: Sustainable Business

The Starbucks Venti Plan for Saving Water

In an interview Swart told WaterWideWeb, “Water is one of the main ingredients of beer, accounting for the vast majority of our beer’s overall volume. Crops we purchase from suppliers need water to grow, particularly in those geographical areas with low rainfall. Heineken is conscious of the fact that the company does not operate in isolation with respect to watershed use. Heineken acknowledges that sharing local water resources with other water users comes with responsibilities”.

Efficient use of water and reducing water consumption is essential to the company’s future. Heineken faces various obstacles in its water conservation commitments. The corporation institutes various programs to achieve its goal of becoming an even more sustainable brewer. Please read the complete interview with Swart on Heineken’s water conservation plan.

EAB: What are some of the challenges that Heineken encounters to its sustainability plan?

HS: Water is becoming more scarce globally and every indication is that it will become even more so in the future.  Scarcity is expected to worsen in many parts of the world as a result of increasing population, urbanization, increasing food production, industrialization and changing consumption patterns. At the current rate of urbanization and insufficient investments in water infrastructure, the accessibility to clean water is already critical in some developing countries. Climate change is likely to exacerbate water scarcity and water quality problems due to changing rainfall patterns, severe drought, flooding and sea-level rise.

EAB: How are you working on this?

HS: We will pay special attention to areas where problems of water scarcity and pollution are most critical. We will engage in strategic partnerships and are and will be transparent about measureable targets with respect to water footprint reduction. Exchanging information about water footprints of communities and businesses will help to understand how we can achieve a more sustainable and equitable use of fresh water.

EAB: Are there additional challenges that Heineken faces internally?

HS: Yes, perpetuating water consciousness and integrating water resource management thinking into more than 140 breweries that Heineken operates around the globe.

EAB:  What is the largest use of your water?

HS: In the beer value chain, agriculture is the largest water user. Also the gray water footprint of our facilities is not negligible. The grey water footprint is the volume of polluted water, quantified as the volume of water required to dilute pollutants to such an extent that the quality of the ambient water remains above agreed water quality standards. Clearly, the reduction of the grey water footprint of agriculture is of importance to the Food & Beverages industry.

EAB: How are you working on decreasing the water footprint?

HS: Heineken will create awareness amongst suppliers to reduce their water footprint also. We also distribute a Heineken Supplier Code which outlines our sustainability commitments and the role of suppliers in delivering on those commitments. This Code lists relevant requirements of suppliers in certain areas of the world.

EAB: How does Heineken treat industrial waste water treatment before it is returned back into the environment?

HS:

Wherever we operate, we aim to clean our waste water prior to discharging it back into the environment. We treat industrial waste water at our own waste water treatment plants or through those of the local authorities. In 2010, we began constructing four industrial waste water treatment plants, three in Congo and one in Nigeria.

EAB: How is Heineken responding to these challenges?

HS: Heineken is committed to being an integrated sustainable brewer. The company published its first environmental report in 2000. In April, we launched Brewing a Better Future, our new sustainability ambition for 2020. The Brewing a Better Future program defines six strategic initiatives supported by 23 programs implemented worldwide. Water is one of the key focus areas of this program. Our set target for water reduction is 25% for the next decade.

EAB: Does Heineken partner with other NGO’s and organization on water conservation?

HS: In March 2009 Heineken endorsed the United Nations CEO Water Mandate, a measure to enforce both our sustainability and water management commitment. Heineken is also a member of the Beverage Industry Environmental Roundtable (BIER).

EAB: Can you describe the work of BIER?

HS: BIER is a partnership of leading global beverage companies working together to advance the standing of the beverage industry in the realm of environmental stewardship. The BIER members have developed six leadership principles that compel companies to Act, Engage and Communicate and Influence on matters related to water stewardship. The principles and their respective elements are intended to serve as the sector standard by which all beverage companies can guide and measure their stewardship efforts. The partnership concentrates on benchmarking, best practice sharing on various water management topics and the development of water foot printing sector guidance.

EAB: Does Heineken enlist the support of employees in water conservation efforts?

HS: Sustainability is a company-wide concern. Heineken recognizes the important role employees can play in becoming a more sustainable company. In addition, employers also expect their employees to demonstrate responsible behavior in all facets.

Within the Brewing a Better Future program, engaging employees is one of the strategic initiatives and it is taken seriously. Best practices on water are shared via the Heineken intranet, internal magazines, in our Brewing a Better Future e-room, as a case in the Heineken NV Sustainability Report and through workshops.

EAB: Sounds like you have a comprehensive water conservation strategy. Thank you for taking time to interview with WaterWideWeb.org

HS: You’re Welcome.

The photo above was provided by Heineken.

If you enjoyed this article, you might also enjoy:

Anheuser-Busch: Brewing a Beerable Future

Coca-Cola Company: Sustainable Communities

Are You More Socially Responsible than an 8th Grader?

Giving the Gift of Clean Water This Holiday Season

Hugh Share is AB InBev’s Global Director, Beer & Better World. In an interview, Share told WaterWideWeb, “High quality water is fundamental to our business. It’s the principal ingredient in our beers and soft drinks”.

Water is used in the beer brewing process, for cleaning materials, and steam production. To ensure quality products and a future market for them, AB InBev must use water responsibly. The AB InBev company is a participant of the UN CEO Water Mandate. When it comes to saving water, they mean business—sustainable and profitable business.

AB InBev is taking concrete steps in order to fulfill their vision of becoming the Best Beer Company in a Better World. Reaching this lofty goal requires concentrated effort and consistent internal oversight of industrial water and waste water management policies.

Sustainability management practices are advised by the Voyager Plant Optimization (VPO) global management system. This three pillar plan aims to increase brewing efficiency while decreasing monetary and environmental costs. The VPO assures that water consumption levels are in sync with the Environmental Policy and Strategies adhered to by AB InBev.

“Our global water usage target is 3.5 hectoliters of water for each hectoliter of production by the end of 2012”, confirmed Share. AB InBev breweries are sharing best practices in water conservation to ensure that each brewery is consistently improving on water use practices.

Industrial waste water management is a key issue companies such as AB InBev must carefully consider. Treating industrial waste water is crucial to protecting local communities where breweries and plants are located.

Untreated industrial waste water that is released into the environment can have dire consequences for agriculture and livestock in communities close to industrial plants. When it comes to industrial waste water treatment and disposal, global corporations can never be too careful or responsible.

AB InBev utilizes either an on-site pretreatment followed by a municipal water treatment process or only a municipal water treatment to control its industrial waste water quality. Reliance on only municipal water treatment can be inconsistent and leaves quality control out of the hands of developers at AB InBev.

In 2010, AB InBev built or upgraded 12 biotreatment systems, with an additional 20 scheduled by 2012. Currently, 25 breweries use Bio-Energy Brewery Systems (BERS) that capture methane leftover from the brewing process. This methane is then used to produce steam needed in other facets of the beer brewing process.

A corporation is only as sustainable as its grassroots employees. “A key aspect of our water saving approach is engaging our employees at all levels to indentify water saving opportunities”, continued Share. Realistically, a corporation could execute innumerable sustainable development initiatives without making a single step of progress towards water conservation. Unless employees from the brewing process to the shipping department are educated on the best ways to conserve water, these efforts will be unfruitful.

AB InBev enlists the support of employees at all levels in the effort to save water. In 2010, the company celebrated the United Nations World Environment Day. Employees rolled up their sleeves and participated in over 550 facility and community projects. Over half of these projects were water focused and included a river cleanup program.

Thus far, progress has been measured in the decrease of water usage of AB InBev overtime. In 2009, AB InBev used 8.5 percent less hectoliters of water per unit than in 2008. The company has used 14.5 percent less water hectoliters of water per unit since 2007. The company will witness a 30 percent reduction in the company’s global water usage by the end of 2012.

In the world of corporate social responsibility and sustainability, terms such as water conservation and usage reduction can be nebulous phraseologies that should be qualified. When organizations assert that they have reduced water consumption, statistics should reflect if that number indicates a decreased level of initial water intake versus a decreased amount of water use from previous years.

AB InBev has an incredible opportunity to make a water world of difference in developing innovative strategies in water and wastewater management and conservation policy. In partnership with the UN CEO Water Mandate, AB InBev can further enhance the movement towards sustainability, bearing in mind the human right to water.

Standards established by AB InBev are rooted in global environment efforts to build a better world. Concrete action plans implemented by AB InBev can be enforced and steadily improved over time. Successful efforts by AB InBev and similar corporations will have a positive impact on local communities where breweries are located.

AB InBev encourages consumers to drink responsibly, and consuming water irresponsibly on their behalf would be hypocritical. From Bill in the brewery, to Sam in shipping, and the execs in global marketing, AB InBev can continuously reinvent the corporate sustainable wheel. Then, they will in fact provide better beer in a better world.

If you enjoyed this article, you should also read:

The Coca-Cola Company: Sustainable Business

The Starbucks Venti Plan for Saving Water

Empowering Women with Water

Wave Power: Renewable Energy

The future of Coca-Cola products could be compromised if water use isn’t carefully monitored by the corporation. Estimates indicate that two-thirds of the world population will live with moderate to severe water shortages by the year 2025.

How is the Coca-Cola Company controlling the water variable in their future profit equation? Are there sustainable development practices in place to ensure that Coca-Cola products will still line grocery shelves by the year 2025?

This week, Lisa Manley, Director of Environmental Communications for Coca-Cola, attended the United Nations Global Compact CEO Water Mandate Conference in Cape Town, South Africa. In a telephone interview Manley told WaterWideWeb, “At this past meeting in Cape town, we focused much of our conversation around public policy, the human right to water, and water disclosure”.

This week, the CEO Water Mandate released a Guide to Responsible Business Engagement with Water Policy. The CEO Water Mandate also shared a working document on Emerging Corporate Practice and Stakeholder Expectations with the Human Right to Water.

As an endorsee of the CEO Water Mandate, the Coca-Cola Company adheres to the six elements of the mandate with respect to corporate policy on water efficiency practices. The Mandate elements include direct operations, supply chain management, wastershed/catchment and community engagement, collective action, public policy advocacy and transparency.

The international partnerships coordinated by the CEO Water Mandate provide a forum where companies can share best practices and discuss the trials and triumphs each encountered with respect to the six elements of the CEO Water Mandate. “If the communities we serve are not sustainable, than we don’t have a sustainable business”, said Manley.

To meet rising challenges presented by water concerns, the Coca-Cola Company has established several guidelines to achieve the company’s global water stewardship goal.

Proper industrial waste water management practices are a chief commitment of the Coca-Cola Company. Currently, 97 percent of the company’s manufactured wastewater is treated before being released back in to the environment.

By the end of 2010, the Coca-Cola Company hopes to have 100 percent of their manufacturing waste water effectively treated before being discharged into the environment.

The current standard of 97 percent treated industrial wastewater discharge and the 100 percent goal of the Coca-Cola Company, contrasts sharply with the statistics of industrial wastewater discharge that occurs in the developing world. Shockingly, 70 percent of untreated industrial wastewater is released back into the environment in developing countries.

The Coca-Cola Company operates on a reduction, recycle, and replenishment framework with respect to corporate water use. Firstly, the company endeavors to reduce water use while increasing the water volume of beverages produced.

Secondly, the company works toward recycling water and carefully processing wastewater before it is discharged back into the environment.

Thirdly, the Coca-Cola Company replenishes water in local communities and the environment through maintenance of watersheds and community water programs. By 2012, the Coca-Cola Company hopes to improve their water use efficiency by 20 percent. To date, the company has witnessed an improvement in water efficency over the past seven consecutive years.

Thus far, Coca-Cola has invested in 250 water projects in 70 countries. These projects include watershed protection, rain water harvesting, and efficient use of agricultural water.

Later this month, the Coca-Cola Company will release their 2009 Sustainability Review. “Data provided in this review will be verified by a third party”, assured Manley. Through strategic partnerships with the World Wildlife Foundation, the Nature Conservancy, and the Global Environmental & Technology Foundation, the Coca-Cola Company has quantified the benefit of their replenishment efforts, and the Water Footprint of their production process.

Major corporations like the Coca-Cola Company are held accountable to a significant standard of corporate stewardship and social responsibility. Mass production of beverages and agricultural products should be carefully monitored to ensure that the entire manufacturing process from planting the sugarcane to pouring the first glass of Coca-Cola is sustainable.

In the case of the Coca-Cola Company, their cost-benefit analysis with respect to water management is moderated by the company’s global water stewardship. In a world where the population is growing and the natural resources are diminishing, the active participation of large corporations in water management is essential to securing an environmentally stable future for everyone.

If you liked this article, you should also read:

The Starbucks Venti Plan for Saving Water

The Diplomacy of Water: The U.S & The Water for the Poor Act

The Politics of Water in Australia

Tour Responsibly: Expanding Profits and Protecting Coral Reefs

Colombia and Waste Water Management

Nestle produces bottled water along with other food products. To sustain both business enterprises, the corporation must implement water management practices and oversight. The goal of Nestle is to produce quality food products while decreasing their environmental and water footprint. So how does a major corporation like Nestle accomplish such a noble endeavor?

Water conservation and management is an integral part of ensuring future end profits for Nestle. Hence, investing in environmentally friendly business practices is essentially investing in their future success as a company.

Some experts suggest that a global water crisis could lead to a global food crisis if immediate action isn’t taken to conserve water and the environment. A crisis of this magnitude would devastate the global marketplace and negatively impact companies like Nestle that rely on agricultural and natural resources for production.

Recently, Nestle released their 2009 progress report that details their reduction of wastewater release into the environment and overall water consumption has decreased since their 2008 report.

This decrease may be attributable to the global economic crisis that has impacted sales and consumers the world over. Yet, the decrease may also be explained by Nestlé’s Water Resource Review Program (WRRP).

The WWRP le is comprised of several areas for addressing water management practices of the corporation. Efforts of the WWRP include an initiative to monitor water quality, water quantity, regulation compliance with local and state governments where the corporation operates, and site protection of Nestle facilities.

This stratified program represents a joint effort to decrease their water foot print, remain environmentally friendly, and maintain product quality.

 To date, Nestle has conducted surveys of 65 water sites, representing more than half of their bottled water facilities. The WRRP will work in tandem with Nestlé’s food factories to indentify issues in water management practices and to develop sound solutions for sustainable water use.

Nestle operates the WRRP based on a Water Stress Index (WSI), a measure that calculates factors such as water poverty, water stress and other indicators of water misuse.

For a comprehensive approach to corporate stewardship and social responsibility, Nestle works in the public policy sphere to promote sustainable water solutions for the future. Nestle is involved in the CEO Water Mandate , a strategic framework developed by the United Nations to coordinate systems of water management between businesses and the international community. Also, Nestle advocates for a rebalancing of the environmental scales with respect to water consumed on a daily basis to the amount of naturally replenishing water sources available.

The Nestle Corporation is constantly improving and expanding their policies in water sustainability and monitoring practices. Their work in the public sphere and consistent improvement in water management offers a role model for other corporations who depend upon natural resources for their products.

If you liked this article, you may also enjoy:

The Starbucks Venti Plan for Saving Water

The coffee business is dependent upon the world’s water supply in an enormous way.  Water hydrates the soil on coffee plantations. It cleans utensils that baristas use to whip up the fancy drinks that hook coffee lovers everywhere.

Starbucks Coffee (Starbucks) is one of the most popular coffee enterprises across the world. Starbucks recognizes the importance of water conservation for the success of its business practices. The company is dedicated to environmental stewardship and is implementing a water conservation program which aims for a 25 percent reduction in water consumption by 2015.

WWW interviewed Dr. Michael Hopkins, C.E.O of MHC International Limited, a social enterprise that concentrates on corporate social responsibility and corporate sustainability, for his expert opinion on the effects of social responsibility on end profits for major corporations.

“[Major corporations] are here to make a profit but they need to pay attention to their bottom line. In the long run, corporate social responsibility will increase their bottom line, ” said Hopkins. Business practices that control the use of finite natural resources should sure that corporations do not deplete the products that yield end profits.

Starbucks has partnered with Conservation International, an organization that uses science, policy and field work to manage conservation development projects of the world’s natural resources. Together with CI, Starbucks monitors its coffee growing locations to use water responsibly, to preserve the natural landscape of these areas, and to sustainably produce the best coffee product.

In cafés, water is wasted in relatively unnoticeable ways if careful and consistent attention is not drawn to water management. For example, using the open tap water process to clean utensils and other coffee equipment requires large amounts of water. If occupied with several tasks at once, a barista could accidentally leave a tap running while tending to a customer. Meanwhile fresh and unused water is poured right down the drain.

To avoid unnecessary water waste, Starbucks has invested in a dipper well system to clean utensils. Starbucks cleans its blenders with a high pressure water system versus the open tap method, another way to preserve water.

The company uses dishwashers that take one less gallon of water per cycle versus the high pressure water sprays that consume much more water.   Espresso machines are pre-programmed to dispense controlled amounts of water when sterilized instead of allowing for an unmonitored flow of water to run.

Imagine every Starbucks location across the world conserving one gallon of water per dishwasher cycle? The average African family consumes just five gallons of water per day. With each washing cycle, Starbucks has conserved enough water to provide several African villages with their daily water supply.

With water saving methods in full throttle at each location, Starbucks will essentially save gallons of water that otherwise would have been mismanaged. The fundamental commitment toward environmental stewardship makes a water world of difference after frenzied coffee fiends swarm Starbucks locations everywhere for their caffeine fix.

Thus far, Starbucks reports being on track with its water conservation goals. The company reduced water consumption by 4.1 percent in 2009. Fulfillment of the 25 percent water usage reduction by 2015 would be a major step toward corporate accountability and environmental stewardship.

Starbucks has the opportunity to exemplify environmental stewardship and corporate social responsibility with its water conservation project. If successful, Starbucks could share best practices in water conservation with other coffee companies also committed to reducing water use.

Water brews the delicious cup of coffee that keeps crowds flocking to the Starbucks’ stands on every major city block. A gallon of water saved is a gallon of water earned. And increasing profit margins and a spike in earning potential is the ultimate goal for coffee distributors and consumer’s, right?



On their official website, the company portrays the activity of growing orange trees similar to the one of taking care of wine vineyards where every plant is treated with particular attention and extra care. It seems that the orange trees are planted by hand, as members of the staff carefully pick the seedlings to plan in a particular soil mixture that includes coconuts. When the young plan is ready, it gets moved to the orange grove. According to various production steps described on the website, after being harvested the oranges are pressed within 24 hours in order to guarantee a total freshness.

As part of their commitment towards the environment, the famous brand reminds us that the cartons containers for their juice are recyclable since there are mostly made out of cardboard. In order to keep the juice fresh while preventing leak during the distribution, the cartons are reinforced by a low-density polyethylene, called EVOH that can easily be separated during the recycling process. In addition, according to their website, the cardboards are “cutt-off bits of trees that have been forested for timber and would otherwise go to waste” (Source: http://www.tropicana.co.uk/). Despite rendering a green attitude easy to put into action, the brand realizes that there is still a serious problem when it comes to actually recycling their juice cartons.  On their website, Tropicana explains that “ in the UK, only around 1% of beverage cartons are currently recycled, compared to around 305 in Europe. “ (Source: http://www.tropicana.co.uk/). These deceiving statistics are largely due to the lack of recycling facilities. Consequently, the company collaborates with their carton manufacturers and the Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment UK in order to augment the number of recycling facilities available for consumers.

In addition to this initiative, Tropicana decided to get involved in order to preserve the rainforest in partnership with Cool Earth, a charity that works with local communities to fight against the severe consequences of climate change. Specially marked packages of Tropicana products will have a special code to be entered online at www.tropicanaforest.com and “for each code entered 100 square feet of rainforest will be saved” (Source: http://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/13529-Tropicana-Teams-Up-With-Cool-Earth-for-Rescue-The-Rainforest-Campaign). In collaboration with Google Maps, customers that become a part of the initiative can watch the area of rainforest that is being saved thanks to Cool Earth. Its staff is directly involve working hands with the local communities in order to make them understand why it is so important for them to become guardians of this important resource.  Even more, Cool Earth is trying to make the communities the legal custodians of this coveted land. Through the use of satellites the rainforest is monitored in order to be safeguarded and controlled from any illegal intruders.

Rainforest are the home to a vast quantity of animal species and plants that risk to become endangered as the rainforest is rapidly getting butchered. In addition to preserving the equilibrium of these various ecosystems, the rainforest is also a precious source of oxygen for our earth. Tropicana is famous for marketing a fresh and pure orange juice while it also trying to make the world know about its social initiatives. Saving the rainforest is just a small step towards a greater change.