I want to let you know about a great green business gathering coming up in April, the third annual Kitchen Conference – ‘a gathering of underdogs, mavericks and challenger brands – as well as industry leaders who have paved the way’.
The event is tied together by the common goal of participants to build successful businesses without compromising their values. It is a wonderful opportunity to get the latest consumer insight on sustainability, explore untraditional marketing tactics, network with peers and pioneers.
Some of the highlights include:

In-depth consumer trend reviews
Peer feedback
Real world case studies
Practical budget advice
Ideas for brand extension
Lively debate on important …read more

I’ve been following along with the Burt’s Bees saga because it holds so many key issues about business and environment, not to mention love and money. The New York Times ran a piece recently piece that goes pretty in-depth into how the company was created, how it grew and where it’s at today – which is in the hands of Clorox.
In Can Burt’s Turn Clorox Green?, the NYT’s Louise Story looks at the love story behind Burt’s Bees, the quirks of being both life and business partners and how Clorox’s future might just prove to be a more sustainable endeavor …read more

Consumer Reports Shopsmart released its top picks for companies that are making employees, charities and the environment top priorities. I have to say that I’m a fan of many companies that made it to the list.
Shopsmart has picked Ben & Jerry’s, yum, for the company’s continuing support of local community projects and manufacturing methods which focus on reducing waste and carbon dioxide.
Also, Clif Bar for being certified organic and taking its packaging seriously with recycled content and no shrink-wrap. And Stonyfield Farms, one of my favorite companies, for their tasty 100% organic yogurt that supports family farm operations. Stonyfield is …read more

Clorox announced yesterday that they have joined forces with the Sierra Club in marketing their new natural cleaning product line Green Works. Green Works labels will boast the Sierra Club logo and pay a fee to the non-profit.
Green Works will start appearing on store shelves throughout the country this month and the Sierra Club logo will start appearing on Green Works near Earth Day (April 22) this year.
The Green Works products will include: an all-purpose cleaner, a glass cleaner, a toilet bowl cleaner, a dilutable cleaner, and a bathroom cleaner. All are at least 99 percent natural made from …read more

I’ve mentioned Ray Anderson here on Greener Assets as a model of an inspiring business success story. After an environmental legacy wake-up call, Anderson took to transforming his carpet tile company into a “a sustainable operation that takes nothing out of the earth that cannot be recycled or quickly regenerated, and that does no harm to the biosphere.” He has become one of the nation’s leading spokespersons and advocates for sustainability.
He is also an author, which brings us to our Mid-Course Correction Contest. This week, readers have the chance to win a copy of Ray Anderson’s Book Mid-Course …read more

As 2007 comes to a close soon, I’d thought a look back at some of the stories that made their way to Greener Assets this year would be a good way to round up and head into 2008. Around the b5 business channel, other bloggers will be doing the same and I’ll keep you posted with links to some of the best business posts of the year. Until then, here are my favorites from Greener Assets 2007…
Wal-Mart: Green, greener or greenwashing?: While the mega store wasn’t founded on sustainable principles, other than sustaining the Walton’s, the corporation responsible for moving …read more