Your Thoughts on The Footprint Chronicles – Part 2
0ur Footprint Chronicles were intended to ignite conversation every bit as much as corporate introspection. And the comments are starting to roll in. Below, you’ll find some intriguing thoughts from among the very first responses we received to the Footprint Chronicles. In the interest of helping to zero-in our own focus on big issues, we’ve broken comments out into three separate themes: Materials, Energy Use, and Labor.
In Monday’s post, comments focused mostly on issues pertaining to the Materials we use. Today, we’re considering some of the questions customers have asked us about the Energy required to do business globally.
Footprint: Eco Rain Shell Jacket
Country: US
Comments:
Three quick comments:
1. Very impressive that you engaged in the entire `the footprint chronicles` ™ process. Top marks for doing this.
2. I appreciate that making easy to recyclable goods is superior to non-recyclable goods, but sometimes it is more harmful to the environment to recycle goods then to dipose of them. Essentially, it can sometimes end up taking more energy or generates more pollusion to collect, transport, breakdown materials for recylcling than it does to simply use new imputs. I hope that this isn`t the case in this instance. (It sounds stupid, but if you want a condensed version of what i am talking about you can watch the Ben and Teller espisode of Bullshit on reclycling or wikipedia the espisode and find out the name of the professor they interview in that episode).
3. I am really proud of you guys for owning up to the fact that you create a water repellant that is bio-accumulating in our environment, in animals and, ultimately, in most likely many human being on this planet. I appreciate that you can`t be a profitable or even very usualy garment maker if your products aren`t water repellant, but personally I believe that not creating a chemical that will end up inside other human beings is in some ways more important that lowering one`s carbon footprint. Bioaccumulation of pollutants just scares me. So, good good good luck figuring out a more eco-friendly way of water proofing.
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Footprint: Synchilla Vest
Country: US
Comments:
I love Patagonia and what it stands for, I am happy that you are putting up websites like this one. I was very curious to see just how much Co2 and resources were used for one vest.
I know the facility in Reno is supposed to be green, but what about the facilities over seas? Does Patagonia do anything to promote environmentalism over seas? I recently read an article about what Walmart is doing to try to increase their employees environmental awarness.
Keep up the good work,
Thank you for your wonderful products,
I have a few of your shirts that are 18 years old!
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Footprint: Wool 2 Crew
Country: US
Comments:
If all shipments are going to Reno, and truck tranpsort has the worst emissions of all transport, why would you ever unload a container in Los Angeles as opposed to Oakland? Los Angeles is over 300 miles further away from Reno than Oakland is! And most vessels coming from Asia to the West Coast stop in Oakland following Los Angeles. You may as well leave the container on the ship, wait a couple of more days, and save the truck emissions , as the ocean liner will be going to Oakland regardless.
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Footprint: Honeydew
Country: US
Comments:
I think its great you’re providing this information. Whether or not it affects my purchase, it has left me thinking about how much energy it actually takes to make an article of clothing and ship it around the world. 79 days straight of a light being on – wow!