Timberland Carbon Neutrality Chapter 12 Closing Case 3 By Fahad Alajmi

1. Timberland Carbon Neutrality Chapter 12 Closing  Case 3 By Fahad Alajmi

2. Going Green Timberland believes that even though they are not a major contributor to CO2 emissions, they can set an example for other firms to follow. Timberland utilizes solar panels, wind power, and hybrid vehicle incentives for their employees to keep their carbon footprint down.

3. Numbered Shoes Timberland came up with the idea of numbering their shoes according to a carbon footprint index from 0-10. 0 means that the product emitted less than 2.5 kilograms of carbon and other greenhouse gases during production and shipping. 10 means that 100 kilograms were emitted during production and shipping. They are trying to get other companies in different industries to start labeling their products with numbers so consumers know what the carbon footprint of their products are.

4. Global CO2 Emissions

5. Countries Legislation Britain is the only country in the world to introduce a legally binding CO2 reduction target. It plans on reducing its emissions by 20% by 2010. The European Union has cracked down on major greenhouse gas producers like power plants and oil refineries by setting emission restrictions. The United States current legislation does little to nothing to stop emission of greenhouse gasses.

6. Problems Many companies do not wish to report their carbon footprint publically because they believe it will reduce their sales. Many manufacturers believe that measuring emissions would be a cumbersome cost. Shoppers seemed confused when first introduced to such tags that appeared on store shelves. Many environmental groups stated that the labels were a distraction from corporate efforts to improve energy efficiency.

7. Biggest Hurdle The current process for obtaining an accurate carbon count may initially cost upwards of $10,000 per item because companies must measure every step of their production and transportation process for each item. There must first be a cost-effective way of measuring the carbon footprint of products before it can become economically feasible. In order for companies to adopt the carbon labeling process, consumers must first show that they are more prone to buying products that are low-impact. The major benefit for the companies is that calculating where the most greenhouse gases are emitted is accurate way of finding out where energy is wasted in production and distribution.

8. Question 1 How many kilograms of CO2 emitted does the number “0” stand for on Timberland shoes? A. Less than 2 B. 6 C. Less than 20 D. More than 50

9. Question 2 True or False: Timberland encourages other companies to “go green” in order to reduce the global carbon footprint. True

10. Discussion Question What are some ways that other companies, no matter how large or small, could potentially reduce their carbon footprint by using Information Technology and what ways do other existing companies already use Information Technology to reduce CO2?