Green pizza?

Posted on 14. Jan, 2009 by Pia Taylor in Eating In, Food, Green Living

Not so long ago a pamphlet from pizza makers St Elmo’s found its way under my car’s all too accommodating windscreen wiper.

At first I was annoyed, thinking (as I so often do) what a bleeping waste of paper and trees these pamphlets are, and muttering mildly to myself as I removed the offending item…

But then I saw that magic word that somehow never fails to get my attention – “green” – and started reading.

Of course, it’s an overused word, and very often abused, so I made sure to examine it thoroughly before getting excited.

And, while I’m still not really fond of flyers fluttering around the neighbourhood, this one at least turned out to have been printed on Sappi Triple Green paper, one of the world’s more sustainable options.

Triple Green is made primarily from sugar cane fibre, with some added pulp from renewable tree resources, and is chlorine-free, making it more environmentally friendly and more easily recyclable.

Marginally mollified, I carried on reading and was really surprised to find out that St Elmo’s really does seem to be ‘thinking green’, as they claim.

The following is taken from their website:

We want to champion key initiatives throughout the year. These include:

  • Energy conservation.
  • Recycling.
  • Planting of trees.

It’s not going to happen overnight but we’re going to do our best to make ourselves “green” friendly and eco-wise.

We are setting benchmarks in our business: We have adopted tree planting and water saving initiatives with marked goals to be achieved by 2010.

What are we doing as a brand?

  • We manufacture our boxes and serviettes from recycled material.
  • We use non-toxic, low heavy metal inks.
  • We use suppliers who are involved in recycling and other conservational initiatives.
  • Our cheese is rBST hormone free.
  • We burn alien vegetation for our wood.
  • We are looking into ways to conserve energy in our stores by adopting water and electricity conservation initiatives.
  • We are looking at ways to heat our stores using the heat generated from our ovens.

Our Green Mission is a long-term project with our plans coming into action over time. We are looking to the future.

Rock on! I had no idea any of the fast-food chains were making an effort like this, and I think it’s fantabulous.

So, next time you’re ordering take-out, and pizza’s on your mind… consider getting it from folks who’re making some real green changes in the way they do business.

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7 Responses to “Green pizza?”

  1. Candice

    15. Jan, 2009

    hi pia

    while i wish i could be as enthusiastic as you are, i must admit that i am not as taken with st. elmo’s random promises…

    perhaps i am overly influenced by george monbiot (author of ‘Heat’ and environmental activist and award-winning journalist for The Guardian in the UK). his website (turnuptheheat.org) exposes greenwashing (companies which are jumping on the green bandwagon and making wonderful claims which cannot be substantiated).

    please go and read his letter to the CEO of Tesco’s in the UK in which he challenges many of their random ‘green goals’. as he rightly points out, none of these goals is to be independently audited – so how do we know that they are being met at all and not just being used as a marketing ploy to make consumers ‘feel better’ about shopping there?
    (http://www.turnuptheheat.org/?page_id=13)

    st. elmo’s and other fast food chains come under even less scrutiny than supermarkets (especially in this country). who is going to check that st. elmo’s actually meets any of these goals? besides which, when st. elmo’s sayd they are “looking into ways” to reduce energy usage, i get nervous. this means diddly squat. it doesn’t commit them to actually DO anything concrete.

    come on st. elmo’s – we’re not idiots. make REAL measurable goals, go for them, get someone independent to audit the results and publish them as a challenge to other fast food chains. stop greenwashing us.

    Candices last blog post..review: Shared Earth magazine

  2. Dax

    15. Jan, 2009

    I agree, this sort of attitude deserves some support. As consumers we need to show that this is what we want.

    Daxs last blog post..& Union review

  3. Amelia

    15. Jan, 2009

    While I agree with Candice on the greenwashing, I also think that at least it is some kind of a start. I haven’t noticed any other fast food chains even attempting greenwashing, let alone making any real contributions, so perhaps a step in the right direction? Or am I just desperate?

  4. Pia

    15. Jan, 2009

    Hi Candice – good to see the Aspirant Locavore is still around and as feisty as ever! I’ll admit I was concerned that this might be greenwashing, but I am ever the optimist in cases like these…

    I like what they’re trying to do, and I’m hoping that they really are going through with it, in all their outlets, and that they’re being consistent. The fact that the pamphlets are being printed on sappi triple green is a good start, I think – and one I don’t think they’d be able to lie about?

    I guess it’s hard to know how to verify that what they are claiming is true. I will, though, contact them directly, and see what they have to say on that score.

    Dax: agreed – and one day when they offer wheat-free pizza, I might just be able to support them actively!

  5. Pia

    15. Jan, 2009

    Hi Amelia

    I haven’t seen any others either… so I’m hoping that even if St Elmos are not doing exactly as they claim, that when they realise the support for environmentally friendly practices, they’ll shape up and get to it! In any case, I have now contacted their marketing department, so hopefully will get some concrete answers forthwith.

  6. Candice

    19. Jan, 2009

    hi guys
    yeah, i might be harsh, but if you have seen what i have seen from corporates who claim to be green, you wouldn’t be surprised by the amount of lying they are willing to do.
    it’s even easier for st. elmo’s to get away with greenwashing cos no one is checking on them. they’re the first pizza joint to do this, so they can earn kudos just by SAYING they are THINKING about greenness. well whoop-di-twang. you can TALK all you want, but that’s not going to save the planet.
    please go and read some george monbiot letters – then you can truly see how ruthlessly companies will LIE about green stuff.
    (i’m not saying st. elmo’s IS lying… i’m just saying that i want proof. i won’t belive it til i see it)

    Candices last blog post..review: Shared Earth magazine

  7. Pia

    19. Jan, 2009

    Hi Candice

    I totally get where you’re coming from – and I agree that one does need to see real action to back up the promises. I like to give folks the benefit of the doubt, but perhaps I’m just too much of an optimist! I’ll be following this one up… so far no response to my email to the St Elmo’s marketing department, but I’ll get hold of them one way or the other… and I certainly won’t let this one slide.

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