Nordic Ecolabel Swan: Scandinavian co-operation
January 30, 2008
The Swan is the official Nordic ecolabel, and it “demonstrates that a product is a good environmental choice”. In 1989, the Nordic Council of Ministers decided to introduce a common, impartial, official environmental label for the Nordic region.
So, five for the price of one – very economic! The (green) Swan is a variation on the (blue Swan) logo of the Nordic Council of Ministers. The activities within Nordic Ecolabelling are coordinated by the Nordic Ecolabelling Board.
One with the Earth: An idea on time
January 28, 2008
Last week I wrote about Dan Poresky’s One with the Earth symbol, which he created for use as a universal environmental symbol.
I wrote to Dan asking for his comments, particularly as I’d raised issues in a public forum. He replied in detail. So I’m pleased to publish his response and comment on how far it met my concerns.
Male Underwear: Marketing the male package 10 – Big claims, small response, and the consequence of ignoring a potential customer
January 25, 2008
Back in November I found an underwear advert from AsdruMark that I thought was making big claims without evidence.
Time for an update.
Now broadcasting icon Jeremy Paxman has complained about underwear, (inter)national awareness is up and it’s safe for men to come out of the top drawer.
Infomancers say, “Good Morning!”: Where’s the conspiracy?
January 23, 2008
“Infomancy” gains disapproving comment, but without substance.
Olivier Le Deuff writes his views last week on the use of the word – and mine is not the only one – in Le matin des infomanciens (The morning of the infomancers) on his blog, Le guide des égarés (The Guide for the Lost).
I am a little lost by his argument, but at least somewhat amused.
Perhaps he thinks we infomancers wear delightful knitted costumes to practice our wicked ways? And just in case we’re having a bad day, the mittens spell “mittin” and the hat includes the word “hat”.
Read the rest of this entry »
Qualidade Ambiental: Brazil’s ecologically watchful hummingbird
January 23, 2008
The Brazilian environmental quality certification scheme, Certificado do Rótulo Ecológico ABNT – Qualidade Ambiental, took wing in 1993 as a joint programme by the Brazilian Association for Technical Standards (Associação Brasileira de Normas Técnicas – ABNT) and the Brazilian Government. This scheme uses a life-cycle analysis.
One with the Earth: a grassroots environmental symbol
January 21, 2008
One with the Earth is a symbol intended for anyone to show any kind of environmentally-friendly activity or support, a “universal symbol for environmental awareness”.
It’s quite the opposite of the last symbol I wrote about: Recycle, a graphic design for a commercial advertising campaign for a second-hand bookshop, a particular form of recycling.
Will it work?
Widespread gusset anxiety revealed
January 21, 2008
Underwear gets mainstream exposure as Jeremy Paxman’s private email to Marks & Spencer is slipped to the press.
In interview, Paxman refuses to reveal if he wears boxers or briefs. We wait for comments from “sources close to the seat of power”.
Paxman complained to Sir Stuart Rose, M&S Chairman, that M&S men’s underwear doesn’t provide enough support.
Scientists make the blackest material yet
January 17, 2008
A step closer to the perfect black.
When I saw this I thought I was going to discover some really cool science. I still think it is.
But what I also found was a practical lesson in the erratic nature of science reporting.
Vertical carbon nanotubes blanket a silicon wafer to form a plush carpet. The diameter of these hollow, single-walled fibers is 10,000 times smaller than that of a human hair. Photo: Hongjie Dai, Stanford University
Turning over an old page afresh: marketing book recycling
January 16, 2008
Commercial advertising can produce some really eye-catching logos. This one, called “Recycle”, belongs to the ANA Book Store, Singapore, and has won a couple of prizes.
Recycle Now – but only in England
January 10, 2008
The RecycleNow logo is for a recycling campaign, rather than for materials, products or services.
It’s aimed at consumers, to encourage them - so that’s me and you - to recycle, but doesn’t seem to involve so much effort for manufacturers, to encourage them to increase recyclability.
