The tech industry embraces sustainability

Sustainable Pittsburgh is reminding Western Pennsylvania shoppers of opportunities to Shop Sustainably and to frequent Sustainable Restaurants this holiday season.  This year, the local business districts are getting creative! You can shop small and participate in these fun programs, while supporting your local shops here and throughout the Pittsburgh region — Want to shop online? Check out Handmade Arcade and I Made It! Market’s virtual marketplaces.

As the world comes to terms with the climate crisis and the environmental devastation of our over-consumption, we are increasingly being told that switching to greener products  will not only save us, but be good for the economy. This is the principle behind “green growth”, which encourages us to continue consuming as long as the products we buy are more sustainable. But could it be that someone is pulling wool over our eyes? The fashion industry has become one of the main culprits in the blaming-and-shaming for carbon-emissions, and numbers have been thrown around at a rate that rivals fast fashion. One of the most used statistics is that textiles in 2015 emitted 1.2 billion tons of carbon dioxide, equivalent or more than maritime shipping and international flights combined, a number that has since been challenged. However, the fashion industry is far from off the hook. 

“We are proud of this award, which recognizes the core of our commitment to sustainability, our corporate strategy,” says Dr. Heinz-Jürgen Bertram, CEO of Symrise AG.

From 2013 to 2016, Oxfam’s Behind the Brands campaign called on the world’s 10 biggest food and beverage companies to adopt stronger social and environmental sourcing policies and spurred significant commitments on women’s empowerment, land rights and climate change.