Environmental Sustainability

Ikea's logging practices are under fire by the Global Forestry Coalition for logging old-growth forests and other high conservation value forests in Russian Karelia through its subsidiary, Swedwood. A petition was launched by Swedish NGO Protect the Forest, a member of the Global Forest Coalition (GFC), to encourage Ikea and Swedwood to alter their forestry practices. 

High-end outdoor clothier and gear maker Patagonia is out to prove that a company can generate strong sales while being nearly fanatical about environmental concerns. The Ventura, Calif., company was the first major clothier to make fleece jackets out of recycled bottles. Nearly a third of the power for its headquarters and adjoining child-care center comes from solar. And it donates 1 percent of its sales to environmental causes. With Patagonia being a privately held company, its finances aren't public, but it says it's riding a growth curve. 

U.K.-based Marks & Spencer has launched Shwopping, a new initiative that the retailer claims will revolutionize clothes shopping and help consumers to live more sustainable lifestyles. Marks & Spencer wants to put used clothing to good use. Instead of throwing it out, the retailer is asking customers to "shwop" it — give an unwanted piece of clothing every time they buy a new one.

Fashion retailer H&M reported several milestones in its recently released 2011 sustainability report, including reducing carbon emissions by 5 percent and increasing its use of organic cotton by 20 percent. H&M is now the biggest user of certified organic cotton in the world, according to the latest data reported by the Textile Exchange. H&M organic cotton use now represents 7.6 percent of the retailer's entire cotton use. By 2020, H&M says 100 percent of its cotton will come from more sustainable sources, including Better Cotton, organic cotton and recycled cotton. 

Target Corp. will celebrate Earth Day by distributing 1.5 million reusable bags in all of its stores on April 22. In addition, Target will offer guests simple, sustainable solutions and more than $50 in savings on sustainable products throughout April in its stores and via a limited-time website. The retailer also will partner with Recyclebank, an organization that promotes sustainable decisions by allowing individuals to earn rewards for actions like recycling and reducing water use.

Wal-Mart will expand its solar commitment in Colorado, with six SolarCity projects planned for the state. The projects will include the company’s 100th solar power installation in the United States and will help it to achieve its long-term goal of using 100 percent renewable energy for all of its facilities. The installations, totaling two megawatts on three stores in Westminster and one each in Lakewood, Highlands Ranch and Lafayette, also will help Colorado meet its renewable energy goals. Wal-Mart's SolarCity projects in Colorado are expected to generate approximately 3 million kilowatt hours of clean, renewable energy per year.

Ikea, in partnership with American Forests, has planted 2 million trees across the United States through its Plant A Tree program. Ikea launched the national in-store Plant A Tree program in 1998 and since that time has raised $2 million through customer contributions and its own donations to plant the trees. During the month of April, Ikea Family "loyalty" card member usage will also support Ikea in its donations to plant more trees through American Forests.

Ikea has officially plugged in the solar energy system installed at its store in Portland, Ore. The 62,500-square-foot photovoltaics array consists of a 497.3 kilowatt system, built with 2,072 solar panels.

Models in bikinis armed with water guns? It's just another day at the American Apparel factory in downtown Los Angeles. Business Insider points to the company's online factory tour, which includes a video showcasing American Apparel at its greenest.

Clothing from H&M, Adidas, Ralph Lauren and Nike, among others, discharges a significant amount of hazardous chemicals into water systems when washed, according to a Greenpeace report. Among the samples that Greenpeace tested, those companies' clothes emitted the highest percentage of nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs) on the first wash, according to Dirty Laundry: Reloaded: How big brands are making consumers unwitting accomplices in the toxic water cycle.