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Current Campaigns
ecopledge.com engages in a variety of issues across a variety
of industries. We make straightforward, achievable, common sense requests of
corporations. We educate our members about the issues. We engage in dialog with
corporations and report the results.
Our current campaigns include:
Dell:
Take Back Your Computers
Exxon: Keep the Arctic Wild
Ford:
Build Fuel-Efficient Cars
Hertz:
Get Your Fleet to 40 MPG
Kraft:
Don't Feed Us Genetically Engineered Corn
Whole Foods: Victory!
Dell:
Take Back Your Computers
The
Problem
American consumers do not have good options for the easy and environmentally
sound disposal of obsolete computers and accessories. 500 million PCs will
be rendered obsolete by 2007 and improper disposal could increase the amount
of lead, cadmium, mercury and other toxins in the environment. |
Our
Request
That Dell offer its individual American customers a free and convenient
takeback program whereby Dell will take back their PCs at the end of their
useful lives and either recycle them or otherwise dispose of them in an
environmentally sound manner. |
Status
In a June
2004 meeting with shareholders including Ecopledge partner Green Century Funds, chairman Michael Dell reiterated the company's commitment to broadly expanding its recycling program. Then on July 13th Dell began a pilot program that offers free and convenient takeback of old electronic equipment to anyone who purchases a new Dell Dimension or Dell Inspiron computer.
We're excited by this new offer, which does meet our criteria of being free and convenient. We hope that Dell will make the program permament, and will put a similar program in place for people who need to dispose of their old Dell computers but who are not buying new ones.
To comment on this step by Dell and make suggestions for how Ecopledge should respond, see our blog entry on the topic. |
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Our Coalition
Partners
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Exxon: Keep the Arctic Wild
The
Problem
The Arctic Refuge is one of America?s last pristine wilderness areas. Exxon Mobil supports opening
the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to destructive oil drilling, even though
the Refuge does not contain enough oil to have a significant impact on our economy. |
Our
Request
Exxon Mobil should publicly support wilderness designation for the Arctic Refuge. The company
should also cancel its membership in
Arctic Power, the lobbying group that seeks to open the Refuge for drilling. |
Status
Exxon is the last major oil company supporting the lobbying of Arctic Power.
Ecopledge?s partner Green Century Capital Management has filed a shareholder resolution asking the company
to report on its approach to sensitive ecological areas.
A dialogue with the company has begun, but it has not produced an agreement. |
Take Action!
Ask Exxon Mobil CEO to stop lobbying for Arctic drilling: click here! |
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Ford:
Build Fuel Efficient Cars
The
Problem
Auto emissions are a major cause of global warming, but American automakers
are producing cars that are less efficient rather than more efficient.
According to the EPA, Ford
has the lowest fleetwide fuel efficiency of any major U.S. car company. Ford's
fleetwide average mileage has declined steadily since 1993. |
Our
Request
That Ford pledge to increase its fleetwide fuel economy average to 40 mpg
by 2015. |
Status
In 2004 Ford released the Escape Hybrid and plans to produce just 20,000 of these vehicles in 2005.
Unfortunately that's a small fraction of the more than six million vehicles Ford produces every year,
including over 800,000 gas guzzling F-150's. In fact, Ford expects to sell 100,000 more F-150's this
year than they did lat year. It is no wonder that Ford has maintained having the lowest overall fuel
economy in the American auto industry since 1999.
By implementing off-the-shelf technologies Ford can dramatically increase the fuel economy of its
light trucks and cars. For years companies, such as Toyota and Honda, have taken advantage of the
conventional and hybrid technologies available to make their cars more efficient. These technologies
allow companies to make passenger vehicles that get 33 to 47 miles per gallon at an affordable price.
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Our Coalition
Partners
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Hertz:
Get Your Fleet to 40 MPG
The Problem
Transportation is the largest contributing end-use sector to total global warming emissions. Hertz buys 350,000 cars and SUVs each year and resells them just one year later. The magnitude of Hertz's nationwide fleet and rapid turn-over rate makes the Hertz Corporation a major contributor to the auto industry status quo and a huge emitter of of greenhouse gasses in the United States. |
Our Request
That Hertz achieve a 40 mpg fleetwide fuel economy average by purchasing vehicles within each vehicle
class with the highest overall fuel economy. This would decrease Hertz's annual gasoline consumption by
over 160 million gallons, prevent over 3.5 billion pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere,
and save Hertz customers three hundred million dollars on fuel costs.
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Status
On October13, 2004, Ecopledge initiated correspondence with Craig Koch, Director, Chairman and CEO of
the Hertz Corporation by mailing a letter
to him directly requesting that the Hertz Corporation apply a 40 mpg fuel economy standard to its
nationwide fleet by adopting a policy to aggressively purchase fuel efficient vehicles.
As of this time there has been no response. Consequently, Ecopledge is asking all concerned
citizens to add their voices to this request. Please ask Craig Koch to raise the fuel efficiency of Hertz
vehicles by clicking here!
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Kraft:
Don't Feed Us Genetically Engineered Corn
The
Problem
Studies have shown that genetically engineered foods may cause deleterious
health effects, including allergenicity, toxicity, and increased antibiotic
resistance. However, critical tests to assess these risks, allergenicity
in particular, are not being performed by the Environmental Protection Agency
or the Food and Drug Administration, despite recommendation by EPA's own
scientific advisors. |
Our
Request
Kraft should phase out the use of genetically engineered corn from all of
its food products and not use other genetically engineered ingredients until
mandatory testing, labeling, and liability standards are in place. |
Status
Kraft has begun to publicly acknowledge the dangers
of genetically engineered foods. In spite of this, the company has not taken a
public pledge to produce products free from genetically engineered corn
or other ingredients. We need to keep reminding them good companies don't
treat their customers like lab animals.
For additional information, read our background paper on Genetic Engineering and Safe Foods. |
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Our Coalition
Partners
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Whole Foods: Label Genetically Engineered Foods
The Problem
According to an ABC News telephone poll, 93% of Americans support labeling genetically
engineered (GE) foods. Moreover, 52% believe that GE foods are unsafe and 57% said that
they would be less likely to buy foods labeled as GE. Many consumers who have chosen to
avoid GE foods have turned to Whole Foods, the largest chain of natural and organic foods
supermarkets in the U.S.
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Our Request
Acknowledging that one of Whole Foods' core values is to educate consumers about natural
and organic health, nutrition and the environment, Whole Foods should ensure that its customers
are aware that they are purchasing products grown with GE-FREE seeds.
This can be conveyed through the labeling of Whole Foods private product lines. |
Status: Victory
Over the past year Ecopledge students and members from across the country have united to demonstrate the overwhelming concern surrounding the use of genetically engineered (GE) foods and to demand that Whole Foods adopt a policy to identify and label all Whole Foods private label products with information about GE ingredients.
Congratulations, your efforts have resulted in a victory!
At the Whole Foods annual meeting on April 4th, John Mackey, Chairman and CEO announced that Whole Foods would label their private label products as GE free. Mackey stated, "If we don’t do this, who will?" Noting the possibility that labeling could invite legal actions, Mackey said that it would be a "lawsuit worth fighting."
This statement rings true to the thousands of us who have been saying for some time that as the industry leader in the natural foods market, Whole Foods has the responsibility to show industry leadership on this important environmental and health issue.
This announcement came after several years of shareholder dialogue, a fruitful year of campus organizing and the gathering of over 1500 signatures from Ecopledge members and supporters of the Whole Foods tell the Whole Truth Campaign.
Thank you for your support.
For additional information, read our background paper on Genetic Engineering and Safe Foods. |
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