Now that the Games have closed, the flame extinguished, most anyone you ask in Vancouver will probably start describing the past two weeks like this: "Wow...That. Was. Crazy." And, judging from the delirious celebration in the streets after USA vs. Canada, I'm pretty sure everyone means that in a good way.

At Saul Good, we certainly took some time to celebrate and enjoy the perks of having the Olympics in town. It was a (very) happy coincidence that the German Hospitality Haus, with its beers and brats, happened to be a short stroll from the office. Since it's our philosophy that all good businesses relies on strong relationships, powerful connections, and creating meaningful and memorable experiences, we took it upon ourselves to attend a few events, gather with friends to watch the Games on TV, and spend a few late evenings making new international pals. All told, it was an unforgettable and tremendously exciting two weeks.

But the Olympics weren't just fun and Games for us! We also had a few huge projects come through, including running the point for an uber-green packaging solution for the Official Replica Athlete Jerseys. We also learned a lot of lessons to help our corporate gift basket business grow!

Looking back, we're so proud of how the Games and Vancouver shook off a rocky and tragic start to end up as a tremendously memorable, beautiful, and important chapter in this city's history. Now that it's over, we're hard back at work with a lift in our step, recharged batteries, and the echo of cheering throngs still ringing in our ears.

Here's hoping that you also had a great couple of weeks! We're looking forward to connecting with everyone and swapping stories soon!

We're in planning mode for Sustainability 2.010 (fall 2010) at the Strathcona Business Improvement Association (SBIA) where I vollunteer on their sustainability committee. Looking back at the last year I found this footage of the 'Shades of Green' panal I sat on talking about sustainable business practices in the Strathcona Green Zone in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. It's been exciting at the SBIA with the announcement of $50,000 in funding from the Vancity enviroFUND for the development of a materials exchange network so businesses in our community can easily utilize each other's waste materials and save money on disposal and recycling services. An example of this can be seen in our use of off cut paper scraps produced by a local printer as packaging material in our corporate gift basket program. In the near future we'll be looking to hire a full time sustainability coordinator for the SBIA to run with the program and hit the pavement to learn about amd engage all our neighbourhood businesses, helping to facilitate meaningful connections identifying opportunities to save money while reducing environmental impact. Besides materials exchange a community energy challenge is another area of interest, looking at how we as a community can work together to better use resources. Building on the recent success of the SOLE Food Urban Farm project, an initative by United We Can and Building Opportunities with Business, we're finding lots of ways for local businesses, organizations and community members to find meaningful employment while addressing environmental and social justice issues.

Living the Olympic dream. With 9 days to go before the world converges in Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Olympic Games we're in full swing to fulfill our commitments for 2010 Olympic partners. In November we were approached by our client Gameday Auction, an innovative sports memorabilia company based on Railway St in the Strathcona Green Zone, to help them design a sustainable packaging solution for a unique 2010 Olympic collectible, official replica jerseys (bibs), the same as the ones worn by the athletes during competition in the Games. A year ago they hired us to develop a sustainable corporate gift packaging solution for the Trevor Linden "Behind the Autograph" program and the rest has been history.

Trailblazing the road to sustainable packaging

If you think producing 100% post consumer recycled packaging is easy, think again! After much work with our various suppliers we were able to create 100% recycled (95% post consumer) gift boxes for the replica bibs. The vast majority of the cardboard packaging you'll see during the Games was produced by printing various gradients of blue directly onto bleached white cardboard. VANOC guidelines for using the Olympic logo and artwork stipulate that the logo must be displayed on a white background. From a sustainability perspective this was a very poor design decision as it meant to produce low cost packaging one had no choice but to use materials bleached with chlorine! We decided to print our artwork onto sheets of 100% FSC certified paper and glue that paper to recycled cardboard. We justified the additional costs to our client by not only the environmental benefits but also the value of creating a unique looking package that stands apart on the shelf. I brought in a great collegue of mine, Andy Maier of Courageous B who takes care of our graphic design, and we worked together to come up with solutions that work not only for our client but also that are feasible to produce with our suppliers. The bibs are being sold in the Olympic store at HBC and in the Athlete's Village (also in the Olympic venues during the Games) we're looking forward to seeing if they're a popular souvenir collectible. If you like collecting autographs the bibs are a really cool item as you can get them signed by athlete's during the Games and get them framed with photos and other things you collect during your stay in Vancouver and Whistler.

Lean manufacturing - implementing what I learned in business school

As we set up the assembly line to put together 3,000 bibs I implemented some of the lessons learned during my MBA in Sustainable Business at the Bainbridge Graduate Institute. Tact time is the amount of time it takes an individual to complete a task. If everyone's task takes the same amount of time then the assembly process flows without interruption. When one person's task is a lot faster than the others down the line, 'work in progress' stacks up and creates a 'bottleneck'. Check out the video of our team on Day 1 assembling the bibs, as I watched and timed each task it helped to figure out who should do what and how many people to put at the various stages. Although I'm a firm believer that there's a lot to learn from Toyota and lean manufacturing, at a small scale it really takes people to think on their feet, see where things are getting backed up and help out as they can to help keep the process flowing.

Carbon Neutrality - the Zero program at Hemlock Printers

The Hemlock Zero program offsets the carbon emitted during the full lifecycle of the paper manufacturing and transportation. Working with Offsetters, a leading industry carbon offset provider, the offsets help to support the development of renewable energy and clean technology projects which moves society towards a more sustainable future. If you're looking for a reputable and easy to use tool to calculate the environmental impact of your paper or cardboard project take a look at the Environmental Defence Fund's Paper Calculator site.

Lessons Learned - it's about more than profit

1. Project management - there's tremendous value in stepping back and looking at a project as a whole and having one person responsible for making sure all the details are in order. That way, one person can bring in all the people they need to get the job done as efficiently as possible.
2. Hold true to your values. Push the boundaries and create the solutions you want to see but understand that sometimes compromises have to be made to get the job done on time and on budget. Change happens in so many ways and it's important to be patient in leading the way. For example, even though we had sourced 100% recycled stickers we had to go with virgin stock product due to the long lead time needed to bring in the sustainable ones.
3. Business is more than about profit. Business is about relationships, this is how things get done. Not only from a production standpoint, thinking about how we were able to pull off tight timelines with our manufacturers and assembly crew, but also in closing the deal. It cost me money to pull off the original packaging solution for the Trevor Linden program, but because of it Gameday brought me in to help them with Olympic projects. Never compromise quality or service, that's what it's all about.

The people have spoken! Because of controversy around micro hydro run of river projects in BC our GPC (green power certificate) provider Bullfrog Power has moved towards 100% BC produced wind power. Bear Mountain Wind Park is a 102 MW renewable energy project near Dawson Creek, the first operational wind power project in BC. In total there are 34 turbines which cover approximately 25 hectares along the ridge of the mountain. The mainly forested ridge has been used for cattle grazing while surrounding areas on the mountain are open for hiking and cross country skiing. In March of 2009 we became founding business members of Bullfrog in BC and are happy to see that this work is now fully supporting renewable energy projects in the province.

What are GPC's?

We purchase GPC's, or Green Power Certificates, for all the electricity we use in our office and warehouse. Based on the amount of electicity we use, the equivilant amount of electricity is produced by the wind turbines at Bear Mountain and put into the grid used in the Peace region of BC. Although marginally more expensive than the hydro electricity we purchase from BC Hydro, we see value in sending a message to the market that there is demand and support for more renewable sources of energy. Helping to get projects like this off the ground Bullfrog influences the market by unifying the voices of individuals and businesses.

Over the last few months we've been working on a bunch of sustainable packaging projects for various clients leading up to the Olympics. Yesterday, Alex (Saul Good operations director) Andy Maier (Courageous B, graphic designer) and I had the pleasure of touring the facility of one of our packaging manufacturers. While cardboard packaging is nothing new, we were encouraged to see how the industry is finally moving towards offering 100% recycled options. For Saul Good, our involvement with this effort started over 3 years ago as part of a sustainable design project for our gift boxes. Now we've gained enough experience to become sustainable design consultants for a host of green packaging projects around the province.

100% can't be for everyone, but it's a great start

During the tour, we learned that if all the companies purchasing cardboard packaging went to 100% recycled materials we'd run out of supply within months. However, I'm of the belief that using and promoting 100% recycled packaging is a meaningful way to influence the market and promote change towards sustainable consumption. The more people who ask questions about the materials being used in products we consume, both in business and in our personal lives, the better chance we have as a society to address sustainability in a meaningful way.

Is it really green?

Chain of custody assurance is important as a way to have verifiable proof of your sustainability claim. On a recent project we collected shipping manifests, certificates of compliance and letters from suppliers down the supply chain to ensure the credibility of our recycled content claims. It really comes down to inventory management and inventory controls when looking for assurance that the materials received from suppliers are in fact the same being used in the production of your packaging. Using barcode scanning technology our supplier scans materials upon arrival in their facility and at every point in the manufacturing process. Because the dimensions of the product are customized to our specific job it would be impossible to mix our recycled materials up with virgin stock.

Post-consumer vs. pre-consumer waste

What does 100% recycled mean? Well, that depends on where the materials were recycled from. When paper is recycled post-consumer, referring to the fact that people use the material for something and then recycle it, it has considerably more environmental benefits compared to pre-consumer, or industrially recycled materials.  By recognizing this important distinction, we've ensured that our current project uses at least 94% recycled post-consumer materials compared to approximately the 20-30% used in conventional cardboard boxes.

What tools are there to help?

Environmental Defence has developed a fantastic calculation tool to quantify the environmental benefits of choosing recycled paper for your project. This is invaluable in communicating the value in sustainable packaging projects.

Creativity is at the root of innovation and inspiration is the key to creation. I'm getting super excited about a new mobile I ordered from Schmitt Design, a funky eco chic bamboo mobile we're going to hang up in our office. Our office space is already pretty comfortable to work in, with great daylighting, open space and green roof deck for taking breaks. I am stoked though to add a bit of subtle movement and lightness above our desks with the new mobile. It's being custom made for us by Brian Schmitt in Sacramento, CA and as you can see from the photo we got from him the other day, our creation is well on its way in production. Besdies bamboo Schmitt Design also uses other sustainable materials such as FSC certified cherry in their other mobiles and lighting fixtures.

The Social Purchasing Portal (SPP) is a tool that's been designed by Building Opportunities with Business (BOB) to help companies source products and services that address social and environmental issues in Vancouver, BC. In concept its a great idea, with the growth in demand in sustainable purchasing programs in many companies and organizations, the SPP has the potential to link up purchasers with suppliers, creating connections that improve our economy while addressing sustainability issues.

It's working!

Every time I get an order from a new client I ask them how they learned about my business as this is one of the ways I use to see how affective our marketing campaigns are. Although it's only happened once in the last couple years of being listed on the SPP it is working! Last week I was told by a client that they were specifically looking for social and environmentally responsible corporate gift options and found me through the SPP. It has a trickle down affect as the gift that was ordered included wooden packaging made by a local social enterprise that trains women in carpentry living in Vancouver's downtown eastside. The gift was sent to a local community leader in the social enterprise space so it was cool how interconnected the transaction became in our local economy.

Tradition is one of those things that most people accept and few people question. The Christmas tree is one of those things that's made me wonder. Apparently the origin of the Christmas tree comes from pre Christian German heritage where its meaning was in bringing the beauty of nature into the home during the time of Yule. That's something that really rings true in me, in a world that moves so fast in manufactured urban landscapes, finding time to slow down and take in nature's beauty has value in my life and my home. They Holidays are a great time to relax, spend time with family, friends and loved ones and nature can only make that a more meaningful experience. If that's at the root of this centuries old tradition, why do we cut down and kill trees to have them in our houses for a few weeks when they could live out beautiful lives for decades or even hundreds of years in the wild? It seems real odd to me, maybe because I'm Jewish but I think there's more to it.

The answer is Carbonsync, a Vancouver based live tree delivery service that brings nature into your home and plants it into ecological restoration projects after you've enjoyed it over the Holidays. I recently met Brad Major, Carbonsyncs owner/operator, at the recent Climate Smart training, measuring our companie's carbon footprint, reducing emissions and offsetting the rest.  They're a good team, super friendly and are creating value for families and our environment. Well done!

Top 3 things cool about Carbonsync

1. No need to sacrifice a tree, enjoy nature in your home while respecting it's future

2. Live trees are less flamable than dried ones so it's safer for your family and your home.

3. Carbonsync donates a portion of profits to Burns Bog Conservation Society, a great non-profit that's been working for decades to protect North America's largest urban green space

With the holidays fast approaching we've been busy these last weeks and months working with our clients on their corporate gift holiday programs. One of our new products this year are hand made holiday cookies by One Planet Catering, a fantastic Vancouver based sustainable catering company. Today I went by their kitchen for a tour and checked out their production line for the 12,000 cookies we've ordered for our gift baskets. As you can see each one is hand decorated. The cookies are baked in a European tradition by Michael Kraus, the man with the vision to lead the green catering movement in Vancouver, BC. Cookies are packaged in biodegradable cellulose bags and 100% recycled stylish gift boxes for presentation, and just happen to be environmentally responsible as well. Let's hope some of these tasty treats end up in your office or stocking stuffer.

Besides knowing what tastes good to me, it's always a great sign when I'm at a show sampling my wares that people see the Gone Crackers box in our gift baskets and say how much they LOVE these tasty artisan wheat crisps. Heather Nichol has developed a handful of tasty interesting flavours such as Blue Cheese and Cracked Pepper and Parmesan and Rosemary. Personally I like the plain savoury styles the best, the Undressed and the Olive Oil and Cracked Pepper, as they seem to be best for tasting local wine and cheese and treats like local artisan antipasto in our gourmet gift boxes.

Top 3 Goods Gone Crackers

1. They taste amazing. Time in time out everyone loves these little bad boys. If you're loving living life then you've got to try these.

2. Locally produced in Surrey, BC local purchasing is a great easy way to support the local economy and reduce environmental impact. Although the wheat isn't grown within 100 miles it's great to support our friends, family, neighbours and community through buying local. For more info on the benefits of local check out Lo.Co. BC, a new network of Localvores - all local, all good.

3. Class. Crack one of these boxes out at your next dinner party and turn some heads. Taste buds will follow. Be careful, Gone Crackers are addictive.