Page 314 - Design for Environment A Guide to Sustainable Product Development

290 Cha pte r F i f tee n

president and global sustainability officer. Kahn was an organic foods
pioneer who founded Cascadian Farm in 1972 and Small Planet Foods
in 1997, both of which were acquired by General Mills in 2000. One
of Kahn’s first moves at General Mills was to conduct a rigorous
assessment of the environmental impacts of the U.S. food industry.
His team found that the industry

• Contributes 18% of the country’s total greenhouse gas emis-
sions, with U.S. agriculture responsible for half of them
• Consumes 82% of total water use, with U.S. agriculture
accounting for 80 of the 82%
• Represents 5% of U.S. energy use, with the food processing
sector representing just 1% of the 5%
• Generates 28% of total municipal waste when food service,
retail, and consumer food usage are combined
Based on these findings, General Mills is taking steps to improve
the sustainability of its product life cycles. For example, by 2010 the
company aims to achieve 50% less water consumption in broccoli
acreage by using more efficient drip irrigation technology. Across its
manufacturing operations, the company has set five-year goals for
reducing its key environmental indicators:
• Water usage rate by 5%
• Energy consumption rate by 15%
• Greenhouse gas emission rate by 15%
• Solid waste generation rate by 15%
Manufacturing facilities are constantly seeking innovations to
achieve these goals. One plant in Missouri reduced its water usage by
more than 14 million gallons per year by reusing water from air com-
pressors for its cooling towers, switching to more dry cleaning than
wet cleaning, and installing a high pressure, low volume cleaning
system. Another plant in Ohio reduced landfilled waste by about 42%
by selling waste as recyclable material; for example, the plant has
found buyers for its corrugated cardboard, mixed paper, film, and
other trash. Even excess food discarded in the production process is
being sent to farms to feed pigs and chickens. The plant has set a goal
to convert 100% of its waste into by-products.

Unilever: A Vitality Mentality
Unilever, based in the United Kingdom, employs about 180,000 peo-
ple and generates over $50 billion in annual revenue from 400 brands
in the food, home care, and personal care markets. Recognized as a
leader in sustainable business practices, as of 2008 Unilever has been