In response to the environmental lobbyists coming down hard on the lack of environmental standards by huge corporations, both companies are making baby steps toward a more green existence.Kraft, producer of Oreo, Oscar Mayer, and Ritz, to name a few, is experimenting with the use of waste byproducts to fuel their production plants. According to the Chicago Business News, the company is using a byproduct of its Philadelphia Cream Cheese to power one of its New York plants. And according to its website, it decreased the amount of packaging in its Milka chocolate tablets (a European product), and it is "identifying opportunities to support agricultural sustainability in the areas of coffee, cocoa, and dairy." (Important to note: this is the same company that produces that neon orange-tinted mac 'n cheese, and those rubbery "cheese" slices). Just sayin'.
But where Kraft seems to still be finding its footholds, Sara Lee is surging ahead: last year, the company reported that it reduced wastewater in its bakeries by 16 million gallons, and it is currently working on reducing the distance trucks travel to deliver the company's products.
And while it is baby steps, at least it's something. It's a positive sign that companies are acknowledging that they use gobs of water and energy to produce and distribute their goods, and that they're actively trying to change their ways.
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