Christmas Recycling

“Ensuring that forest certification is realistic and affordable for smallholders is an essential part of this equation and PEFC is dedicated to supporting the expansion of group certification globally.” To share experience between countries and learn from Spain’s vast experience in delivering group certification for smallholders, an international group of forest experts gathered together in Madrid, Spain in early December. Spain is one of the world leaders in enabling small forest owners to gain certification through the group certification model, with group and regional certification accounting for 84% of forest certification in the country.

At Best Buy, we believe being sustainable is good for business, and we have proof. Contrary to the old adage that it costs more to be “green” – it really can save money. Our recent 20% carbon reduction attainment saved Best Buy more than $50 million. Our leaders get it – they made sustainability a priority even through the Company’s turnaround. It’s also easy to say you’re a “green” company. But we’re walking the talk – cutting down on carbon, recycling more and minimizing waste – and people are starting to notice. Best Buy placed 35th (up from 81st in 2014!) out of the largest 500 publicly-traded companies in the U.S. on the recently released Newsweek Green Rankings list. More significantly, the Company jumped to the second spot among retailers. We can attribute this higher score to increased transparency and continued improvement in areas like carbon reduction.

Our sustainable forestry practices help ensure we leave the forests we depend on, and the communities we’re a part of, better off for the long term. We work with landowners, conservation groups and others who share our commitment to preserve forestland. These efforts have many environmental and social benefits, including the protection of water supplies, the promotion of biodiversity and the preservation of hunting, fishing and camping grounds. One example is a large preservation project that will protect 32,600 acres of forestland known as Clarion Junction Forest. This land surrounds our Johnsonburg Mill, which is located between Pennsylvania Game Commission lands and the Allegheny National Forest. We purchased the land in partnership with the Conservation Fund’s Working Forest Fund program, and we will sustainably manage it as a working forest and a timber source for the Johnsonburg Mill while also preserving the natural habitat of many species of wildlife. Click read more below for additional detail.