High Energy Prices May Give Green Products Edge

June 25, 2008

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More companies are cashing in on the difference in price between products made with recycled materials and those made with more fossil fuel content, The Wall Street Journal reports.

When there is instability in prices, consumers tend to be open to new sourcing, says Jeff Mendelsohn, founder and CEO of New Leaf Paper. “That’s a general market strategy, not just green,” he says. A mill working with New Leaf uses recycled landfill methane as a power source.

Compostable dinnerware manufacturer Eco-Products expects revenue to jump five-fold this year.

TerraCycle, which makes fertilizer from worm castings, plans to market an artificial fire log this winter made from soy wax. Its main competition makes a petroleum-based log. Since the company’s raw materials aren’t linked to petroleum products, its costs aren’t going up.

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Reader Comments

Of course, there is also the travel to consider – most recycled products are manufactured further from the market than standard products.

joe | June 26th, 2008

Even with the cost of fuel and travel going up, we have to consider alternative sources. I just saw a product called FiberStone. It’s made from limestone and they say is uses no trees, no water,and very low energy. Looks promising.

Jeff | June 30th, 2008

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