Beer for Greenies!

After the introduction of Wal-Mart’s scorecard, I’ve enjoyed watching manufacturers make a mad dash to modify their packaging and processing to reduce waste. Everything from laundry detergent to electronics to soda pop. And beer is not to be left out! While keeping an eye on this evolution of packaging, I noticed Adnam’s efforts. Of course, the fat NPR piece on their new beer helped grab my attention too.

Adnams (a UK beer manufacturer for those dry readers) already has in place an eco-distribution center, an energy-efficient brew house, and a light-weight bottle that reduces transportation fuel requirements. But in their effort to be carbon neutral as a company, they’ve managed to get one of their beers in the zero zone.

East Green is touted the UK’s first carbon neutral beer. It is made with local, high yielding, naturally aphid-resistant hops, decreasing the use of pesticides and transportation of goods. It is processed, bottled, and distributed from their already in-place eco-friendly systems. These factors shrink CO2 emissions down from 583g per bottle to 432g per bottle. They offset this amount through Climate Care, a highly transparent carbon offset project. The Carbon Trust thinks so highly of the product that for the first time ever, they’re allowing their logo to be used on packaging. CRed has worked with Adnams on the research to make sure the numbers are legit, and they give it the carbon neutral thumbs up. As if I needed another reason to pop open a cold one! The only downer is that all that carbon neutral-ness is kaput should I, a US drinker, purchase it and have it shipped to me. Bummer. But for those of you living in or visiting England, you can get your carbon-neutral buzz on!

Original here