Comments on: Marcal CEO: We’re greener and better http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/08/30/marcal-ceo-were-greener-and-better/ This blog is about the impact of business on society. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:14:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: George http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/08/30/marcal-ceo-were-greener-and-better/comment-page-1/#comment-284429 George Sat, 13 Mar 2010 18:42:10 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=1765#comment-284429 All good points, Sandy. There is no such thing as a "green" paper company. That is impossible - they destroy everything around them, whether they recycle or not. It is purely a marketing ploy. And insulting for them to claim to be "green". Marcal recycles because it is cheaper to do so. So the way to sell an inferior product, but still make money, is to convince the consumer they are helping the environment by using their product. Even though that is a bold faced lie. Marcal has contributed to massive air and water pollution, and continues to do so. But they are eco- friendly? That is tough for me to believe. This is a plain and simple marketing ploy. They could care less about the environment, and all their actions show it. Anyone who buys into that message is a fool, and doing a disservice to those who really care about the environment, and our children. Take the time and look it up. The answer is to use less paper. Paper towels, napkins and facial tissues are all easily replaced. For toilet paper, buy a bidet. But don’t buy into Marcals lies about them being “green”. That is an out and out lie. All good points, Sandy. There is no such thing as a “green” paper company. That is impossible – they destroy everything around them, whether they recycle or not. It is purely a marketing ploy. And insulting for them to claim to be “green”.

Marcal recycles because it is cheaper to do so. So the way to sell an inferior product, but still make money, is to convince the consumer they are helping the environment by using their product. Even though that is a bold faced lie.

Marcal has contributed to massive air and water pollution, and continues to do so. But they are eco- friendly? That is tough for me to believe.

This is a plain and simple marketing ploy. They could care less about the environment, and all their actions show it. Anyone who buys into that message is a fool, and doing a disservice to those who really care about the environment, and our children. Take the time and look it up. The answer is to use less paper. Paper towels, napkins and facial tissues are all easily replaced. For toilet paper, buy a bidet. But don’t buy into Marcals lies about them being “green”. That is an out and out lie.

]]> By: Sandy http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/08/30/marcal-ceo-were-greener-and-better/comment-page-1/#comment-284424 Sandy Fri, 12 Mar 2010 23:37:14 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=1765#comment-284424 If Marcal is so concerned about the environment, why don't they: 1) Tell us how to use less paper. There are many ways. Cloth napkins, hanky's and towels all make much more eco-sense. You can use discarded clothes, and be much more green 2) Stop shipping product made in NJ, across the US. That would make a much bigger environmental impact. 3) Clean the river next to their plant, that they have polluted for 50 years and destroyed. Why not clean that up, with their illicit, false green claims to make profits? You can't walk away from your past. Even though they are trying. Try and really be green, not pretend to be green. And a good PR campaign can win many awards. But facts, when properly examined, speak for themselves. If you think Marcal is eco-friendly, you have not done your homework. If Marcal is so concerned about the environment, why don’t they:
1) Tell us how to use less paper. There are many ways. Cloth napkins, hanky’s and towels all make much more eco-sense. You can use discarded clothes, and be much more green
2) Stop shipping product made in NJ, across the US. That would make a much bigger environmental impact.
3) Clean the river next to their plant, that they have polluted for 50 years and destroyed. Why not clean that up, with their illicit, false green claims to make profits? You can’t walk away from your past. Even though they are trying. Try and really be green, not pretend to be green.
And a good PR campaign can win many awards. But facts, when properly examined, speak for themselves. If you think Marcal is eco-friendly, you have not done your homework.

]]> By: EcoFacts http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/08/30/marcal-ceo-were-greener-and-better/comment-page-1/#comment-284422 EcoFacts Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:35:24 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=1765#comment-284422 All of us at Marcal welcome valid criticism and open discussion on blogs (and everywhere), but we want you to know that “Nick” leaves comments like the one here anytime he or she sees something written about us…and leaves them anonymously or from a variety of different names, so there is no way we can get in touch and set the facts straight. The phrases used are always very similar, the kind of pattern that almost shouts, ”spam campaign.” This kind of nameless attack isn’t in the open spirit of blogs, and we think it’s a disservice to readers and to our hard-earned reputation. The simple fact is that we make our products in a manufacturing system designed to minimize our environmental impact. We invite the person making these attacks to come pay us a visit; we have noting to hide! We think our actions speak for themselves; otherwise, why would a group like the NRDC cite our factory in a discussion of companies leading the way environmentally in the New York metro area? (http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/egoldstein/green_apples_and_bad_apples_nr.html). Marcal didn’t recently “paint itself green.” We’ve been using recycled paper since 1950, long before green was in. As for the lawsuit, it was settled with no admission of wrong doing, enabling the company to emerge from bankruptcy to protect and grow jobs under a new owner and management team that understands that, if you are going to market yourself as green, you better do things right. Are we perfect? Of course not, but we are always striving to be better. We invite anyone with questions about our practices to contact us at ecofacts@marcal.com All of us at Marcal welcome valid criticism and open discussion on blogs (and everywhere), but we want you to know that “Nick” leaves comments like the one here anytime he or she sees something written about us…and leaves them anonymously or from a variety of different names, so there is no way we can get in touch and set the facts straight. The phrases used are always very similar, the kind of pattern that almost shouts, ”spam campaign.” This kind of nameless attack isn’t in the open spirit of blogs, and we think it’s a disservice to readers and to our hard-earned reputation. The simple fact is that we make our products in a manufacturing system designed to minimize our environmental impact.
We invite the person making these attacks to come pay us a visit; we have noting to hide! We think our actions speak for themselves; otherwise, why would a group like the NRDC cite our factory in a discussion of companies leading the way environmentally in the New York metro area? (http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/egoldstein/green_apples_and_bad_apples_nr.html).
Marcal didn’t recently “paint itself green.” We’ve been using recycled paper since 1950, long before green was in. As for the lawsuit, it was settled with no admission of wrong doing, enabling the company to emerge from bankruptcy to protect and grow jobs under a new owner and management team that understands that, if you are going to market yourself as green, you better do things right.
Are we perfect? Of course not, but we are always striving to be better. We invite anyone with questions about our practices to contact us at ecofacts@marcal.com

]]> By: Nick http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/08/30/marcal-ceo-were-greener-and-better/comment-page-1/#comment-283872 Nick Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:08:25 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=1765#comment-283872 Marcal is the biggest air and water polluter in the state of NJ. How can Tim Spring claim his company is eco-friendly? The EPA has sued them for billions. Marcal is the biggest air and water polluter in the state of NJ. How can Tim Spring claim his company is eco-friendly? The EPA has sued them for billions.

]]> By: Marc http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/08/30/marcal-ceo-were-greener-and-better/comment-page-1/#comment-283609 Marc Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:16:21 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=1765#comment-283609 Peter, this is an excellent question, and one I should have asked Tim Spring but did not. According to Greenpeace's guide to tissues, Marcal only uses 30% post-consumer recycled paper. I don't know whether that is the current figure, but it would suggest that you are right, that Marcal falls behind Seventh Generation and Green Forest. Post-industrial scrap is still better than virgin trees but not as good as post-consumer stock because it does not help the economics of the recycling industry, as I understand it. Thanks for your comment and here's a link to the Greenpeace guide: http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/campaigns/forests/tissueguide Peter, this is an excellent question, and one I should have asked Tim Spring but did not.

According to Greenpeace’s guide to tissues, Marcal only uses 30% post-consumer recycled paper. I don’t know whether that is the current figure, but it would suggest that you are right, that Marcal falls behind Seventh Generation and Green Forest. Post-industrial scrap is still better than virgin trees but not as good as post-consumer stock because it does not help the economics of the recycling industry, as I understand it. Thanks for your comment and here’s a link to the Greenpeace guide: http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/campaigns/forests/tissueguide

]]> By: Peter Schultze-Allen http://www.marcgunther.com/2009/08/30/marcal-ceo-were-greener-and-better/comment-page-1/#comment-283608 Peter Schultze-Allen Thu, 10 Sep 2009 13:55:25 +0000 http://www.marcgunther.com/?p=1765#comment-283608 Hi Marc, In your interview with Tim Spring I don't see the answer to one key question. It's fine to use recycled paper, but you have to ask what % is post-consumer. Seventh Generation and Green Forest have on their packaging that percent and it is critical - otherwise it could be post-industrial scrap aka pre-consumer recycled paper. Tim does talk about how his paper comes from recycling programs which is good, but we need to get everybody to use the same consistent language in their marketing claims or else the public is going to be subjected to green washing. Please let me know. Thanks, Peter Hi Marc,
In your interview with Tim Spring I don’t see the answer to one key question.
It’s fine to use recycled paper, but you have to ask what % is post-consumer. Seventh Generation and Green Forest have on their packaging that percent and it is critical – otherwise it could be post-industrial scrap aka pre-consumer recycled paper. Tim does talk about how his paper comes from recycling programs which is good, but we need to get everybody to use the same consistent language in their marketing claims or else the public is going to be subjected to green washing.
Please let me know.
Thanks, Peter

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