Three more companies to avoid Tarsands Oil

[reality check]

By The Canadian Press

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EDMONTON - Three more companies, including American cosmetics giant Avon, have announced they will avoid using fuel derived from the oilsands to distribute their products.

"We've asked our transportation partners to take steps that will avoid high-impact, high-carbon fuels such as those from the tarsands," said Avon vice-president Tod Arbogast.

As well, Canadian trucking firm Concord Transportation has asked its fuel vendors what steps they are taking to avoid refineries that process oilsands bitumen.

"We attempted to identify sources for the fuel that we purchase, primarily in the U.S., and work to lessen or minimize purchasing fuel from vendors that were deriving their feedstock from the tarsands," said Concord vice-president Richard Brooks.

Brooks said that effort began after a request from a Concord's customer, Lush Cosmetics.

Lush, which has previously held anti-oilsands protests at its stores, has released a new corporate policy asking all of its suppliers to stop using oilsands-derived fuel.

A total of 10 companies have announced a wide range of similar moves to reduce the carbon footprint of moving their goods.

Drugstore chain Walgreen's, which has 7,500 stores across the United States, said in August it would buy fuel for its trucks only from refineries that don't use feedstock from the oilsands. Organic grocer Whole Foods has moved in that direction.

The Gap, Timberland and Levi Strauss have all asked their transportation contractors what they are doing to eliminate higher-carbon fuels.

As well, courier company Federal Express has promised it will consider the environmental and social impacts of the fuels it uses, although it hasn't specifically mentioned the oilsands.

The impact of those moves is unclear.

Avon ships most of its goods by parcel, said Arbogast. Walgreen's spokesman Michael Polzin said the company wasn't buying much oilsands-derived fuel to begin with.

But Aaron Sanger of ForestEthics, which is co-ordinating and helping implement the anti-oilsands campaign, said the statement is more important than the economic impact.

"They're calling into question the social licence of this product," he said. "They aren't saying they're 'green.' They're saying these types of fuels don't match their environmental values."

Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers spokeswoman Janet Annesley said she wished the companies had contacted the industry before making the move.

"We will for sure be getting in touch with Avon," she said. "We're surprised and disappointed that such a longstanding company that does a lot of business in Canada would choose to take this decision without even consulting with Canadian oil and gas companies."

Polls show that Canada is a preferred source of oil for most Americans, she said.

"Every barrel of oilsands crude that Avon chooses not to use means Avon is going to be using a barrel of crude from Nigeria or Venezuela or another importing nation."

Arbogast said the move away from oilsands crude is being accompanied by efforts to ensure its shippers use the most efficient routing and loading to minimize the company's overall fuel use.

Wednesday's announcement is part of an escalating war of words over the oilsands.

Environmental organizations have mounted international billboard campaigns criticizing the oilsands, while industry and the Alberta government have funded their own campaigns defending them.

The oilsands themselves have seen a parade of fact-finders, from famed film director and environmentalist James Cameron to a group of U.S. senators.

An Alberta business lobby group is already calling for a boycott of Avon products, in response to what it calls a "boycott" of oilsands oil.

"Turning your back on Canadian oil means more barrels of oil produced by the likes of Saudi Arabia and Nigeria," said Tim Shipton, president of the Alberta Enterprise Group. "A company like Avon, which has marketed itself as a force for gender equality around the world for decades, ought to know better."

[scm]

I think it's more for show and publicity than anything else.

Reducing trace emissions will not affect the course of climate change.

A country can't use 20 million barrels of oil a day and suddenly
get picky over where their oil comes from.

As soon as easy, conventional sources run dry, they'll come back to us.

On the other hand, perhaps it is better for the Americans to siphon off other countries oil, leaving their homeland reserves for when everything else is finished.

After all, Alberta's resources are more American than Canadian.

[Expat]

Now would be a good time for Canada to stand up, and play the Emirates game! Boycott these companies, slap higher duties on them, while reducing duties on their competitors... Welcome L'Oreal, and others...

[kevind]

So Avon would rather use Oil from Nigeria and Saudi where I am sure the women use lots of Avon products.

I guess they support the rights the women have in the middle east and africa

[Hedley]

Have no fear, Alberta! If no one else wants your oil, I will gladly purchase it. At a discount, of course. I have two hungry L39's to feed, after all.

[Rowdy]

Have no fear, Alberta! If no one else wants your oil, I will gladly purchase it. At a discount, of course. I have two hungry L39's to feed, after all.

Two?!?! excellent!!

[Hedley]

Yup. Flew them at the Gatineau airshow this year. It was fun to fly 400+ knots at 100 feet and not get yelled at for it



They each flow 330 gph on takeoff, so when we take off in formation, that's 660 gph!

Keep making that tarsands oil, ok?

PS do you like the paint jobs? People suggested all sorts of whacky schemes, but in a "life imitates art" moment, I pushed for matching "MiG-28 Top Gun" paint jobs - black with a red star on it. I seriously doubt any Iron Curtain nation ever painted them up in that fashion, but it suggests to people that this is a Soviet aircraft. When they were bare aluminum, I had people ask me really whacky questions: "Is that a Sabre?", or "Is that a T-33?"

[Expat]

So Avon would rather use Oil from Nigeria and Saudi where I am sure the women use lots of Avon products.

I guess they support the rights the women have in the middle east and africa

It is funny, but the biggest markets for cosmetics companies now, is the developping world...
Been there, seen it...

[Expat]

So Avon would rather use Oil from Nigeria and Saudi where I am sure the women use lots of Avon products.

I guess they support the rights the women have in the middle east and africa

It is funny, but the biggest markets for cosmetics companies now, is the developping world...
Been there, seen it...

...and the results show...

[albertdesalvo]

...and the results show...

[JakeYYZ]

Avon issued an email apology to their Alberta sales reps:

Avon is not boycotting Oil Sands or any other oil source. Recent reports regarding Avon and oil Sands are inaccurate and are based upon press releases issued by two organizations, Forest Ethics and the Alberta Enterprise Group. Avon has communicated the correct facts to the organizations. In our commitment to global environmental stewardship, Avon is taking many steps to reduce our company's carbon footprint and environmental impact, including the impact of fuel usage and sources. This strategy, however, does not include any boycotts. Avon recognizes the vast resources in Canada and their abundant value. In light of this, we share the interest of the citizens of Alberta of the continued restoration of the forests affected by Tar Sands and the ongoing development of cleaner methods to refine the oil. As a major consumer of paper, Avon has a particular focus on the issue of deforestation and a commitment to help protect and restore critical forests worldwide. Our Hello Green Tomorrow program this year helped restore 5,000 acres in the Atlantic Rainforest in Brazil, and in 2011 we will expand these efforts. We hope this has dispelled any misunderstanding of Avon's position. For more information on Avon’s efforts in the environment and other corporate citizenship issues, please visit responsibility.avoncompany.com

http://www.interavon.ca/brandy.clark/

Forest Ethics is acting as their mouthpiece and it would seem Avon doesn't like what they're saying. They should have Forest Ethics issue a retraction and then kick them to the curb.

[Expat]

...and the results show...

I think I met her in a bar somewhere...

[Siddley Hawker]

That's probably Jimmy Hoffa under all that crud.

[albertdesalvo]

probably Jimmy Hoffa under all that crud.

Nope. It's Keith Richards.