Japan adds carbon footprints to labels

This is a really interesting idea. I doubt anything like this will happen in the US where they don't even properly label what is in the food.

I agree. I think a lot of people would be quite shocked to find how big the carbon footprint is of most of their very basic foods... especially those beloved fruits out of season!

Adding this to a variety of products, even beyond food, could help bolster corporate environmental responsibility. There's such a push for companies to market green products these days that this would fit in nicely with the trend.

Standardizing how companies calculate their carbon footprint and the way it is displayed on a product would be a must, but I would not make it mandatory for all products. That may be detrimental for small businesses who would have to comply with the carbon footprint testing just like nutrition testing which would add cost to development.

I can just imagine lots of Japanese people stood in the supermarket reading out labels...

But in reality, I can't see that many people will take notice of it.

Shame really

They might not take notice of it when they buy it, but when they get back and it's sitting on the table, they might look at it again and think twice about getting it again.

the fact that Japan has been able to swiftly pass this kind of legislation indicates that Japan's society is working a lot better than ours, and chances are its citizenry is much more educated and aware than we are.

Nihon e ikitaidesu yo!

A lot of countries should follow japan's good example

Earth First!!!! we'll strip-mine the other planets later.

Sorry. Yes an excellent idea. Should be regulated to be as big as the product name and right next to it on the front.

Great! Another law, another label, more government regulation and nothing changes.

If you care about the carbon footprint of the packaging and production of products, start a business to gather and distribute the information online. If you really think that many people care, make a profit, put people to work, build something.

Passing law after law only adds to the problem. Regulation requires oversight, oversight requires bureaucracy, bureaucracy requires, resources and resources beget taxes. Every time we pass a law to solve a problem our cost of living goes up, the problem is unchanged and politicians feel empowered. Politics is not the answer.

Smokers read the Surgeon General’s warning every time they light up.

Don't take something, make something.

Wake up!

Starting a business, putting people to work, making a profit, building something requires oversight, oversight requires bureaucracy, bureaucracy requires, resources and resources beget taxes.

I am awake.

Wow, I totally awesome! Its carbon calories!

we should do that to Wal-mart products and all other products in the US

This could also complicate things, though, when it comes to comparing regular products and organics products that could actually have bigger carbon footprints than their counterparts.

If it's done right, it's a step in the right direction.
It's good to know the backstory to the products in your life. that way you can make better informed decisions about which to include and which to refuse.

I guess it will be a good experiment to find out if anyone actually cares.

I wonder how many loaves of bread it takes to equal the carbon footprint of a tank.

It seems kind of like "pissing in the ocean", but, who knows, maybe that enormous expenditure of effort will lead to something.

I wonder how big the carbon footprint of the effort to label goods with their carbon footprint was.

What a great idea!

This is good.

It does nothing but it is good.

We should all be aware how we are contributing to the rape of the natural world.

Those of us with hearts will eventually be shamed into making positive change.

I feel so utterly ashamed of my culture.

How long before I snap?

what's the carbon footprint of all the blogging and complaining online hippies espousing their supremacy?

just checking.