Clif Sustainability Newsletter 6 - Winter 2010 by Clif Bar & Company

T R A N S F O R M I N G T H E 2 1 S T C E N T U RY F O O D S Y S T E M

M O V I N G T O WA R D S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y WO R K I N G T O R E D U C E O U R E C O L O G I CA L F O O T P R I N T Clif Bar Sustainability Newsletter / Winter 2010

When Clif Bar & Company received an invitation to Washington, DC to address the question, “How can we drive change toward more

Welcome to the 2010 issue of Moving Toward Sustainability, celebrating nearly a decade of environmental work at Clif Bar & Company.

sustainable agriculture?” we jumped at the chance.

In honor of this ten-year milestone, I wanted to share a personal story from Nepal that deeply influenced my thoughts on business and

Following the publication of a groundbreaking report, Toward Sustainable Agricultural Systems in the 21st Century, the National Research Council, USDA, and Organic Farming Research Foundation (among others) held a symposium at the National Press Club to discuss its findings. The audience, comprised of scientists and leaders from university agriculture programs and government agencies, was there to discuss the findings of the report, which recognized two distinct approaches to improving sustainability in agriculture: incremental and transformative. The incremental approach involves making conventional farming systems more efficient by using less fertilizer and pesticides to increase yields. And while this would be an improvement over the current situation, we support a transformative approach, such as organic, which regards the system as an integrated whole and uses biological methods to produce multiple benefits simultaneously. For instance, replacing chemical fertilizers with compost not only improves soil fertility, it also increases the soil’s ability to hold water, preventing water pollution and providing more drought-resilience. In addition, organic farming can: • Help protect people from exposure to toxic chemicals • Provide livable income to farm families • Conserve biodiversity • Fight global warming

On behalf of Clif Bar & Company, I went to bat for organic in Washington. I reminded the audience that consumers are driving the demand for healthy, natural food. In 2009 they spent over $25 billion on organic products, according to the Organic Trade Association’s 2010 Organic Industry Survey. In addition, I pointed out that contamination from genetically modified organisms (GMOs) presents a serious threat to farmers, and to the USDA organic brand. I shared the story of Clif’s commitment to sustainability throughout the supply chain, from the field to the final product. And when I told them our respect for nature extends to company policies that encourage people to bring their dogs to work, the audience cheered. I’m proud to be part of a company that operates on a transformative model, via our Five Aspirations. We serve as a bridge between health-conscious consumers and innovative farmers, and we will continue to strengthen this connection to help create a more healthy, just, and sustainable food system.

Elysa Hammond, Director of Environmental Stewardship

my journey in life. I’ve told it many times over the years, most recently when I accepted the Global Green USA Millennium Award for Corporate Environmental Leadership on behalf of all our efforts here at Clif Bar. Thanks for reading.

In the fall of 1982, after traveling for nearly a year around the world, I ended up in Nepal hoping to climb a few modest 20,000 peaks with a friend. In preparation for the climb, I trekked around acclimatizing to the Himalayan Mountains and culture and found myself trailing a climbing expedition headed for one of the highest peaks in the world, Dhaulagiri. The expedition included six climbers, 10 Sherpas, and over 200 porters carrying 20,000 pounds of equipment, tents, climbing gear, food, oxygen bottles, and more. All this effort – people and stuff – was dedicated to the hope of getting one or two climbers to the summit. I had climbed many peaks by this time in my life but never using so many resources and so much energy. Then I saw the base camps of Dhaulagiri and other Himalayan peaks. Whether they succeed or fail, these expeditions leave behind literally tons of garbage – abandoned tents, sleeping bags, ropes, empty food containers, and thousands and thousands of oxygen bottles. This experience blew me away. Why would these climbers, who consider themselves environmentally conscious, leave behind so much waste, polluting and degrading some of the most majestic and sacred places in the world?

Knowing many of these climbers personally, I started to ask that question. The answer goes something like this: “These mountains are so big. It’s just too risky and too much work to bring everything back down. It’s hard enough to summit, let alone clean up.” My answer to that is, “If you can’t summit without cleaning up behind you, then don’t climb that mountain.” That’s the same way I feel about business. If getting to the top – or making the bottom line – means you can’t do it without polluting the earth, then don’t climb that mountain. Climb another mountain, or learn to climb a different way. That’s what we’re choosing to do at Clif Bar: Climb a different mountain and climb a different way. Every business makes an impact on the environment, and Clif Bar is far from perfect. But we are making a daily effort to understand our ecological footprint, and we are taking one step at a time to reduce that impact.

Gary Erickson, Co-Owner, Clif Bar & Company

The USDA defines organic agriculture as a system based on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony.

Distributed by Clif Bar & Company, Emeryville, CA 94608 U.S.A. 1-800-CLIFBAR M-F 8-5 PST • clifbar.com • ©2010 Clif Bar & Company Printed on New Leaf paper, 100% recycled, 60% post-consumer content, processed chlorine-free with vegetable based inks. CBC10.373

Gary trekking in Nepal in 1982, in front of Dhaulagiri

Literally tons of garbage is left behind at climbers’ base camps in the Himalayan Mountains. photo: Liesl Clark

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

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Moving Toward Sustainability is a newsletter intended to keep Clif Bar & Company employees, friends, and family connected with the vision, direction, and activities of our sustainability program. GARY ERICKSON & KIT CRAWFORD

Owners

SUSTAINABILITY GROUP KEVIN CLEARY

President ELYSA HAMMOND

Director of Environmental Stewardship THAO PHAM

Director of Community & Clif Bar Family Foundation CASSIE CYPHERS

Community-Eco Programs Manager ELLA SILVERMAN

Sustainable Food Systems Manager EVERY EMPLOYEE AT CLIF BAR MOVING TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY ELYSA HAMMOND

Editor MIJA RIEDEL

FOUR AREAS OF FOCUS

Ten Years of Progress Toward Our Vision

Our mission has always been to promote a more healthy, just, and sustainable food system. In 2009 we refined our multiple efforts into goals related to four areas of focus:

Since we launched our sustainability program nearly ten years ago, we’ve been committed to creating a holistic program that recognizes the links between people’s

participants – in an important position.

In 2010 two significant scientific reports were released that affirm this critical connection between our health, the planet’s health, and food. In April, the President’s Cancer Panel announced that the environmental causes of cancer have been grossly underestimated (Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk: What We Can Do Now). Among the first recommendations for prevention: eat food grown without pesticides (see additional recommendations, page 9).

Zero Waste Business Practices

The second report, Toward Sustainable Agricultural Systems in the 21st Century, examined the potential of various farming systems to meet our food needs without degrading our natural resources. This National Research Council report affirmed that biologically based, alternative farming systems such as organic are scalable and able to meet these goals (read about Clif’s participation, back cover).

Climate and Energy

Both studies affirm the importance of our sustainability efforts at Clif Bar and our commitment to reduce our ecological footprint in everything we do, from the field to the final product. As we look back over the last ten years, we are encouraged by the progress we’ve made. Here are some examples:

Natural Resource Conservation

•

170 million pounds of organic ingredients purchased since 2002

VERONICA CIPTO

•

71,000 tons of CO2 offset (that’s like not driving around the world 5700 times)

Designer

•

35,000 trees planted with American Forests

BLANCHE SANTA ANA

•

11 years of partnership with the Breast Cancer Fund

Production

•

1 green building – Clif Bar’s new headquarters in Emeryville

SANDY BIAGI

•

$500,000 committed by the Clif Bar Family Foundation to SEED MATTERS

• Use sustainability criteria in package design. • Use recycled or renewable materials; close material loops. • Use less stuff. Aim for zero waste to landfill (90%+).

• Track and report greenhouse gas emissions. • Aim for a climate neutral footprint. • Demonstrate climate leadership.

Zero Waste Business Practices

• Conserve water, forests, and biodiversity. • Promote ecological restoration and the conservation of natural habitats.

In 2010 we introduced the CLIF CORE Values as a way to put our four areas of focus into action. The CLIF CORE Values are helping us to assess our sourcing program and to learn more about the farmers and food businesses that are part of our supply chain. CORE Values provide the following goals for sustainable sourcing:

With ever warming regards,

Connect. Organic.

Trace our ingredients back to the producers that grow our food.

Restore.

Support and encourage restorative practices that reduce environmental impacts, conserve natural resources, and protect biodiversity.

Ethical.

Source ingredients that are grown and processed using fair labor practices.

Increase our purchase of organic, transitional, and certified sustainable ingredients. Climate and Energy

We understand that the ingredients we buy have significant potential to benefit people and communities throughout our supply chain, and we welcome the opportunity to help create positive change.

ANY

U of S

BAR & CO MP

Elysa Hammond, Director of Environmental Stewardship I

Ricardo Balazs, Shirin Belur, Beth Benson, Peter Berridge, Jenny Berrien, Val Bisharat, Rich Brothers, Corey Clark, Paula Connelly, Colleen Cooke, Temra Costa, Chris Crowther, Jessica Culnane, Cassie Cyphers, Brooke Donberg, Kristen Downs, Karin Gregg, Lauren Hatfield, Garett Heitman, Erik Herman, Kristee Khleif, Chandler Kneer, Cathy Knowles, Ashley Koehn, Melissa Leebove, Chris Leon, Ryan Mayo, Whitney Taylor Nelson, Caron Obstfeld, Aliy Rahn, Susan Sherwin, Ella Silverman, Kenny Souza, Christopher Swanner, Cassandra Todd, Tom Venegas, Marci Winkler.

Sustainable Food and Agriculture

CLIF CORE Values for Sustainable Sourcing

As we move forward into the next ten years, I leave you with a final thought: the words ecology and economics come from the same root, oikos, meaning house or home. Ecology is the knowledge of home – the community, watershed, and world where we live. Economy refers to how we manage it. Clearly we’ve ignored the “eco” in economics far too long – and it’s time for a paradigm shift. If we’ve learned anything from the last ten years, it’s that this shift is possible. And essential. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has been part of this journey.

Special thanks to all our Clif Bar & Company contributors:

• Support organic, regenerative farming practices. • Foster farm-to-food connections and a traceable supply chain. • Promote seed integrity, the conservation of crop genetic diversity, and protection from GMO contamination. • Promote fair treatment of labor.

two than food. This connection puts Clif Bar & Company – and all food system

Managing Editor

Print Management

Sustainable Food and Agriculture

health and the planet’s health – and there’s no more powerful connector between the

AINABILI

“Find your place on the planet. Dig in, and take responsibility from there.”

“How we eat determines, to a considerable extent, how the world is used.”

– Gary Snyder

– Wendell Berry

Natural Resource Conservation

4 5

“We could have saved the Earth, but we were too damned cheap.”

T H E O N G O I N G J O U R N E Y T O WA R D S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

– Kurt Vonnegut

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” – Lao Tzu TI RA

• First Earth Day. • The EPA is established.

• Congress passes the Organic Food Production Act. 1990

1970

• Sir Albert Howard, father of the organic movement, publishes An Agricultural Testament in the U.K. Two years later in the U.S., Rodale publishes Organic Farming and Gardening.

CLIF BAR is born on a bike.

• Solar panels installed on White House.

et lan PI ur P S o A ing tain eople Sus our P ning i a t s Su mmunity Sustaining our Co

• Our Stolen Future is published, showing how pesticides and plastics disrupt human and animal hormone systems. 1996

Sustaining ou r Business Susta ining our B rands

Clif Bar & Company hires an ecologist. 2000

1979

Shrink-wrap is eliminated from caddies, saving 90,000+ pounds of plastic each year. We buy 2 million pounds of organic ingredients. The 5 Aspirations are established.

1940

2002

Over 170 million pounds of organic ingredients purchased to date. Raising the Bar published. Recognition: The Global Green USA Millennium Award for Corporate Environmental Leadership; EPA Green Power Partner of the Year; the Governor’s Environmental and Economic Leadership Award. Clif Bar launches the first climate neutral biodiesel marketing road trip. 2004

Clif Cool Commute: the first biodiesel- and hybrid-incentive program for employees.

Cool Home program helps employees go green at home.

GreenNotes helps bands reduce their environmental impact.

Free bikes for every Clifster who will cycle to work.

Clif Bar recognized as a Climate Counts Industry Innovator.

CLIF BAR honors the most eco-friendly ski resorts with the Golden Eagle awards.

TerraCycle partnership begins upcycling wrappers and supporting nonprofits.

35,000 trees planted to date through American Forests.

LUNA goes organic.

Keep on (green) trucking: Clif Bar offsets carbon footprint of shipping.

2006

Over 9 million wrappers recycled through TerraCycle Wrapper Brigade. • 40th anniversary of Earth Day.

• White House announces the return of solar panels. We move to new green headquarters. 2010

2008

2001

1999

1950s–60s • World War II technologies lead to increasing use of agricultural chemicals. Pesticide use expands to most U.S. cropland.

1962 • Rachel Carson publishes Silent Spring, describing how DDT enters the food chain, launching the environmental movement.

1989 • Solar panels removed from White House.

1992

CLIF BAR – the first energy bar to be made with whole grains and real fruit – hits the shelves.

LUNA partners with the Breast Cancer Fund, supporting its mission to identify and eliminate the environmental causes of breast cancer.

On Earth Day, Clif Bar launches its sustainability program. Recycled paper replaces virgin paper at the office.

2003 CLIF BAR is USDA certified “Made with Organic.”

Real dishes replace disposable at company meetings (thanks Julia Butterfly Hill)!

We help build the first Native American-owned wind turbine.

First issue of Moving Toward Sustainability.

Greener packaging: caddies now made with 100% recycled paperboard. 1000 trees are planted to offset employee commutes. Office composting begins.

2005 CLIF BAR sponsors the first climate neutral triathlon, Escape from Alcatraz.

2007 We offset our historical carbon footprint by helping to build farmer-owned wind turbines.

We join 1% for the Planet.

Field marketing fleet goes biodiesel. Recognition: EPA Green Power Leadership award. 2 Mile Challenge: Ride your bike to fight global warming.

ch al le ng e

“Better sign the papers while (the planet) is still willing to make a deal.” – Stephen Jay Gould

Clif action • World action

2009 We join BICEP to advocate for climate action in Washington.

We support the Greensburg wind farm (the Kansas town rebuilding green after ’07 tornado). • White House plants organic garden. SEED MATTERS program launched by Clif Bar Family Foundation with $500,000 commitment.

E V E RY I N G R E D I E N T T E L L S A S T O RY

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“Food reveals our connection with the earth. Each bite contains the life of the sun and the earth. The extent to which our food reveals itself depends on us. We can see and taste the whole universe in the piece of bread.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

As we learn more about the farmers and family businesses that are part of our supply

Did you know?

chain, we’re inspired to share their stories with the larger Clif community. We work with the Bascoms, who make maple syrup, and the Baughers, who grow almonds. Both are deeply committed to sustainability.

It takes about 40 years to grow a maple tree large enough to tap.

Tapping into the Sweet Story of Maple

40 gallons = 1 gallon of the tapped maple of maple syrup

“Some of the trees are more than 300 years old. As our farm has grown over

Native Americans were the first people known to tap maple trees for syrup.

maple trees. They represent an important link to the past, and remind us

Clif Bar buys organic maple syrup.

and farmed with the long view in mind.” – Coombs Family

What makes it special? The farmers don’t use synthetic fertilizers or toxic pesticides in their forests, and there are no chemicals in the manufacturing process either. Global warming is putting the integrity of North American forests and our maple sugar heritage at risk.

the years, we take pride in maintaining our connection with these ancient every day of what can be accomplished when a forest is cared for properly,

When people think of crops they mostly think of farming, but not all ingredients come from farmland; some, like maple syrup, come from forests. Clif Bar & Company sources maple syrup from Bascom Family Farms, a family-run business in New Hampshire that has been making syrup for seven generations. The Bascoms, along with their long-term partners, the Coombs Family, are committed to practicing sustainable forest stewardship and supporting small family farms. The Bascoms farm their own 2200 acres, and they also buy maple syrup from more than 1000 small independent family farms in New York, New England, and Quebec. Their support goes beyond simply buying syrup – they also provide training, and pre-harvest credit to cash-strapped farmers in need of equipment. The maple farmers can pay them back at harvest time with syrup instead of cash. Supporting other family farmers means that more families can stay in business, and more forests can stay intact – preserving wildlife habitat, storing carbon, protecting soil, and purifying water. (Now that’s what we call sweet.) More at coombsfamilyfarms.com and bascommaple.com

Growing More (and More) Organic Almonds Less than 1% of California’s almonds are grown organically, and Chris and Marcie Baugher

are committed to changing that. Twenty-five years ago, they founded Baugher Ranch, a 300-acre organic almond farm in Orland, California. Today they continue to farm and process organic almonds, and they’re also working to increase the acres under organic production. The Baughers offer support and training to the next generation of farmers, as well as farmers in the process of transitioning to organic production. They also provide financial assistance where needed, and help farmers sell their organic almonds. Baugher Ranch’s sustainability mission extends to its employees as well. The Baughers have made a commitment to paying living wages and creating a family-friendly environment. So it’s not surprising that many of their 60 employees have been working for them for over ten years and a handful have been there for over 20. Marcie Baugher takes special pleasure in sharing her knowledge with her daughters, Rania and Nisha. Historically, most farmers have been men, and “there are not many women in farming, period,” Marcie says. She and Chris have worked hard to grow their small farming operation into the largest organic almond handler in the state. Now they’re passing their know-how on to their three children: son Bradley, who helps to manage farming operations, and Nisha and Rania, who both live and work on the ranch with their families. And while there are challenges to running a family business, Nisha believes that being “able to raise [my] children and work hard to pass this on to them is what Baugher Ranch is all about.” More at bro-almonds.com

c The Multiple Benefits of Organi Organic farming means more than simply excluding chemical fertilizers and synthetic pesticides. Organic agriculture: • Protects our air, water, and soils. • Conserves biodiversity and wildlife habitat. • Reduces our dependence on fossil fuels. • Stores significant amounts of carbon in the soil.

“I think that I shall never see a billboard lovely as a tree. Perhaps, unless the billboards fall, I’ll never see a tree at all.” – Ogden Nash

(LEFT) Three generations of the Coombs Family gather for a day of sugaring in 1920. (MIDDLE) Coombs Family Farms buys maple syrup from hundreds of small family farms. (TOP) Marcie and Chris Baugher with their daughters Nisha (back) and Rania (front) and their son Bradley, in the orchard on a beautiful late spring morning.

These traits make organic farming a powerful tool in the fight against global warming, in the restoration of our natural resources, and in the creation of a healthier and more resilient food system.

S E E D : T H E C R I T I CA L F I R S T L I N K I N T H E F O O D C H A I N

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Did you know? A recent United Nations’ Food and Agricultural Organization report “strongly suggests that a worldwide shift to organic agriculture can fight world hunger and at the same time tackle climate change.” i-sis.org.uk/FAOPromotesOrganic Agriculture.php

Clif Bar Family Foundation Grows the SEED MATTERS Initiative

Research Affirms the Link Between Chemical Pollution and Cancer

“Food integrity begins with seed integrity. Yet no other natural resource has ever been so quickly put at risk with so little oversight.” – Matthew Dillon, Founder, Organic Seed Alliance

In April 2010, the President’s Cancer Panel announced that scientific evidence shows a strong

Seed is the critical first link in the food chain. For thousands of generations, farmers

have saved, selected, and improved this living resource. Seeds are the crucial building blocks of agriculture. The irreplaceable genetic diversity of seed resources must be developed and protected to insure sustainable agriculture into the future. Seed diversity allows farmers to respond to agricultural pests, disease, and challenging new climate conditions. We know from experience – from disasters like the Irish potato famine – that the loss of genetic diversity puts food systems at risk. Today there’s a great need and opportunity in organic farming to develop seed that serves the needs of farmers, food companies, and consumers. Seeds bred for organic farming can thrive without fertilizers or toxic pesticides, and can deliver high quality nutrition and flavor. It’s essential – and possible – to develop these seeds while at the same time, protect farmers’ rights to save seed. By protecting and developing organic seeds, we can promote the resilience, benefits, and success of organic farming systems, and conserve the larger pool of plants’ essential genetic resources.

Carrot seeds

chemicals in our air, water, food, and household products. This is just what our partners, the Breast Cancer Fund and Healthy Child Healthy World, have been saying for years.

The 200-page report Reducing Environmental Cancer Risk: What We Can Do Now declares: “The true burden of environmentally induced cancer has been grossly underestimated. With nearly 80,000 chemicals on the market in the United States – many of which are used by millions of Americans in their daily lives and are un-studied or under-studied and largely unregulated – exposure to potential environmental carcinogens is widespread.” The Panel calls for more rigorous regulation of chemicals as a way to prevent cancer, and provides the following suggestions to help people reduce their exposure to pollutants. We’ve added some useful links, too.

Eight Ways to Reduce Your Risk 1. Choose food grown without pesticides. Eat organic whenever you can. Learn more at foodnews.org/walletguide.php Avoid pesticide use in your garden, too.

SEED MATTERS together with three of our expert nonprofit partners – Organic Farming

Store water in stainless steel, glass, or BPA-free containers. healthychild.org/5steps/5_steps_5/

Research Foundation, Organic Seed Alliance, and the Center for Food Safety.

Collectively, these groups offer a holistic approach to protecting seed integrity and developing organic seed bred to thrive in organic farming conditions. These organizations, staffed by agricultural scientists, geneticists, farmers, and policy experts, have decades of experience promoting education, research, and policies that benefit organic farming systems.

3. Remove shoes before entering the home.

Clif Bar is committed to creating a sustainable source of research funding dedicated to the development of organic seed, and to building an alliance of businesses to support this effort.

as well as toys, medicines, and medical tests that will minimize children’s exposure to toxics. More information at householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov and healthychild.org

Leave toxic chemicals at the doorstep.

CHOOSE SAFER PRODUCTS 4. Choose safe home supplies,

5. Limit your exposure to cell phone radiation. Wear a headset. Check out your phone’s output at ewg.org/cellphone-radiation

• To promote and protect farmers’ roles and rights as seed stewards.

REDUCE COMBUSTION OF FOSSIL FUELS

• To reinvigorate public research, and to promote the development of seed adapted to

6. Bike or walk instead of driving.

thrive in organic farming systems. • To create a coalition of organic companies and organizations advocating for organic seed.

The Clif Bar Family Foundation launched SEED MATTERS with a commitment of $500,000 over the next five years.

Drive a fuel-efficient car – check out the latest greenest cars (and driving tips) at greenercars.org. Join the 2 Mile Challenge: 2milechallenge.com

7. Save energy. Did you know that computers and TVs use energy even when they’re turned off? Use a smart strip to automatically turn off selected appliances when they’re not in use. solar1.org/resources/energyeff/

SPEAK UP 8. Tell policymakers to remove suspected carcinogens from the environment. Learn more: breastcancerfund.org/reduce-your-risk/act-for-change/ and safecosmetics.org

READ THE PRESIDENT’S CANCER PANEL REPORT deainfo.nci.nih.gov/advisory/pcp/pcp08-09rpt/PCP_Report_08-09_508.pdf

“After 40 years of war on cancer, the report by the President’s Cancer Panel may finally signal a fundamental shift toward a winning strategy. Release of this report is a historic opportunity to change the course of the war on cancer so that, in the face of the large and growing body of scientific evidence linking cancer to environmental contaminants, we act now rather than wait for more evidence of harm.”

Spinach seeds

“Without organic seeds, the full potential of our organic future is at risk.” – Bob Scowcroft, Executive Director, Organic Farming Research Foundation

Dry soup bean

Lettuce seed field

2010 Landmark Report, published by Breask Cancer Fund

AVOID PESTICIDES AND INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS

2. Filter drinking water.

• To protect and conserve crop genetic diversity. photo: Charles Peters

link between increasing rates of cancer and our polluted environment – the proliferation of

In 2009, Clif Bar & Company and the Clif Bar Family Foundation worked to create

SEED MATTERS has four primary goals:

Petai beans from Indonesia

E N V I R O N M E N TA L P O L L U TA N T S A N D P E O P L E ’ S H E A LT H

– Jeanne Rizzo, Executive Director, the Breast Cancer Fund

Did you know? KIDS, PESTICIDES, AND ADHD A recent study published in the medical journal Pediatrics found a strong link between exposure to organophosphate pesticides commonly used in commercial agriculture and increasing rates of ADHD in children. Organophosphate insecticides kill pests by disrupting their nervous systems, and it seems plausible they could affect people too. One recommendation by the authors is to eat organic or local produce whenever possible. “Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder and Urinary Metabolites of Organophosphate Pesticides,” Pediatrics, May 17, 2010

EWG’S SHOPPER’S

DIRTY 12

BUY THESE ORGANIC 1. Celery 2. Peaches 3. Strawberries 4. Apples 5. Blueberries 6. Nectarines 7. Bell Peppers 8. Spinach 9. Cherries 10. Kale/Collard Greens 11. Potatoes 12. Grapes (Imported)

CLEAN 15

LOWEST IN PESTICIDES 1. Onions 2. Avocado 3. Sweet Corn 4. Pineapple 5. Mangos 6. Sweet Peas 7. Asparagus 8. Kiwi 9. Cabbage 10. Eggplant 11. Cantaloupe 12. Watermelon 13. Grapefruit 14. Sweet Potato 15. Honeydew Melon

“It is every man’s obligation to put back into the world at least the equivalent of what he takes out of it.”

REDUCING OUR FOOTPRINT

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Eco Update: A Report on Our Progress 2001 – 2010

– Albert Einstein

The Power of Five-Year Goals

Climate Action Leadership Program

“In 2010 we announced company-wide, five-year environmental goals in the areas of Sustainable Food and

Our approach to climate action is threefold: (1) reduce our use of fossil fuels whenever we can; (2) track, report, and offset our remaining CO2 footprint; and (3) demonstrate climate leadership and help build the climate movement. Our five-year goal is to reduce our carbon footprint 10% below 2009 levels. Our footprint includes CO2 emissions generated by our headquarters, business travel, bakeries, and shipping.

Agriculture, Climate and Energy, and Zero Waste. Setting challenging but meaningful targets will help to us to more deeply understand our impacts, drive more effective change, and generate concrete, measurable progress toward those goals.” – Kevin Cleary, President, Clif Bar & Company

Tracking Our Carbon Footprint 2003 – 2010

Raising the Sustainable Bar

We have been tracking (and offsetting) the CO2 emissions generated by business energy use since 2003. As our business has grown, so has our carbon footprint, although at a lesser rate. We have reported our emissions through the California Climate Registry (now the Climate Registry) since 2004.

Increasing our use of organic ingredients In 2002, we purchased our first two million pounds of organic ingredients. In 2010, our annual purchase of organic will exceed 40 million pounds. We now make 12 product lines that are certified USDA “Organic” or “Made with Organic.” All of our other lines are at least 30% organic. (See chart below.) Our five-year goal is to increase our purchase of USDA organic and certified-sustainable ingredients to 80% of everything we buy.

Total CO2 Emissions and Carbon Offsets 2003 – 2010 16000

Carbon Intensity 2003 – 2010

% ORGANIC

CLIF SHOT BLOKS®

95%

CLIF SHOT® Energy Gel

85%

CLIF® BAR

70%

LUNA®

70%

CLIF MOJO®

70%

CLIF CRUNCH®

70%

CLIF® C

70%

CLIF SHOT® Electrolyte Replacement Drink

91%

CLIF MOJO® Dipped

70%

OTHER PRODUCTS

CLIF SHOT ROKS®

46%

LUNA® Protein

33%

CLIF Builder’s®

32%

12000

10000

25 r ght ove We bou ds of n u o lion p 40 mil ients ingred organic

20 15 10

Office Energy

4 0

2003

2004

2005

2006

Year

2007

2008

2009

2010 (est)

Since 2002, our purchase of organic ingredients has grown steadily, year after year. Over the past nine years, we’ve purchased more than 170 million pounds of organic ingredients. Currently, 70% of all the ingredients we buy are certified organic.

2000

Business Travel Bakery Energy 2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

Measurement Year

2002

CO2 Emissions generated by bakeries, office, & business travel

4000

CO2 Emissions generated by ground freight transport (measured since 2008)

8000 6000

% ORGANIC

14000

Tons CO2

CERTIFIED MADE WITH ORGANIC

Tons CO2 /million bars

Our Increasing Use of Organic Ingredients

Tons CO2

% ORGANIC 95% 95%

Organic Ingredients (million pounds)

CERTIFIED ORGANIC CLIF Kid Organic ZBaR® CLIF Kid Organic Twisted Fruit®

2010 (est)

CO2 Offsets 2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Measurement Year

Carbon intensity is measured as CO2 emissions relative to production. Since 2007 carbon intensity has decreased due to improved efficiency in business travel, especially air travel, and a switch to biodiesel fuel for our office and field fleets.

2009

2010 (est)

We have been measuring and offsetting the carbon emissions generated by our office, manufacturing sites, and bakeries since 2003. In 2007 we also offset our historical climate footprint, dating back to 1992. In 2008 we began to offset the carbon footprint of ground freight transport.

Helping to Build New Wind Farms Our five-year goal is to achieve zero waste (defined as 90% or more solid waste diversion) in our office, field, and manufacturing sites. PROGRESS IN PACKAGING (ALL CADDIES ARE NOW SHRINK-WRAP FREE!) Over the past several years we’ve eliminated shrink-wrap and switched to recycled paperboard for all our caddies, the biggest component of our packaging system. 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 No. of caddies (millions)

% Shrink-wrap-free 50% 90%

12.5

92% 94%

94% 98%

98% 100% 100%

THE ECO-BENEFITS OF RECYCLED PAPERBOARD In 2010 we used 3400 tons of 100% recycled (65% post-consumer) paperboard. By using recycled instead of virgin materials, we generated the following annual environmental benefits: Trees saved: 48,000 trees Water saved: 20 million gallons Greenhouse gas emissions avoided: 3900 tons CO2. That’s like taking 710 cars off the road for a year. Estimates made using the Environmental Defense Fund Paper Calculator, papercalculator.org

TERRACYCLE WRAPPER BRIGADE In 2008 we partnered with TerraCycle to create the first-ever program to “upcycle” energy bar wrappers into totes, backpacks, and messenger bags while also generating donations for nonprofits. TerraCycle progress to date: Total wrappers diverted: 9.1 million. Collection locations: 4000 in 48 states. Donations generated: $30,000+ for 2300 nonprofits.

We’ve partnered with NativeEnergy as our offset provider since 2003 because of its commitment to help build new sources of renewable energy while also generating social benefits for communities in need. Through this partnership we have offset 71,783* tons of CO2 to date and helped bring 16 renewable energy and carbon reduction projects to life in four Native American communities (South Dakota and Alaska); on 10 family farms in the Midwest; in one school district in Colorado; and in one Kansas community devastated by a tornado. All wind turbines that we supported are now up and running. 2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

ROSEBUD SIOUX TRIBE WIND TURBINE

Carbon Offset Projects

Moving Toward Zero Waste

Clif Bar supports the first large-scale Native American wind turbine owned by the Rosebud Sioux Tribe.

ALASKAN NATIVE WIND

Clif Bar supports wind projects in three native Alaskan villages.

*That’s like taking 12,000 cars off the road for a year.

FARMER-OWNED WIND PROJECTS

Provides support for 10 farmer-owned wind turbines.

WRAY SCHOOL DISTRICT WIND TURBINE

CASCADE TRUCKING EFFICIENCY PROGRAM

Supports first large-scale wind turbine owned by a school.

Supports fuel-efficiency program for diesel trucks.

CHARTER SUPPORTER OF THE GREENSBURG WIND PROJECT

Helping Greensburg, Kansas rebuild green after a devastating tornado.

2011

M O V I N G T O WA R D Z E R O WA S T E

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Packaging Milestones

2001

Litter leash is added to SHOT gel

2002

Caddies re-designed to eliminate 90% of shrink-wrap, saving 90,000+ pounds of plastic a year

2003

Switch to 100% recycled paperboard for all caddies, saving 6,000,000 gallons of water and 14,000 trees a year

2006

Ecoist begins making purses from LUNA wrappers

2007

StopWaste recognizes Clif Bar with a Leadership & Achievement in Sustainability Award

2008

Redesign CLIF SHOT BLOKS® wrapper and caddy, reducing packaging by 30%

CLIF BAR SUPPORTS 1% FOR THE PL ANET

Checklist for Sustainable Packaging Design: 12 WAYS TO THINK GREEN

Clif Bar supports 1% for the Planet, a growing global movement of nearly 1500 companies that donate one percent of their sales to a network of over 2200 environmental organizations worldwide. Clif Bar championed 1% early on, becoming a member in 2005 when just over 100 companies were involved. Founded in 2002, 1% for the Planet is widely recognized as the gold standard for environmental philanthropy, in part because giving is based on one percent of sales rather than profits. Here are some of the organizations that have benefited from our 1% donations:

As part of our commitment to becoming a zero waste company, we’ve developed an internal checklist to guide us in the design of more sustainable packaging systems.

GETTING STARTED 1 Use the Triple E approach (Everyone, Everything, Early). • EVERYONE: Bring all stakeholders to the table in the design process (think R&D, Brand, Operations, Sales, Sustainability). • EVERYTHING: Consider each step of the product’s life cycle (see #2 for more details). • EARLY: Research shows that early stakeholder involvement results in greener products at lower costs.

2. Close the loop. Think cradle-to-cradle, not cradle to grave. Where can we reduce waste and close loops in each stage of our product’s life cycle?

Raw materials Resource recovery

Product design and manufacture

Product use

Shipping to customers

2008 TerraCycle Wrapper Brigade begins 2009

All caddies now shrink-wrap free

2010

More than 9,000,000+ wrappers (pre- and post- consumer) upcycled through TerraCycle

3. Design to reduce our shipping footprint.

The Conservation Alliance brings the outdoor industry together to help conserve wilderness. Since its founding in 1989, the Alliance (now 170 members strong) has donated more than $8 million to projects in North America that have helped to protect more than 49 million acres of land, stopped or removed 28 dams, and preserved access to thousands of miles of rivers.

Access Fund represents over 2.3 million rock, ice, mountain, and boulder climbers nationwide. Clif Bar supports the Fund’s signature stewardship program, Adopta-Crag, which brings volunteers together to conserve climbing areas through trail restoration, erosion control, and litter cleanups.

American Whitewater advocates for

International Mountain Bicycling

Winter Wildlands Alliance works on behalf of snowshoers, skiers, snowboarders, and winter hikers to preserve winter wildlands. WWA believes in the importance of conserving public land where people can experience human-powered snow sports, free from motorized vehicles (the wildlife also love the idea).

Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics

the protection of whitewater resources throughout the United States. Clif Bar supports its Flowing Rivers Grants, awarded each year to two member groups bringing whitewater safety, education, and conservation projects to life.

Consider the whole system – wrapper, caddy, master case, point-of-purchase displays – and design for pallet optimization.

MATERIAL CHOICE 4. Use less stuff.

Make packaging fit the product. Minimize package-to-product ratio. Rethinking design for the sake of people and environment.

5. Use materials that nature can recycle.

Association (IMBA) promotes quality trail

Choose bio-based or plant-based materials instead of plastic.

experiences for mountain bikers worldwide by encouraging low-impact riding, volunteer trail work, grassroots advocacy, and innovative trail solutions. Clif Bar supports IMBA’s Trail Preservation Grants.

6. Use only synthetic materials that people can recycle. • Avoid petroleum-based materials whenever possible and only use if a recycling program actually exists. • Avoid plastics #3, 6, and 7.

7. Use recycled materials with as high a post-consumer recycled content as possible. 8. Think outside the box. te? What’s Zero Was

is dedicated to responsible stewardship of the outdoors. Whether you hike, camp, snowshoe, bike, paddle, hunt, fish, ski, or climb, the Leave No Trace concept – taught through a network of 25,000 volunteers – is simple: Leave the places you enjoy better than you found them.

Caddies and master cases make up the bulk of our packaging system. Are they always necessary?

9. Think about ink. Use green printing practices, and eliminate ink and coatings wherever possible.

ASSESSING AND REDUCING IMPACTS 10. Minimize shipping for packaging components. Buy packaging that’s made close by.

11. Choose green energy for packaging manufacture.

How many resources – trees, water, energy – does this package consume? Can we build it better?

Resources: papercalculator.org / sustainablepackaging.org / zerowaste.org

photo: Greg Burke

12. Do the numbers.

“Zero waste is the mother of environmental no-brainers.” – Jeffrey Hollender of Seventh Generation

photo: Ember Photo

Support supply chain partners with a smaller carbon footprint.

photo: Theresa Gulliver

Zero waste is just what it sounds like: producing, consuming, and recycling products without throwing anything away. But the deeper purpose of zero waste is to change the way things are made – from a one-way industrial system into a circular system. Our task is to get industry to mimic biology, where nothing is wasted and everything is recycled.

Exploring the backcountry in Montana

the Pe el Riv er Wo rki ng to pre ser ve hor se, Yu kon ite Wh in d, Wa ter she

Ca the dra l Roc k in Ore gon’ s prop ose d Joh n Da y Wild ern ess

“In wilderness is the preservation of the world.” – Henry David Thoreau

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“When I see an adult on a bicycle, I do not despair for the future of the human race.”

S H A R I N G S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y : N O T E S F R O M T H E F I E L D

– H.G. Wells

Based in eight regions around the country, our field marketing managers are continually developing unique programs to connect with people and share our sustainability efforts.

Did you know that Bike to Work Week is Peter’s favorite holiday? Three cheers for pedal power in the S.F. Bay Area!

From the Northeast In Massachusetts we’re working with Project Green Schools to educate elementary and

On these pages you’ll read about some of their recent endeavors to support local nonprofit

middle school students about the links between a healthy body and a healthy planet. CLIF Kid is a “Green Schools Hero,” helping PGS take its message to school districts across the region.

partners, and put into practice the Clif concept of “Protecting the Places We Play.”

From the Northwest We helped energize volunteers at Duwamish Alive!, a watershed restoration project benefiting the largest contiguous greenbelt in Seattle. Hundreds of volunteers worked on river clean up by kayak and canoe, helped restore salmon habitat, and revitalize native forests – and when they needed more energy, we were there with CLIF BARS o’plenty!

Fundraising on the Run: 5k Briefcase Relay

In Seattle we supported the Fremont 5k Briefcase Relay, in which teams of runners dress up and carry briefcases containing phone books. When the race’s director lamented the lack of food donations to the food bank beneficiary of the relay, we suggested that they replace the phone book in each brief case with canned goods for the food bank. Presto! This year, no wasted phone books, and the food bank received more donations.

From the Midwest We’re supporting Chicago’s voice for better biking, walking, and transport via the Active Transportation Alliance. This year, we served up CLIF BARS at a variety of events promoting people-powered transport, including Bike the Drive, Walk and Bike to School Day, Bike to Work Week, and the Boulevard Lakefront Tour.

From Los Angeles We’re sponsoring four Playa del Run beach events to raise funds for Heal the Bay, a nonprofit dedicated to making Southern California coastal waters and watersheds safe, healthy, and clean. On July 18, following one of Playa del Run’s swim/run events, we wrangled 50 people to help clean up Dockweiler State Beach so we could leave the shoreline better than we found it.

LA Metro’s Bike to Work pit stop

For a fourth year we sponsored the Surfrider Foundation’s Paddle for Clean Water: Over 1000 local surfers paddled around Ocean Beach Pier to bring awareness to the pollution problem along the San Diego coastline. Our commitment to Surfrider, however, is year-round: For almost a decade, we’ve been supporting our local chapter in its twice monthly beach cleanups (and at least once a month, we show up ourselves to lend a hand).

From the San Francisco Bay Area During the 7th annual Yosemite Facelift, we provided thousands of CLIF BARS to volunteers, and joined in the five-day work fest to help clean up trash from this iconic and beloved national park. The results: 150,000 pounds of garbage removed from the (now even more) spectacular Yosemite.

From Texas

Protecting the places we play: Yosemite

It’s rush hour at Paddle for Clean Water Day

Clif Bar’s field marketing team

Hanging loose on the beach while hanging tough for clean water

Participants in this year’s 2 Mile Challenge avoided more than 43,000 car trips by cycling almost 385,000 miles during the program’s initial six-month competition.

From the Rocky Mountain Region We’ve been supporting Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado (VOC) since 2003. To date, VOC has engaged over 3000 volunteers to help plant trees, construct and maintain trails, remove invasive species, and even restore historic Forest Service buildings. Protecting the Places We Play (and playing while we protect them)! We adopted a stretch of highway favored by cyclists in Boulder County, and this year we threw an Adopt-a-Road Day BBQ. We invited other companies and individuals that also have adopted streets to join us. Most groups cleaned their section of road on this particular Friday afternoon and then met us for a BBQ hosted by Clif Bar. It was inspiring to see so many orange bags alongside the streets all at once...and the BBQ was such a freewheelin’ success, we’re planning to make it an annual event.

Surfers in Texas? We helped the Surfrider Foundation/Central Texas Chapter bolster energy for beach cleanups along the Gulf Coast with Texas-sized servings of CLIF BARS. (Surfing experience not required.)

Clif Bar’s 2 Mile Challenge grew out of two simple facts: • In the U.S., 40% of all trips are 2 miles or less. • 90% of those trips are by car.

That’s not all. We also sponsored the Climate Cycle’s Solar Schools Bike Rides. Climate Cycle uses proceeds to install solar lighting in public

schools. So far, 900 riders have raised $175,000 from Climate Cycle’s first two rides. As a result, nine schools with an enrollment of 11,000 total students have solar panels and environmental programs onsite.

Post race clean up? It’s in the bag!

From San Diego

We’re committed to keeping the Lone Star State beautiful. This year we scheduled a service event to follow the Austin Triathlon. We cleaned up after the triathletes ran, biked, and swam the Colorado (and we collected 80 pairs of good sandals left at the river’s edge for the local Goodwill).

Good things are rolling in New York City. During the May Bike to Work Week, we supported Transportation Alternatives’ “Breakfast on the Bridges” – commuters who rode their bikes over any NYC bridge were rewarded with juice, java, water, and CLIF BARS. Did you know that cycling is the fastest growing mode of transportation in NYC? Over 650 lane-miles for bikes!

We sponsor Hawaii’s pre-Ironman Underwear Run by fueling nearly naked runners with natural nutrition.

Did you know?

•

In the 1960s, 90% of children who lived within a mile of their school Today? Only 31%.

walked or biked to school. •

Bicycles currently displace over 238 million gallons of gasoline per year by replacing car trips with bicycle trips.

T R A N S F O R M I N G T H E 2 1 S T C E N T U RY F O O D S Y S T E M

M O V I N G T O WA R D S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y WO R K I N G T O R E D U C E O U R E C O L O G I CA L F O O T P R I N T Clif Bar Sustainability Newsletter / Winter 2010

When Clif Bar & Company received an invitation to Washington, DC to address the question, “How can we drive change toward more

Welcome to the 2010 issue of Moving Toward Sustainability, celebrating nearly a decade of environmental work at Clif Bar & Company.

sustainable agriculture?” we jumped at the chance.

In honor of this ten-year milestone, I wanted to share a personal story from Nepal that deeply influenced my thoughts on business and

Elysa Hammond, Director of Environmental Stewardship

Gary Erickson, Co-Owner, Clif Bar & Company

The USDA defines organic agriculture as a system based on management practices that restore, maintain and enhance ecological harmony.

Gary trekking in Nepal in 1982, in front of Dhaulagiri

Literally tons of garbage is left behind at climbers’ base camps in the Himalayan Mountains. photo: Liesl Clark