At this year's all-virtual Consumer Electronics Show (CES), consumer goods manufacturer Procter & Gamble is showcasing a new set of home technologies and products designed to tackle climate change, water use, and waste.
"What's great about CES this year is that we are very explicit about our sustainability innovation," Virginie Helias, chief sustainability officer at Procter & Gamble, told Cheddar.
The P&G LifeLab allows visitors to create an avatar to enter and explore a virtual platform. Inside are featured innovations such as Microban 24, a sanitizing spray that lasts a full day, and EC30, a water-activated cleaner that cuts out plastic packaging.
"People are seeing now the tangible effects of climate change on their lives," Helias said. "They are saying all over the world that climate change impacts their daily lives."
This awareness is leading to more people who want to reduce their own carbon footprint. Procter & Gamble is making the case that effort should begin in the home.
"When you have a footprint, it starts in your home. The water that you use, for instance, is the second highest source of greenhouse gas emission in your home."
The importance of water-use in fueling climate change is why P&G has launched the 50 Liter Home Coalition. Helias explained that a 10-minute shower uses about 100 liters of water, while the sustainable level is 50 liters per person each day.
"You can't have that without technology innovation that conserves water and allows the water to be recycled in the home," she said.
The LifeLab showcase reflects a steady evolution in P&G's product development.
Helias said she started in her role 10 years ago after pitching the position to the CEO. Since then, she's watched as sustainability became a central tenet of the company.
"At the time, it was nothing more than a department," she also told Cheddar. "Now it's a strategy. It's a built-in strategy in everything we do."
Of course, in the world of consumer goods, convenience and utility are still in P&G's pitch to consumers.
"In an era of mass disruption, consumers are increasingly relying on trusted, superior performing products to support their everyday lives," said Marc Pritchard, P&G chief brand officer, in a press release. "Our virtual P&G LifeLab Everyday demonstrates how technology fuels innovative products and how we are keeping ahead of this transformation, creating brands that make life a little bit easier, and the future a little bit brighter, each and every day."
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