PepsiCo recently worked with the Columbia Earth Institute to calculate the carbon footprint of some of its products. The company found that a 64-ounce container of its Tropicana Pure Premium Orange Juice has a life-cycle carbon footprint of 1.7 kilograms.
Tropicana's orange juice received Carbon Trust certification, becoming the first consumer brand in North America to do so, according to the company.
Growing the oranges was the biggest single source emission, responsible for about 60 percent of the orange juice's total carbon footprint. Transportation and distribution accounted for another 22 percent; packaging accounted for 15 percent; consumer use and disposal was responsible for the remaining three percent.
PepsiCo's interest in calculating the carbon footprint of its products began in England, reported The New York Times. In 2007, Walker, a PepsiCo brand, started publishing the carbon footprint of its potato chips both on the packaging and the website.
Earlier this month, PepsiCo published its fourth annual CSR report. Although the company renewed its commitments to recycling and launched a sustainable policy, it still trailed behind Coca-Cola and Anheuser Busch to come in third on As You Sow's Beverage Container Recycling Scorecard.