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All those businesses and other organizations that are pursuing corporate social responsibility need not worry, according to a supplement to The Wall Street Journal. In fact, says the Journal, it might be making problems worse. Also Sustainable – Kraft, Procter & Gamble, Spring, and the consulting firm Ernst & Young apparently have not gotten the news directly above yet. Find their latest responsible moves this week.
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What do you know about life cycle assessments (LCAs) and life cycle inventories (LCIs)? You’ll know more, and soon. Plus: Sustainability metrics that corporations can put to use, including benchmarking, boosting accountability & communicating. Also Sustainable – EcoHome provided its readers with 12 questions to ask before choosing a green building product; how would your company answer
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Perhaps you never thought about the business of Steelcase as being radical, but that’s the vision the company has outlined on sustainability. In a Q&A, a Steelcase exec outlines efforts at “ongoing learning” and “understanding lifecycle impacts.” Also of Sustenance – UL Environment 880 has been proposed, with an impact coming for manufacturing plants. And: Fighting climate change with old laws.
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Public policy on electronic waste is often confusing. What does the FTC care about when it comes to greenwashing? Plus, a look at what it takes for companies that make things to get into the green product business, one way or another. Also of Sustenance – what’s next in corporate sustainability? One opinion: Smart Grid technology, transparency and data-sharing, and personal options.
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What do you know about compostable packaging? Well, the time comes for everything, and it has come for that. Does that mean consumer behavior will change? Follow the links to learn more. Also of Sustenance – what is Walmart doing to its suppliers? How does that differ from what Procter & Gamble is now demanding from its suppliers?
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You might want to cover your eyes for this week’s e-waste report. It turns out that a seemingly intelligent program in California is riddled with . . . fraud. And an article from GreenBiz calls for regulation and enforcement. Also of Sustenance – a progress report on the effort to formalize the C2C movement; and 10 tips for savvy shopping for a green certification.
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There’s a famous company out there, with a connection to Edison himself, that’s working to turn a Western city into “an icon of sustainability.” What’s planned, and what does it all mean? Plus, what Ball Corp. and Kroger Co. have been up to lately. Also of Sustenance – can you be any more inefficient than the nation’s airports and airlines? It’s worth pondering. And: City mayors take a stand on packaging.
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“Executives who have access to budgets . . . do not fully understand what sustainable means,” according to one source. Do some people think “green” means sacrifice? And: 12% of corporate types said energy efficiency is very important. Also of Sustenance – attendees at healthcare seminars were asked what comes first. Also: Politicians & green supply chains.
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Can you put your finger on the “triple bottom line” of corporate sustainability? It’s “economic, environmental, and social performance,” you’ll learn here – from an item that looks at how corporations can improve their sustainability reporting. Also of Sustenance: What’s Staples doing with Entrepreneur.com? Why is Walgreens targeting cell phones + printer cartridges for recycling?
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Can we have a more green and sustainable society? And, if so, what will it cost? The EPA has the answer: Being sustainable will cost the average American household no more than $146 annually [for the American Power Act]. Also of Sustenance – three items from UPS, including this one about shipping and packaging: If your package is damaged, it’s not sustainable!
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Kaiser Permanente is focused on the idea of a Sustainability Scorecard. But it’s not the only one buying green: So are consumers, and a study looks at which retailers are catering to that crowd. Also in Sustainability: A light shade of teal – legislation passed narrowly by California’s assembly bans grocery and other stores from distributing, free, single-use plastic AND paper bags.
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What is digital sustainability? Why does measuring green projects seem to be difficult for corporations? Also of Sustenance – News just arrived that UL Environment is working on a global sustainability standard for corporations.
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Maybe you like Walmart; maybe you don’t. But it’s clear that the company is THE corporation that’s blazing the trail on sustainability. Five items, including notes from Walmart’s own sustainability report, discuss what’s working and what’s not. Also Sustainable: What can you do about sustainability? The author of The Sustainable MBA put her thoughts down for a website; we summarize them.
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The principles set forth by William McDonough, the high-profile green activist and co-author of the book “Cradle To Cradle,” seem to be getting new life via the Green Products Innovation Institute. In other book news, find info on Greenovate! Also of Sustenance – Sharp Solar went after green branding. Did it work? No, says one blogger. Plus: A video on “socially responsible remodeling,” Green Seal, and more.
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No company can be sustainable without greening its own supply chain – and just about every organization has a supply chain. So how do you go about doing just that? Ideas presented here include how Walmart went about the job in China. Also of Sustenance – someone has detected a growing relationship between executive pay and environmental metrics – so watch out. Plus, a look at green PR.
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Retailer should get ready, according to two consultants, for the carbon police. More creatively, a marketer takes a look at how “green brands” happened in the 1960s & 1970s. And Procter & Gamble is now following the path blazed by Walmart! Also of Sustenance – having trouble explaining sustainability to a corporate type? Try asking this question: Would you rather fire an employee or a kilowatt?
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The Business Roundtable brought together 97 CEOs to detail what their companies are doing on sustainability; a few, including guys from Honeywell and Siemens, even sat for video interviews. Also: Did you know that Coke was rolling out a “Plantbottle” . . . ? Also Sustinable-ized – 30 ways to green your office including your favorite: “Install motion sensors.” Plus, a look at retailers bullying suppliers on sustainability.
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Did you know that PepsiCo has become “the latest company to roll back its participation in the voluntary carbon market in favor of direct action?” A new trend? Also, P&G names nine sustainability advisors. Sussing out retail trends –at least one Office Depot offered a “Green Makeover” in a contest; Target now has recycling bins in all 1,700+ of its stores.
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In an unaided-recall question, 64% of Americans are “incapable of naming a single company they consider to be green.” Those that can remember something spout the word “Walmart.” That’s the same result in another survey – of corporate execs. Also of Sustenance – opinion pieces offer “green is over,” how to manage your reputation, how to measure your green ROI, and “accidental to purposeful.”
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Find a roundup of green-supply-chain articles, including what IBM is doing. Also discover why utility supply chain participants ignore GHG emissions. Also of Sustenance – HP cuts its GHGs by 10%. Google fights a data center standard idea. And: What is GreenXchange, and who’s in.
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When presented with the notion of “aggressive” recycling, the shareholders of a familiar business voted it down. And: A look inside what Walmart is doing on sustainability with its “associates.” Plus: 2nd careers in green. Also of Sustenance – a typer’s tip: If you print documents in Arial – instead of Century Gothic – you’re wasting resources.
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Despite the recession, 35% of people responding to a survey said they would still pay more for green products. Another survey in Oregon found “a sizeable gap” between people who think green and the way those people tend to follow through. Also of Sustenance – two videos on the topic, and a list of green certification bodies.
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Packaging is on the agenda – if you want to be sustainable – and apparently AT&T and Cisco Systems, at the very least, do have such desires. Thinking inside the box pays off for a corrugated supplier. And: Recycling troubles caused by bogus (PET) plastic bottles. Also of Sustenance – there’s a lot going on in California, of course, but the Mayor wants to tack a carbon surcharge onto utility bills (as if this will make coal go away?).
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‘Massive Carbon Banks’ No, we’re not talking Citibank or Bank of America. We’re talking “the thick, wet forests of the Pacific Northwest” which, according to the LA Times’ Greenspace, “are the carbon storage powerhouses of the U.S.” See map
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Business wasn’t so great in 2008 – and the result is a huge year-over-year drop in greenhouse gas emissions, according to EPA. Who’s more “tuned in” to climate change and its dangers, older Americans or younger? Plus: Shareholders on the attack! Also of Sustenance – office equipment that will save energy; a video offers specifics on cutting office energy use & waste; and becoming a Cool Corporate Citizen.
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It’s widely recognized that while technology can help on the green/sustainable front, the real challenge is changing consumer behavior. An article looking at that goes back to lessons learned from the awful efforts to get people to buy CFLs! Also of Sustenance – Will efforts to change consumer packaging routines have an impact on your company?
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If you could build a house for $99,000, and use green considerations in designing it, you’d have an affordable, sustainable house, the AIA said. If a company wants to “green” itself, there’s no better way than to educate and engage employees, a Foundation said. Also of Sustenance – Texas doesn’t like what EPA plans to do on greenhouse gases (overlook the fact that Massachusetts sued the EPA to get it to regulate GHGs).
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By Joe Salimando, from the Winter 2010 tED GreenRoom Supplement.
Some say the United States is en route to 100 million plug-in electric vehicles. But how will we get from here to there?
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By Darlene Bremer, from the Winter 2010 tED GreenRoom Supplement.
LEED 2009 IS ONE of the three major components that make up LEED
Version 3, which was launched in April 2009. The changes made to the
rating system reflect the rapid advancements in building science and
technology and provide incentives for developing strategies that will
have a greater positive impact on energy efficiency and carbon dioxide
emissions.
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By Darlene Bremer, from the Winter 2010 tED GreenRoom Supplement.
Once considered a luxury reserved for the rich, environmentally
friendly homes are becoming more accessible to middle-class Americans.
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Businesses, if they do nothing, could be negatively and drastically impacted, according to one source. Plus, a look at the various sustainability rankings that are out there from a blogger – who says you’ve got to dig beneath the surface to figure out if there’s value. Also of Sustenance – trends in corporate sustainability reporting. A video Q&A with a residential architect. And advice on what CIOs might do on the green front.
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Executives who run the companies that are household names – understandably – feel that they have to get in on the green/sustainable thing. Result: This week’s report includes info on the makers of Budweiser and M&Ms, as well as an update on Nike’s efforts. Also of Sustenance – there are seven things you need to do to be a sustainable company; the Top 10 Sustainable CEOs; and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Initiative.
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Do you know how to find the “greenest” E-waste recycler? Can you imagine that a valuable assist to the miserable thousands in Haiti might come from solar-powered lighting? Will you get in on what the Girl Scouts are doing with the USGBC? Also of Sustenance – Green Power Partners (EPA program), local bonus points in LEED, and certifications (Green Building Initiative) for 15 VA medical centers.
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You can recreate the wheel on sustainability, or you can follow trails blazed by others and save some time and effort. This week GreenRoom offers resources on avoiding mistakes in green marketing, how to fabricate a corporate sustainable report, and more. Also of Sustenance – the Securities & Exchange Commission now says that, if climate change poses risks to a company, that company must talk about it.
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Manufacturing green and sustainable products is one subject to think about; so is the need to come to a consensus on what the phrase “sustainable packaging” might actually mean. Plus, sustainability officers are working their way into the higher corporate echelons. More Sustenance –how about trying on the concept of “reducing energy waste” as a part of the sustainability equation. And: There’s no green without innovation.
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Did you know that Walmart is turning used cardboard into pizza boxes? That the 2nd in a series of “sustainability how-to guides” is about Energy Star’s Portfolio Manager? That there are two types of sustainable packaging – prompting a debate? Also of Sustenance – 40% of responding executives said their organizations were doing great on sustainability (but how are their pizzas delivered?, one wonders)
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Seven challenges for sustainability, eight benefits of sustainability for corporations, and the 11 states that will follow California on the low-carbon fuel standard. Plus, 12 drummers drumming (oh, isn’t that from the season just past?). And: Green marketing. Also of Sustenance – renewable energy as a solution for LEED-EB certification, the pressures driving sustainability initiatives; and what one consultant says.
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More on what happened in Copenhagen – and the aftermath. Included: After COP 15, what’s the outlook for business? Why the renewable energy people think the event’s failure might mean success for them. Also of Sustenance – find a review of a new ULI publication talking about renovating existing buildings to reduce emissions; and the U.S. audits the tax code!
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Soon, representatives of the democracies and cronies of the world’s dictators will get tired of meeting in Copenhagen. Until then, we’ve videos, opinions, and daily reports on what’s gone on there . . . which one is tempted to summarize as “not so doggone much.” Also of Sustenance – RenewableEnergyFocus staffers (bloggers) have their say on COP15. Also: Some perspective on ClimateGate’s e-mails.
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We’re at the midpoint of the 12-day 15th annual meeting on climate change – in Copenhagen, perhaps you’ve heard about it? – and you can get as deeply into reports on the event as you like. Plus: The EPA action on greenhouse gases is a landmark event. Also of Sustenance – you’ll find nine opinion pieces on climate change, “ClimateGate,” and the Copenhagen meetings, from sources on many sides of these issues.
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Do you know what “Climategate” is, or may become? It’s the hottest topic on the green front these days, it’s probably not a positive for “climate change” believers – and it has grabbed the headlines just before the big international meeting in Copenhagen. Also Sustainable – if all facts aren’t being altered, and some things might still be worrisome, does the early-2010 jump above the 390ppm level in CO2 matter?
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Have climate scientists manipulated data and “faked” global warming? That’s the word. Unrelated to that (it came earlier), a study finds the number of Americans who think global temperatures are rising has dropped, in one year, from 71% to 57%. Also of Sustenance – the oceans are letting us down (they’re absorbing less carbon, which is a bad thing – unless this, too, is a lie); top sustainable retailers
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Only 13% of the 322 colleges rated by an Institute that . . . well, it annually rates the greenness of colleges . . . posted any sort of decline in the past year. Plus, does using bamboo for packaging seem a fringe thing? Not to the computer-maker Dell! Also of Sustenance – the AIA says the green home marketplace is maturing. And a small home builder with a classy name claims to have offset 100% of its emissions.
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Are you aware of the “stabilization wedge?” The idea’s originator discussed it. How about the Good Housekeeping Green Seal – is it worthwhile? And perhaps you’re not aware of the upcoming webinar on Walmart’s “sustainability consortium.” Also of Sustenance – sustainable design, one source says, is about operating costs. And: Take care when using the word “sustainability.” Plus a survey’s results.
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Everyone has opinions, but with sustainability still a relatively young (and not yet clearly delineated) concept, you’ll want to read what Kathrin Winkler advises about turning it into a “core value.” See also the video from SAP’s sustainability guy. Also of Sustenance – you might be asked questions, along the lines of what Walmart is putting its suppliers through (or is planning to do). Some things to consider.
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Is climate change less important in the real estate market in these days of economic misery? Maybe. But: Is climate change more important (at least in marketing terms) to corporations, with the Waxman-Markey legislation lurking in the background? Perhaps. Also of Sustenance – do the math; inefficiencies just multiply themselves into the average data center, according to one piece. Plus: One hotel engineer’s green take.
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Banana packaging at your local convenience store comes in for criticism. There’s a “Responsible Package” initiative underway. And if you’re a customer of UPS, you can now spend a nickel (or four of ‘em) to offset emissions generated by shipping a package. Also of Sustenance – on Climate Change: a blogger for construction’s leading magazine takes on skeptics and Industry Week’s editor looks at both sides of the issue.
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By Jan Niehaus from the October 2009 issue of tED magazine.
The rising and unpredictable cost of energy, which is at the
heart of today’s economic turmoil, would typically lead building owners
and managers to clutch their cash. Instead, in a curious twist, it has
prompted a flurry of capital investment on college and university
campuses.
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Is buying green a buzzword? Did any CEO you know win one of the awards from CRO magazine? Did you know that the green supply chain starts in China (where else?) – and what can anybody do about it? And what does Ted Turner say about sustainability? Also of Sustenance – Walmart’s continuing efforts to make itself green (or at least to appear greener) include a grant to the World Resources Institute.
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Can manufacturing be made a lot more sustainable? Yes, of course! Perspectives linked this week include one short-termish angle from ARC Advisory Group and a long-term look from a Berkeley professor. Also of Sustenance – resources include links to an update page on historic preservation on the WBDG site, six free pubs from BD&C, and a USGBC download.