African environmental businesses now have a home on the Internet to show off their products, at Ecobe.com. You’ll find a company that converts tires to shoes, renewable energy providers, eco-tour providers, waste solutions, and more. Ecobe EMS provides environmental management consulting off-line. Contact Lynton Burger and visit [sorry this link is no longer available]
The largest commercial fuel cell system in the U.S. now provides energy for the U.S. Postal Service in Anchorage, Alaska. This is the first time a fuel cell system has been integrated into an electric utility’s grid, with the ability to sell excess energy back to the grid. Chugach Electric Association, Alaska’s largest utility, installed the $5.5 million, one-megawatt system, which was manufactured by International Fuel Cells. 425 employees work at the Anchorage Mail Processing Center, the main sorting and distribution point for mail going into and out of Alaska, which operates 24 hours a day. It is located next to Anchorage International Airport. Heat recovery from the fuel cells will help provide space heating to the facility, increasing the overall fuel efficiency of the Postal Service Center. As a result, less fuel will be needed for conventional systems.
The Environmental Leadership Program offers three-year fellowships for future environmental leaders; students receive intensive leadership and skills training, mentoring, project seed money and technical assistance. Students have 3-10 years environmental experience and come from a broad spectrum of disciplines, professions, educational experiences, and cultural and ethnic backgrounds. Applications for the next class are due October 2nd. Contact: elpnet@mindspring.com or visit [sorry this link is no longer available].
“Lowe’s is setting the global standard for responsible wood policy.” This was Michael Brune’s reaction to Lowe’s Companies, Inc.’s sweeping policy announcements last month. He is the Old Growth Campaign Director for Rainforest Action Network, the non-profit group that convinced Home Depot, Menard’s, HomeBase, Lanoga, and Wickes Lumber to stop selling products made from remaining old growth forests. He said, “The end of old growth logging may soon be within our grasp, thanks in part to leadership from Lowe’s.” Lowe’s is the second largest U.S. home improvement retailer (the 15th largest U.S. retailer and 34th largest retailer worldwide) with over $4 billion in annual wood sales, and $15.9 billion in total sales for 1999. The company crafted its landmark lumber and wood product procurement policy in concert with environmental groups, scientists and suppliers. Mark Kauffman, Lowe’s senior vice president of Merchandising comments that some of these meetings represented the first time these groups were in the same room. “The result,” he says, “is a more balanced policy and what we hope will be a turning point for environmental discussions in the U.S.” Its “Healthy Forests Advisory Board” consists of environmental groups, environmental scientists, suppliers, certifiers and buyer groups and will […]
If your small business sells environmental products and services, you can attend a U.S. General Services Administration seminar to learn how to sell to the Feds. GSA purchases from small business amount to about $3 billion a year and run the gamut from office equipment and supplies, to furniture and paint, from vehicles to mail management service contracts. Charlotte, NC. 9/18 Honolulu, HI 10/12 Phoenix, AZ 11/8 San Antonio, TX 11/15 Seattle, WA. to be announced Contact: Johanna Roark or visit: [sorry this link is no longer available] [sorry this link is no longer available]
For the last two years, an international agreement to develop globally uniform vehicle standards under the aegis of the United Nations has been approved and waiting for ratification from the requisite eight countries. Russia is the eighth country to ratify it, following the U.S. (the first to sign), Canada, Japan, France, England, the European Union, Germany and Russia. The Republic of South Africa and Spain have signed the agreement, but still have to ratify it. The goal is to develop worldwide standards that increase energy efficiency and vehicle safety while reducing manufacturing costs. The agreement ensures the regulations developed will incorporate the best available, cost-effective technology and public health benefits. The resulting regulations will be available for any country to adopt and will be carried out according to that country’s regulatory process. The regulations cover all vehicles including farm equipment and will include standards for alternative fuel vehicles. The working group meets next this January in Geneva, Switzerland. Motorcycle emissions, electric vehicles, ways to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, and fuel quality are among the items on the agenda. World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations
In a survey commissioned by the Prince of Wales Business Leaders’ Forum – a leading UK non-profit in corporate responsibility – 100 opinion leaders from France, Germany and the UK expressed their views on the relevance of corporate social and environmental responsibility to business. Participants were people who directly influence the CSR agenda and publicly punish or reward performance in this area: institutional investors, financial and business media, regulators and leading NGOs. According to the report, “The survey provides vivid proof that CSR is not a passing fad but a legitimate and permanent feature of the business landscape.” Some of the key findings are: * Only 54% of opinion leaders cite ‘making profits’ as the most important business function. * 42% of opinion leaders agree strongly that CSR will increasingly affect share price. * When asked to define CSR, 71% said, “Leadership that looks beyond the short term.” 53% define it as “treating employees with respect” and 35% cite “environmental responsibility.” * Exemplary environmental performance is regarded as a minimum requirement; more attention to softer human relations is also necessary. * Charitable giving by companies is viewed with suspicion unless social and environmental stewardship is in place. The authors conclude […]
Ford committed to improving the fuel economy of the most profitable and problematic portion of its fleet -SUVs. As part of its “Cleaner, Safer, Sooner” campaign, the company will increase fuel economy in all SUVs by 25 percent by 2005. John DeCicco of the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy spoke highly of this move. “It changes the tenor of the public debate on fuel economy. “A five percent per year energy improvement over the next five years is only slightly less than the rate our studies identify as economically practical.” He notes that stronger CAFE standards remain necessary to ensure that similar technology and design improvements are made by all companies and in all market segments. The improvements go beyond either the European automakers’ joint commitments on fuel consumption or previous Congressional proposals calling for a 20 percent fuel economy increase within 5 years and a 40 percent increase over 10 years. About 70 percent of the fuel economy gains will be achieved through improvements in existing vehicle lines, including the application of advanced powertrain technologies, weight reduction, and improved aerodynamics. The other 30 percent of improvements will come from new market entries that have higher fuel economy. […]
Bristol-Myers Squibb received the top environmental performance rating among the 23 U.S. pharmaceutical companies from Innovest Strategies Value Advisors. Innovest ranks public companies by first analyzing over 60 criteria including: environmental management systems; emissions; compliance records; superfund site remediation; and corporate oversight. Then it looks at the top 12 companies’ stock performance over the past year. BMS was number one. The company also received the Green Star Award from the Environmental Action Coalition for urban environmental stewardship for reducing: water use (43%), fuel use (28%), worldwide electricity use (31%), greenhouse gas emissions (21%), ozone emissions (73%), solid waste (42%), toxic air emissions (92%) and toxic water emissions (93%).
Biodiesel, a fuel made from agricultural products and waste such as soybean oil and waste grease, is the first alternative fuel to pass the health effects testing requirements of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990. According to the National Biodiesel Board, “the tests show that biodiesel poses no health threats and its use results in a 90% reduction in air toxins. Biodiesel is non-toxic, biodegradable and is used in conventional diesel engines with little or no modifications.” Bus and truck fleets across the country are interested in biodiesel because they can satisfy Energy Policy Act alternative fuel requirements using conventional engines. The U.S. Department of Agriculture sees it as a way to stimulate industrial use of agricultural commodities. They propose spending up to $400 million over the next three years to pay bioenergy companies that increase their use of crops like barley, corn, oats, rice, wheat, and soybeans. Battelle includes bio-engineered crops for fuel in its forecast of the top ten energy innovations for 2010. Steve Millett, Thought Leader and manager of Battelle’s forecasts, predicts “We will grow gasoline, so to speak, to lessen our dependence on imported oil. With advances in DNA engineering, we will be able to […]
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