- Home
- Articles posted by: Rona Fried (Page 2748)
Insurer RheinLand Versicherung is offering European customers car, home and business policies with an added attraction the ability to sequester CO2 to stem climate change and the possibility of future profits, too. Customers can buy shares in a reforestation project in Panama for 1,000 Euro (US$1,041) each. The Panamanian forest company Futuro Forestal, which is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council, will manage the forest until the trees are ready to be cut (about 25 years). If investors receive annual returns between 7-12 percent, as RheinLand predicts, a person with the minimum share in combination with car insurance will earn back the total cost of the insurance premiums for the period. RheinLand Versicherung: [sorry this link is no longer available]
Read More
At this writing, the WTO meeting is in mid-session. Not since the Vietnam War protests have so many thousands of Americans joined to voice their concerns and clamor for inclusion in negotiations that affect their lives. Washington state Governor Gary Locke proclaimed a state of emergency after environment and labor demonstrators blocked streets and delayed the opening of official proceedings. Seattle Mayor Paul Schell requested the assistance of the National Guard. Police used tear gas, pepper spray gas, rubber bullets and paintballs to clear key intersections and to push back crowds. The common charge from the 40,000 protesters be they engineers or teachers, farmers or environmentalists, is: WTO sponsored “trade liberalization is lowering standards for environmental protection, public health and food safety.” On the agenda: forest products, chemicals, medical equipment and scientific instruments, environmental goods, energy, fish, gems and jewelry, and toys. David Roberts, international economist at BancAmerica, expects the WTO talks to conclude with an amorphous statement that leads to a new round of global trade talks where negotiations will move toward a new global agreement in three to 10 years. Roberts thinks the protesters achieved one of their main goals: “They’ve put their foot in the door and […]
Read More
As of December 15, the first hybrid-electric car in the U.S. is available in west coast showrooms (east coast in January). The 2-seater Honda Insight costs $18,880 (manufacturer’s retail price). The “Boston Globe” calls it “the start of a potentially momentous change in America’s automobile culture.” At 61 mpg in the city and 70 mpg on the highway, the car earns the EPA’s top mileage rating ever. It also meets California’s stringent Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) standards. The Insight is the culmination of 40 years of Honda research into lighter, more fuel-efficient and cleaner-burning vehicle technologies. Its advanced aerodynamic design and aluminum body makes it almost 50 percent lighter than a comparable steel-bodied model. All the perks are there too: variable assist electric power steering, power windows, mirrors and door locks, stereo-cassette player, anti-lock brakes, a theft-deterrent system and remote keyless entry. Honda is marketing the Insight to three groups: people interested in high technology and concerned for the environment; the “sensible” family that can appreciate a high-mileage, fun commuter car that is good for the environment; and young, environmentally aware adults who are attracted to the distinctive styling. Visit EVWorld or the Honda Insight web site for specs […]
Read More
A new report from the National Environmental Trust argues the United States can meet more than 50 percent of its Kyoto Protocol required greenhouse gas reductions through simple, low- or no-cost improvements in energy efficiency in electricity generation, transportation, and other fields. They recommend increasing such efficiencies as: – coal and gas-fired power plants by 5-10 percent – vehicle fuel economy by 10 percent – replace 5 percent of gasoline-powered vehicles with alternative fuel vehicles – aircraft fuel efficiency by 10 percent – commercial/industrial lighting and cooling systems by 25 percent – standards for new appliances The full report is available at [sorry this link is no longer available]
Read More
The authors of Renewable Energy Policy Project’s, “Renewable Energy Policy Outside the United States,” contend that because “U.S. policymakers have chosen to reject strategies to commercialize renewable energy in favor of continued reliance on fossil fuels” U.S. renewable energy companies are losing ground to overseas companies. They assert, “Europeans have seized the lead” and Japan has “systematically laid the groundwork for a possible widescale deployment of renewable energy.” You will read about the governmental policies and market-driven incentives in Germany, the UK, The Netherlands, Denmark and Japan. They cover guaranteed electricity purchases, green labeling, consumer financing, supplier tax incentives, and competitive bidding measures. The report suggests that renewable energy technologies may soon join the list of innovations pioneered in America – but developed into competitive industries elsewhere. Download the report at: [sorry this link is no longer available] and click on “New Publications.”
Read More
Your email box is probably filled to the brim, but this new email newsletter is worth one more informational input. It’s an eclectic synthesis of thought provoking articles and resources that integrate the world of work and business in the Age of Possibility including: – ecological & social entrepreneurship – talent & capital – leadership & innovation – Internet & e-commerce – groundbreaking companies – courageous & amazing people The first issue included the abstract from Natural Capitalism on SustainableBusiness.com, “Robert Swan Brings Leaders to the Edge” from Fast Company, and “Neo-Business: Indicators of An New Emerging Paradigm” from Awakening Earth, among others. Todd Smith: todd@thebanyaneffect.com
Read More
After six years of research, policy experimentation and front-line observation, the World Bank’s New Ideas in Pollution Regulation team (NIPR) believe sustainable development is within reach. Although greening industry will take time, even the poorest countries can accomplish it. How? They recommend market-based incentives, a broad commitment to public environmental information, and targeted assistance to managers who are trying to improve environmental performance. The authors emphasize the importance of participatory regulation, where community representatives, government regulators and factory managers sit together at the negotiating table. The team invites the public to a seminar based on the report, “Greening Industry: New Roles for Communities, Markets, and Governments.” If you can’t attend the November 22nd event in Washington DC you can view the live webcast from 2-4:30PM Eastern Time on the NIPR website. You can download the report there too. It is also available in CD-ROM format. “Resources for Greening Industry” is an electronic version of the report packed with 500 files of background material. It is a reference for state-of-the-art research and tools on innovative industrial pollution control programs in the developing world. The seminar will focus on: the use of economic instruments; public information disclosure programs; promoting clean production by […]
Read More
Our Common Journey: A Pioneering Approach to Cooperative Environmental Management, authored by Paul De Jongh (project leader) and Sean Captain, is written like a hiker’s journal: it is a step-by-step insider account of how the very successful Dutch National Environmental Policy Plan was built by pulling together government, business, citizens, and activists to negotiate long-term deals on policy. Comparing policy-making to a hike, they learned “when to hit the trail and how much ground we could cover in a day. The trick is to decide on the absolute essentials and have the courage to pack nothing else… A little extra baggage is not a problem for a day hike; but it can become an excessive burden on a long trip. The ad hoc phase of policy was something akin to a day hike. Devising quick responses to individual problems, we only saw a small part of the trail ahead and didn’t worry about what was over the next hill.” When they took a more strategic, long term approach, “the weight of our many ad hoc policy tools became noticeable. To lighten the load, we had to share our [hiking] equipment by integrating our work with other departments. [sorry this link […]
Read More
A growing number of manufacturers are beginning to sell the use of their products, rather than the physical products themselves, a process the Tellus Institute calls “servicizing.” There is much talk of the potential environmental gains from this trend, but it has yet to be subjected to critical study. Do environmental gains always result from servicizing? Not necessarily, according to a Tellus Institute report that looks at the services provided by seven companies. It uncovers when there are environmental benefits from servicizing, what policy initiatives can encourage them, and whether this trend can lead to extended producer responsibility. Coro, Inc., a Herman Miller subsidiary, provides moving and reorganization services to its corporate customers, offering to take-back or trade-in furniture. Castrol Industrial offers its customers the option of using the chemicals they need without purchasing them. The company manages the procurement, inventory, storage etc. of chemicals and receives compensation based on cost savings rather than volume sold. Xerox sells “documents” rather than copy machines. It integrates document storage and reproduction technology with customer business systems providing them with automated, just-in-time, custom document production. Radian International (Dow Chemical), IBM, DuPont and Electrolux are the other companies profiled. Download the 90-page report, “Servicizing: […]
Read More
This guide can help you start a green builder program in your municipality or region. It surveys six green building programs – Austin, Metro Denver, Central New Mexico, Kitsap County and Clark County in Washington, and Suburban Maryland – comparing and analyzing each to determine the most effective requirements and incentives, as well as nitty gritty details like organizational structure and advertising budgets. It lays out the steps needed to create a program and includes a “Green Builder Program Template.” Download it (click on “Builder Programs”) or order it on CD-ROM or hard copy. If you are looking for sample contract documents and specification language for green building products, check out Ross Spiegel and Dru Meadow’s book, Green Building Materials: A Guide to Product Selection & Specification (1999: James Wiley & Sons). If it is the products themselves you are interested in, you will find an edited list of 1200 green building products in GreenSpec, produced by Environmental Building News. Listings include product descriptions, environmental characteristics, and contact information. http://www.ebuild.com
Read More
Page 2,748 of 2,804« First«...102030...2,7462,7472,7482,7492,750...2,7602,7702,780...»Last »
Loading...