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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]
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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
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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 […]
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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. […]
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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%).
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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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Should carbon sequestation (using vegetation to absorb carbon) get the same credit as reducing emissions to meet a country’s Kyoto Protocol obligation? The U.S. argues it should; Europe is against it. The Gallon Letter published an Internet discussion amoung several scientists on the validity of sequestation. Folke Bohlin, professor, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Dept. of Forest Management: “Carbon sequestration in biomass (CSB) is a dead issue for three major reasons and many lesser ones. 1) Carbon sequestered in biomass will be let loose eventually. To start building “CO2 bombs” might be considered a desperate measure when all other avenues are closed, not now while we still can do more effective things like getting rid of the carbon altogether. 2) CSB is exceedingly expensive, the opportunity cost of not harvesting at the appropriate time is very costly. Nevertheless one can always find many cases when this opportunity cost is less obvious, e.g., on low producing “waste lands” in the tropics, or, in the forests left uncut in the North. Those waste lands are being used by for grazing or other purposes, and as soon as the timber price goes up those forests will be cut down.” 3) Even with millions […]
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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%).
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On June 13, Senator Bob Smith (R-NH) introduced the Energy Efficient Buildings Incentive Act (S.2718) to Congress. The bill would provide tax deductions for residential and commercial energy efficiency improvements: whole-building performance, PV systems, certified solar hot water systems, and high-performance water heaters, heat pumps, and central air conditioners. The proposed maximum deduction is $2.25 per square foot for commercial buildings, $2000 for principle residences that are 50% more energy efficient than the standard, and $500-$6000 for specific equipment. What makes this bill more compelling than other building efficiency legislation is its level of specificity and emphasis on building and equipment performance. It sets the stage for competition among suppliers of energy efficient equipment. Requiring third party certification for equipment and building performance will encourage market development of these service industries, which have long suffered from a lack of critical mass. It sets government-approved methods for estimating energy costs and savings and as well as methods to incorporate this value into property assessments. The standard for certification of solar hot water systems will come from the Solar Rating and Certification Corporation; for PV systems, the bill cites two ASTM standards. The Department of Energy will be required to set standards […]
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Use of recycled paper in Europe has increased by 55 percent since the early 1990s. Recycled paper now accounts for 25 percent of papermaking capacity in Europe. The increase is attributed to citizen pressure.
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