PricewaterhouseCoopers, an accounting firm, predicts the British Columbia forestry industry will post an after-tax loss of C$1 billion in 1998 (US $1.5 billion). They are under seige from environmental groups and are being advised to implement sustainable certification or lose markets. Home Depot, one of the largest purchasers, is also under the environmental NGO gun, and is converting to certified lumber.
The World Conservation Union has created the Economics of Biodiversity website website to enable people to use economics to promote and implement biodiversity and endangered species protection programs. Frank Vorhies: fwv@hq.iucn.org http://economics.iucn.org
The World Conservation Union has created the Economics of Biodiversity website to enable people to use economics to promote and implement biodiversity and endangered species protection programs. Frank Vorhies: fwv@hq.iucn.org http://economics.iucn.org
When the 70 employees of New Belgium Brewing (Colorado, U.S.) learned the CO2 the company creates from generating electricity is four times higher than the amount that can be recovered from beer fermentation, they voted unanimously to lower their bonuses and convert completely to wind power. Now the largest wind power purchaser in the U.S., the company will displace 1,000 tons of coal and four million pounds of CO2 emissions. A new wind turbine will be built in Wyoming to power the company. In Egypt, a 40 turbine windfarm will funnel wind through mountains along the Red Sea, with average speeds of 23 mph for 95 percent of the year (compared to speeds of 16 mph elsewhere). The extra velocity generates a three-fold increase in power and will generate electricity for the low price of $0.04 per kWh. The windfarm is being financed by German and Danish turbine manufacturers. Egyptian officials believe wind will generate 3% of demand by 2005, making it the world’s fifth biggest producer behind Germany, U.S., Denmark, and India. Egypt will soon be connected to Europe’s power grid, and can also export excess electricity. A 50-turbine windfarm in the desert of northern Chile will displace 3 […]
It’s called “Business Metabolics,” but this software is equally useful for communities who want to make resource efficiency and productivity a visible part of daily business decisions. It analyzes utility and other operating data; generate key indicators like resource productivity efficiency trends, and has other nifty features to optimize and benchmark environmental and economic performance. You can download a free demo: [sorry this link is no longer available]
The Spanish environment ministry released Spain’s first national forest strategy since 1957. It includes proposals to launch a reforestation programme and to create a national council to oversee forest management and produce an annual report on the state of Spain’s forests. The strategy will likely be approved within a year in consultation with regional governments, environmental groups and forest industries. Forests cover just over half of Spain’s land area, which is high by European Union standards, but eight percent suffers from soil erosion. World Wildlife Fund/ADENA is concerned that only five percent of its forests have sustainable management plans and the new strategy does not specify how new initiatives will be funded.
The Green Schools website offers teachers, students, and school administrators information on combining energy education with real energy savings. [sorry this link is no longer available]
Headed by Sainsbury of the UK, seven European supermarket chains from six countries formed a consortium to jointly source non-genetically modified (GM) food ingredients and additives. The European Union supermarket association, Eurocommerce, called this a move of “major significance.” “Many of our customers clearly want to choose GM-free food,” a Sainsbury spokesperson said. “We decided we could only be sure of eliminating GM derivatives by tracking ingredients all the way from the farmer’s field to the supermarket shelf and we would only get the buying power to do this by working together with supermarket chains in other European countries.” The supermarkets will make direct, long-term agreements with farmers who guarantee non-GM crops, and track them right through the production process. Sainsbury is examining foods containing soy oil and lecithin, neither of which yield to scientific testing for the presence of GM material. They will eliminate product lines when they cannot find alternatives to GM foods, including milk and meat products produced from animals fed on GM food. The other supermarkets are: Marks and Spencer (UK), Carrefour (France), Effelunga (Italy), Migros (Switzerland), Delhaize (Belgium) and Superquinn (Ireland). British food retailer, Iceland, reported a nine percent sales increase for one week when […]
How should corporations respond to calls to take wider responsibility and demonstrate accountability in the social arena? The World Business Council for Sustainable Development has released “Meeting Changing Expectations,” its first report on corporate social responsibility. Its case studies illustrate best practice examples. It was created through dialogue with business and its stakeholders including representatives from labor, academia, church, indigenous people, government, and NGOs. Christine Elleboode: elleboode@wbcsd.ch Download in PDF (lots of others too): [sorry this link is no longer available]
How should corporations respond to calls to take wider responsibility and demonstrate accountability in the social arena? The World Business Council for Sustainable Development has released “Meeting Changing Expectations,” its first report on corporate social responsibility. Its case studies illustrate best practice examples. It was created through dialogue with business and its stakeholders including representatives from labor, academia, church, indigenous people, government, and NGOs. Christine Elleboode: elleboode@wbcsd.ch Download in PDF (lots of others too): [sorry this link is no longer available]
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