Sustainable & Responsible Businesses - 2007 Recap

Each week we highlight a "Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week." We want to give you a broad picture of for-profit companies pursuing positive economic, environmental, and social impacts. Fortunately, the list is growing of companies that are models for success and which are leading change in this new era of sustainable business. To recap from 2007, here are our picks for Sustainable & Responsible Businesses of the Week:

• Keen Footwear



• Simple Shoes



• Nau, Inc.



• TOMS Shoes



• HtoO



• The Body Shop



• Working Assets (now CREDO Mobile)



• The Great Elephant Poo Poo Paper Company



• Peace Cereal



• ShoreBank



• William Good



• EDUN



• Eco-Libris



• Thanksgiving Coffee Company



• Free Range Studios



• Earth Class Mail



• FEED Projects



• Hotlips Pizza

If you are not familiar with these companies, read our posts and visit their websites! We look forward to highlighting more Sustainable & Responsible Businesses in the upcoming year and we hope you'll pledge to make your business more sustainable in 2008. "Because sustainable business is good business!"

Happy Holidays from your friends at Sustainable Business Design Consulting.

Hotlips Pizza - Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week

Hotlips Pizza is a family-owned 4-restaurant business in Portland OR. Hotlips Pizza uses as many locally-grown ingredients as possible, including wheat, vegetables, cheese, and meat. They track food miles, use LED lighting, deliver pizza by bicycle or electric car, use the heat from their pizza ovens to heat water, compost waste, and are exploring alternative fuel use for pizza ovens. Hotlips Pizza, founded in 1984, has been covered by Fortune Magazine and The Oregonian.

Have An Idea for a Solar-Powered Router for the BOP?

The Rockefeller Foundation is co-sponsoring a contest search for a design of a solar-powered wireless router composed of low-cost, readily available hardware and software components. This router is to become part of a reliable Internet communication network connecting metropolises and remote towns in developing countries. The challenge requires only a written proposal, the deadline for submissions is Janaury 28, 2008, and the prize is $20,000. To submit a proposal, you must register through InnoCentive (challenge 5644660).

Geek the Vote 2008

Popular Mechanics has compiled "Geek the Vote 2008," a list of links "to make it easier to compare leading presidential candidates on several issues" related to science and technology. The site offers coverage of the candidates' positions in 8 areas: automotive, digital/tech, energy/climate, environment, gun control, infrastructure, science/education, and space.

The Popular Mechanics Geek the Vote 2008 can offer you additional information on the candidates' positions to complement the list compiled by ONE on the candidates' positions on combating extreme poverty and global disease, the list compiled by Global Development Matters on the candidates' positions on global development issues, the list compiled by Grist on the candidates' environmental positions, and the list compiled by the League of Conservation Voters on the candidates' energy plans and policies.

Seeking Nominations for 2008 Recycling Awards

The American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) Recycling Awards' deadline for entries is January 31, 2008. The awards "were created to encourage and recognize outstanding programs that promote the recovery of high quality paper for recycling. In 2008 AF&PAwill recognize a business, a community, a school (K-12), and a college or university."

Visit their website for complete details and to read about last years' winners.

Don't Vacuum that Broken CFL!

Now that U.S. legislation has passed to phase out incandescent lightbulbs between 2012-2014, we can expect demand for CFL, LED, and other alternatives to increase.

One drawback for current CFL bulbs is that they contain hazardous mercury. Have you thought about what to do in case a bulb breaks? From the Maine Bureau of Remediation and Waste Management comes the following guidelines for cleaning up a broken CFL bulb.

"The most important thing to remember is to never use a vacuum. A standard vacuum will spread mercury containing dust throughout the area as well as potentially contaminating the vacuum. What you should do is:

• Keep people and pets away from the breakage area so that the mercury in the powder inside the bulb is not accidentally tracked into other areas.


• Ventilate the area by opening windows.


• Wear appropriate personal protective equipment, such as rubber gloves, safety glasses, old clothing or coveralls, and a dust mask (if you have one) to keep bulb dust and glass from being inhaled.


• Carefully remove the larger pieces and place them in a secure closed container, preferably a glass container with a metal screw top and gasket seal like a canning jar.


• Next, begin collecting the smaller pieces and dust. You can use a disposable broom and dustpan or two stiff pieces of paper to scoop up pieces.


• Put all material into the glass container. Pat the area with the sticky side of duct, packing or masking tape. Wipe the area with a damp cloth or paper towels to pick up fine particles.
  Put all waste and materials used to clean up the bulb in the glass container and label it “Universal Waste - broken lamp”.


• Take the container for recycling as universal waste. To determine where your town has made arrangements for recycling of this type of waste, call your town office or check out the Maine Department of Environmental Protection website at http://www.maine.gov/dep/rwm/hazardouswaste/uwmunicipalmaster.xls

The next time you replace a bulb, consider putting a drop cloth on the floor so that any accidental breakage can be easily cleaned up."

Additional information can be found at Energystar.gov.

San Francisco Carbon Fund Announced

San Francisco has become the first U.S. city to create "in-city carbon offsets to meet local carbon reduction goals. Rather than funding replanting tree farms in other hemispheres or investing in alternative power systems on the other side of the planet" the San Francisco Carbon Fund will fund local projects within the city. The project is expected to "support energy efficiency projects and solar panel installations for low-income housing, as well as biodiesel conversion programs that support the conversion of waste into fuel" through nonprofit organizations such as The San Francisco Biofuels Cooperative, GRID Alternatives, and Ecology Action.

"The San Francisco Carbon Fund will begin as a pilot program to offset emissions from municipal air travel, and will be expanded to San Francisco residents, businesses and visitors once the program infrastructure has been established. The fund will also provide City government, residents and businesses information regarding the true costs of carbon intensive activities."

Read the full stories in the San Francisco Chronicle and the California Chronicle.

Global Warming May Soon See Santa Don Shorts

From Yahoo! Green: ROVANIEMI, Finland (AFP) - If the most dire climate forecasts come true the tourism industry in Europe's far north, already feeling the effects of global warming, may find itself promoting a Santa in shorts and a camel-drawn sleigh.

Each year at the end of autumn, residents, shopkeepers, travel agencies, reindeer herders and even politicians in the Finnish Arctic town of Rovaniemi -- home to Santa Claus' Village, one of the biggest tourist attractions in Finland -- look to the skies in the hopes of a snowy winter.

"Everyone working in tourism here is worried. The past three or four years have been difficult for us," says Jarmo Kariniemi, owner of the Santa Claus' Office in Rovaniemi which each year attracts 340,000 visitors eager to meet the "real" Father Christmas.

This December, with only a few weeks to go before Christmas, there are only 20 centimeters (seven-and-a-half inches) of snow on the ground, just enough for snowmobiles and dog- and reindeer sleighs.

But the rivers and lakes, which normally freeze over in winter and are used to take tourists on snowmobile or sleigh rides, have not turned to ice yet, and that's bad news.

Tourism generates some 235 million euros (345 million dollars) of direct and indirect revenue in Finnish Lapland, of which about 60 percent comes during winter.

It is an enormous amount of money for the region, hit hard by high unemployment and the rural exodus to bigger towns.

Read the full story by Gael Branchereau here.

Seasons greetings to all my friends in Rovaniemi and at Rovaniemi Polytechnic.

Carbon Offsets & Renewable Energy Certificates Workshop

The Federal Trade Commission is hosting a public workshop, "Carbon Offsets and Renewable Energy Certificates," on January 8, 2008 in Washington DC. "The workshop will focus on consumer protection issues in these markets, such as consumer perception of carbon offset and REC advertising claims and substantiation for such claims. This workshop is one component of the Commission’s regulatory review of the Guides for the Use of Environmental Marketing Claims." Due to the increase in green advertising claims, the FTC is beginning an early regulatory review of the Guides, which have not been updated since 1998. A live webcast of the workshop will be available.

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Green-Collar Jobs Are Good Jobs

Green Collar Jobs: An Analysis of the Capacity of Green Businesses to Provide High Quality Jobs for Men and Women with Barriers to Employment is a report from the City of Berkeley’s Office of Energy and Sustainable Development and is authored by Professor Raquel Rivera Pinderhughes of San Francisco State University. The report identifies 22 sectors of the U.S. economy currently providing green collar employment and states that "placing job ready workers with barriers to employment in green collar jobs can be an effective way to provide low income people with access to good jobs that can lift these individuals and their families out of poverty."

Green collar jobs are expected to grow (Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency: Economic Drivers for the 21st Century predicts over 40 million green industry jobs by 2030; a four-fold increase in growth from 2006), yet Pinderhughes' report finds that "most firms are not adequately prepared to address the work force development issues that will accompany rapid growth. Seventy-three percent of the business owners/managers surveyed stated that there was a shortage of qualified green collar workers for their sector, with the greatest needs in energy, green building, mechanics, and bike repair."

You can read the executive summary here and the full report here.

Pinderhughes is a partner in the Green Jobs Campaign of the Ella Baker Center, founded by Van Jones. Jones was recently highlighted in the NY Times and TIME Magazine for his vision that the green collar job movement could help combat poverty in the U.S.

Emerging Opportunities in Carbon Markets Conference

Emerging Opportunities in Carbon Markets conference will be held in Miami Florida January 17 & 18. The conference is hosted by UK Trade & Investment at the British Consulate-General Miami and Environmental Finance Publications and will cover carbon emissions trading and the markets that have emerged as a result of climate change. According to the website, attendees will:

• Learn, from leading industry and government specialists, how to identify opportunities in carbon trading
• Discover how carbon emissions liabilities can be converted into financial assets
• Understand the potential for Clean Development Mechanism projects in Latin America
• Find out how the US can benefit from what’s happening in Europe
• Hear about other companies’ experiences in the voluntary US market
• Take advantage of many opportunities to network with other delegates and speakers throughout the conference especially at the drinks reception after day one

FEED Projects - Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week

FEED Projects is selling the FEED Bag. Your purchase of one bag will feed a child for an entire school year through the UN World Food Program.

From their website: "Our personal commitment to working against hunger is matched with a commitment to the environment and to safe and healthy working conditions for all we work with. FEED bags are made with sustainable materials and are designed to be used as an alternative to disposable paper and plastic bags. This environmental and fair labor commitment is an added value in all FEED products."

FEED bags can be purchased through their website (which redirects you to Amazon.com) or through TOMS Shoes' website, a company that donates a pair of shoes to children in need for each pair you purchase.

FEED Projects, LLC was started by Lauren Bush and Ellen Gustafson soley for the purpose of making and selling FEED bags to raise money to help feed the world's hungry children.

Jolly Green Santas

Green Santas will be on bicycle passing out gifts this weekend, Dec. 14-16, in London, Birmingham and Manchester. Gifts to be distributed to lucky shoppers include: energy-saving ECO kettles, "The Low Carbon Diet" book, and packs of Christmas tree seeds. Green Santas are sponsored by Together.com.

New Report: Joining the Fight Against Global Poverty

Joining the Fight Against Global Poverty: A Menu for Corporate Engagement, a new report from the Center for Global Development:

In the last decade more and more of the world's leading corporations have sought and found ways to join in the fight against global poverty. In an increasingly interdependent world, there are many opportunities to do good while doing well commercially. Yet the approaches taken, and the logic of different tactics by different companies, have not been much studied. This new report, based on interviews with 15 corporations that have been active in "development" work in poor countries, offers a menu of six approaches.

• Standards Compliance: adhering to high standards for workers' rights, environmental protection, or other development issues


• Charitable Giving: through a company foundation or by supporting public or non-profit charitable organizations


• Resource Engagement: directly contributing a company's goods or services


• Commercial Leverage: companies doing well by doing good


• Development Entrepreneurship: where an explicit commitment to the poor is the core business strategy


• Policy Advocacy: using the company's influence to improve the policy environment for development, in the host country or home country.

It also offers practical anecdotes about what has worked for corporations (and what hasn't), and explains some of the advantages companies have found in pursuing a developmental agenda, including reputational benefits and attracting informed customers. One of the guiding principles of the report is that companies bring much more to the table than money. Financial resources are often necessary, but corporations' skills, ideas, and ways of operating in the marketplace can make a much greater contribution.

Calling On All Consumers to Help Uncover Greenwashing

From EnviroMedia: EnviroMedia Social Marketing, a 10-year-old U.S.-based social marketing firm that works solely on environmental and public health issues, is calling on consumers around the globe to send examples of both good and bad green marketing campaigns to this Web site. EnviroMedia co-founders Kevin Tuerff and Valerie Davis are in Bali announcing the new effort, along with a global call for consumers to submit TV, print or online environmental ads they would like to see ranked on the new “EnviroMedia Greenwashing Index.”

“We’re calling for an end to greenwashing,” said EnviroMedia CEO Valerie Davis.

EnviroMedia will reveal a compilation of the consumer greenwashing submissions and illustrate how consumers believe the ads stack up on its Greenwashing Index on January 7, 2008, a day before the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) holds its "Eco in The Market" forum in Washington, D.C., to address green advertising claims. The FTC recently announced it will accelerate by one year a review of its environmental marketing guidelines, due to a rapid rise in green advertising.

Submit your greenwashing example, watch for the results on January 7, and cast your vote!

Business Planet Site Launched by World Bank Group

Business Planet website has now been launched by The World Bank Group.

"Business Planet maps flagship online databases of the World Bank Group that support private sector-led growth and financial market development in developing countries. It is an entry point to powerful data sources such as Doing Business, Enterprise Surveys, Financial Indicators, Privatization Database and Private Investment in Infrastructure Projects.
Business Planet features more than 20 maps that cover over 190 economies across issues like How easy it is to do business, How often firms are expected to bribe tax inspectors, and much more. "

What Is Your State's Carbon Footprint?

Which state has the highest carbon footprint? Or the lowest? You can find out at the interactive website of eRedux.com or by looking at their United States Carbon Footprint Tables. Vermont ranks best all around. My state doesn't rate so well in output by population or electricity usage, but does well in total carbon output. How does your state fare?

The Greening of U.S. Cities

More and more U.S. cities are announcing their "green" plans:

Chicago seeks to be known as "the green city." "Mayor Daley really has committed to making Chicago the greenest, most environmentally friendly city in the nation." Some of the initiatives proposed or underway:

• a green roof is required on all buildings that receive some city funding
• plant more trees
• the first hydrogen fueling station in the U.S., which will be used for city shuttle buses.
• four wind turbines have been installed atop one of the city's many skyscrapers.
• require all new public buildings to incorporate recycled or renewable materials and energy-saving green technologies
• green medians with natural grasses, mulch, flowers, and bushes
• quintupling bike lanes

New York City seeks to be "the first environmentally sustainable 21st-century city." Some of the initiatives proposed or underway:

• enclosed highways, more green space, river cleanup
• more energy efficient lighting on everything from the Brooklyn Bridge to the Rockefellar Christmas tree lights to the Times Square ball
• Yellow Cabs must go green

Los Angeles seeks to become “the greenest big city in America.” Some of the initiatives proposed or underway:

• use 20 per cent green energy by 2010
• pilot project where bio-solids from local sewage treatment plants are converted into clean energy
• requires all new public buildings to meet LEED standards
• mandated low flow toilets and showerheads for the entire city
• installing smart irrigation systems in parks, diverting more treated waste water from the oceans for outdoor use, and creating more green space with native trees and plants to absorb storm runoff to stave pollution of the ocean and the region’s groundwater
• building carpool lanes, making the city more bike-friendly and expanding public transport
• expansions to the light rail and subway system
• plant trees
• increased recycling programs and proposals to divert green waste to ethanol production facilities

Albuquerque seeks to be known as "one of America's most green-friendly cities." Their initiatives include:

• embraced the Kyoto targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions
• buy only alternative-fuel vehicles for the city fleet
• possible revisions to the building code to promote green-friendly homes and businesses
• more of the city government's energy use to come from wind or solar power

Berkeley, Oakland, Richmond and Emeryville, California will also work together to become "green."

California First in U.S. to Require Emissions Reporting

In a move many expected would soon come to the U.S., the first requirements have now been established for mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas emissions. Last week, the state of California announced that mandatory reporting will be required from "oil refineries, electricity generating plants, cement kilns and other major polluters. Under the new mandate, businesses will begin tracking their carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane emissions next year with the first report due to the state in 2009."

Read the full story here.

Turning Business Education on its Head (from Business Week)

BusinessWeek offers a story this week on the 180 Academy for executives, located in Copenhagen. "The program isn't anything like business school, where students focus largely on areas of their expertise. And that's the point. Conventional business education leads executives to build on their strengths—improving profit margins, boosting efficiency, and benchmarking the best practices of rivals. This school aims to teach midcareer executives something many think is unteachable: how to be innovative."

The Danish government is committed to fostering innovation as a necessary condition for competing in an increasingly globalized economy. "The academy is the latest in a series of initiatives from the country cited by a World Economic Forum report in March as the top nation for innovation leadership and government policy. It's an unusual national strategy that shows how seriously national officials are taking the power of innovation and creative thinking. (Britain also has a national program, Designing Demand (BusinessWeek.com, 10/3/2007), intended to foster innovation within small business.)"

Read the full BusinessWeek story here.

A Lightbulb Better Than CFL & It Lasts 35 Years!

I admit I love new technology and that's one of the things that makes the sustainability movement so exciting. But who can get excited over a lightbulb? The folks at Lemnis Lighting can!

Lemnis Lighting has introduced the new Pharox LED lightbulb (available for purchase in the U.S. through Upscale Lighting). But, you might ask, who would pay $59 USD for a lightbulb? Consider these facts about the Pharox LED bulb: one bulb has a lifetime equivalent to 50 incandescents or 8 compact flourescents, it lasts up to 50,000 hours or up to 35 years, it uses no mercury (unlike CFL), can be recycled, and it can save over $250 in energy costs during the lifetime of the bulb.

New CEO for Coca-Cola

Muhtar Kent, COO of Coca-Cola, has been named the new CEO, effective July 1, 2008. He will replace current CEO, Neville Isdell. Coca-Cola has recently encountered much controversy over their practices in Colombia and India, resulting in many boycotts and lost contracts. Mr. Kent's record with Coca-Cola is not unblemished (he was previously accused of insider trading) and it remains to be seen how he will handle Coca-Cola's corporate social responsiblity and environmental practices.

Is Your Candidate Dedicated to Reducing Poverty & Disease?

While several websites are tracking 2008 U.S. Presidential Candidates' positions on climate change and the environment, the ONE campaign has now posted the Candidates' plans to combat extreme poverty and global disease.

"ONE Vote '08 is an unprecedented, non-partisan campaign to make global health and extreme poverty foreign policy priorities in the 2008 presidential election."

The Presidential Candidates were asked to outline their plans for reversing the spread of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, eradicating malaria, improving child and maternal health, achieving universal primary education, improving access to food and clean water, and making additional commitments to the world's poor. You can view video responses from candidates, read public statements, and select Candidates for comparison.

GLOBE 2008 Trade Fair and Conference on Business and the Environment

The GLOBE 2008 biennial trade fair and conference on business and the environment will be held in Vancouver, BC, March 12-14, 2008. There are five conference themes: Corporate Sustainability, Climate Change & Energy, Finance & Sustainability, Building Better Cities, and Future of the Automotive Industry. The conference expects to attract more than 2000 attendees. A preliminary program is available online highlighting the planned workshops, panel discussions, and speakers. Early registration ($500 discount) ends December 14, 2007.

Richardson's New Energy Revolution to be Presented at Green XChange Conference

Gov. Bill Richardson, 2008 Presidential Candidate, will outline his proposal for a New Energy Revolution as the keynote speaker of the upcoming Global Marketplace Conference. The Green XChange Global Marketplace Conference will be held December 10-11 in Los Angeles CA. The conference "brings together leading private and public decision makers who buy, manufacture, sell, finance, endorse and legislate green technologies, products, innovations and services."

World Bank Launches "The Doing Business Blog"

The World Bank launched a new blog last month. "The Doing Business Blog is devoted to business regulation reform. For five years now, Doing Business has looked at the laws and regulations across economies and ranked them based on how easy they are for doing business. We believe that encouraging business is key to creating jobs and alleviating poverty." All of the Doing Business Blog authors are members of the World Bank Group.

100 Most Influential People in Business Ethics

Ethisphere has released their 2007 list of the 100 Most Influential People in Business Ethics. Topping the list is Neelie Kroes, the Dutch European Commissioner for Competition, who also made Forbes' 2007 list of The 100 Most Powerful Women.

Ethisphere states, "You may not agree with the politics, methods or actions of all of the people on the 100 Most Influential in Business Ethics for 2007. In fact you probably don’t. However, the bottom line is that all of these people influenced business ethics and resulting business behavior over the course of the year, whether that be influencing customers to demand ‘greener products’ from companies, to requiring greater disclosure by corporations about product safety, to forcing companies to look at their anti-bribery or anti-competitive compliance programs. All were influential somehow."

It's Here! Zopa USA

Zopa has officially launched their U.S. peer-to-peer (social) lending services and website. "Zopa is about connecting people who've got money with people who need money, and about doing good at the same time that you do do well." Zopa is one of several P2P lending services available.

Earth Class Mail - Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week

Can you imagine a life without all that annoying junk mail? Earth Class Mail can! By offering online post office boxes, "Earth Class Mail is changing how postal mail is delivered, for the betterment of individuals, businesses, national post offices, and most importantly – the planet. Instead of making physical postal deliveries which are so dependent on fuel for planes and trucks, we deliver postal mail online - where people can deal with it instantly, anywhere in the world."

How does it work? Customers "log-in to view pictures of their mail and decide what they want to do with each piece. For example, they can choose which pieces to have opened and scanned so they can read them online, and which to recycle, archive, or have sent to them in “snail mail” form wherever they are located." You can also identify certain pieces to automatically be delivered (such as bills).

Studies report that the average person recycles perhaps 20% of her mail, while Earth Class Mail customers recycle more than 90% of their mail. We expect to have recycled more than 5 tons of paper a month by the end of this year alone. In 2008, our goal is to recycle more than 200 tons of paper. For every ton of paper we recycle, we reduce the marginal air pollution generated by new paper production by 74%, and water pollution by 35%.

Give One, Get One Laptop Offer Extended!

So you missed the November 26 deadline for the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) Give One, Get One campaign? Good news! The offer has been extended through December 31, 2007 and, thanks to Shaping Youth (a forum for discussion on media and marketing's influence on kids), I have learned that T-Mobile will give U.S. customers one free year of wi-fi with their OLPC purchase.

For a donation of $399, one XO laptop will be sent to empower a child in a developing nation and one will be sent to the child in your life in recognition of your contribution. $200 of your donation is tax-deductible. You can read our original post on the OLPC campaign here.

Peer-to-Peer Lending Set to Expand in U.S.: Zopa Prepares for Launch

In an email announcement received today, Zopa plans to launch their social lending network in the U.S. in the next few days.

They also state that they "could use some borrowers to pound on the site, take out loans, and make sure all our bells and whistles are...ringing and whistling. If you were thinking of borrowing on Zopa, have good credit (FICO 640+), and are a U.S. resident 18 or over, drop us a line: mailto:questions@zopa.com?subject=Borrower_Testing."

From their email: " Some of the ways we'll be different from the sites that exist today:

• No risk for investors.


• Your funds will be federally insured. No more worrying about whether your borrowers will pay your loan back.


• Pick who you want to help.


• Investors will choose exactly who they want to help.


• Set your rate.


• Investors will choose how much they want to earn, up to a ceiling.


• No waiting.


• Borrowers will get their loans immediately upon approval.


• Lower your monthly payment.


• Borrowers can actually reduce their loan payments after they've borrowed. They'll do that using rich profiles... "

More information on Zopa can be found on their UK website and in a recent Wall Street Journal article. Our own brief coverage of the peer-to-peer (P2P) or social lending industry can be read in a previous post.

Kevin Rudd: New Leadership for Australia

Australia's newly elected Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, states that industrial relations and ratification of the Kyoto Protocol (an international agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions) will be his first priorities. "Rudd's decision to ratify Kyoto leaves the United States the only industrialized country not to have signed the pact." In addition to these priorities, Rudd has promised to pull Australia's 550 combat troops from Iraq in a phased withdrawal.

U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Fall

The Energy Information Association has released their report, "Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 2006." Among the key findings published in the report:

• Total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2006 were 1.5 percent below the 2005 total—the first annual drop since 2001 and only the third since 1990 (largely a result of reductions in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions)
• Relatively robust economic growth in 2006, at 2.9 percent, coupled with a 1.5-percent drop in total greenhouse gas emissions, led to the decrease in greenhouse gas intensity
• Some of the factors that led to the decrease (such as weather) are variable; others (such as increased use of renewable energy for electricity generation) may indicate trends that are likely to continue.
• The steady decrease in carbon intensity (carbon/GDP) has resulted mainly from reductions in energy use per unit of GDP (energy/GDP) rather than increased use of low-carbon fuels
• The important factors that contributed to a drop in carbon dioxide emissions in 2006 included: total energy consumption in 2006 that was 0.5 percent below the 2005 total—due in part to favorable weather conditions (both heating and cooling degree-days were below 2005 levels) and in part to higher energy prices that helped to dampen energy demand. A decline in the carbon intensity of electric power generation that resulted from increased use of natural gas, the least carbon-intensive fossil fuel, and greater reliance on non-fossil energy sources also contributed to the decrease.

According to a statement issued by President Bush today:
"I was pleased to receive the Energy Information Administration's final report today, which includes U.S. greenhouse gas emissions for 2006. The final report shows that emissions declined 1.5 percent from the 2005 level, while our economy grew 2.9 percent. That means greenhouse gas intensity - how much we emit per unit of economic activity - decreased by 4.2 percent, the largest annual improvement since 1985. This puts us well ahead of the goal I set in 2002 to reduce greenhouse gas intensity by 18 percent by 2012."

The Purpose Prize Nominations Are Now Open

The Purpose Prize is now accepting nominations through March 1, 2008. The Purpose Prize awards $100,000 to five outstanding social innovators over the age of 60 and is an initiative of Civic Ventures, a nonprofit founded in the late 1990s by social entrepreneur Marc Freedman.

Civic Ventures is reframing the debate about aging in America and redefining the second half of life as a source of social and individual renewal. Through research, publishing, conferences, and media outreach, Civic Ventures reports on the growth of the "experience movement." Through programs and consulting, Civic Ventures brings together older adults with a passion for service and helps stimulate opportunities for using their talents to advance the greater good. In these ways, Civic Ventures is helping America realize an experience dividend.

The first of 77 million baby boomers turned 60 in 2006. They are on the front edge of the largest, healthiest, best educated population of Americans ever to move through and beyond their fifties; they represent an extraordinary pool of social and human capital; and never before have so many people had so much knowledge-and so much time to use it. Unleashing this vast human potential is a social imperative.

Initiatives of Civic Ventures include:

• Experience Corps, a national service program for Americans over 55.
• The Next Chapter, an initiative that provides expertise and assistance to community groups across the country working to help people in the second half of life set a course, connect with peers, and find pathways to significant service.
• The Lead with Experience Campaign and The Purpose Prize, a three-year initiative to invest in older social innovators by recognizing outstanding achievements, creating a network of people wanting to use their retirement years for the greater good, and channeling funds and assistance to these new pioneers. The Purpose Prize is now accepting nominations through March 1, 2008 for outstanding social innovators over the age of 60.
• Still Working, a documentary project that profiles people working for the greater good in the second half of life.
• The MetLife Foundation/Civic Ventures BreakThrough Award is for innovative organizations that tap the passion and experience of people over 50 to improve society.
• The MetLife Foundation/Civic Ventures Community College Encore Career Grants are for innovative community colleges that are creating new ways for adults 50+ to transition to "encore careers" in education, healthcare and social services - all sectors facing critical labor shortages.

Toward Oversight of Voluntary Carbon Offsets

Voluntary carbon offsets remain a growing yet unregulated business and two additional efforts are underway to oversee the burgeoning field.

First is the recent announcement of a new Voluntary Carbon Standard (VCS) for carbon offsets is intended to boost the sector's credibility and help to drive rapid growth in voluntary offsetting. The VCS covers "reductions in all six gases regulated by Kyoto."

"Carbon offsetting is growing rapidly but remains controversial. The VCS aims to counter this by guaranteeing that certified offset projects reduce carbon emissions, and that reductions are measurable, additional, permanent, verified and are not double counted."

"Guarantees made about the VCS include: certified offsets will have environmental benefits, the VCS will stimulate greater innovation and investment in a wider range of low-carbon technologies without compromising environmental integrity, and the public will be able to access information on every VCS-approved offset project."

Second, the Federal Trade Commission has announced they will hold a free public workshop on January 8, 2008 in Washington DC "to examine the emerging market for carbon offsets (i.e., greenhouse gas emission reduction products) and renewable energy certificates, and related advertising claims. The workshop will focus on consumer protection issues in these markets, such as consumer perception of carbon offset and REC advertising claims and substantiation for such claims." A live webcast of the workshop will be available.

New Blog on Global Development Issues

A new blog, Global Development Matters, has been launched by the Center for Global Development.

"Global Development Matters is designed to engage U.S. citizens and leaders in examining how rich world policies affect global poverty reduction. As we make decisions on the eve of the 2008 U.S. presidential election, understanding the connection between global development and U.S. political choices is now more relevant than ever." You can read their updates on where the candidates stand on global development issues.

Carbon Management: Job & Education Growth

BusinessWeek reports that more business schools are addressing the topic of carbon through education in the classroom, tracking their own carbon footprints, or by purchasing carbon offsets. And Reuters reports that jobs in the global carbon market are expected to double over the next year and increase by 50 times by 2012, but they also state that jobs are "standing vacant because of a lack of suitable talent." Junior level jobs start at over $124,000 but can take 2 or 3 months to fill while senior level jobs start at over $310,000 plus bonus and can take up to 6 weeks to fill.

To meet growing demand and limited talent pools, a new MBA in Strategic Carbon Management program is starting. Billed as the world's first and only MBA in Strategic Carbon Management, the program is housed in the Norwich Business School at the University of East Anglia in the UK. The inaugural class begins in January 2008.

Free Range Studios - Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week

Free Range Studios is a full-service creative agency delivering progressive socially-minded messages for clients. Their website states, "We enable our clients to communicate key messages and empower individuals to transform society through the innovative use of digital media, storytelling, graphic design and strategy."

You may be familiar with some of their flash movies, Sam Suds, The Meatrix, Friends With Low Wages, Grocery Store Wars, Say No to Blood Diamonds, or their reports for Amnesty International, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, or the ACLU or any of their work with socially-conscious individuals, nonprofits, and businesses.

In addition to their socially-conscious creative work, they also seek to reduce their own environmental impact and give back to their communities through the use of triple bottom line accounting, 100% wind power, eco-printing, and other initiatives.

Black Friday is "Buy Nothing Day"

For those who desire a completely different approach to greening Black Friday, November 23 is "Buy Nothing Day." Here is a 30-second advertisement from adbusters.org

12 Ways to Green Your Black Friday (from The Daily Green)

From The Daily Green:

Black Friday...it’s the day after Thanksgiving that so many retailers rely on to help them go in the black by selling us on the need for salad shooters and other gadgets and gizmos for stuffing into stockings. It can be a fun day...and it can also be a green day with just a few ideas.

1. Car pool to the mall. Make it even more fun by shopping with a couple of family members or friends...it saves gas, reduces carbon and makes parking easier.

2. Buy American-Made. Not only does this reduce the chance of purchasing lead-laced toys, or lead jewelry, it reduces your personal carbon footprint by not buying products shipped in from far-away lands.

3. BYOB. Bring your own shopping bags. Don't laugh; everyone's doing it.

4. Skip the drive-through. Idling your car puts pollutants into the air. So don’t use the drive through; stop the car and walk into the fast food joint. Better yet, grab a salad at a locally-owned restaurant.

5. Shop local retailers. Support local stores run by local people. It's a way to support a thriving local economy; a very green concept whose time has come.

6. Shop online. The internet is open for business on everyday, including Black Friday, with plenty of deals and steals. (Expect the best Web deals Cyber Monday.)

7. Buy green gifts for the holidays. Support the manufacturers who are jumping on the sustainability train and look for the great new eco-items that are out there. From fragrances to clothes to home spa luxuries, you can find green alternatives to most things you are looking for.

8. Forget gift cards. The dormancy charges, the forgotten balances...and even the potential for fraud make these cards a bad deal for you. Plus, they’re often made of plastic and will live on in landfills for ever and ever.

9. Start a stay-at-home Friday family tradition. Keep the family thing going one more day. Stay home and make gifts, holiday treats, things to give that cost less and come from the heart.

10. Send holiday e-cards. Save a tree and save a stamp and send a holiday e-card. Your posse will be impressed and, Gramps, your kids will stop calling you a Luddite.

11. Give a starter kit of eco-friendly gifts. Put together a collection of goodies to help your friends and family members get started going green. Think of the very first green steps and include things such as: a collection of cfl light bulbs, a pound of organic fair trade coffee, a power strip for fighting the energy vampire at home, a tire pressure gauge, all put in a cool looking shopping tote bag they can use for their own grocery trips all year.

12. Spend less and donate more. Put the heart back into the holidays this year. Remember what you're celebrating by remembering the less fortunate. Wait 'til you see how it makes you feel!

Find this article at: http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/12-ways-to-green-your-black-friday-491119

A Green Thanksgiving for the Detroit Lions

After the parade, after the turkey, you'll sit down to watch...a carbon neutral football game?

On Thursday, November 22, the Detroit Lions and Ford Field will hold the first carbon neutral NFL game. They plan to offset 1,866,000 pounds of GHG/CO2 emissions in one day to cover the cars, jet, electricity, gas, and water expected to be used to attend the game. They will be purchasing offsets through Carbon Credit Environmental Services (CCES) of Detroit.

The Detroit Lions - Green Bay Packers game on Thursday, November 22 will be broadcast on FOX at 12:30pm (EST).

Thanksgiving Coffee Company - Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, it seemed appropriate that this week we highlight Thanksgiving Coffee Company. Based in California, they offer fair trade, organic, and kosher blends of coffee.

Their website states, "Our generation will always be faced with issues of sustainability, waste, and resource use. We recognize that it is in the best interest of our company to be actively involved in the environmental and social consequences of coffee consumption. These issues affect not just our employees and community, but also the millions of people involved in the cultivation, processing, transportation, trade, roasting, marketing, and sipping of coffee around the world. Our mission is to enhance the well-being of all we touch, from coffee picker to coffee drinker."

"Through our products and actions we communicate the values and ideals that are embodied in the name "Thanksgiving." We use the medium of coffee and the environmental and social responsibility issues it embodies to teach people how their purchases impact the rest of the world. We continually strive to improve our practices in order to model a new corporate paradigm that takes responsibility not only for current actions but for the future well-being of the whole planet."

Their motto: "Not Just a Cup, But a Just Cup"

One-Third of All Species 'At Risk'

According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the U.N. plans to release a report this weekend which declares that "Almost one-third of the world's species will face extinction if greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise."

The newspaper goes on to report, "A draft circulated ahead of the conference blames human activities for rising temperatures and says cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, mainly from burning fossil fuels, are needed to avert heat waves, melting glaciers and rising seas. The Synthesis Report, the fourth from the climate panel this year, is intended to inform negotiations on a new climate change treaty next month in Bali."

"The scientists will say that it is possible to halt global warming if the world's greenhouse gas emissions start to decline before 2015. This is highly unlikely. Emissions are projected to increase by up to 90 per cent by 2030 on present estimates, the report says."

"The study, to be published on Saturday, will warn that if emissions continue to rise without action being taken until 2050, then global average temperatures would rise by up to five degrees."

"Such an average rise would cause "significant extinctions", a decrease in cereal harvests everywhere and the flooding of 30 per cent of coastal wetlands."

Read the full story here.

Plug In...To Your Backpack

Bags and backpacks which generate solar power for handheld electronics are becoming quite popular. As the holiday shopping season approaches, here are some makers of solar-powered bags and backpacks:

Eclipse Solar Gear offers everything from backpacks, to camera bags, to bike bags, to coolers, to tackle bags, and more!

Voltaic Systems offers solar powered backpacks that generate enough power to charge handheld electronics.

Solar Gears offers solar powered bags.

Macro-Solar offers solar powered backpacks.

Reware offers a beach tote and various other bags.

So go ahead, plug in...to your backpack.

Newspaper "Green" Business Stories Already Doubled Over Last Year

According to a study released this week by the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism, "the number of “green” business stories published in the nation’s 10 largest newspapers this year has already doubled last year’s total." Other findings are that business editors do not believe that reader interest in the topic has peaked yet, all editors said that their sections ran such stories at least a couple of times a month, and nearly half said that business stories with a “green” angle of some sort appeared as often as once a week. The study was conducted by Stephen Doig and concludes "A significant shift is underway in coverage priorities."

You may recall that in August, Nielsen Buzz Metrics announced "Online Buzz on Environmental Issues Up 169% Versus Year Ago" and in April they announced "Blog Conversation on 'Sustainability' Doubles Over Last Year."

We also mentioned reports in a previous post that found "Students Want Green Jobs, Businesses Want Green Credentials, Business Schools Race to Bridge the Gap" and another post pointing out that the number of corporations announcing sustainability initiatives is growing everyday.

This is indeed an exciting time of transition as the movement toward sustainability continues.

Wal-Mart Releases "Sustainability Progress to Date" Report

Today Wal-Mart announced the release of "a comprehensive report of its sustainability efforts, outlining initiatives to improve the environment, health care, diversity, sourcing and highlighting the work of its foundation. The report discusses Wal-Mart's sustainability initiatives and defines the challenges, as well as goals, for moving forward."

"In an October 2005 speech titled "Twenty-First Century Leadership," Wal-Mart committed to three large sustainability goals: to be supplied 100 percent by renewable energy, to create zero waste, and to sell products that sustain our resources and the environment. The report examines the progress Wal-Mart has made toward those commitments and details how the company has worked to integrate sustainable practices into its supply chain, the products it sells, the lives of its associates and the communities where it operates and sources."

The report, entitled "Sustainability Progress to Date 2007-2008: We're making sustainability our business," covers their progress over the past two years since announcing their sustainability commitment.

Apply to Become a Kinship Conservation Fellow

Applications are now being accepted for Kinship Conservation Fellowships.

From their website: "Kinship is a ground-breaking environmental leadership program. Designed to serve as a mini-Green MBA, our intensive, month-long program combines leadership training with business and economic tools and fellowship in a dynamic community, while offering you time to develop your own project. With expertise in environmental economics and a wealth of on-the-ground experience in conservation projects, our elite faculty will mentor and guide your progress."

"Join a new generation of dedicated conservation leaders next summer as we explore market-based approaches and real solutions to the challenges of creating sustainable development for our environment."

Eighteen applicants will be selected to become Fellows. Deadline for applications is January 31, 2008.

Surprise! Biz Professors Make Good Executives, Study Suggests

A new study seeks to break the "familiar stereotype...that business professors cannot make it in the real world."

"Companies managed by former business school professors generated greater revenues per employee than companies managed by non-former business school professors," report the study's authors, Bin Jiang and Patrick J. Murphy of DePaul University. They add that "professors make especially valuable contributions as vice presidents in company top-management teams because their domain expertise corresponds to common functional business areas."

"The study, entitled 'Do Business School Professors Make Good Executive Managers?' is in the August-October issue of Academy of Management Perspectives."

Read the full Academy of Management press release here.

What Toxic Chemicals Are Inside Your Cell Phone?

In a previous post, we showed photographs of e-waste and provided links to e-cyclers. Here is a video that dismantles an iPhone to reveal the chemical components: bromine, chlorine, and phthalates, all of which are potentially toxic. So remember to recycle those old cell phones and your other electronic waste!

Eco-Libris - Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week

Booklovers and reading aficionados everywhere can buy an "offset" for every book they read. At Eco-Libris, the idea is simple: people can plant one tree for every book they read. The following information is taken from their website.

"We believe that taking responsibility for the environmental costs of the books we read is only natural. We strive for a world where reading books doesn’t have adverse effects on the environment, and therefore our mission is to make reading much more sustainable than it is today. Eventually (and hopefully sooner then later), books will be made from recycled paper or other eco-friendly materials. But till then, we can still do something to make the world greener."

"A tree (actually 1.3 trees - for example, 13 trees are planted for every 10 you pay for, as detailed below) will be planted by our planting partners (in a developing country) for every book you balance out. You will also receive an Eco-Libris sticker to put on your book and demonstrate your commitment to the environment, with the sticker saying "One Tree was planted for this book."'

"Since not all trees survive during their growth, we plant 1.3 trees for every tree you pay for - for example, 13 trees will be planted when you pay for 10 trees. In this way we significantly increase the chance that at least 10 trees will actually mature and live happily ever after. Currently, our planting partners plant trees in Nicaragua, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama (all in Central America) and Malawi (Africa). "

Eco-Libris is a service of Redwood Visions Consulting LLC, a private company based in California.

One Laptop Per Child Goes BOGO

Starting Monday, November 12 (and for two weeks only!), the nonprofit organization One Laptop Per Child is offering a buy one-give one (BOGO) promotion. "For $399, you will be purchasing two XO laptops—one that will be sent to empower a child to learn in a developing nation, and one that will be sent to your child at home."

The XO laptop is a computer built for learning and designed specifically with children in mind. For specifications and details on the computer, visit their website. This is the project that began as a quest for the $100 laptop.

Logo Design Competition for the UN Documentary Film Festival

Call for Entries:

Design the official logo for “Stories from the Field: The United Nations Documentary Film Festival,” a film festival to showcase documentaries which reflect one or more of the points contained in the Millennium Development Goals.

Prize: $5000

Deadline: November 26, 2007

Click here for more information.

Men Produce More Carbon Emissions Than Women

Men's lifestyles create more carbon emissions and contribute more to climate change than women's lifestlyes. This is the conclusion of a study presented at the UN Commission for Sustainable Development in May 2007. The study, "A study on gender equality as a prerequisite for sustainable development," was conducted by Gerd Johnsson-Latham.

"The purpose of the study is to bring out often-neglected facts concerning dissimilarities in the lifestyles and consumption patterns of women and men, and thus in their environmental impact, by describing how men, primarily through their greater mobility and more extensive travel, account for more carbon dioxide (COB2B) emissions than women, in both rich and poor countries. The study points to how a changed behavior among men – notably rich men who are decision-makers - can be crucial in addressing climate change and in enhancing the opportunities of all human beings to enjoy sustainable development."

You can read the full paper here.

Upcoming Webinars on Sustainability & Related Topics

Next week will be a busy one for online webinars on sustainabililty and related topics. Here are webinars offered by a variety of companies next week (a full list is maintained on our site):

• How to Achieve the Highest Levels of LEED Certification (November 13)
• Decision Making Using Life Cycle Analysis (November 13)
• Sustainability Consulting 101 (November 14)
• Emerging Trends in Green Building Products (November 14)
• Green Purchasing (November 15)
• Climate Change and Health Care (November 16)

Study Says Stock Prices Rise and Fall with Protest Coverage

From the Columbia Journalism Review: Media coverage of protests against publicly traded corporations affects stock prices. The more coverage, the more the price declines. This is the conclusion of two sociologists, anyway, in a paper to appear in the upcoming issue of Administrative Science Quarterly.

The paper, titled “Social Movements as Extra-institutional Entrepreneurs: The Effect of Protests on Stock Price Returns,” examines New York Times coverage of protests against public corporations, from 1962 to 1990. Co-authors Brayden G. King, of Brigham Young University, and Sarah A. Soule, of Cornell University, observed that stories on protests caused a stock price to fall between 0.4 and 1.0 percent, on average. Longer stories resulted in greater declines. Most of the drop happened the day of the protest and the day after it.

The size of the protest appeared not to matter. Neither did the use of boycotts. “What really matters,” King said in a telephone interview, “is that you’re able to gain media coverage.”

Read the full story here.

Hollywood Goes Green

"A NEW GENERATION OF HOLLYWOOD: PROMOTING CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY AND EARTH-FRIENDLY WORK AND LIFESTYLE CHOICES."

The entertainment industry is continuing the move toward sustainable business practices. The Hollywood Goes Green conference will be held December 11 & 12 in Hollywood, CA. Keynote speakers include Ed Bagley, Jr. (Living With Ed), Kevin Wall (Live Earth), Lauren Zalaznick (NBC Universal Green Council), and others as well as speakers from MTV, U.S. Green Building Council, Warner Music, Capitol Music, and more.

"Today, green is becoming a way of life within global entertainment business operations with industry icons Richard Branson and Rupert Murdoch committing their vast empires to the cause." According to the conference brochure, this is "the only summit on how the entertainment industry can implement corporate environmental strategies, make eco-sensitive choices, stay competitive... and set the green standard for companies everywhere."

The conference is hosted by iHollywood, which is organizing other related conferences:
January 5, Las Vegas, Tech Goes Green Breakfast
March 3-4, San Jose, Business Goes Green
April 2008, NYC, Business Goes Green
June 2008, Las Vegas, Tech Goes Green

Prahalad Named World's Most Influential Management Guru

CK Prahalad has been named the world's most influential living management guru. The Times Online has published The Thinkers 50, their biennial poll of the world's top 50 business thinkers. Prahalad is most recently known (along with Stuart Hart) for co-developing base of the pyramid strategies in their seminal 2002 article and for his best-selling book on the topic.

Of note on this year's list:

• Bill Gates is #2 on the list
• Alan Greenspan is #3 on the list
• Michael Porter, strategist, dropped to #4
• strategists are on the rise, capturing ten of the top 50 slots and accounting for four of the top ten
• there is also a rise of Indian thinkers
• Al Gore is #41 on the list
• there are only three women in the top 50, down from four last time

You can read the article here and see the list here.

Whole Foods Restricts Top Officials' Online Activities

According to the Wall Street Journal, Whole Foods Market Inc.'s board amended the company's code of business conduct last week to sharply restrict online activities by the grocer's officials. This was done in response to Founder & CEO, John Mackey's, online postings (under the psuedonym Rahodeb) about competitor and merger target Wild Oats (read the CNNMoney story).

The new code bars top executives and directors from posting messages about Whole Foods, its competitors or vendors on Internet forums that aren't sponsored by the natural-foods chain.

Studies Offer Insight Into Conscious Consumers' Purchases & Investments

Two studies have recently been released that may be of interest to readers: the "BBMG Conscious Consumer Report" (a national survey on purchasing behavior and social values) and "Carbon Beta© and Equity Performance: Moving From Disclosure to Performance" (a study that evaluates the relationship between a companies' climate change plan and their financial performance).

Among the key findings of the BBMG Conscious Consumer Report (by BBMG):

• Health and Safety is Most Important. Consumers’ most important issues are their personal health and safety, such as safe drinking water (90%), clean air (86%) and finding cures for diseases like cancer, AIDS and Alzheimers (84%). By comparison, only 63% describe global warming as the most or a very important issue.
• Greater than Green. Americans readily self-identify as “conscious consumers” (88% well, 37% very well), “socially responsible” (88% well, 39%very well) and “environmentally-friendly” (86% well, 34% very well). Fewer respondents self-identify as “green” (65% well, 18% very well), which is viewed as more exclusive.
• Beyond Convenience. When making purchases, convenience (34% very important) has been edged out by more socially relevant attributes: where a product is made (44% very important), how energy efficient it is (41% very important) and its health benefits (36% very important).
• Most Socially Responsible Companies? Whole Foods Market (22%) tops the list of the survey’s most socially responsible companies, followed byNewman’s Own (19%), Wal-Mart (18%), Burt’s Bees (17%) and General Electric, Johnson & Johnson and Ben & Jerry’s (all 16%).

Another interesting report just released is "Carbon Beta© and Equity Performance: Moving From Disclosure to Performance" (by Innovest).

Among the study’s key findings:

• Companies’ risk exposures to climate change varies widely, both between and even within different industry sectors and geographic regions
• Companies with the most robust risk management architecture and ability to seize competitive opportunities on the upside have tended to out-perform their same-sector peers financially over the past three years
• The “Carbon Beta© premium” for leading companies appears to be growing larger over time, as regulatory regimes tighten around the world
• Non-verified, company-provided information provides an extremely poor and limited basis for actual investment decisions. More in-depth company research is clearly required

DOE Seeks Entrepreneurs to Help Commercialize Clean Tech

The Department of Energy has announced their Entrepreneur in Residence program to work in one of three National Laboratories side-by-side with their researchers with the intent to help commercialize energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies.

"Selected entrepreneurs would conduct technology assessments, evaluate market opportunities, formulate preliminary business cases, and propose business structures for start-up enterprises, as well as recommend policy and business practice modifications to the National Laboratories to refine their approaches to moving technology into the commercial sector."

Deadline for applications is December 21, 2007.

Target Corp. to Further Reduce PVC Usage

According to the Wall Street Journal, Target Corporation has announced they will further reduce PVC usage in packaging and products. "PVC is made with vinyl chloride, which the Environmental Protection Agency has classified as a human carcinogen." The company's plan is "to identify PVC alternatives, efforts to make the company's place mat and table linen categories nearly phthalate-free by spring, and efforts to find PVC alternatives in most toy categories for fall 2008. The company said all children's lunch boxes and utensils in Target's own brands are now PVC-free."

For more information on PVC, check out this site by the Center for Health, Environment and Justice and the "Sam Suds" animated video.

November 10: Green Gatherings for Obama

This Saturday, November 10th, "supporters across the country will host Green Gatherings for Obama. The goal of the events will be to sign up new supporters while participating in an environmentally focused activity."

Hillary Clinton Releases Energy & Climate Plan

Hillary Clinton has released her plan to address the energy and climate crisis. Here is the Grist commentary: "It is thoughtful, comprehensive, and though disappointingly conventional in a few areas, inspiringly bold in others. With the release of Clinton's plan, all three Democratic frontrunners for the presidency now have visionary, far-reaching energy plans that would fundamentally reorient the country away from carbon-intensive energy and toward energy efficiency and renewables. It is difficult to think of a another policy issue on which the ground has shifted so far, so fast, and difficult to think of another policy issue on which the gulf between the two political parties is so vast and striking." Read the full review here.

In a previous post, I mentioned the list compiled by League of Conservation Voters on the "green" position of each of the presidential hopefuls. Grist has also published their own review of each of the candidates.

EDUN - Sustainable & Responsible Business of the Week

"EDUN is a socially conscious company launched by Ali Hewson and Bono with New York clothing designer Rogan Gregory. Our mission is to create beautiful clothing while fostering sustainable employment in developing areas of the world. EDUN is at the forefront of ethical fashion and organic clothing."

"In an effort to create a truly sustainable global community, EDUN has established the Conservation Cotton Initiative (CCI). The Initiative will work towards improving the livelihoods of communities in Africa by promoting greater investment in sustainable and ethical production of conservation-friendly agricultural products. CCI will focus in particular on cotton grown organically or through methods that are part of a transition from conventional to organic production. Another focus of CCI is to incorporate sustainable conservation agricultural practices and the protection of wildlife. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) currently works on sustainable conservation farming with farmers in Madagascar, Uganda and Zambia."

In addition to the EDUN retail collection, "edun LIVE is a B2B solution for anyone who wants ethically produced t-shirt blanks. Launched by Ali Hewson and Bono, our mission is to drive sustainable employment in sub-Saharan Africa through high-volume sales of blank t-shirts." As part of edun LIVE, they have created edun LIVE on campus, a partnership with Miami University of Ohio, to sell t-shirt blanks to campus organizations with the goal to eventually expand to additional campuses.

EDUN and edun LIVE products are currently produced in India, Peru, Tunisia, Kenya, Lesotho, Mauritius and Madagascar. They work with Verite for third-party monitoring and reporting of socially responsible business practices.

Use One Paper Towel - Help Reduce Waste Up To 80%

Did you think you needed a lesson on how to dry your hands? Well, CoolPeopleCare.org thinks you do! Did you know most people use 3-5 paper towels when drying their hands? If each of us could use just ONE paper towel to dry our hands, we could reduce waste by up to 80%. One towel...a better idea than one square.

Professionalizing the Sustainability Field

The field of sustainability is still in its infancy, it is growing rapidly, and it is still highly fragmented. Recognizing this, some folks are trying to bring a sense of community, professionalism, and standardization to the field. One group is the International Society of Sustainability Professionals, which is attempting to create a professional society for sustainability professionals, and another is the Balaton Group. Also, Alan AtKisson is working on a professional code of ethics and seeks your feedback on A DRAFT Professional Code of Ethics for Sustainability Professionals.