Innovation is the Future of Canadian Cleantech

Canada has performed well over the last few years. The country looks particularly good when compared to many other nations which suffered tremendously after the recession of 2007 & 2008. Although Canada's ruling Conservatives may try to take the credit, the nation's economic strength is attributable to the market demand for Canada's abundant natural resources like oil and potash.

Global Growth of Cleantech 2007-2020

There is a growing interest in green innovation. Investors are increasingly interested in investing in cleantech, particularly innovative green technology. Over the course of the last five years cleantech has grown tremendously.

Tell the G20 to End Fossil Fuel Subsidies Now

Our tax dollars are being used to subsidize massive oil companies that are making astronomical profits. Big Oil is not only responsible for climate change they are using their record-breaking profits on massive misinformation campaigns and political influence. A growing number of people are seeking to put an end to this $600 billion dollar a year travesty. One of those groups is Avaaz.org, they are organizing a protest against Big Oil when the G20 convenes in Washington and a petition to put an end to fossil fuel subsidies. The following is an excerpt of an Avaaz.org article and call to action called Paid to Pollute:

Cry Wolf: An Unethical Oil Story

As reported in Desmogblog over the last several months, Alberta has killed more than 500 wolves using aerial sharpshooters and poisoned bait in order to conceal the impact of rapid industrial development on Canada’s iconic woodland caribou.

Consumers Skeptical of Environmental Claims

Americans are interested in the facts about a product's environmental claims but have little faith. They are however swayed by certain eco-labels. These findings have important implications for the marketing of sustainability efforts.

Don't Count on the Young to Save the Planet

Many believe that the young are more environmentally oriented, but according to new research this is simply not true. A new study suggests that young people are not concerned about the environment. This research has important implications for the planet and for marketers. Not only are younger people unlikely to work towards a more sustainable future they may also be unlikely to use their buying power to invest in that future.

The Biofuels Pipedream

First generation biofuels have been widely criticized, but even second, third and fourth generation biofuels have uncertain technical, economic and environmental viability. A full assessment of the environmental costs of biofuels reveals that the vast majority do not make sense. For biofuels to be a truly feasible alternative to oil, life cycle analysis must take into account not only CO2, but all the associated environmental impacts. The total environmental impacts of biofuel go far beyond the GHGs released by combustion, they must include a host of factors including the impacts they have on biodiversity.

PLANTERS Presents 'The Sustainability Journey: African Cashew Farmers' (Video)

Coca-Cola Sustainability Journey: Brian Kelley, Chief Product Supply Officer, Coca-Cola (Video)

Unilever Sustainability Journey: Go Big or Go Home

Unilever's efforts are extraordinary if for no other reason than the sheer scale of its sustainability ambitions. By 2020, the company, with annual revenues exceeding $63 billion, plans to cut its massive environmental footprint in half through its Sustainable Living Plan.

Bluehorse Associates Sustainability Journey: Doing It for the Money

Bluehorse is a pioneer in the sustainability metrics field and they understand how bottom line concerns are driving sustainability. They specialize in delivering ground-breaking tools that provide decision makers with clear, usable information for their business and products.

Berg Engineering Consultants Ltd. Sustainability Journey: Be Proactive

Green is also growing in the building sector. As reported in the Daily Herald Business Ledger, The green market was 2 percent of nonresidential construction starts in 2005; 12 percent in 2008; and grew to 28-35 percent in 2010. By 2015, an estimated 40-48 percent of new nonresidential construction will be green. Experts say green building will support 7.9 million U.S. jobs and pump $554 million into the U.S. economy over the next four years.

Aramark Sustainability Journey: Training a Workforce

Securing qualified employees is amongst Aramark's key sustainability initiatives. Aramark has launched an Environmental Internship Program designed to meet a growing need for employees who have a practical understanding of environmental initiatives plus fundamental business knowledge.

PPR Home's Sustainability Journey: Innovative Metrics Shed Light on Supply Chains

PPR Home is the parent company of some of the world's biggest luxury and sporting brands, including Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, and PUMA, are embarking on one of the world's most ambitious green accounting programs. PPR Home has announced that it will adopt a group environmental profit and loss statement (EP&L) by 2015.

Driving Building Performance Event

Driving Building Performance - Energy Benchmarking & Re-commissioning for the Hospitality Sector - April 30, 2012 Delivery Organization: Partners in Project Green. This new addition to the Dollars To $ense suite of workshops focuses on building re-commissioning. A benchmarking component will also be presented. These two strategies, re-commissioning and benchmarking, are recognized widely for delivering energy savings, healthy facilities and improved building performance.

Green MBA: Green Business Entrepreneurs Success Summit

From April 16 at 8:30pm until April 20 at 6:00pm the Green MBA: Green Business Entrepreneurs Success Summit will take place online. The Free virtual event series is a week long alternative Green MBA – a FREE virtual event designed to take you through the stages of green entrepreneurship, while providing you with practical strategies, tactics, and tools to succeed.

WaterVent Water Tech Funding Event

The WaterVent water tech funding forum will take place in London on may 11th. The deadline for registration is April 27th. This is the first matchmaking platform designed to bring water technology entrepreneurs and investors together in an exclusive, non-conference, one-on-one setting in order to accelerate growth, and assess business opportunities.

Sustainable Brands SB'12 Event

On Monday June 4, 2012, Sustainable Brands '12 will take place at Paradise Point Resort & Spa in San Diego. Every year, Sustainable Brands delivers a world class faculty of thought leaders and practitioners who are leading the sustainable brand revolution. This year, join over 150 speakers and nearly 1,000 attendees in over 80 sessions, workshops, group discussions, plenaries, and evening events. The revolution will be branded. Embrace the opportunity.

Happy Easter!

Symbolically and literally Easter is an opportunity to engage sustainability. Easter symbolizes a time of renewal and from an environmental perspective this is precisely what is required as we begin the serious work of being better environmental stewards.

United Natural Foods, Inc. Sustainability Journey (Video)

Auckland Airports ongoing sustainability journey (Video)

UNFI Sustainable Journey (Video)

GM Sustainability Journey: Death and Resurrection

The old General Motors (GM) died three years ago but like a phoenix from the ashes it has been reborn. GM declared bankruptcy in 2009 but in 2011 the company once again laid claim to being the world's largest automaker. GM said that it sold 9.025 million vehicles in 2011 putting it ahead of Volkswagen which had sales of 8.015 million in 2011.

Kodak Sustainability Journey: Fear of Corporate Death as a Catalyst for Change

Eastman Kodak Co. is a good example of a striving to survive with the help of sustainability. Companies relate to sustainability in different ways, but whether they are trying to maintain the position of their brand or trying to resurrect themselves from the dead, engaging sustainability is a competitive necessity and ultimately a matter of survival.

HP and Dell Sustainability Journeys: The Choice Between Manufacturing and Recycling

HP and Dell are each taking different approaches to sustainability. One is emphasizing removing toxic compounds from manufacturing the other is focused on recycling through take back programs.

Toshiba International Sustainability Journey: Bold Strategic Moves

Toshiba has made a bold strategic decision that has completely changed its product mix. Once a leader in incandescent lighting, the company is now betting on LED technology as the future of lighting. As revealed in a recent press release, Toshiba completely abandoned production of incandescent lights in March 2010 and in favor of LED lighting. Toshiba is the first major lighting manufacturer to proactively discontinue the production of incandescent lights.

Samsung Sustainability Journey: Be First

Samsung has a green vision that is only getting greener. Like LG Inc., Samsung is also part of South Korea’s Green Technology Center (GTC) research center and the company is already a leader in energy-efficient products.

Starbucks Sustainability Journey

With over 17,000 stores in more than fifty countries, including over 12,000 in the United States Starbucks Corporation is the largest coffeehouse in the world. Starbucks has engaged a number of sustainability initiatives in an effort to become more environmentally friendly.

LG Electronics Sustainability Journey

To be a leader in sustainability engagement requires work and companies like LG Electronics are showing real leadership. LG Electronics USA plans to cut its carbon footprint in half by 2020. As reviewed in an April 3, 2012 PR Newswire release, LG intends to help achieve this ambitious objective by purchasing clean power for its Englewood Cliffs headquarters building in cooperation with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Green Power Partnership program.

Proctor & Gamble Sustainability Journey

Proctor & Gamble is a well known Fortune 500, but not everybody knows that the company is also looking to get LEED Certification for all its new Buildings. Starting in February of 2011, Proctor & Gamble has made the pledge to select and construct all new sites according the design principles set up by the LEED program. “Having all of our new sites LEED-certified will help us make progress toward our long-term sustainability vision, which includes powering out plants with 100 percent renewable energy and zero manufacturing waste-to-landfill,” Global product supply officer Keith Harrison said.”

Motorola Sustainability Journey

Motorola is a company that is continually working to increase sustainability around the world. They strive to achieve this goal through the creation and establishment of sustainability practices and technologies that will reduce carbon and increase efficiency.

Scientists Urge Government Action on Climate

A new paper by leading scientists urges governments to act on climate. This paper recommends replacing GDP as a measure of wealth, ending damaging subsidies, and transforming systems of governance to set humanity on a new path to a better future. The scientists warn that the failure to make such changes risk climate, biodiversity and poverty crises that will spawn greater problems worldwide.

The Blue Planet Prize 20th Anniversary

In 1992, the year of the Rio Earth Summit, the Asahi Glass Foundation established the Blue Planet Prize, an award presented to individuals or organizations worldwide in recognition of outstanding achievements in scientific research and its application that have helped provide solutions to global environmental problems. The Prize is offered in the hopes of encouraging efforts to bring about the healing of the Earth’s fragile environment.

The New 2012 CEC Sustainability Requirements

The new Canadian Electrical Code (CEC) has incorporated the latest sustainability requirements for electrical professionals, as well as business and home owners. The Canadian Standards Association (CSA) 22nd edition of the CEC's mandatory guidelines include 180 important updates and revisions. CSA Standards is a leading standards-based solutions organization in Canada. The CEC addresses electrical safety, shock, and fire hazards of electrical products.

Make a Successful Earth Hour a Successful Earth Year

On March 31st millions of people around the world came together to participate in Earth Hour. In its fifth year, Earth Hour continued to grow, spreading to over 147 countries - showing once again that we are on the same team and together, we can inspire action on climate change.

Conservative Budget Guts the Environment

Prime Minister Steven Harper's ruling Conservative government is using their majority to all but eliminate Canada's environmental protections. On March 29, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty released a federal budget which guts environmental legislation. It is tragically ironic that this anti-environment budget comes only one week after record-breaking temperatures in the National Capital Region.

Earth Conscious Celebrities

Ed Begley Jr. is one of the biggest (and proudest) tree huggers in Hollywood. Begley was one of the first celebrities to speak up about his environmental views and eco-friendly lifestyle, which consists of veganism, driving an electric car, and using a bicycle-powered toaster oven. He is also involved in several different environmental organizations and even had his own reality TV show, called Living Like Ed.

Earth Conscious People in History

John Muir is considered the father of conservation because of his preservation efforts and activism that helped save several vital wilderness areas, like Yosemite National Park and Sequoia National Park. The 19th century naturalist founded the Sierra Club, a well-known grassroots conservation organization that practices and promotes environmental sustainability. Muir's contributions have helped America preserve its natural habitats and improve many environmental issues.

EWEA Wind Energy Event in Copenhagen

On April 16 to 19, EWEA Annual event (formerly known as EWEC) will be taking place in Copenhagen. This is Europe's premier wind energy event; a place where the industy's brightest minds meet to exchange latest knowledge, forge meaningful business relations and create connections with influential people around the world.

Workshop: Employee Engagement for Sustainability

This Interactive online workshop is comprised of 4 sessions each lasting 1.5 hours. All sessions are recorded so you never miss one or "time shift" and split sessions to make into 45 minute Lunch & Learn Programs for your Green Team. (Start and End Time April 5, 12, 19 & 26, 2012). This course is designed to increase authentic engagement and reinvigorate your Green Team's efforts.