Scope 3 Impacts White Paper from Enviance

This paper is the first in a series of white papers that will explore how to tie sustainability to core business goals such as increasing sales while reducing costs and risks. It lays out the foundation for understanding what scope 3 means and how to effectively perform scope 3 analyses.

European Elections and Sustainable Development

In Europe voters have chosen growth over austerity and this has implications for the U.S. economy and sustainable development. The Greek and French electorate’s rejection of austerity will have a dramatic effect on European spending, including investments in sustainability. These changes can also be expected to reverberate across the Atlantic.

Sustainable Production Defined

The Lowell Center for Sustainable Production offers the following definition: "Sustainable Production is the creation of goods and services using processes and systems that are: non-polluting conserving of energy and natural resources; economically efficient safe and healthful for workers, communities, and consumers socially and creatively rewarding for all working people."

Sustainable Business as Defined by Paul Hawken

In business sustainability involves living within certain limits, understanding interconnections (economy, society, and environment) and an equitable distribution of resources and opportunities. Perhaps the best definition for sustainability as it applies to business comes from Paul Hawken. According to Hawken*, sustainable businesses is defined as follows:

Increasing Collaboration to Build a Sustainable Future (Event)

On May 10, from 1:15-2:45 pm EDT,  join moderator Paul Rowland, Executive Director of the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), and a panel of higher education and industry thought leaders to discuss ways these sectors can increase collaboration to further the goals of the UN’s RIO +20 conference in areas including research, education, workforce preparation, sustainable practices, engineering solutions.

Goldman Environmental Prize Winners for 2012

The Goldman Environmental Foundation has announced the six recipients of the 2012 Goldman Environmental Prize. Now in its 23rd year, the Goldman Environmental Prize is awarded annually to grassroots environmental heroes from each of the world’s six inhabited continental regions (Africa, Asia, Europe, Island Nations, North America, and South America). It is the largest award for grassroots activism, with an individual cash prize of $150,000. The Goldman Environmental Prize was established in 1989 by late San Francisco civic leaders and philanthropists Richard and Rhoda Goldman. Prize winners are selected by an international jury from confidential nominations submitted by a worldwide network of environmental organizations and individuals. The Prize recognizes achievements in forest protection, desert lake conservation, nickel mining opposition, pesticide regulation and fighting oil development in Arctic waters. This group of brave individuals work to protect the environment and their communities despite opposition and even threats to their personal health and safety. 2012 recipients come from Argentina, China, Kenya, Philippines, Russia, and the United States. This year’s winners are:

Hopeful Statistics for Green Job Growth

Backed by one of the more environmentally-friendly presidents in recent memory, the United States has seen huge funding for alternative energy sources, a drive for better fuel economy, and a massive movement by colleges and other groups to live cleaner, greener, and more efficiently. Here are some encouraging statistics about the growth of jobs for work that benefits the environment:

Sustainable Development Defined

Sustainable development is concerned with the reasonable and equitably distributed level of economic well being that can be perpetuated continually for many human generations. It also implies using renewable natural resources in a manner that does not eliminate or degrade them, or otherwise diminish their usefulness for future generations.

Sustainability (Sustainable) Defined

Although businesses have different ways of defining sustainability, in its simplest essence the word implies the ability to maintain a certain status or process in existing systems. The most frequent use of the term “sustainability” is connected to ecological systems. In this definition it refers to an ecosystems ability to function and maintain productivity for prolonged periods. Practically, sustainability refers to the coordination of economic, social and environmental, issues in support of the long term viability people and the planet.

Sustainable Supply Chain Data Book

Environmental Leader has released a new Sustainable Supply Chain Data Book, supplying busy executives and research teams with a collection of charts presenting environmental, sustainability and energy-related logistics and supply chain data. Data topics include packaging & recycling, strategy, emissions & policy, vehicles and fuel and consumers. The sponsor for this research is UPS. Click here to download the free white paper.

US Wants Government Action on the Environment but Less Fond of the Environmental Movement

Polls suggest that Americans want to see their government act on environmental issues, but they do not have much love for the environmental movement. According to a number of different surveys, people in the US have seemingly contradictory views on the environment. American public opinion may be divided but there are some issues that enjoy the support of the majority.

Global Survey on Sustainability

As reported in an April 30, 2012 Environmental Leader article, 72 percent of US companies say sustainability influences their purchasing decisions and is an important factor when selecting a service provider. Outside of the US, 91 percent of the companies polled said sustainability was part of their purchasing decisions. These numbers are from a survey called 2012 Rackspace Green Survey from cloud computing firm Rackspace Hosting.

Investors and Global Sustainability

Carlota Garcia-Manas, Head of Research at EIRIS which recently published its annual report ranking global leaders in sustainability. While Garcia-Manas noted that progress is being made on sustainability she indicated that much more needs to be done. Mark Robertson, report author and Head of Communications at EIRIS pointed to legislation in Europe and increased public awareness. Both Garcia-Manas and Robertson said that investors have a prominent role to play driving sustainability.

Top 10 Global Sustainability Leaders (Report)

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) research firm EIRIS ranked the global leaders in sustainability in their annual ratings.  The report, titled 'On track for Rio+20? How are global companies responding to sustainability?', analyzes the sustainability performance of 50 of the world's largest companies (by market cap). Several very well known consumer brands did not fare well. Some will be surprised to see Japanese automaker Toyota as being one of the worst companies of the 50 rated in the report. Toyota produces greener cars, but there are concerns about its human-rights and supply chain labor standards. Companies like Apple and Google, both received "D" grades. Not surprisingly oil giants ExxonMobil Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Occidental Petroleum, were all given the lowest ranking. Only 2 percent of US companies got an "A". In the UK 20 percent of companies scored an "A" and 12 percent of mainland European companies received an "A". Only 1 percent of Asian ones made the top grade. Here are the world's sustainability leaders as determined by ESG research firm EIRIS:

PADEP Treatment Plant Energy Conference

On May 8, 2012 the PADEP Treatment Plant Energy Conference will take place from 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. in Room 128 of the Science and Technology Building at Penn State in Harrisburg (777 W. Harrisburg Pike, Middletown, Dauphin County). The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection invites municipal authorities, local governments and businesses to attend a May 8 conference focused on making water and wastewater treatment plants more energy efficient.

State of New Jersey Solar Industry (Event)

On May 8, 2012 at 5:30 p.m. an event known as the State of the New Jersey Solar Industry will take place at the Crowne Plaza, Monroe, Township, NJ. The Mid-Atlantic Solar Energy Industries Association invites you to learn what is really happening to the New Jersey solar industry and why the price SRECs has plummeted. Space is limited so pre-registration is required. Click here for more details and to register for this discussion. If you have any questions about this event please contact Marianne Leone at info@mseia.net

Certified Sustainability (CSR) Practitioner Training

On May 31 to June 1, in New York, NY, a course is being held for those interested in being certified sustainability practitioners. Each participant will get a free, brief Sustainability Assessment, based on Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) guidelines and utilizing user-friendly web tools developed by CSE. Through this tool you can identify key sustainability risks, strengths, and areas for improvement for your organization (for Option B attendees only).

AltBuild Conference & Expo 2012 (Event)

Presented by the City of Santa Monica and U.S. Green Building Council-Los Angeles (USGBC-LA), the 9th Annual AltBuild Conference & Expo returns May 11-12, 2012. It will take place at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, 1855 Main Street, Santa Monica, CA 90401. The event will address: Water efficiency, green building practices, it will involve hands-on workshops, practical skills for professionals and consumers.

The Sustainable Enterprise Conference (Event)

The Sustainable Enterprise Conference, scheduled for Friday, May 11, 2012 at Sonoma Mountain Village in Rohnert Park, is designed to help North Bay business, non-profit, academic, and government organizations transition to economic, environmental, and social sustainability. Join us for a day of speakers, workshops and networking.

Pictures from Climate Impacts Day

Strong Body of Evidence for a Changing Climate

Each year the temperature is getting warmer and the weather is getting more extreme. Storms are more frequent and more ferocious including increasing numbers of deadly tornadoes and floods. The extreme heat is also causing droughts, forest fires and insect infestations. Extreme weather in on the increase in places where they are habitually prone, but unusual climatic events are also showing up in unexpected places. Even in places that have not been hit with extreme weather there is evidence of climate change. Here is a quick review of some of the research evidence indicating that climate change is driving the increased number of extreme weather events.

Bill McKibben on Connect the Dots Events

Today is Climate Impacts Day and as 350.org founder Bill McKibben said earlier today, "5/5 is no normal day — it’s the day that people around the world are coming together to Connect the Dots about climate change."

Interactive Map Reveals Warmer Spring

Here is an interactive map that enables you to see exactly how the weather has gotten warmer in the US this spring.  Eastern North America has had an early spring with record breaking temperatures stretching for thousands of kilometers. When we put the climate data together we see that over the past several decades, with the exception of the Southeast, spring weather has indeed been arriving earlier.

100 Global Activities for Climate Impacts Day

May 5th, 2012 (5/5/12) is a 350.org event known as Climate Impacts Day. This is an opportunity for people to "connect the dots" between extreme weather and climate change. Activities are taking place all around the world to show the various ways that climate change has impacted their lives. Here is a summary of more than one hundred activities from Africa, the Pacific, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, Europe and North America:

The World “Connects the Dots” Between Extreme Weather & Climate Change

Powerful photos and videos are already streaming in from across the globe for “Climate Impacts Day. People from at over 1,000 events in more than 100 countries are “connecting the dots” between climate change and extreme weather. The events are part of a global effort called “Climate Impacts Day” organized by the international climate campaign 350.org. The events are powerful evidence of how the string of weather disasters over the last year is increasing public concern about global warming. Photos and videos that have already come in include:

Teacher Wins Environmentally-Oriented Vanity Plate Contest

On April 18th 2012, Brian Stuhlman, a teacher in Columbia, MO, won a national contest seeking the most creative environmentally-oriented vanity license plate with his entry EZ2BGRN.  The contest was created to observe this year's 75th anniversary of the vanity license plate and to call attention to Earth Day, Sunday, April 22.

Report: Canadian Government is Not Helping Business Prepare for Climate Change

The Canadian government needs to do a better job disseminating climate change information to companies. Governments also need to be more mindful of how critical infrastructure will be affected by climate change, and make this information available to firms. This is the conclusion of a report from the National Round Table. The report also says that governments need to anticipate climate-related market failures and be ready to step in when necessary.

Report: Canadian Businesses are Unprepared for Climate Change

Federal government advisors are warning that most Canadian businesses are unprepared for the inevitable effects of climate change. This is the crux of a report released by the National Round Table on the Environment.

Canadian Government Spending on Dirty Projects

While the ruling Canadian Conservatives are making major cuts to spending including venerable institutions like Environment Canada, the government is spending hundreds of millions on dirty energy projects. These dirty projects will have a significantly negative impact on Canada's already dismal level of GHG emissions. This spending includes support for coal fired power projects and the tar sands.

The Farce of Canada's Carbon Capture

Canada's carbon capture and storage efforts are grossly inadequate. Not only will these projects do little to reduce Canada's GHG emissions, the three major companies involved in tar sands exploitation have pulled out of  Alberta's carbon capture efforts.

3. Sustainability Methodology Video

This short video addresses the methodology of sustainable development. This video is part three of a ten part series on sustainability. It is a step-by-step guide to sustainability planning and serves as a business guide to sustainability. The speakers include Alan AtKisson and Marsha Willard who tackle the issues faced by organizations attempting to implement sustainable practices, and explore the practical experiences of consulting firms AXIS Performance Advisors and The AtKisson Group in an international context.

Canada's GHG Rankings

As reported in the Montreal Gazette, Canada has a woeful record on GHG emissions. The 2012 Climate Change Performance Index, the Environmental Performance Index and the Pembina Institute all indicate that Canada is amongst the worst GHG emitters in the world.

According to the 2012 Climate Change Performance Index, compiled by the environmental lobby Germanwatch and the Climate Action Network, Canada is the worst performer among the world's 10 largest carbon-dioxide emitters. It ranks 57th out of the 58 countries that together are responsible for more than 90 per cent of the global energy-related carbon-dioxide emissions.

Canada's Ruling Conservatives Muzzle Scientists

Canada was host of the International Polar Year conference, which came to an end on April 27. Hundreds of scientists from around the world came together in Montreal to discuss the dramatic changes to the Arctic's biodiversity, energy dynamics and ice melt. In an outrageous act of censorship, Harper's ruling Conservatives prevented Canadian scientists from speaking to the press.

The 3i Summit 2012 in Ottawa (Event)

If you are someone who wants to innovate, interact, and initiate the kind of change that will advance environmental sustainability in Ottawa, then the 3i Summit 2012 is for you. The 2012 3i Summit on Sustainability is a unique process, this kind of event has never happened before! This is the first time where multiple sectors are coming together to collaborate and take action to create a more environmentally sustainable Ottawa. Leaders and change agents in their field are invited to step forward and champion initiatives.

The Asian Conference on Sustainability, Energy and the Environment (ACSEE 2012)

ACSEE 2012 starts on May 3 and ends on May 6. It will take place at the Ramada Osaka, 3-16-19, Toyosaki, Kitaku,, Osaka, Japan, 531-0072. Sustainability has emerged as the most important global issue for business, industry, government, and academia, and yet to begin with sustainability was associated only with environmental concerns such as energy and global warming. It is now recognized that the concept of sustainability is applicable to all areas of human society, for example in terms of social/economic justice, or responsible business practice.

China's Twitter Users Focused on Sustainability

As published in Collective Responsibility, here is a partial list of some of the Chinese people and organizations who use Twitter and are focused on sustainability and the environment. 

10 Sustainability Initiatives for Small Businesses

Although the constraints of many small business often preclude the grand sustainability gestures of larger corporations, there are many things that these businesses can do to be more sustainable. Here is a summary of ten easy and inexpensive things that small businesses can do from Miratel:

Cambodian Environmentalist Murdered

A prominent environmental activist was murdered in Cambodia and that nation's military police have closed the investigation. According to police, there will be no further investigation into the shooting death of Chut Wutty because the officer who shot him then took his own life.

The Persecution of Environmentalists

Environmentalists risk harassment, torture and even death, simply for standing up for the Earth. Reports of injustice perpetrated against environmentalists may sound like medieval tales of brutality, but these horror stories are taking place today in countries all around the world.

Corporate Sustainability in Africa Conference

On May 21st to 25th, in Sandton, Johannesburg a conference will be held titled Corporate Sustainability in Africa. The event will feature a number of prominent speakers including: