Study Points to Bright and Dark Spots in Corporate Sustainability

Our thanks to Greg Gerritt for another terrific post.  We are advocates for business sustainability.  Our prism is the business side of green.  We firmly believe companies can get from being part of the problem to part of the solution.

So, we are disappointed to see many co's ride the fence of projecting a clean image versus jumping in and making positive changes.  Are we back to just corporate green washing?  Are co's not in sync with citizens on believing that change is necessary?  We hope not.

We'll give you part of this great article from Sustainable Cities Collective.  Here's the link for the balance:  http://sustainablecitiescollective.com/tcaine/310711/study-points-bright-and-dark-spots-corporate-sustainability?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Sustainable+Cities+Collective+%28all+posts%29

Our dedication to the corporate engine that runs our consumer culture makes corporate perspectives on sustainability unavoidably important. It is not uncommon in this country to have localities where the vast majority of residents are diligently proactive on sustainability efforts (say recycling for example) while the participation of businesses remains tepid. With the amount of man hours and resources that companies use in order to do business, they have to be part of any equation that leads to a better outcome.

McKinsey & Company recently released results to a new survey searching for the pulse of sustainability within the world of corporate executives in the global economy. While the tone of the release is cast in a positive light, the survey results point to both the good news and the bad news relating to progress for sustainability in the corporate environment.

According to the survey, awareness is up. The word is out and its penetrating deeper into the ranks of the corporate world. So what is the impetus behind the growing force of dedication? The survey respondents gave Reputation, Cost Cutting  and Alignment as the top three reasons that their organizations address sustainability. The first two certainly make sense, but matter less when it comes to actually addressing the underlying issues of what make our society less sustainable. Becoming more environmentally responsible because sustainability “aligns with the company’s goals, mission or values” is more indicative of actual progressive change. The fact that 43% of respondents (the largest share) listed “Alignment” among these top priorities is a bright spot.

BRAVO! Senator Whitehouse of Rhode Island

For delivering a very powerful speech on the Senate floor defending the science and urgency of accepting the reality of accelerating carbon levels and resulting climate change.  Here's the link to the video which is running on our main site: http://www.renewablenow.biz/governmental-green.html

How do you come down on climate change?  Will we look back in 20 years and realize the warming global temperatures were more cyclical then man made? 

Here, we don't think it matters.  All of us, industry, homeowners, schools, government can do more with less.  We have the ability to reduce carbon emissions and still fire up a global economy.  Why wouldn't we do that?  Don't we all want cleaner air...rivers...buildings?  What is the downside to being efficient and clean if jobs and commerce continue to roll?

We think that, too often, people get hung up on philosophical arguments without appreciating the simple steps that can lead to a cleaner brighter future while preserving financial gains and jobs.  Let's agree that less waste, pollution, contamination is good in the short and long-term, and getting the added benefit of slowing warming and ocean rises is a true win-win.


"If the State of Rhode Island didn't think it had great leadership and representation in Washington, we suggest that it take a moment and view this video of Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, where he rebuffs Senator James Inhofe's efforts to block a formal resolution acknowledging climate change. This took place on Thursday, July 28th.

Our friends at the Grist reported it as follows:

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) and Sen. James Inhofe (R.-Okla.) are practically like Batman and Joker around here (I’ll let you decide who is who depending on whether you have a brain or not). Inhofe continued the epic struggle by blocking a resolution that formally acknowledged the reality of climate change and carbon pollution’s role in it. Inhofe says he based his decision on a petition signed by 9,000 American people — though some of the signatures listed belonged to The Spice Girls (not American) and MASH’s Maj. Frank Burns (not a person).

The reflex response would of course be to froth at the mouth and start hitting yourself on the head with a mallet like a cartoon wolf. But instead Whitehouse, with the Zen calm of Lao Tzu, spends a solid seven minutes patiently eviscerating every denier argument ever (including why you should trust the combined intellect of NASA, NOAA, Mars Inc., and Walmart over that of Baby Spice).
Again Senator Whitehouse, BRAVO!  And for those of you who took the time to listen to the Senator's speech, you would realize that Corporate America taking steps to adjust means new jobs, new innovation, and new opportunities for everyone's future in living a sustainable and happy life"

Empowering New England with Clean Energy/Report from NECEC

Thanks to our terrific, talented co-host, Seth Handy, for sending us this link to this compelling set of recommendations to New England Governors:  http://www.cleanenergycouncil.org/files/NECEC_EmpoweringNew%20EnglandwithCleanEnergy.pdf

Here's part of the report.  We very much like many of these recommendations.  We see evidence each day of a region shifting energy choices, reducing or reusing waste, adapting efficiency standards across a wide expanse of commercial and residential properties, pushing sustainability educational standards and investing significant dollars in building a cleaner, brighter future. 

We agree with New England Clean Energy Council:  The generation of elected reps should be required by every voter to build on this platform of positive change.  If not, keep them out of office and on the sidelines where they belong.  If they don't get the incredible benefits--economic, healthy, quality of life--of blazing a new trail, then they are unworthy of holding any elected office.


Empowering New England with Clean Energy
Clean Energy 2025 - How New England Governors can blaze the trail to a clean energy future
July 2014

"New England is well on its way to a clean energy future. In some parts of the country clean energy is
subject to debate, but in New England, it is a clear opportunity. At the end of the pipeline and with no
coal, oil, or natural gas of our own, New England pays top dollar for the fuels we import for electricity heating, and transportation, and our states suffer from price volatility, supply shortages, and money that leaves the local economy to meet our energy needs. For New England, energy security means capturing the homegrown resources of wind, solar, biomass, and energy efficiency – that is, clean energy. Blessed with the intellectual, financial, and human capital to develop the technologies, products, and services that 
capitalize on these resources – and sell them to the world – New England has its future in clean energy. 

In 2014, all six of the New England states have gubernatorial elections. That means, in at least some 
cases, New England’s clean energy future will be in the hands of new leadership. To assist the region’s next Governors, the NECEC Institute undertook analysis of the potential for the next stage of clean energy growth and the policies necessary to make the most of it. It is our pleasure to present this report –Empowering New England with Clean Energy – to all the aspirants to state leadership in our region.

There is a strong foundation to build on. New England has seen notable clean energy progress in the 
last half dozen years, with more than double the amount of renewable energy generated from wind, 
solar, biomass and other renewables. New England states lead the nation in energy efficiency
investment, and in money saved by households and businesses. The region has begun to develop a 
world-class industry creating technologies, products and services to serve a rapidly growing global clean energy market. If fostered and supported, this sector will continue to thrive, creating jobs that range from development and manufacturing of innovative new clean energy technologies to be deployed throughout the world, to local installation of renewable energy and energy efficiency technologies that save moneyand meet the needs of energy consumers throughout New England. 

New England needs leaders who will champion clean energy and the policies that support its continued growth and contribution to the region’s economy, energy system and environment. The next New England Governors should strive to enable energy markets that drive innovation, scale clean energy in a cost-effective manner and advance our region to a 21st century energy system. Empowering New England with Clean Energy provides an overview of the clean energy policies that the next New England governors should embrace to grow the region’s clean energy economy to a position of global leadership, and advance the region on its path to a clean energy future that creates a more sustainable and resilient economy, drives job growth, and protects our environment. These policies fall into five areas: 


Renewable Energy: Renewable energy is New England’s only indigenous energy resource and

is becoming increasingly cost-effective as markets have grown. The next New England

Governors should commit to consistent policies that extend and expand standards, renewable

credits, financing mechanisms, competitive procurement structures, as well as support for large

projects, community-scale, distributed generation and new technologies, to increase renewable

energy and related companies and jobs.

• Energy Efficiency: Energy efficiency is our least cost energy resource. The region’s next

Governors should support policies that create and grow market opportunities for energy Empowering New England’s Clean Energy Future was produced by the NECEC Institute

7/29/14 - Page 2

efficiency, expand codes and disclosures that accelerate building efficiency investments, expand

programs for deeper building retrofits and adoption of new technologies, and consider new “green

bank” financing models to lower capital costs and accelerate return on energy efficiency

investment.

• Innovation: The next New England Governors should commit to creating and expanding policies

and programs to support innovation, entrepreneurial development and market acceleration for

next generation clean energy technologies and innovative business models.

• 21st Century Electricity System: The region’s next Governors should commit to policies that will

foster the creation of a modernized electric grid, with two-way information and power flows, that

can link and serve as a platform for both centralized power plants and customer-sited distributed

generation, while enabling demand reduction, and new innovations and energy services.

• Carbon Reduction: The next New England Governors should endorse their state’s participation

in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and work to strengthen it by exploring options to

expand RGGI to other states and other sectors of the economy, as well as develop policies and

roadmaps for natural gas to be a bridge, not a barrier, to a low-carbon economy in the long term.

Leonardo DiCaprio adds to his stellar reputation for pushing a sustainable future

Good to see celebrities doing some great work.

Leonardo DiCaprio has friends in high places, which comes in handy when he’s trying to raise money to save the planet.

The award winning actor raised $25 million on Wednesday to protect the environment and endangered species.

The charity gala was held in the Riviera seaside resort of Saint-Tropez and the 500 guests, which included Academy award winner Marion Cotillard and soap star Joan Collins, paid between $7,000 and 130,000 to get in and participate in the auction for a good cause.

Before the bidding began, DiCaprio took the spotlight to explain just why raising funds was important. He reinforced the idea that the planet’s flora and animal species are being decimated at a rate not seen since the age of the dinosaurs.

The plea worked and among the biggest purchases were a Damien Hirst sculpture for $6 million by Russian-born billionaire Len Blavatnik and a Picasso drawing that South African tycoon Patrice Motsepe took home for $1 million.

DiCaprio is highly engaged in environmental causes. The actor has partnered with President Barack Obama earlier this year to protect marine life and has donated $1 million out of his own pocket to save elephants in addition to making other significant donationsthrough his environmental foundation.

Via Global Post

Photo Credit: Shutterstock

BMW Unveils Fast, Light EV Charger/Environmental Leader

More good news on the EV side with BMW's introduction of a faster/lighter charger.  Combined with Tesla/Panasonic's gigi-investment in battery technology, the tools are coming fast to make electric vehicles a mainstream success.  We can't wait.

BMW of North America has announced the launch of the BMW i DC Fast Charger, which is compatible with multiple electric vehicles and can specifically charge the BMW i3 all-electric’s vehicle battery up to 80 percent in 30 minutes.

The charger was a joint development between BMW and Bosch Automotive Service Solutions, and went on display July 28 at Plug-In 2014 at the San Jose Convention Center.

The charger is about half the size of a traditional electric vehicle DC charger and weighs approximately 100 pounds. The charger can be mounted on a wall and will be priced at $6,548 for authorized BMW partners.

The 24 kW DC Fast Charger feeds the current directly to the vehicle’s battery and uses the SAE Combo 1 connector. It meets NEMA 3 requirements and is ChargePoint network-enabled, allowing electric vehicle drivers with the SAE Combo 1 inlet to access the charger using a ChargePoint or ChargeNow card.

Major automakers including BMW, GM, Ford, Chrysler, Daimler, Volkswagen, Audi and Porsche have committed to adopting the SAE Combo 1 inlet for DC charging.

The chargers will be available for BMW i Centers across the US beginning in August.

BMW’s i DC Fast Charger is coming available as Tesla works to gets its proprietary supercharging station network in place, having committed to expand that network to 100 stations by 2015. The Tesla stations are designed to give its Tesla Model S half a charge in about half an hour.

In a white paper published earlier this year, Navigant Research predicted that Tesla would have a “volatile year” as the result of its plans to increase the number of its supercharges stations, while working to scale up vehicle production and enter new markets.

US States Benefit From Carbon Tax

We talk all the time about the new style economy and the many ways we see our financial systems changing--in very positive ways.  This story reinforces, we think, the growing evidence that a economy built on clean tech and energy will bring tremendous benefits to cities, states and nations.

Enjoy and send your comments:  Please find many more great stories, news reports and radio shows on our main site--renewablenow.biz:



A new U.S. study has found that market-based mechanisms such as pricing fossil fuels are the cheapest way for states to prepare for President Obama’s Clean Power Plan; which mandates a 30 per cent drop in carbon emissions from the power sector below 2005 levels nationwide by 2030.
 
The study, by financial consultancy firm Analysis Group, examinedcarbon pricing schemes in several states across the U.S. and found those economies had experienced a net benefit in job creation and productivity, as well as cheaper energy prices for consumers.
 
"Several states have already put a price on carbon dioxide pollution, and their economies are doing fine. The bottom line: the economy can handle – and actually benefit from – these rules," said Analysis Group Senior Advisor Susan Tierney.

President Obama’s Clean Power Plan utilities power under the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Air Act to require that by 2030 all power plants in the US cut carbon emissions from the power sector by 30 per cent below 2005 levels. They also demand a cut in particle pollution, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide by more than 25 per cent, plus will shrink power bills by up to eight per cent by improving energy efficiency and reducing demand in the electricity system.
 
It is up to individual states to decide how they will meet the cuts – the EPA has set a June 2016 deadline for plans to be submitted - but the Analysis Group report found that a well-designed and thoughtful approach to carbon pricing would be the least disruptive method of complying with the new rules, particularly if there is cooperation at state level.
 
"States that work together to form carbon markets or other collaborative initiatives have the potential to experience greater benefits than they would by trying to meet the new standards by themselves," the report reads. 

Tesla, Panasonic Sign Battery Gigafactory Deal/Environmental Leader Magazine

Thanks to one of our co-host, Jim Murphy, Sustainability Director at Rhode Island College, for this story. 

It is incredible to us how a start-up co, a decade old, has become the leader in EV's.  Tesla's continued investments, innovation, expansion, R & D and job creation i the essence of the business side of green.  Our new, green economy is driven by pillars of new industries.  Elon Musk not only sells great cars, but he has, through his company, taken on responsibility to build the charging--and battery efficient--network to make EV's viable.  Amazing.

Eventful, too, is the maturity of a Tesla to bring enough assets to the table to partner with a traditional powerhouse in electronics and consumer products, Panasonic.  Good news and this day will go in the history books as eventful, key to pushing our migration to electric vehicles.

Electric automaker Tesla Motors has reached an agreement with electronics giant Panasonic Corp to build a massive US  battery plant.

Panasonic, Tesla’s current battery cell supplier, said Thursday it will manufacture and supply cylindrical lithium-ion cells and invest in the equipment, machinery and other tools based on the two companies mutual approval. Meanwhile, Tesla will prepare, provide and manage the land, buildings and utilities.

Panasonic did not reveal how much it will invest into the gigafactory. Tesla has said it could cost as much as $5 billion.

In February, Tesla revealed plans to build a 10-million-square-foot facility, or gigafactory, to produce more lithium-ion batteries annually by 2020 than were made worldwide in 2013.

The Palo Alto, Calif.-based automaker estimates the gigafactory will have the capacity to produce 50 gigawatt hours of battery packs a year by 2020. The battery packs will be used for its existing Model S luxury sedan and a cheaper next-generation vehicle, to be called the Model 3. The plant will also produce cells, modules and packs for the stationary storage market.

In June, CEO Elon Musk opened up all the patents for his company’s electric vehicle technology in an attempt to accelerate the adoption of zero-emission vehicles “Tesla will not initiate patent lawsuits against anyone who, in good faith, wants to use our technology.”