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Triple Pundit
2008-10-07T03:12:58Z
A new conversation for business.
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UK Creates Dept. of Energy and Climate Change
2008-10-07T03:12:58Z
2008-10-07T01:58:57Z
tag:www.triplepundit.com,2008://6.3584
2008-10-07T01:58:57Z
As part of Prime Minister Gordan's reshuffle, a new department was created that is likely to boost growth in the renewable energy industry, while addressing climate change.
The UK is a country that is particularly vulnerable to the affects of climate change and has identified it as an issue of vital national importance. The EU's goal to reduce carbon emissions by 20% by 2020 could reduce the severity of this predicament, but requires significant action. As an attempt to bridge the gap between energy strategy and climate change policy, the UK has created a new department.
Energy and climate change were two topics previously addressed by separate teams. "Combining them may help identify both synergies and trade-offs, but we must avoid either one becoming subordinate to the other," said Dr Neil Bentley, the CBI director of business environment."
"The new department puts climate change where it belongs, with its own seat at the cabinet table," said Stephen Hale, Director of the think-tank the Green Alliance.
Ed Miliband was named head of the new department. He is the younger brother of David Miliband, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
Sarah Lozanova
www.cleantechnica.com
sarah.lozanova@gmail.com
Energy
<p><img alt="wind_turbines_field_small.jpg" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/wind_turbines_field_small.jpg" width="250" height="110" class="left"/><strong>As part of Prime Minister Gordan's reshuffle, a new department was created that is likely to boost growth in the renewable energy industry, while addressing climate change. </strong></p>
<p>The UK is a country that is particularly vulnerable to the affects of climate change and has identified it as an issue of vital national importance. The EU's goal to reduce <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7205175.stm">carbon emissions by 20% by 2020</a> could reduce the severity of this predicament, but requires significant action. As an attempt to bridge the gap between energy strategy and climate change policy, the UK has created a new department.</p>
<p>Energy and climate change were two topics previously addressed by separate teams. "Combining them may help identify both synergies and trade-offs, but we must avoid either one becoming subordinate to the other," said Dr Neil Bentley, the CBI director of business environment."</p>
<p>"The new department puts climate change where it belongs, with its own seat at the cabinet table," said Stephen Hale, Director of the think-tank the Green Alliance. </p>
<p>Ed Miliband was named head of the new department. He is the younger brother of David Miliband, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.<br />
</p>
<p>In 2005, just <a href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7205175.stm">1.3% of the electricity consumed</a> in the UK was generated from renewable energy. The UK now has a target of generating 15% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. This goal will be a stretch for the country and will help fuel a European renewable energy boom.</p>
<p>A tidal barrage across the River Severn could supply 5% of Britain's electricity and plans for the world's biggest offshore wind farm, the London Array, have been approved. The UK is considered one of the top 5 nations for renewable energy investment by an <a href="http://www.triplepundit.com/pages/5-top-countries-for-renewable--003488.php">Ernst and Young study</a> largely because of high renewable energy goals and growing off-shore wind development.</p>
<p>"The industry believes that forming a department which tackles climate change and energy supply at the same time, is the right way forward if the UK is to deliver on the 2020 renewable energy targets. This is an example of joined up thinking we have been calling for, which should make a difference both in terms of reducing UK’s carbon emissions, and ensuring a sustainable and affordable energy future," <a href="http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/story?id=53770">Adam Bruce, the British Wind Energy Association’s (BWEA) chairman said</a>.</p>
<p>Creating a new department demonstrates a willingness to integrate environmental issues and energy policy and could serve as a tool for reaching carbon emissions and renewable energy goals.</p>
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AlwaysOn Going Green 2008 WrapUp: Bridging Green’s Great Divide
2008-10-07T01:58:33Z
2008-10-07T01:35:13Z
tag:www.triplepundit.com,2008://6.3586
2008-10-07T01:35:13Z
There remains a distinct disconnect between the Green Movement and Clean Tech. One is rooted in Berkeley, the other Silicon Valley (interesting how close they are in proximity…what is it about the Bay Area?). Somehow, though both groups are clearly trying to bring about a massive shift in our society, towards sustainability and natural systems, the two groups remain distant and distinct. Many reasons for the gap exist, though any attempt to diagnose would have to begin with a discussion of stereotypes: green is for hippies, yippies and yuppies; clean is for VCs, IPOs and the NYSE (I was going to say I-banks, but I’m not sure those still exist).
I appreciate that there are impressive young business minds in the green movement, guys like Tom Szaky of Terracycle and Ben Brown of MakeMeSustainable, to name a couple, and some world-leading scientists and non-profit directors like Paul Hawken and Amory Lovins, there is also a scarcity of true, business-bred, white-hairs. Yes, there are converts from big business who have come on board (Ray Anderson, John Doerr, Jonathon Greenblatt) to great effect, the majority of companies that are truly green are run on a shoestring by young, passionate visionaries. Clean Tech, on the other hand, is well funded, resource heavy and guided by middle-aged, highly experienced business people who had formerly run other large, conventional companies.
Scott Badenoch
http://www.creativecitizen.com
badenochjr@gmail.com
Events
<p><img alt="always-on.gif" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/always-on.gif" width="221" height="54" class="left" />There remains a distinct disconnect between the Green Movement and Clean Tech. One is rooted in Berkeley, the other Silicon Valley (interesting how close they are in proximity…what is it about the Bay Area?). Somehow, though both groups are clearly trying to bring about a massive shift in our society, towards sustainability and natural systems, the two groups remain distant and distinct. Many reasons for the gap exist, though any attempt to diagnose would have to begin with a discussion of stereotypes: green is for hippies, yippies and yuppies; clean is for VCs, IPOs and the NYSE (I was going to say I-banks, but I’m not sure those still exist). </p>
<p>I appreciate that there are impressive young business minds in the green movement, guys like <a href="http://www.triplepundit.com/tom-szaky/">Tom Szaky</a> of Terracycle and Ben Brown of MakeMeSustainable, to name a couple, and some world-leading scientists and non-profit directors like Paul Hawken and Amory Lovins, there is also a scarcity of true, business-bred, white-hairs. Yes, there are converts from big business who have come on board (Ray Anderson, John Doerr, Jonathon Greenblatt) to great effect, the majority of companies that are truly green are run on a shoestring by young, passionate visionaries. Clean Tech, on the other hand, is well funded, resource heavy and guided by middle-aged, highly experienced business people who had formerly run other large, conventional companies. </p>
<p>What I saw at <a href="http://www.alwayson-network.com/GoingGreen/2008/AlwaysOn_GoingGreen08.Ticket.html">AlwaysOn’s Going Green Conference</a> was a step in the right direction in terms of bridging the gap and at the same time a clear indicator of just how deep and wide the divide is. I’m at many of the green conferences on the west coast and the attendees are often quite similar from one event to another, usually providing me at least several dozen familiar faces to reacquaint myself with. At AlwaysOn, there were only a few of the likely suspects (Axil Comras, Steve Glenn, Karen Solomon and Mike Flynn) and a sea full of suit wearing execs I didn’t know. <br />
My take is that the price ($2,250) was too high for most of the purely greens, hence their weak numbers. Fortunately the entire show was shown live on AlwaysOn’s site and is now archived, so you can watch it for free. As for content in terms of panels and keynotes, I must say it was an incredible array of minds, thoughts and discussions. Vinod Khosla gave a tour de force about why Clean Tech is limiting itself by definition; Elon Musk shed some light on his grand philosophy and countless others described the new green world as they saw it. Frankly, an eco-nut’s buffet. <br />
While I could write endlessly about the information purveyed and visions declared, below are some of my favorite findings: </p>
<p>*Always On gets social media. The front row was a dedicated “Bloggers Bullpen,” the first time I’d actually seen room made for bloggers at a green conference, and there was live blogging broadcast behind the speakers to catch the discussion taking place online. Bloggers, though, still seemed to be checking their email more than covering the event, but who doesn’t excessively multi-task these days? </p>
<p>*Clean Tech is just as convinced as the Green Movement that growth rates are explosive and will continue to grow; as I like to say, necessity is the driver of fate.<br />
*Water and energy are now directly interlinked (see Sustainable Water Alliance) and rightfully so; it takes water to create energy and energy to create water, oh, and without water, humans die in 3 days. </p>
<p>*“Nature will show us the way,” Dennis Calvert, Biolargo’s CEO proclaimed, echoing a thread through the conference: Biomimicry. </p>
<p>*Both silos of the movement use the same generalized rhetoric about the future, yet with different target areas, lifestyle changes v. hi-tech changes. </p>
<p>*They handed out SIGG-like bottles and the attendee felt like she had to explain it: “since this is a green event we have these water bottles you can fill up.” </p>
<p><strong>*Richard Hamilton</strong>, CEO of Ceres, the company that does the genetic modifications for Monsanto said “we’re not going to run out of food any time soon” … so, ahem, why do we need GMOs? To my question about gaining public sentiment in the US and EU against GMO foods: people are stupid; we don’t care about the EU because China and India are buying our products like crazy (don’t believe me, see it for yourself). Live bloggers, right behind Hamilton’s head, ripped GMOs and called Richard “scary” to his face (he actually notices it and is obviously offended). Later in a conversation with Hamilton, he likened the rise of Whole Foods to that of GNC in the 90s, declaring it to be a passing fad and affirmed that Norman Borlaug’s Green Revolution of the 60s is still a successful model. </p>
<p>*Vinod Khosla, Khosla Ventures, boldly throws down the gauntlet with the statement that clean tech as we know it is irrelevant and that the new green is “Main Tech” or lighting, homes, bioplastics, the infrastructure of our daily lives. He says the winners must have a diversified effort: take as many shots as possible. The areas he was most keen on are distributed & utility-scale solar, engineered geothermal, wind storage, synthetic natural gas to the more mundane, lighting, batteries, motors, home building, engines, appliances, pumps, cellulosic and algae fuels, water systems, tools, plastics, electrochromatic windows. Investors should follow Khosla as he has his finger to the pulse of the movement. He says corn ethanol, like hybrids are a stepping stone to the market and helped to create the dialogue and innovation that are next generation clean technologies. Khosla is working on what he calls the CLAW rating system (Carbon, Land, Air, Water) which is similar to LEED, measuring eco-impacts of biofuels and clean tech.</p>
<p><strong>*Quotables by Khosla</strong><br />
<blockquote>“this planet needs at least an 80% reduction in carbon emissions” <br />
“natural gas is a dead end”… “as are vegetable based fuels”<br />
“the goal is to solve the global climate change problem”<br />
“non-food based biofuels models should be plugged in to all the nation’s paper mills that have been closed down in recent years”<br />
“use perennial crops for ethanol”<br />
“Polyculture [rather than monoculture] creates higher yields”<br />
“Trivial amounts of land can be used to completely replace oil” <br />
“Bioalgae is the next generation of biofuels [= lower cost/higher yield]”</blockquote></p>
<p><strong>*Elon Musk</strong>, Founder of Tesla Motors, Solar City and SpaceX, points out that Silicon Valley is the center of the Green Car Revolution which he, via Tesla, helped to start (true) and that the Volt came to concept because Bob Lutz was inspired by the Tesla (also true). Tesla is soon coming out with a sport sedan “Model S” $60k, 20k units, in conjunction with Daimler (thanks be to god). Soon coming out with extended range versions (>300 miles per charge) with fast charge capability (<60mins) pack can be swaped out. Musk’s venture, SpaceX, is due to his long-standing goal to help humans become multi-planetary, and while flying around in space, burning 30,000 gallons of fuel per flight doesn’t sound green, he offsets the emissions with another company he’s invested in: <a href="http://www.climos.com/">Climos</a>. <br />
<br />
Musk’s best advice to the entrepreneur in you: “avoid the error of excess scope.”</p>
<p>*My Top 2 Notable Companies:<br />
1) AquaVia: radically bringing solutions to the water crisis; noted carbon/climate change is secondary to the water crisis. <br />
2) Coskata: best of breed biofuels company: <a href="http://www.coskata.com/">http://www.coskata.com/</a></p>
<p>*The car we all need: The Honda Civic FFC on Cellulosic Ethanol for $15,000, lowest emissions per dollar. </p>
<p>*The car I want: Tesla Model S with extended charge and swap out batteries.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p><a href="http://twitter.com/thecitizen">Scott Badenoch</a> is co-founder and CEO of <a href="http://CreativeCitizen.com">CreativeCitizen.com</a>, the wiki for green living, where you can find over 600 Creative Solutions for living more environmentally friendly lives. Scott also consults businesses and government entities about sustainability. He can be reached at scott@creativecitizen.com or follow him on Twitter: <a href="http://twitter.com/thecitizen">TheCitizen</a>. </p>
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Green Exchange Marketplace Aims at Becoming the Largest Green Business Community in the U.S.
2008-10-07T01:50:37Z
2008-10-06T23:18:19Z
tag:www.triplepundit.com,2008://6.3585
2008-10-06T23:18:19Z
Tom Schueneman
http://www.triplepundit.com/Tom-Schueneman
tschueneman@gmail.com
Entrepreneurs
green+business+in+chicagosustainable+business+communitygreen+excahnge
<p><img alt="The GreenExchange plans on being the largest green business community in the country" hspace="7" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/greenexchange_logo.gif" align="left" vspace="7" border="0" />Brothers David and Doug Baum founded <a href="http://www.baumdevelopment.com/" target="_blank">Baum Development LLC</a>, in Chicago in 1989. In 1991 they started Baum Realty Group. Baum Development has received numerous <a href="http://www.baumdevelopment.com/awards.html" target="_blank">awards</a> including seven Chicago Association of Realtor Good Neighbor Awards and a Preservation Excellence Award from the city of Chicago for their work in adaptive reuse and historic preservation. </p>
<p align="left"><img alt="The Green Exchange building as its first incarnation." hspace="7" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/Historic_20Vassar_20Renderings_2D2_small.jpg" align="right" vspace="7" border="0" />There latest project brings the past and future together with <a href="http://www.greenexchange.com/" target="_blank">Green Exchange</a>, a business community devoted to the triple bottom line combining a virtual and community of socially-minded entrepreneurs along with a real-world community of retail and office space housed in a nearly <a href="http://www.greenexchange.com/content.php?title=building_history" target="_blank">century-old industrial building</a> that once served as headquarters for the Vassar Swiss Underwear Company. </p>
<p align="left"><img alt="The building reincarnated as the Green Exchange" hspace="7" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/green_exchange.jpg" align="left" vspace="7" border="0" />The Baum brothers and their team are nearly complete in <a href="http://www.greenexchange.com/content.php?title=building_features" target="_blank">retrofitting</a> the grand old 272,000–square-foot structure into the <a href="http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CMSPageID=222" target="_blank">LEED Platinum certified</a> home for more than 100 businesses offering a “unique collection of leading edge products and services to the environmentally conscientious consumer.” </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
<p></p>
<p align="left">“<strong>Live green and prosper”</strong></p>
<p align="left"><img alt="Center courtyard of the Green Exchange" hspace="7" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/green_exchange_garden.jpg" align="right" vspace="7" border="0" />The idea of the Green Exchange is more than just as a shopping mall for green businesses, but also as a “communication tool” designed to help the green business market move from “niche to mainstream”. </p>
<p align="left">According to the Baum’s, the Green Exchange is designed as a collaborative community for business leaders and entrepreneurs to network and share ideas, while interacting with the public to raise awareness of sustainability, both educating the consumer and providing green options for a wide range of products and services. </p>
<p align="left">As well as the physical community, Green Exchange hopes to build an active virtual <a href="http://www.greenexchange.com/share.php" target="_blank">green business community</a> led by many of the “big names” in the sustainability movement, including <a href="http://www.greenexchange.com/read.php?id=15" target="_blank">Van Jones</a>, <a href="http://www.greenexchange.com/read.php?id=8" target="_blank">Carol Moseley-Braun</a>, <a href="http://www.greenexchange.com/share.php" target="_blank">Craig Sieben</a>, and many others. The Green Exchange makes these “Eco-Leaders” available to answer questions and talk of their vision for sustainable business and the green marketplace. </p>
<p align="left">If you’re a green business owner or entrepreneur in the Chicago area, Green Exchange offers <a href="http://www.greenexchange.com/leasing_amenities.php" target="_blank">amenities </a><font color="#0000ff"></font>to “drive your Triple Bottom Line Growth” for all types of businesses, from <a href="http://www.greenexchange.com/retail.php" target="_blank">retail</a>, <a href="http://www.greenexchange.com/office_space.php" target="_blank">office</a>, <a href="http://www.greenexchange.com/shared_office.php" target="_blank">shared office</a>, and <a href="http://www.greenexchange.com/work_live.php" target="_blank">live/work lofts</a>. </p>
<p align="left">Out of ashes of the old economy will emerge the full realization (and necessity) of the green economy. The readers of Triple Pundit know that already, and the Green Exchange aims at doing its part. </p>
<p align="left">The Baum brothers say it best:</p>
<blockquote>
<p align="left"><span style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><font size="2">“Green Exchange is committed to shifting the green marketplace from niche to mainstream, making green living easy and accessible for the public, and giving green businesses and innovators the national stage they need to grow exponentially.”</font></span></p></blockquote>
<p align="left"> </p>
<p align="left"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/qW9QOx2kG2g" width="425" height="350" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed> </p>
<p align="left"> </p>
<p align="left"> </p>
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Sustainable Agriculture in practice: the benefits of grass-fed cattle and beef
2008-10-07T01:50:37Z
2008-10-05T04:29:47Z
tag:www.triplepundit.com,2008://6.3582
2008-10-05T04:29:47Z
Environmentalists have long derided the methods that have come to be standard practice for American ranchers and farmers. Over-reliant on water, fossil fuels, large equipment, chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides—many of them fossil fuel intensive in their own right—livestock and crop production contributes a surprisingly large portion of our greenhouse gas emissions, and are also large contributors to water pollution, land degradation and habitat destruction.
As populations and urban areas have grown and spread, and debates over land and water rights, usage, volume and quality become increasingly contentious, growing numbers of farmers and ranchers are looking to more sustainable, organic farming and ranching supported by community supported agriculture and environmentally and socially conscious consumers.
Rooted deeply in the land they work and communities they live in, Western ranchers such as the husband and wife team of George Whitten and Julie Sullivan are breaking the mold by crossing the environmental-agricultural picket lines by creating a new agricultural mindset and toolkit that melds principles including social and ecological, as well as economic, sustainability.
Andrew Burger
http://www.triplepundit.com/andrew-burger
akbweb2@yahoo.com
Agriculture
Sustainable+agricultureorganic+ranchingorganic+farminggrass+fed+beefholistic+managementagricultural+policyagriculture+methodspasture+raised+beefUS+agricultureColorado+agricultureagriculture+triple+bottom+lineSan+Luis+Valley+agriculturelivestock+environment
<p><img alt="whitten-homestead-fieldsA.jpg" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/whitten-homestead-fieldsA.jpg" class="left" width="205" height="154" /> Environmentalists have long derided the methods that have come to be standard practice for American ranchers and farmers. Over-reliant on water, fossil fuels, large equipment, chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides—many of them fossil fuel intensive in their own right—livestock and crop production contributes a surprisingly large portion of our greenhouse gas emissions, and are also large contributors to water pollution, land degradation and habitat destruction. </p>
<p>As populations and urban areas have grown and spread, and debates over land and water rights, usage, volume and quality become increasingly contentious, growing numbers of farmers and ranchers are looking to more sustainable, organic farming and ranching supported by community supported agriculture and environmentally and socially conscious consumers. </p>
<p>Rooted deeply in the land they work and communities they live in, Western ranchers such as the husband and wife team of George Whitten and Julie Sullivan are breaking the mold by crossing the environmental-agricultural picket lines by creating a new agricultural mindset and toolkit that melds principles including social and ecological, as well as economic, sustainability. <br />
</p>
<p><strong><em>The benefits of grass-fed beef and cattle ranching</em></strong></p>
<p><img alt="whitten-baca-herd1004a.jpg" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/whitten-baca-herd1004a.jpg" class="left" width="207" height="156" /> Whitten has been a forerunner of a new type of Western rancher, one that makes his bottom line operating decisions based on economics and a holistic assessment of the environment-- water, land, flora and fauna-- he is a part of and helps create. </p>
<p>Nothing if not practical and focused on supporting his family and his community, Whitten, contrary to most of his high school buddies that also became farmers and ranchers, in the '70s began to see the futility, added cost, complexity, resource depletion and degradation inherent in simply taking as gospel the institutionalized model of large scale industrialized agriculture. </p>
<p>The short answer as to why he set out looking for a more sustainable operating model and decision making process boils down to this: it works out better all around—ecologically, economically and in terms of the effects on his community. </p>
<p>I think there’s an another crucial element: Whitten and Sullivan just care more about the land, the animals they raise and the environment—as opposed to simply trying to maximize short-term profit, and so there willing to go to greater lengths and do more in the way of finding a safer, saner and sustainable way of raising livestock.</p>
<p>It requires an open mind, dedication and a new approach to the actual work, but Whitten is finding that he can raise, finish and market more cattle at lower cost organically and all on grass than he could by simply trucking his young cows and calves and selling them at the feedlot, where they'd be penned up and pumped full of corn and grain, as well as hormones for the last few months of their lives.</p>
<p>Moreover, his cows—accustomed to a more varied diet of grasses, shrubs and forbs-- are generally healthier and more robust, as is his land. Free of the hormones and chemically treated food they've eaten, organic pasture, grass-fed beef has also proven to be surprisingly healthy. </p>
<p><strong><em>Mob grazing</em></strong><br />
Turning on its head the well-established notion of steak and beef as a cause of heart disease, it turns out that grass-fed beef is free of the artery clogging fats of its grain finished cousin, and is chock full of anti-oxidants. In fact, it's claimed that eating a grass-fed beef steak is as good for you as eating an equivalent portion of salmon.</p>
<p>Mob grazing his herd on limited areas of pasture and then opening up new areas to them each day avoids the degradation, loss of nutrients and the inhibition of new growth associated with overgrazing and over-rest. It's a model that Whitten has honed over years of self-education and field testing. </p>
<p>The land he works, and more specifically the top couple or few millimeters of soil, are a particular area of focus, one that Whitten values in the manner a financial accountant or analyst views long-term capital. "That's where it all comes together. If you can create the right conditions there the rest takes care of itself, microorganisms are stimulated and the natural processes flourish,” he says.</p>
<p>In what may be a largely unacknowledged first, Whitten at one time served as both the president of the local Cattleman's Association and the local Sierra Club chapter. The two local groups actually held meetings together while Whitten held both these positions, and no one has admitted to any brawls having broken out. Unfortunately, when Whitten and supporters from both local organizations tried to push and lift some of their proposals to the state level they failed to take root; the distance between the two groups' at the state level proved too great to bridge.</p>
<p>Seeking an alternative to mowing and baling hay from the overgrown, over-rested pasture that has been stifling growth and pasture recovery it is responsible for managing, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service approached Whitten and Sullivan about grazing their herd across some of the arid, high mountain meadows that make up the Baca National Wildlife Refuge, part of the larger Great Sand Dunes National Park. </p>
<p><strong><em>Working with the natural cycle</em></strong></p>
<p>Using polywire, slim, lightweight metal fence posts and a small solar panel and energizer—essentially a car battery and step-up transformer enclosed in a portable hard plastic carrying case that looks like a small cooler—Whitten and Sullivan erect temporary enclosures bounded by electric fence. </p>
<p>Using the cattle's natural herding tendencies and competition they remove old stagnant plant material that is stifling new growth. “That is returned in the form of dung and urine which ultimately becomes the fertilizer for the plants. Seeds are incorporated into the soil by the hooves as the dense herd moves across the land. We are only using a process under which both species evolved, cattle become the pollinators for the grass upon which they have always depended” Whitten explained. </p>
<p>In an arid, "brittle" environment where organic decay is slow, over-resting pasture is as unhealthy as overgrazing it, he continues. Moving the herd and intensively grazing areas of pasture sequentially mimics the way grazing herds, along with their predators, moved around and grazed rangelands in the past in response to changes in food, water supply and climate.</p>
<p>It's a more labor- and planning-intensive form of ranching than what conventional ranchers in the West are used to, but a rewarding, satisfying and ecologically beneficial one, according to Whitten.</p>
<p>Initial results look encouraging. After a week of mob grazing his herd on the pasture, giving his herd an average of around four acres per day of new pasture, the cattle have cleaned up most of the old, slowly decaying organic material and trimmed down newer growth. Whitten opens up new areas each day, thereby assuring that previously grazed areas are not overgrazed and that the animals have a balanced diet of old and newer growth.<br />
</p>
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Financial Meltdown. Sinking Economy. Is the Green Revolution in Business Dead?
2008-10-07T01:50:37Z
2008-10-04T17:33:01Z
tag:www.triplepundit.com,2008://6.3580
2008-10-04T17:33:01Z
It’s fair to say that, over the past few years, companies across all industries have begun to invest in the green revolution. These investments have come in many forms - from solar installations to design of more efficient delivery routes to development of new green products. To be sure, in most cases the initiatives have been undertaken due to promises of eventual cost savings as well as tangential benefits such as positive PR. But they have been investments nevertheless. In other words, resources have been put towards the initiative with the belief that there would be a payout down the road.
Historically, when the economy takes a turn for the worse - especially when credit tightens - we tend to see investments dry up. So it’s fair to ask the question: what will happen to the green revolution in business as the economy tightens? Will companies pause in their efforts, and will we see a corresponding slowdown in progress towards greener processes and products? Or will the changing economic conditions provide new opportunities for business to continue down the path that we’ve been on for the past few years?
Kent Ragen
http://www.ecounit.com
kent@ecounit.com
Fundamentals
<p><img alt="green-business.jpg" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/green-business.jpg" width="128" height="93" class="right" />It’s fair to say that, over the past few years, companies across all industries have begun to invest in the green revolution. These investments have come in many forms - from solar installations to design of more efficient delivery routes to development of new green products. To be sure, in most cases the initiatives have been undertaken due to promises of eventual cost savings as well as tangential benefits such as positive PR. But they have been investments nevertheless. In other words, resources have been put towards the initiative with the belief that there would be a payout down the road.<br />
Historically, when the economy takes a turn for the worse - especially when credit tightens - we tend to see investments dry up. So it’s fair to ask the question: what will happen to the green revolution in business as the economy tightens? Will companies pause in their efforts, and will we see a corresponding slowdown in progress towards greener processes and products? Or will the changing economic conditions provide new opportunities for business to continue down the path that we’ve been on for the past few years?</p>
<p>I believe companies will change the nature of their initiatives - anything that includes the word “investment” will be looked upon with scorn - but greening initiatives will continue unabated. Investments of dollars and substantial resources will give way to initiatives that focus on efficiency - from processes and practices that utilize energy more efficiently to product designs that use resources more efficiently. The scale of the initiatives will likely be smaller - at least when measured in dollars - but the impact of these initiatives on our economy and environment will be of equal significance to the investments that have been made to date.</p>
<p>This parallel path in which efficiency drives the green economy will have a few key characteristics. First, the payback period for these initiatives will be far shorter than the investments we have seen recently. Second, these initiatives will be less about the PR value and more about the dollars and cents behind them. Third, we will begin to see more companies reach out to their customers in a spirit of partnership, making it clear that consumer backing is required for certain initiatives to work. These initiatives will include relatively straightforward programs to get more customers using reusable bags, accepting their bank statements online, and reading their magazines in digital format; and they will include creative approaches to packaging and delivery that save customers money while helping the planet.</p>
<p>As the green revolution morphs to fit the souring economy it will become abundantly clear that consumers play a pivotal role in determining the pace and type of change that is possible. Now more than ever, companies cannot afford to implement changes that will not be adopted by their customers. Companies will need to educate their customers about the eco-friendly alternatives that are available and that they can benefit from, and consumers will need to sacrifice convenience and choice in order to reap the benefits. But these are the directions that our economy must go in order to achieve a more sustainable state. There will once again be a time for investment, but today is a time for efficiency.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p><img alt="eco-unit.jpg" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/eco-unit.jpg" width="108" height="27" class="left" /><em>Kent Ragen is CEO of EcoUnit, the rewards program for eco-conscious consumers. Learn more and become a member at <a href="http://www.ecounit.com">www.ecounit.com</a>.</em></p>
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San Francisco Moves Ahead With Electric Vehicle Initiative
2008-10-07T01:50:37Z
2008-10-04T04:57:51Z
tag:www.triplepundit.com,2008://6.3579
2008-10-04T04:57:51Z
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is on a roll with initiatives aimed at placing the city at the forefront of urban sustainability. At a press conference on Tuesday, September 30, the mayor discussed his commitment to "actionable implementation," something he said was currently lacking at the state and federal levels. Under his leadership, Newsom believes San Francisco is well positioned to demonstrate the economic benefits of an integrated clean energy economy.
One project spearheaded by the mayor is San Francisco's electric vehicle (EV) policy, which includes cities across the greater Bay Area. SF recently closed its request for information (RFI) and is reviewing 19 responses ranging from electric motorcycles to solicited input from Better Place, the Palo Alto firm working with Israel and Denmark to implement a statewide EV infrastructure. In conjunction with technology options, the city is addressing adoption incentives and infrastructure requirements. One example currently under consideration is complimentary charging stations located throughout the city that supply clean power from the Hetch Hetchy reservoir, courtesy the San Francisco Public Utility Commission.
Justin Sternberg
jcsternberg@gmail.com
Government
<p><img alt="sf5559.jpg" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/sf5559.jpg" width="150" height="101" class="left" />San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is on a roll with initiatives aimed at placing the city at the forefront of urban sustainability. At a press conference on Tuesday, September 30, the mayor discussed his commitment to "actionable implementation," something he said was currently lacking at the state and federal levels. Under his leadership, Newsom believes San Francisco is well positioned to demonstrate the economic benefits of an integrated clean energy economy.</p>
<p>One project spearheaded by the mayor is San Francisco's electric vehicle (EV) policy, which includes cities across the greater Bay Area. SF recently closed its request for information (RFI) and is reviewing 19 responses ranging from electric motorcycles to solicited input from Better Place, the Palo Alto firm working with Israel and Denmark to implement a statewide EV infrastructure. In conjunction with technology options, the city is addressing adoption incentives and infrastructure requirements. One example currently under consideration is complimentary charging stations located throughout the city that supply clean power from the Hetch Hetchy reservoir, courtesy the San Francisco Public Utility Commission.</p>
<p>Newsom is a self-described fan of the technology and himself a two-time EV owner. His first was the EV1 from GM, which was later recalled despite his request to purchase the vehicle. By partnering with other municipalities, Newsom aims to create an economy of scale and guarantee a market for electric vehicles in municipal fleets. As documented in the movie Who Killed the Electric Car?, it was the supposed lack of a market for the EV technology that caused GM to discontinue the EV1 line.</p>
<p>Based on a preliminary count of just a few of the partner cities, San Francisco's EV initiative has already garnered orders for over 1,000 vehicles and climbing, with most of the larger Bay Area municipalities yet to announce their commitments. As the collective investment grows it will drive costs down and improve technology efficiencies for clean, affordable and locally powered transportation.<br />
___________________</p>
<p>Justin Sternberg is a sustainable management consultant based in San Francisco, CA. </p>
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In the age of financial meltdown, does sustainability matter?
2008-10-07T01:50:37Z
2008-10-03T20:36:43Z
tag:www.triplepundit.com,2008://6.3578
2008-10-03T20:36:43Z
I was in the UK at a CIO workshop last week (post coming up), and missed a lot of the on -going maneuvering on the part of both political parties here in the US. It made me think about sustainability market drivers (again; yes, I need a life...), and whether we have turned the corner from sustainability as a 'vitamin' (nice to have), or an 'aspirin' (critical need).
Right now, I would guess that most people (consumers) and many corporations are focusing on very tactical and survival -based activities, such as cost control and risk / exposure management. Where sustainability programs are already established, there is probably little impact from the financial crisis, in terms of potential termination, cancellation, etc.
But where sustainability initiatives are being considered or reviewed, I would venture that many will be put on hold for the time being, as corporations sort through on - going programs and rank and prioritize those that are truly 'mission critical' for short term goals.
But there may be a silver lining.
Scott Boutwell
http://www.scottboutwell.blogspot.com
scott@c-level.biz
Conflicts
<p><img alt="meltdown.jpg" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/meltdown.jpg" width="136" height="136" class="left" />I was in the UK at a CIO workshop last week (post coming up), and missed a lot of the on -going maneuvering on the part of both political parties here in the US. It made me think about sustainability market drivers (again; yes, I need a life...), and whether we have turned the corner from sustainability as a 'vitamin' (nice to have), or an 'aspirin' (critical need).</p>
<p>Right now, I would guess that most people (consumers) and many corporations are focusing on very tactical and survival -based activities, such as cost control and risk / exposure management. Where sustainability programs are already established, there is probably little impact from the financial crisis, in terms of potential termination, cancellation, etc.</p>
<p>But where sustainability initiatives are being considered or reviewed, I would venture that many will be put on hold for the time being, as corporations sort through on - going programs and rank and prioritize those that are truly 'mission critical' for short term goals.</p>
<p>But there may be a silver lining.</p>
<p>One could say that the current populism will engender more awareness of social impacts associated with current and projected modes of doing business. That could feed into more interest in sustainability as the template of conducting business: doing what is right (do no evil?), taking care of your employees and those who are affected / involved in your business, and developing strategy & inititiaves for promoting long term viability.</p>
<p>Another potential benefit: whoever becomes president, there is no doubt (in my mind) that we are entering a new age of regulatory oversight. I believe that the 'wave' of rule - making for the financial markets will spill over to other industries / sectors, and will include new environmental and social metrics.</p>
<p>Some may see additional regulation as anathema to the overall concept of sustainability, but as I have posted before on crisis management (link), sustainability will not be adopted by the majority of corporations until such time that: they have to incorporate programs to be competitive; or, they have to comply with new regulations. Indeed, if you view the UK and Europe, sustainability adoption is due to stringent new rules in building design & construction, consumer product design, and waste recycling; all driving much more awareness (and acceptance) in the local populations.</p>
<p>There. Anybody feel better about the current mess we are in?</p>
<p>***</p>
<p><a href="http://scottboutwell.blogspot.com/2008/10/in-age-of-financial-meltdown-does.html">This post originally appeared here</a>. Scott Boutwell is a management consultant and former AEC executive from Oracle and URS Corporation; providing tech commercialization, M&A advisory, and market strategy services to cleantech, sustainability, and global AEC firms. His blog covers anecdotes and growth strategies in the engineering design and sustainability sectors. Scott can be reached at scott@c-level.biz <br />
</p>
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West Coast Green Charrette Puts The Wheels on The Road
2008-10-07T01:50:37Z
2008-10-03T19:13:02Z
tag:www.triplepundit.com,2008://6.3577
2008-10-03T19:13:02Z
Sustainability oriented conferences can typically be counted on to deliver compacted learning, immersion into the forefront of thought innovation, and strategic networking. Hopefully, and especially true with this year’s West Coast Green, it will impart a palpable renewal of inspiration for and dedication to doing the good work that is so needed in the world. Yet, they can also leave one feeling left a bit short on impact; a worthy investment into capabilities and possibilities yes, but a concrete impact no. Until now. The ‘Community and Development Design Charrette’ chartered new territory in harnessing the power of thought leaders across diverse skill sets and geographic location, under one roof, to participate in a group process to produce a positive contribution to a local and real need.
The subject matter was West Oakland, CA, the epitome of a challenging case study in economic, social, and environmental justice. One in five children have asthma. Schools look more like prisons than places of learning and development. There are many liquor stores and fast food restaurants, yet there is one bank and no grocery store. This is in an area of 20,000 people, 45% of which have no high school education. West Oakland abuts one of the globe’s busiest ports and absorbs its constant activity of noise, exhaust, and toxins.
Bret Walburg
http://www.presidiomba.com
bret.walburg@presidiomba.org
Events
<p><img src="http://www.triplepundit.com/west-coast-green.gif"><br />
Sustainability oriented conferences can typically be counted on to deliver compacted learning, immersion into the forefront of thought innovation, and strategic networking. Hopefully, and especially true with this year’s West Coast Green, it will impart a palpable renewal of inspiration for and dedication to doing the good work that is so needed in the world. Yet, they can also leave one feeling left a bit short on impact; a worthy investment into capabilities and possibilities yes, but a concrete impact no. Until now. The ‘Community and Development Design Charrette’ chartered new territory in harnessing the power of thought leaders across diverse skill sets and geographic location, under one roof, to participate in a group process to produce a positive contribution to a local and real need. </p>
<p>The subject matter was West Oakland, CA, the epitome of a challenging case study in economic, social, and environmental justice. One in five children have asthma. Schools look more like prisons than places of learning and development. There are many liquor stores and fast food restaurants, yet there is one bank and no grocery store. This is in an area of 20,000 people, 45% of which have no high school education. West Oakland abuts one of the globe’s busiest ports and absorbs its constant activity of noise, exhaust, and toxins. </p>
<p>The first session in the packed Hilton ballroom was spent setting the stage for the mission at hand. We heard accounts of rebuilding demoralized neighborhoods from John Knott, who has led an unthinkable turnaround in Noisette, the historic center of North Charlston, SC, which held statistics as shockingly unjust as those of West Oakland. We heard accounts of rebuilding demoralized people from Mimi Silbert who has spent 37 years bringing the spark to the kindling of human potential through Delancey Street Foundation’s investment into the lives of convicts and addicts and those that society had given up on. We learned that when given the chance, no place or person is beyond the hope of revival. Kemba Shakur and some of the staff of <a href="http://www.urbanreleaf.org/" ">Urban Releaf</a>, who has planted over 12,000 trees in Oakland, presented ‘the local landscape’ of West Oakland. Throughout all of these veins ran a parallel truth; real wisdom and potential is rooted in community.</p>
<p>In part II of the charrette, the flipcharts came out and we got down to business. The room was broken out into tables of eight, including facilitators, W. Oakland community members, and conference attendees from design and development professions and beyond. The mission of each table was to develop a set of shared guiding values and a list of strategies and actions that could be incorporated into a Master Plan for land use in W. Oakland. What created the sense that something important was underway was the knowledge that this was not just an exercise. <a href="http://www.ecocitybuilders.org/">Eco-City Builders</a> is working with various city departments to help develop a sustainable urban village master plan for W. Oakland. The plan will employ efficient land use planning and ecological city design and will serve as a model to other cities. Eco-City and WCG teamed up to deliver the opportunity for the conference to make a real contribution to Eco-city's work in W. Oakland. This may have been the first time a conference like WCG drew on the skills and best practices of participants and the perspectives of local stakeholders in a collaborative process in order to make a real contribution to a real project. I believe that all of us were able to walk away from the conference with the satisfaction of knowing that while we may have come to learn and receive we were able to leave with a bit of the gift of giving.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Bret Walburg is a second year student of sustainable business at the Presidio School of Management. You may also find him peddling around the streets of San Francisco, poeeking in doors and window in a hunt for inefficient lighting. He sells lighting retrofits throuugh the SF Energy Watch rebate program. He can be reached at bret.walburg@presidiomba.org</p>
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Weekly Green Business Wrap-Up
2008-10-07T01:50:37Z
2008-10-03T08:01:58Z
tag:www.triplepundit.com,2008://6.3576
2008-10-03T08:01:58Z
What does the Economic Crisis Mean for Clean Tech? Eco-Geek covers the topic on everyone’s mind (besides the fact that you can’t afford to retire until 82). Yesterday, 3p’s Tom Schueneman found that it ain’t so bad
Wineries Going Green But You Just Don’t Know It… Vineyards worry that oenophiles too concerned with red or white to consider other colors.
SF Mayor Challenges 1500 Businesses to Go Solar He’s just looking for a legacy to beat the Governator’s old Hydrogen Highway. But with 170 MwH up for grabs on the city’s roofs, we’ll take it.
Google Has the Answers as Usual Google.org offers up plan to move US off fossil fuels by 2030. It’s your usual solar, wind and geothermal. Google, please come clean my bathroom if you have so much free time.
Hamburger Limits Needed to Combat Climate Change Limiting ourselves to a mere three hamburgers a week was deemed necessary by a report this week, in order to keep food-related greenhouse gas emissions from rising. The report calls for regulation to change eating habits. As if Weightwatchers weren’t restrictive enough.
Xerox Unveils Erasable Paper
No, no. Not with an eraser, it's a chemical thing! Within 24 hours the paper erases itself and can be used again. Shady CFOs line up in droves.
“Strategies for a Green Economy” Released, Discussed Smartly Joel Makower's new book was released this week, and he discusses his focus on "the challenges of the green marketplace, especially the dysfunctional conversation taking place between companies and their employees, suppliers, customers, and regulators, as well with the media and Wall Street, or what's left of it." over on greenbiz.com. While I haven't read it, he makes it sounds pretty cool. And it's been 14 years since his last one, so he's probably got a lot of good stuff saved up to say.
Finally, here at 3p we covered totally interesting topics like schemes to incentivize cycling, the fact that cutting emissions in CA will be good for the economy, and the miracle of the coconut.
Jennifer Boynton
http://www.triplepundit.com/jennifer-boynton/index.php
jennifer.boynton@presidiomba.org
GreenBiz
<p><img alt="clean%20tech.png" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/clean%20tech.png" width="60" height="60" class="left" /><a href="http://www.ecogeek.org/content/view/2159/"><strong>What does the Economic Crisis Mean for Clean Tech? </strong></a> Eco-Geek covers the topic on everyone’s mind (besides the fact that you can’t afford to retire until 82). Yesterday, 3p’s Tom Schueneman found that <a href="http://www.triplepundit.com/pages/3rd-quarter-shows-another-reco-003574.php">it ain’t so bad <br />
</a><br />
<img alt="temecula-wine-tours.jpg" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/temecula-wine-tours.jpg" width="60" height="60" class="left" /><a href="http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/09/29/wineries-embrace-green-business-practices-hesitate-telling-customers"><strong>Wineries Going Green But You Just Don’t Know It… </strong></a> Vineyards worry that oenophiles too concerned with red or white to consider other colors. <br />
<br /><br /></p>
<p><img alt="sun.gif" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/sun.gif" width="60" height="60" class="left"/><a href="http://www.environmentalleader.com/2008/10/01/sf-mayor-challenges-1500-businesses-to-go-solar/"><strong>SF Mayor Challenges 1500 Businesses to Go Solar </strong></a> He’s just looking for a legacy to beat the Governator’s old Hydrogen Highway. But with 170 MwH up for grabs on the city’s roofs, we’ll take it. <br />
<img alt="google-3oct2001.gif" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/google-3oct2001.gif" width="60" height="60" class="left" /><a href="http://www.grist.org/news/2008/10/02/google_plan/index.html?source=rss"><strong>Google Has the Answers as Usual </strong></a> Google.org offers up plan to move US off fossil fuels by 2030. It’s your usual solar, wind and geothermal. Google, please come clean my bathroom if you have so much free time. <a href="http://www.greenbiz.com/column/2008/09/29/strategies-green-economy"><br />
<img alt="hamburger.jpg" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/hamburger.jpg" width="60" height="60" class="left"/><a href="http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2227201/three-burgers-three-cheese"><strong>Hamburger Limits Needed to Combat Climate Change</strong> </a> Limiting ourselves to a mere three hamburgers a week was deemed necessary by a report this week, in order to keep food-related greenhouse gas emissions from rising. The report calls for regulation to change eating habits. As if Weightwatchers weren’t restrictive enough. <br />
<img alt="paper.jpg" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/paper.jpg" width="60" height="60" class="left"/><a href="http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/index.cfm/go/news.display/id/16827"><strong>Xerox Unveils Erasable Paper</strong></a><br />
No, no. Not with an eraser, it's a chemical thing! Within 24 hours the paper erases itself and can be used again. Shady CFOs line up in droves. <br />
</p>
<p><a href="http://www.greenbiz.com/column/2008/09/29/strategies-green-economy"><br />
<strong>“Strategies for a Green Economy” Released, Discussed Smartly</strong></a></a> Joel Makower's new book was released this week, and he discusses his focus on "the challenges of the green marketplace, especially the dysfunctional conversation taking place between companies and their employees, suppliers, customers, and regulators, as well with the media and Wall Street, or what's left of it." over on greenbiz.com. While I haven't read it, he makes it sounds pretty cool. And it's been 14 years since his last one, so he's probably got a lot of good stuff saved up to say. </p>
<p>Finally, here at 3p we covered totally interesting topics like schemes to <a href="http://www.triplepundit.com/pages/incentive-schemes-for-cycling--003563.php">incentivize cycling</a>, the fact that cutting emissions in CA will be <a href="http://www.triplepundit.com/pages/cutting-emissions-is-good-for--003573.php">good for the economy,</a> and <a href="http://www.triplepundit.com/pages/coconut-shells-not-just-for-me-003571.php">the miracle of the coconut. </a></p>
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Green Challenge Showcase: Boston Public Health Commission
2008-10-07T01:50:37Z
2008-10-02T10:09:00Z
tag:www.triplepundit.com,2008://6.3570
2008-10-02T10:09:00Z
Net Impact, a group of future and current leaders who use business to create positive change invited student and professional members to compete in the annual Net Impact Green Challenge. The task: to use their business skills to reduce their organization's environmental footprint. Jonoathan Sherman helped create a “Green Committee” of the Boston Public Health Commission. Here is his story:
The “Green Committee” of the Boston Public Health Commission was started in the winter of 07-08’ by several people, in an agency of 1200 employees, who had a few ideas about how to make the Commission a more environmentally-friendly operation. Now with over 20 members, 3 subcommittees, and numerous ongoing projects, the Green Committee has quickly grown from an upstart to a successful working group making real impacts across the Commission. Our success has happened for several reasons. First, no matter what industry one is in, now is the right time for environmental considerations to take a place in the forefront—so our timing was good. Second, the Green Committee was, and still is, open to anyone in the Commission to join at anytime. The more people we have, and from more departments and hierarchy, equals the more leverage we have when implementing a project.
Triple Pundit
http://www.triplepundit.com/about
nick@triplepundit.com
MBA
BHPCGreen
<p><img src="http://www.triplepundit.com/netimpact-logo.jpg" class="left"><i><a href="http://www.netimpact.org">Net Impact</a>, a group of future and current leaders who use business to create positive change invited student and professional members to compete in the annual <a href="http://www.netimpact.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=1184">Net Impact Green Challenge</a>. The task: to use their business skills to reduce their organization's environmental footprint. Jonoathan Sherman helped create a “Green Committee” of the Boston Public Health Commission. Here is his story:</i></p>
<p>The “Green Committee” of the Boston Public Health Commission was started in the winter of 07-08’ by several people, in an agency of 1200 employees, who had a few ideas about how to make the Commission a more environmentally-friendly operation. Now with over 20 members, 3 subcommittees, and numerous ongoing projects, the Green Committee has quickly grown from an upstart to a successful working group making real impacts across the Commission. Our success has happened for several reasons. First, no matter what industry one is in, now is the right time for environmental considerations to take a place in the forefront—so our timing was good. Second, the Green Committee was, and still is, open to anyone in the Commission to join at anytime. The more people we have, and from more departments and hierarchy, equals the more leverage we have when implementing a project. </p>
<p><img alt="bphcjpg" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/bphcjpg" width="80" height="90" class="right" />Now, with the right timing and people, it was time to develop strategies on how to implement and prove a project. Since the Commission is largely decentralized in structure (50+ programs, ranging from EMS to tobacco control, and 16+ multi-use properties), our short-term goals were to identify several simple projects we can quickly act upon, demonstrate success in, and gain momentum from in order to tackle more complex projects. Also, the projects had to be cost-neutral or cost-savers. The projects we identified to meet this criteria were piloting a green cleaning program at one of our properties, piloting a “single-stream” recycling program at another property, piloting a paper conservation program in the Executive Office, converting the entire agency to 30% post-consumer copy paper, making a procurement policy to only buy “double-siding” printers, piloting a water filtration cooler, and beginning an employee education campaign to conserve electricity.</p>
<p>We realized that these were a lot of tasks to lump into one, so we formed 3 subcommittees to each focus on a portion of the aforementioned projects. The subcommittees met on their own to establish initial measurements, implementation and performance tracking methods. The subcommittees would then report back results to the overarching Green Committee and receive further direction as necessary. This operational structure has proved successful, as we are now expanding all of the aforementioned pilot programs across the Commission, contracting for 30% post-consumer copy paper at less cost than the previous virgin paper contract, purchasing only “double-sided” printers, and expanding our employee education campaign.</p>
<p>All projects have been cost-neutral, save for the single-stream recycling program, for which we secured a modest fund for start-up materials. However, these successes don’t come with out hindrance. Behavior change is always a struggle. Measurement and performance tracking can be difficult, especially with pilot projects being confined to a particular area and data has historically been collected in a greater aggregate. Also, outdated infrastructure and technology often pose significant hurdles, examples being a fleet of “single-side” only printers and having to work in aging buildings with all their problems. However, as we continue to steward our ongoing projects and gain esteem, we can hopefully include these more complex projects into our long-term goals, of which there are still many possibilities. To do this, the Green Committee will have to continue and better our measurements and performance tracking, increase employee participation, coordinate more with outside groups and resources, and improve our infrastructure and technology. The good news is that we have been successful thus far, and it is the right time for further progress.</p>
<p>***</p>
<p>Jonathan Sherman manages procurement and related activities for the General Counsel's Office of the Boston Public Health Commission. Additionally, Jonathan currently heads the "Green Committee" at the Commission, which was formed to implement sustainable practices in operations, facilities management and workplace culture. Prior to his current lot, Jonathan has experience in community outreach, communications, political consulting and geological exploration. He holds a dual degree in Political Science and International Affairs from the University of New Hampshire.</p>
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3rd Quarter Shows Another Record for Venture Capital Funding of Clean Tech Start-ups
2008-10-07T01:50:37Z
2008-10-01T23:15:26Z
tag:www.triplepundit.com,2008://6.3574
2008-10-01T23:15:26Z
Tom Schueneman
http://www.triplepundit.com/Tom-Schueneman
tschueneman@gmail.com
GreenBiz
clean+tech+fundingventure+capital+3rd+quarter
<p><img alt="Clean tech investment breaks record for 3rd quarter of 2008" hspace="7" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/green_arrow.jpg" align="left" vspace="7" border="0" />Amid all the gnashing of teeth, high-drama, suspended presidential campaigns, and general ensuing panic over the economic crisis of late, the <a href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/09/30/BU6U138UDF.DTL&type=tech" target="_blank">San Francisco Chronicle</a> reports today that clean tech startups raised a record $2.6 billion in venture capital in the 3<sup>rd</sup> quarter.</p>
<p>Of that amount, 42% went to California companies, and two-thirds to firms within the United States. </p>
<p>To date, $6.6 billion has been raised so far this year, more than in all of 2007. Investment increased by 17% over the 2<sup>nd</sup> quarter of ‘08 and by 37% over the 3<sup>rd</sup> quarter of ‘07.</p>
<p>While that is great news, clean tech is by no means immune from the Big Bear.</p>
<p>
<p></p>
<p><strong>A pace that can’t continue amidst crisis</strong></p>
<p>The report was issued by the <a href="http://cleantech.com/" target="_blank">Cleantech Group</a> in San Francisco. Brian Fan, senior director of research for Cleantech, said that if Congress doesn’t agree on a bailout plan, “All bets are off”.</p>
<blockquote>
<p>"The investors we've talked to are all very worried about credit and the availability of capital", said Fan.</p></blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">The three clean tech sectors raising the most money last quarter are thin film solar energy technology, smart power grids, and algae for producing fuel. According to analysts like Fan, the reason is because these technologies are advanced enough that investors are willing to take risks on which companies will win. </p>
<p dir="ltr">Technologies that show their promise paying off further down the road, like certain cellulosic biofuels are more likely to suffer from the economic downturn, according to Fan: </p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">“From a technology standpoint, the cellulosic guys are years away from production, and we know that this business is very capital-intensive. Big investors in first-generation ethanols (made from sugar, starch, vegetable oil or animal fat) have been burned by these investments. With the exception of algae, cellulosic ethanol will be affected.”</p></blockquote>
<p dir="ltr"><strong>Renewable energy tax credits hanging in the balance</strong></p>
<p dir="ltr">As of Monday evening, when the House surprised everyone by voting down the bailout plan, it also appeared likely – and unbelievably so – that Congress wouldn’t be able to muster the will to come together to make sure that renewable energy tax credits wouldn’t expire at the end of the year. Though everyone seemed to agree that it was a good thing to do, the credits have been attached to larger bills in the House and Senate, and to which neither side could agree to the other’s overall proposals. </p>
<p dir="ltr">A tad disheartening, to say the least. As <a href="http://www.solarcity.com/" target="_blank">Solar City</a> CEO Lyndon Rive put it:</p>
<blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">“It’s embarrassing to see it not even extended right now. This is something that could create tens of thousands of jobs. The financial industry has collapsed, the construction industry has collapsed. The housing industry has collapsed. And solar is still growing. This will cause it to collapse … And if political leaders can’t see this, I can’t understand what they’re thinking.”</p></blockquote>
<p dir="ltr">But as of late this morning, there is still a glimmer of hope that something good will come out of Washington to help support the work the private sector is doing to grow the new energy and clean tech economy. According to a report in the <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/stories/2008/09/29/daily40.html" target="_blank">San Francisco Business Times</a>, the Senate has attached a provision to extend renewable energy tax credits to the $700 billion bailout, and hopefully the House will agree to it and get it done.</p>
<p dir="ltr">If allowed to expire, it will reflect one of the most profound failures of Congress to lead the nation into a cleaner, brighter future. And frankly, even if they do manage to pass an extension, the melodramatic, last-minute, brinkmanship exhibited by this Congress is shameful. </p>
<p dir="ltr"> </p>
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The New Business Metrics: Measuring Social Returns
2008-10-07T01:50:37Z
2008-10-01T19:00:00Z
tag:www.triplepundit.com,2008://6.3572
2008-10-01T19:00:00Z
How do you create effective organizations focused on sustainable social impact? For those who believe in combining social mission with the efficiency of a market-based approach, the answer is: social enterprise. This growing sector, driven by both social purpose and financial promise, is attracting growing amounts of talent, money, and attention. Initially funded primarily through philanthropic support, social enterprises are now reaching the status of mainstream investment opportunities for banks, venture firms, foundations and wealthy individuals.
But with new models come new metrics, especially if this sector will continue to attract significant capital investment. These new metrics (referred to as Social Return on Investment or SROI) are one of the key topics at the upcoming Social Capital Markets 08 conference. The conference, coming October 13-15 to San Francisco, will bring together social capital and social enterprise to address this basic question of social investing: How do you measure the non-financial, social, or environmental value created by an enterprise?
Jim Witkin
jim.witkin@presidiomba.org
Social Entrepreneurship
SocialCapitalMarkets2008,SROI,VitalWaveConsulting,REDF,nef,SocialEnterpriseAlliance
<p><img alt="logo-sm.gif" class="left" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/logo-sm.gif" width="100" height="100" />How do you create effective organizations focused on sustainable social impact? For those who believe in combining social mission with the efficiency of a market-based approach, the answer is: social enterprise. This growing sector, driven by both social purpose and financial promise, is attracting growing amounts of talent, money, and attention. Initially funded primarily through philanthropic support, social enterprises are now reaching the status of mainstream investment opportunities for banks, venture firms, foundations and wealthy individuals.</p>
<p>But with new models come new metrics, especially if this sector will continue to attract significant capital investment. These new metrics (referred to as Social Return on Investment or SROI) are one of the key topics at the upcoming <a href="http://socialcapitalmarkets.net/index.php">Social Capital Markets</a> 08 conference. The conference, coming October 13-15 to San Francisco, will bring together social capital and social enterprise to address this basic question of social investing: How do you measure the non-financial, social, or environmental value created by an enterprise? </p>
<p><strong>The Responsibility Revolution and How to Measure it</strong></p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.se-alliance.org">Social Enterprise Alliance</a> recently offered a definition for social enterprise that is gaining wide acceptance: Social enterprise describes any non-profit, for-profit or hybrid corporate form that utilizes market-based strategies to advance a social mission. This differentiates a social enterprise from a socially responsible business, which may strive to be a good corporate citizen, but does not typically incur a significant structural cost for addressing a social or environmental issue as part of their business model. </p>
<p>The glossary from the Social Capital Markets 08 conference defines SROI as: A concept developed to account for (monetize) both traditional financial as well as social value created by an enterprise. SROI expands the concept of financial return by broadening the concept of "who" benefits from returns widening this concept to include the whole community. </p>
<p>As recently as 1996, the term SROI was not even in our vocabulary. It was around this time the <a href="http://www.triplepundit.com/index.xml/" http://www.redf.org/">Roberts Enterprise Development Fund</a> (REDF), a San Francisco-based venture philanthropy fund, pioneered the concept of SROI in the context of their job creation programs. Since then, the REDF framework has been widely adapted (it’s currently taught at Harvard Business School) but still there is no current standard methodology.<br />
<strong><br />
One Size Does Not Fit All <br />
</strong><br />
Certainly the determination of social value can be very difficult to quantify. So different social enterprise sectors are developing their own measures, and some are unique to particular countries, regions, and type and size of enterprise. The range of tools and frameworks available is staggering. Some provide user guides that are hundreds of pages long, while others offer simple web based tools: answer a few questions, plug in a few numbers then hit the calculate button. </p>
<p>Despite the variety of approaches, almost every social capital firm now uses some SROI tool to address these basic questions: <br />
- How do we compare the resources invested in an activity to some measure of the benefits generated by it? What are the results versus the costs? <br />
-Which programs are the most effective and is this the best use of our resources?<br />
-What are the risk factors to achieving maximum impact and what mechanisms should be in place to minimize those risks? <br />
-What else could be done with the money (opportunity costs)<br />
-Would the impact happen anyway without the program (deadweight assessment)</p>
<p><strong>SROI in Practice </strong> </p>
<p>According to the UK-based <a href="http://www.neweconomics.org/">new economic foundation</a> (they prefer to go all lowercase) the critical stage of the process is identifying “indicators” for your project outcomes, and when necessary developing “proxies” to calculate a monetary value for these indicators. From their “Measuring Real Impact” guide: An indicator is a specific piece of information, sign or signal that you can measure to determine whether you have achieved a given outcome. For example, if “improved physical health” is one of the outcomes of your health care program, an indicator refers to the way you would measure this improvement. </p>
<p>Some indicators are easy to monetize. The indicator for improved physical health could be a reduction in doctor visits, for which you can easily derive a monetary value based on publicly available data. When direct monetary value of an indicator is less clear-cut, you must use a proxy to approximate the value with a close substitute. The use of proxies is gaining acceptance as practitioners can at least agree and standardize on an approach even if it is recognized as imperfect. When used within the same sectors, proxies provide a method to create benchmarks for comparison.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.vitalwaveconsulting.com">Vital Wave Consulting</a>, a strategy firm focused on developing-country technology business, is measuring social impact for its clients. According to CEO Brooke Partridge, particular industries, such as healthcare, require very rigorous field assessments. “Our clients who are implementing healthcare technologies like mobile health (mhealth) want to quantify the value of improved health outcomes and the operational efficiencies they gain through the implementation of the technology platform,” explains Ms. Partridge.</p>
<p>In the case of mhealth, direct measures of impact will require several years of rigorous study. “Until long-term field studies can be conducted, we are looking to use other mServices implementations such as mbanking and mgovernance programs as proxies in order to estimate operational efficiencies that can be gained through mhealth implementations,” explains Ms. Partridge. “We can also estimate the impact on healthcare outcomes by assessing broader ehealth (electronic health) programs of which mhealth is a subset.” </p>
<p><strong>Not All that is Important Can Be Measured </strong></p>
<p>But not everyone is onboard with these new metrics based on a traditional ROI model and application. Critics are concerned that these measures will thwart investment in social ventures where returns are more difficult to quantify. Investors will lean toward those outcomes that are easier to measure in financial terms, leaving many non-profits out of the funding picture. Simply put: what gets measured is often what gets prioritized and resourced.</p>
<p>Let us know what you think. Do we need a whole new approach to measuring outcomes like “impact” and “return”? You can also join the discussion in real time at the upcoming Social Capital Markets 2008 conference in San Francisco, October 13-15. All of the organizations mentioned in this article will be presenting there. </p>
<p>Jim Witkin is a marketing and content consultant focusing on ICT4D and social enterprise. He is also pursuing an MBA in Sustainable Management. You can reach him at <a href="http://www.triplepundit.com/index.xml/mailto:jameswitkin@yahoo.com">jameswitkin</a> at yahoo dot com</p>
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Coconut Shells: Not Just For Mermaids Anymore
2008-10-07T01:50:37Z
2008-10-01T13:00:39Z
tag:www.triplepundit.com,2008://6.3571
2008-10-01T13:00:39Z
The big, homely coconut is put to use in a wide variety of foods, from the ever popular Almond Joy to the serious contender to the dairy based ice cream throne, Coconut Bliss. Drinking the juice is a unique, highly efficient hydration treat. But what happens to the thick, fibrous hull? Not much, typically.
That is until now. At the recent West Coast Green conference, Triple Pundit writer Clara Kuo found them being put to gorgeous use: Kirei, which fittingly means clean/beautiful in Japanese have created a line of tiles made from what would otherwise have been agricultural waste, with gorgeous results. Kuo told me she couldn't resist touching them. How home decor looks is of course important, but to have a tactile connection to it is gratifying as well.
While they are easy on the eye, there is much more to them then that.
Paul Smith
psmith@mresidiomba.org
coconutcoconut+wasteagricultural+wastewaste+streamrecyclingLEEDFSCVOCgreen+homegreen+renovation
<p><img alt="Coco%20Tile%20pile.jpeg" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/Coco%20Tile%20pile.jpeg" width="209" height="293" class=left/>The big, homely coconut is put to use in a wide variety of foods, from the ever popular Almond Joy to the serious contender to the dairy based ice cream throne, <a href="http://coconutbliss.com/">Coconut Bliss</a>. Drinking the juice is a unique, highly efficient hydration treat. But what happens to the thick, fibrous hull? Not much, typically. </p>
<p>That is until now. At the recent <a href="http://westcoastgreen.com/">West Coast Green</a> conference, Triple Pundit writer Clara Kuo found them being put to gorgeous use: <a href="http://kireiusa.com/">Kirei</a>, which fittingly means clean/beautiful in Japanese have created a line of tiles made from what would otherwise have been agricultural waste, with gorgeous results. Kuo told me she couldn't resist touching them. How home decor looks is of course important, but to have a tactile connection to it is gratifying as well.</p>
<p>While they are easy on the eye, there is much more to them then that. </p>
<p>By making the shell into tile, they divert them from their usual fate, being burnt or thrown away, adding to air pollution or to already overburdened landfills. Coconut flesh, milk, and juice are consumed in even higher quantities outside the US, so you can imagine the amount of waste being created as well, and the potential impact that an increasing market for coconut based decor could have.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.fscus.org/faqs/what_is_certification.php">FSC</a> certified wood is in the mix here as well, providing a smooth backing for the naturally textured coconut to meet more linear surfaces. The glue that brings this all together is either low or zero <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volatile_organic_compound">VOC</a>. Together, they create a visually unique, environmentally considerate product. </p>
<p>Coco Tiles also qualify for <a href="http://www.usgbc.org/DisplayPage.aspx?CategoryID=19">LEED</a> points, as they are even more renewable then the venerable bamboo, which takes years to grow back, while coconuts come back annually. And the shell counts as post consumer recycled material. Soon, with complete FSC certification for their whole supply chain, that aspect will count as well.</p>
<p>The only quibble I have with them is that the materials come from Malaysia and they're made in China, which means a fairly sizable carbon footprint for their shipping to the US, as compared to producing them from coconuts in the tropical regions south of the US, or even in the US, if there is enough raw material. And what about labor practices? Taking a look at their site, they nicely answer this, saying <blockquote>We aim to bring new economic activity to our source regions by providing new jobs at fair market wages in a safe, healthy workplace while lessening human impact on the environment.</blockquote></p>
<p><strong>Readers: What other non food uses of coconut have you found? And what about other products that divert waste to be made into useful products? <a href="http://Verterra.com">Verterra</a> is another example.</strong><br />
<em><br />
Paul Smith is a sustainable business innovator, the founder of<a href="http://greensmithconsulting.com"> GreenSmith Consulting</a>, and has an MBA in Sustainable Management from <a href="http://presidiomba.org">Presidio School of Management </a>in San Francisco. His overarching talent is "bottom lining" complex ideas, in a way that is understandable and accessible to a variety of audiences, internal and external to a company.</em></p>
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Interested in reusable containers? Not sure if it makes sense economically?
2008-10-07T01:50:37Z
2008-10-01T10:31:48Z
tag:www.triplepundit.com,2008://6.3566
2008-10-01T10:31:48Z
Try the Reusables Cost Comparison Tool designed by the Reusable Packaging Association. The tool was demonstrated this past week at the 2008 "Choose Reusables!" Education Forum sponsored by Reusable Packaging Association (RPA) and StopWaste.org. In just a few minutes, using your own company's pricing and volume and "dwell time" estimates you can get a rough idea of whether or not it makes sense for your company to invest in reusable shipping containers vs. a one-time use cardboard box.
The cost comparison tool takes a lot of the guesswork out of understanding what costs to include when comparing two types of packaging. It is meant to serve as a directional indicator. It’s a quick and dirty way to know if you should further investigate potential savings from reusables for your company. If your company needs assistance using the tool, contact StopWaste.org to help walk you through the process.
Triple Pundit
http://www.triplepundit.com/about
nick@triplepundit.com
Supply Chain
<p><img alt="reuse.jpg" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/reuse.jpg" width="130" height="130" class="left" /><a href="http://www.usereusables.org/cost/cctool.html">Try the Reusables Cost Comparison Tool</a> designed by the Reusable Packaging Association. The tool was demonstrated this past week at the 2008 "Choose Reusables!" Education Forum sponsored by Reusable Packaging Association (RPA) and StopWaste.org. In just a few minutes, using your own company's pricing and volume and "dwell time" estimates you can get a rough idea of whether or not it makes sense for your company to invest in reusable shipping containers vs. a one-time use cardboard box. </p>
<p>The cost comparison tool takes a lot of the guesswork out of understanding what costs to include when comparing two types of packaging. It is meant to serve as a directional indicator. It’s a quick and dirty way to know if you should further investigate potential savings from reusables for your company. If your company needs assistance using the tool, contact StopWaste.org to help walk you through the process.</p>
<p><strong>Benefits of Reusables</strong></p>
<p>The main benefits of reusable shipping containers are lower packaging costs, reduced transportation costs* and increased performance. With reusable pallets and recycled plastic boxes companies experience less product damage, reduced injuries due to more ergonomic designs, neater workspace with less debris and an increased sense of pride of employees working in a cleaner environment. Ghirardelli Chocolate also cites decreased contamination and reduced handling as benefits of their reusable packaging. Their employees also liked the new packaging because it reduced the repetitive motion of taping boxes closed and using a box cutter to reopen them. The plastic boxes also allow for a greater pallet density. </p>
<p>*Lower transportation costs (and therefore lower CO2 emissions) occur because plastic is 37% lighter than wood. </p>
<p><br />
***<br />
By Shana Gillis</p>
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Cutting Emissions is Good for Economy
2008-10-07T01:50:37Z
2008-10-01T10:00:00Z
tag:www.triplepundit.com,2008://6.3573
2008-10-01T10:00:00Z
Cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is good for the economy, according to a report released last week by California air regulators. The report stated that cutting GHG emissions over the next 12 years will benefit the state’s economy and save Californians money. The state’s economy will grow faster if it cuts emissions than if it did nothing.
The report estimates that emissions cuts will boost CA’s economic production by $27 billion in 2020, an increase of less than one percent of what it would be without emissions regulations. The report also estimated that 100,000 jobs will be created, many of them for low-skilled workers. The average California household will save $400 per year by driving fuel efficient vehicles and energy efficient homes. Businesses complying with regulations will also save money because they will become more efficient and use less electricity.
Gina-Marie Cheeseman
gmcheeseman@netscape.com
Doing Right, Doing Good
<p><img alt="125px-Flag_of_California.svg.jpg" src="http://www.triplepundit.com/125px-Flag_of_California.svg.jpg" width="90" height="60" class="left"/></p>
<p>Cutting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is good for the economy, according to a <a href="http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/scopingplan/document/economic_analysis_supplement.pdf" ">report</a> released last week by California air regulators. The report stated that cutting GHG emissions over the next 12 years will benefit the state’s economy and save Californians money. The state’s economy will grow faster if it cuts emissions than if it did nothing.</p>
<p>The report estimates that emissions cuts will boost CA’s economic production by $27 billion in 2020, an increase of less than one percent of what it would be without emissions regulations. The report also estimated that 100,000 jobs will be created, many of them for low-skilled workers. The average California household will save $400 per year by driving fuel efficient vehicles and energy efficient homes. Businesses complying with regulations will also save money because they will become more efficient and use less electricity.</p>
<p>The report’s models show that implementing their recommendations will increase California’s gross state product by $4 billion. It will increase the overall personal income by $14 billion, and increase per capita income by $200. The business sector will benefit from enhanced growth, and small businesses experience a “slight net economic benefit.”</p>
<p>The report offers the most comprehensive projection of the economic consequences of California’s 2006 GHG emissions law, AB 32 or the California Global Warming Solutions Act. The Act requires the state to cut its emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, a reduction of roughly one-third.</p>
<p>According to the report, if California implements the air board's recommendations "not only will the economy grow by a similar amount as we move toward 2020,but it will grow at a slightly higher rate.”</p>
<p>"This is the green-light analysis that says we should keep pushing on this," said James Fine, an economist at the Environmental Defense Fund. "It's only going to help our economy, not hurt it."</p>
<p>"Our historic effort here in California to deal with the crisis of global warming will also have a benefit of saving our businesses and residents money," said state Air Resources Board Chairwoman Mary Nichols. </p>
<p><b>GE chairman said emissions reductions good for economy</b></p>
<p>Last July chairman and CEO of General Electric (GE) Jeffrey Immelt said cutting GHG emissions is good for the economy during a speech at the Western Governors’ Association meeting. </p>
<p>'This notion that business is just going to stop if we embrace clean energy and clean water is just rubbish,” <a href="http://www.casperstartribune.com/articles/2008/07/02/news/wyoming/df6d6a70a3e2d50c8725747a00018b24.txt">Immelt said</a>. “It's just not true. On the contrary, if the federal government could come up with an intelligent policy on carbon emissions -- whether it be through a carbon tax, a cap-and-trade system or otherwise -- which offers industry some certainty regarding the cost of emitting carbon for the next 10 to 15 years, businesses will adjust and innovate and figure out how to 'make a buck.”</p>
<p>GE invested $3 billion in ‘green’ energy last year. Over five years ago Immelt decided GE would adopt the Kyoto protocol. “I thought it would cost us money,” Immelt said. “It's turned out to save us money.” <br />
<br />
<strong>Consumer lifestyles won't change</strong></p>
<p>"You may have different lightbulbs and your car may be made of different materials but basically we've assumed that consumer lifestyles stay constant," said Jack Stephenson, a director of McKinsey, the management consultancy firm that released a report in December. The report stated that the U.S. will be able to reduce GHG emissions one-third by 2030 at a minimal cost to the economy. </p>
<p>Emissions reductions can even occur at no cost to the economy, the report stated, if they are offset by more energy efficient cars, homes and businesses.</p>
<p>"We can get on a path to stop global warming in a way that's not going to hurt the economy," said Richard Duke, a Natural Resources Defense Council director.</p>
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