Where Does the Water Go and Why Does It Matter

In the hot summer months, water and energy consumption can increase dramatically as businesses and individuals respond to the heat by applying more water to yards and landscapes.  Hoses and sprinkler systems are opened up with the primary consideration given to the increase seen on the water bill.  However, water as a number of interdependent relationships to consider.

As a sustainability consultant, we encourage clients and friends to consider the resulting impacts of all actions.  In a recent post, The Water/Energy Link, we discuss how water and energy are intrinsically related; energy is needed to transport and deliver water while generating power requires massive quantities of water. There are opportunities to conserve both resources simultaneously.  In fact, the U.S. EPA has quantified the water/ energy savings opportunity: equating 1 gallon of water to approximately 4 watt hours of power.

In addition to conservation, working with individuals as a green living consultant we also focus on prevention due to the fact that water has a link back to itself.  The decisions made about what goes down the drain and on the lawn and garden can affect the water quality of nearby rivers and streams.   The U.S. EPA provides some good suggestions:

•    Use fertilizers sparingly and sweep up driveways, sidewalks and gutters
•    Plant ground cover in bare spots in your yard
•    Never dump anything down storm drains or in streams
•    Take your car to the car wash instead of washing it in the driveway
•    Pick up after your pet

 With a desire to choose a more sustainable lifestyle, there are tools and resources  available to raise eco awareness, to become more informed on issues, and to implement solutions that meet unique situations.  At Taiga Company, we have a professional consultant ready to help build a personal sustainability plan or simply integrate a sustainability concept like water management into a more sustainable lifestyle.

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Hooray! Old Man Winter has Left the Building!

So you’re feeling pretty good, doing a little spring cleaning, getting the house in order for the seasonal change. But keep in mind – you’re not the only one. Mother Nature is also getting her act together. Take a look around you and you’ll see her handiwork: from the birds to the bees, and everything in between, nature is revving up as well.

Here are some ways you can help your Mother out:

Birds are truly “feathering their nests” this time of year and if you look carefully at the construction, the hodge-podge of materials they use is amazing. I’ve seen everything from paper napkins to straws poking out amongst the grass and straw you would normally associate with nest building.

Because my family would like to help our feather friends and save money at the same time, I cut my children’s hair and then scatter the clippings out over our backyard. Our cardinals in particular are most appreciative of the soft material and overall we have found a way to recycle something that would normally be thrown out.

Another way we help out Mother Nature is a little more off the wall, or more precisely, off the deck! When potatoes, apples, oranges, let’s say, are past their prime, we put them to better use on our acreage.

In fact, it’s almost a national pastime at our country home. We call it launching. Not to say we are filling our backyard with old produce – au contraire. No, I’m happy to say that most of our veggies are consumed on the premises. But a good windup and a strong throw sends the fruit of the earth back to where it came from, or to be consumed by the animals that share this earth with us.

While we’re helping our animal friends build their nests and feed their young, we are also very careful about not putting things out that can harm them. Pesticides are a no-no in our house. Basically we are critter lovers. But, I have to admit there are some creepy crawlies we wish would live elsewhere. Take the case of aphids and mites.

These little buggers can destroy your roses and swallow a hedge in no time. Here are a couple of pesticide free tips that have worked for us. Banana peels are great around rose bushes. I was skeptical at first myself but the bugs seem to avoid the yellow wrappers like the plague. Another great idea we found while living in California (and check your local nursery and your specific state for restrictions), is the Asian Lady Beetles (not the notorious Japanese ones), often thought to be Lady Bugs. I know, it sounds crazy, but these cuties are actually eating machines. Our Oleander bushes which ran the length of our backyard were infested with aphids – we were at a loss as to how to remove the bugs in an environmentally friendly way. But one bag, one application of the live Asian eating machines and the aphids were history.

And what about your garden? Ever try companion plants to repel insects?

Many people are aware that Marigolds are great garden borders for they ward off nematodes, the bane of tomato lovers. But did you know that radishes protect cucumbers and basil stands guard around your asparagus? A great website that gives you a rundown of companion plants, as well as insect repellant plants and beneficial insects is: http://www.rexresearch.com/agro/comp1.htm

So remember, spring is here and we couldn’t be happier, but spring comes for all, not just for those who walk on two legs. Your Mother, earth that is, is coming out of hibernation as well. Treat her well. In return she will bless you with abundant wildlife to color your world and tasty goodies to cover your plate!

For more tips and tricks, visit the original blog post.

Greenopolis.com is dedicated to our users. We focus our attention on changing the world through recycling, waste-to-energy and conservation. We reward our users for their sustainable behaviors on our website, through our Greenopolis Tracking Stations and with curbside recycling programs.

GREENOP5928

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Personalizing the Journey of Walking the Green Talk

A recent Gallup poll shows that 94% of Americans are aware of Climate Change issues, and of that segment 75% feel that action needs to be taken.  So what percentage of Americans is transferring this awareness into action?  What impact would it have if 75% of the US population took personal action to address these climate issues?

The gap between awareness and action may represent the single largest opportunity for global sustainability progress.  While historical efforts have focused on expanding awareness, the recent explosion of information and global interest indicates that the “word is out” on most major issues.   The next step is closing the growing gap between knowledge and personal action.

One of our sustainability consulting missions for 2010 and beyond is to promote the action step  in personal sustainable lifestyle and business sustainability change.  Integrating sustainability concepts into everyday activities at home and at work doesn’t have to be a costly or laboring process.

As we discuss with clients and friends, personal and business sustainability is a continuous improvement process that challenges each of us to constantly transform our personal eco awareness into manageable and value adding action. Putting a plan into action creates alignment and further expresses or extends one’s personal commitment. 

Take for example a few basic actions to address personal impacts on climate change.  These concepts are not beyond our current awareness and simply need to be put into action.  In fact, these actions will not only make a positive impact but will actually save money.

 •    Evaluate energy sources: at home, at work, and in transportation.

•    Evaluate electrical energy efficiency at home and at work.

•    Evaluate the impacts of everyday purchasing decisions .

An important aspect of creating a personal or business sustainability plan is finding the right incentives to keeping a program going.  As a sustainability consultant, I encourage everyone to look for the economic benefits as well as the personal satisfaction of a sustainable lifestyle.  Our goal is to help business and individuals take continuous inspired action on their growing eco awareness.

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Stay Cool This Summer With Retro Drink Recipes

When the weather heats up, I generally want to cool down with something delicious. And while I love a margarita in a frosty glass, sometimes I want something a little more “G” rated.

So I‘m glad I found these vintage drink recipes from Masters-Tech.com. Check out recipes for drinks like Egg Cream and Banana Milk Shake, and sodas of all kind, including and old-time favorites like Cherry Coke.

The website also has recipes for sundae toppings to suit every taste. The Chop Suey Sundae, with raisins, walnuts and Chinese noodles sounds terrific. But you can also find recipes for Butterscotch Sauce, Raspberry Sauce and a homemade chocolate sauce made with semi-sweet chocolate chips and evaporated milk.

It’s shaping up to be a delicious summer.

For more green cooking tips from this blogger, visit the original blog post.

Greenopolis.com is dedicated to our users. We focus our attention on changing the world through recycling, waste-to-energy and conservation. We reward our users for their sustainable behaviors on our website, through our Greenopolis Tracking Stations and with curbside recycling programs.

GREENOP5926

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Essential Steps to a Long Term CSR Strategy

It is getting to be a challenge to keep up with the various news pieces relating to CSR  that are breaking almost on a daily basis. As an example today alone, CSL,  Australia’s largest pharma corp. releases its CSR report,  The Body Shop just announced over $ 1 m to prevent sex trafficking, and Robert Polman the President of a little company called Unilever decries those corporations who are only after short term profits and focus too much on shareholders at the expense of customers.   Such vigorous discussion is great news and suggests that CSR is getting a stronger foothold as a core element within the board room. 

Despite this, there is still a healthy debate about the merits of CSR and the role of corporations in contributing to social and environmental issues. The cynicism is based in part on the notion that CSR is just PR and is shallow and only designed to increase shareholder value with minimal interface on the social and environmental issues that matter…With that in mind and with Robert Polman of Unilever acting as an example of effective contemporary leadership here are five tips for creating a CSR strategy with teeth.
 
1.       Do something that is tied to your business – use your personal and corporate strengths and interests. This leverages the unique skill sets within your organization which creates buy-in from your employees and also assists branding the CSR initiative as something that may be unique to your organization.  Witness the “Soft Hands Kind Heart” campaign from The Body Shop. This is different than just writing a check or a one off contribution of volunteer time that can be forgotten. 
 
2.       Make it part of the overarching corporate strategy – effective corporations find a way to have lateral thinking that cut across administrative silos. An effective CSR strategy is truly enterprise wide and involves the entire production and administrative value chain.
 
3.       Engage your leaders in it – to paraphrase James Carville (and Fast Company) it’s about the people stupid! In order to get leaders to buy in to the need for social and environmental awareness and service impacts they must understand the value. Yes, this will be an economic and cognitive impact – but without the emotional understanding the effort will ring shallow. There must be a way forward that allows leaders to embrace the process and become champions of the agenda.
 
4.       Create an internal and external scorecard – Be prepared to commit resources to measuring the impact of this – externally in terms of value to the NGO or community and also internally as to how those leaders you have engaged are actually performing and tying their socially responsibility objectives with their personal performance objectives and those of the corporation.
 
5.       Revisit – Readjust- Reinvest – Since this is a long-term strategic focus that uses your best people (and then strengthens their commitment to stay longer) – you will want to keep this alive. Accordingly, you will need to reexamine your interests in this area and ensure that this aspect of the business grows and is kept fresh…
 
These are bold and big steps….Are these the ones you would use? Are there other truisms that fit for CSR? 
This is the 1st in a series of blogs for this week that focus on the core business areas of The Acacia Group, CSR,  leadership and learning, and community development.

AG5919

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

The National Park Foundation Announces “First Bloom” Spring Plantings

(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed)WASHINGTON, DC – April 7, 2010 -  Urban youth around the nation will be breaking ground this spring on gardens of native plant species as part of the National Park Foundation’s First Bloom program.  First Bloom gives students firsthand experience in national parks, and teaches important conservation lessons including the difference between native and invasive plant species. Youth groups participating in the program work with park rangers to design and plant their own gardens in national parks.

“One of the most important things anyone can do for the environment is to connect young people to parks,” said Neil Mulholland, president and CEO of the National Park Foundation.  “Kids who are forging connections with the national parks today, are likely to have lasting relationships with the parks and the outdoors for their whole lives.”

First Bloom connects kids between 4th and 6th grades to nature and national parks.  The nationwide program is currently taking place in 26 national parks in partnership with 31 youth groups, primarily local Boys and Girls Clubs, across the country. 

The National Park Foundation funded the 2010 First Bloom projects with support from the UPS Foundation, ARAMARK Parks and Destinations through the Yawkey Foundation, and through the generous support of private citizens and foundations.

“UPS is known for delivering packages, but this time our goal is to deliver kids–into our national parks,” said The UPS Foundation President Ken Sternad.  “First Bloom is changing children’s lives by showing them that the national parks belong to each of them.   The gardens they plant will create a lasting connection to the parks and to the outdoors.”

“First Bloom teaches today’s youth about the importance of preserving our national parks and protecting their local communities’ natural resources,” said Bruce Fears, president of ARAMARK Parks and Destinations.  “Welcoming people into national parks, and making them feel at home is what we do, and we are very proud to be helping make that connection for a new generation.” 

Parks with upcoming plantings include:

·        Hamilton Grange National Memorial and General Grant National Memorial, NY

·        San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park, CA

·        Cuyahoga Valley National Park, OH

·        Boston African American National Historic Site, MA

To learn more about the First Bloom program, visit www.first-bloom.org.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION

You are the part-owner of 84 million acres of the world’s most treasured landscapes, ecosystems, and historical sites — all protected in America’s nearly 400 national parks.  Chartered by Congress, the National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks.  We work hand in hand with the National Park Service to help connect you and all Americans to the parks, and to make sure that they are preserved for the generations who will follow.  Join us – This is Your Land.  www.nationalparks.org

FACEBOOK http://www.facebook.com/nationalpark

TWITTER http://twitter.com/goparks

Contact:

National Park Foundation

Mark Shields mshields@nationalparks.org

 (202) 354-6480

UPS5931

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

The Real Story About Methane Power From Cows!

Not that you would bring a cow into your lving room with a Coleman lantern piped up its butt. But cows make methane and methane can provide heat, light and energy, while keeping climate change in check. A story on Inhabitat via Reuters showed the cow above capturing its own methane for a study on the impact of methane in the atmosphere.

I was on a simple farm in Costa Rica a few years back that showed me a true  picture of sustainbility. The farmer, Don Juan (I swear I’m not making this up), grew sugar cane and vegetables, and kept a couple of cows. I worked with him on the farm as we pressed the juice from the sugar cane to make sugar (and the wildest moonshine I’ve ever had- but that’s another story). We also harvested yucca and other crops. The veggies went to the kitchen to be cooked, the parts we couldn’t eat went to the cow as feed along with the crushed sugar cane. The cow happily munched the crop waste, and give milk and poop in return. The milk went to the kitchen to make cheese, butter and yogurt. The poop went into a methane digester- a big sausage shaped bag that captured the methane produced from the anerobic breakdown of the manure. The methane was piped to the kitchen to cook the veggies and dairy, and the solids that were left went onto the fields as rich manure, growing the next crop of yucca and cane. A simple and complete cycle.

The same methane was used to light gaslamps in our cabins, and some of it was used to generate electricity on the farm for other tasks.

Here’s a great illustration on how it all works from Cow Power:

Cow makes poop, poop and bacteria make methane, methane drives generator, generator makes electricity, electricity proscesses the dry waste remaining into bedding for animlmals and manure for fields, fields grow grass, grass feeds cows, and we’re back to square one.

Using the methane that cows make is a good idea- becaouse methane is 22 times more potent a greenhouse gas than CO2, and burning it reduces that impact. Here are some Pros and Cons of methane generator systems from Small Farm and Permaculture Living:

Advantages

• Makes good use of organic wastes. You can obtain fuel from sewage sludge and animal slurries first, and prevent runoff and methane emissions at the same time – and you still get fertilizer at the end of the process.

• Is a clean, easily controlled source of renewable energy.

• Uses up methane, a powerful greenhouse gas.

• Reduces pathogen (disease agent) levels in the waste.

• Residue provides valuable organic fertilizer.

• Simple to build and operate.

• Low maintenance requirements.

• Can be efficiently used to run cooking, heating, gas lighting, absorption refrigerators and gas powered engines.

• No smell (unless there’s a leak, which you’d want to know about and fix immediately anyway!).

Disadvantages

• Most practical to be generated and used at the source of the waste. This is because the energy needed to compress the gas for transport, or convert it into electricity is excessive, reducing the efficiency of biogas energy production.

• For safety, basic precautions for flammable gas must be adhered to.

So there you go. As I sit back and edit this blog over a plate of baked beans, I’m reminded once again how we can easily generate the energy we need to power our lives by working with nature to conserve the planet! To see videos of how the methane process is completed, or to comment on this blog, visit the original post.

Greenopolis.com is dedicated to our users. We focus our attention on changing the world through recycling, waste-to-energy and conservation. We reward our users for their sustainable behaviors on our website, through our Greenopolis Tracking Stations and with curbside recycling programs.

GREENOP5923

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

The Super Strength of POLLI-Bricks – Bricks Made from Recycled Plastic Bottles!

They’re transparent and translucent. They interlock together to form a honeycomb structure that’s extremely durable. They can be used to build anything from buildings and fences to roofs and walls of light. So what are “they” referring to? They’re called POLLI-Bricks, and they’re a genius example of recycled bottle architecture.

Although these plastic bricks may not be as cool as the Heineken beer bottle interlocking bricks from Joe Laur’s One Million Buddhist Beers on the Wall, One Million Buddhist Beers…. blog post, these are a pretty cool close second! Created by the folks at miniWiz, these amazing plastic bricks are lighter than regular bricks, and they each hold a small volume of air inside of them that allow for perfect thermal insulation.

I love the fact that the bricks are solar-powered, and that they retain sunlight during the day to help illuminate them at night! Good looking, recycled and solar powered. POLLI-Bricks get a thumbs-up from me. To see videos that show the durability of these bricks, visit the original blog post.

Greenopolis.com is dedicated to our users. We focus our attention on changing the world through recycling, waste-to-energy and conservation. We reward our users for their sustainable behaviors on our website, through our Greenopolis Tracking Stations and with curbside recycling programs.

GREENOP5925

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Petrobras sponsors GRI Readers’ Choice Awards 2010. Only 24 hours left to nominate your favorite reports

(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) April 7, 2010 – Petrobras will be the exclusive sponsor of GRI’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2010 in which readers from around the world can choose the best sustainability reports. The Awards are organized by the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), in partnership with KPMG Spain, KPMG Netherlands, Futerra, SustainAbility, ACCA and TCS. GRI is an international multi-stakeholder organization that develops the sustainability reporting framework for organizations of all sizes, locations and sectors.

  Since 2003 Petrobras has adopted in its sustainability reports the principles and indicators developed by GRI. In the first edition of the Awards, held in 2008, Petrobras’ Social and Environmental Balance was elected the best report by the participants. The winners of the 2010 edition will be announced during the Amsterdam Global Conference on Sustainability and Transparency (www.amsterdamgriconference.org), scheduled to be held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, from 26 to 28 May.

  According to GRI’s CEO Ernst Ligteringen, the Readers’ Choice Awards will be one of the highlights of the conference. “GRI is delighted to partner with Petrobras once again, the Brazilian company having been a key sponsor of GRI’s last biennial conference.” said Ligteringen. “This partnership with GRI shows the importance Petrobras attributes to discussions regarding sustainability and transparency in society. The Readers’ Choice Awards is an opportunity to reflect on the current role of sustainability reporting in light of what readers and organizations expect of it as a management tool. We are pleased to cooperate with this initiative.” said Luis Fernando Nery, Petrobras’ Social Responsibility manager.

  Any report reader can participate in the Readers’ Choice Awards by visiting the website http://awards.globalreporting.org/ before 8 April and voting on the 105 shortlisted reports. As a sponsor, Petrobras is not competing for the prize. In addition to supporting this project, the company is a member of the working group that developed the GRI sector supplement for the oil and gas industry. Furthermore, Petrobras takes part in global discussions in the Organizational Stakeholder program and has a representative at GRI’s Stakeholder Council.

  Media Contact
Marjella Alma, alma@globalreporting.org; +31 20 531 0036.
 
About The Global Reporting Initiative
The Global Reporting Initiative has pioneered the development of the world’s most widely used sustainability reporting framework and is committed to its continuous improvement and application worldwide. This framework sets out the principles and indicators that organizations can use to measure and report their economic, environmental, and social performance. www.globalreporting.org

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily

Is Sustainability the Key to a Highly Effective Work Environment?

The Environmental Protection Agency recently reported that Americans spend up to 90% of their time indoors (at work and home).  The study went on to reveal that a sustainable work environment can play a significant role in daily and long-term health.  While many people we work with have taken action at home, few have applied the same sustainable lifestyle passion to their work environment. 

What is preventing most individuals from addressing change at work?  The answers most often come down to the company and its culture.

Our sustainability consulting visits with organizational leaders seeking to address these issue by implementing business sustainability programs focused on the value of a sustainable work environment.  By raising organizational eco awareness, promoting communication, and taking specific action on indoor issues, businesses can directly contribute to the health and productivity for their employees.  Organizational benefits often include:

•    A healthier more sustainable workforce.
•    A more productive workforce.
•    A sustainable environment which attracts higher quality employees.
•    Reduced employee turnover.
•    Reduced lost work time related to health issues.

Once an organization identifies and attracts the right employee, building and motivating the organization becomes critical to retaining that talent.  Highly effective organizations are going beyond organizational eco awareness to creating business sustainability cultures that engage their employees.

Looking for topic related resources?  At Taiga Company, we provide resources and professional consulting to businesses and individuals seeking to address sustainable lifestyle changes at both home and at work.

Posted via web from 3BL Media, CSR News, and Emily