Transforming Green Resistance to Sustainable Action

Surveys indicate most Americans recognize the environmental crisis and they’re concerned about global warming. But to actually do something about it?  Within our business sustainability consulting, it’s not uncommon to interface with business leaders unaware of the value of sustainable business practices.  Common misconceptions are:

• It’s too expensive.

• It won’t make a difference.

• It’s not for my business.

• It’s a passing trend.

• It’s too big of an issue and where do you even start?

However, we’ve found in our sustainability consulting practice, building a business case for sustainability provides a company with a clear understanding of the opportunities, risks and bottom line implications associated with the organization’s defined sustainability strategies.  Benefits to a sustainable business: click here to continue reading.
 

Home to one third of the earth’s trees, the Taiga is the largest land-based biosphere and encircles the globe. Its immense oxygen production literally changes the atmosphere and refreshes the planet. It is this continuous renewal that has shaped Taiga Company’s vision to drive similar change in the business world. Taiga Company seeks to be the “oxygen for your business”.

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Leonardo Academy Launches Free Webinar on How to Be a Hero and Deliver Great Post-Occupancy Performance in LEED-NC Certified Buildings | 3BL Media

(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) Madison, WI – May 26, 2010 – Leonardo Academy announced today that it will present a free webinar training course on maintaining high performance in LEED-NC certified buildings on June 17, 2010 and July 15, 2010, titled: 1-2-3 LEED-NC Certification: How to Be a Hero & Deliver Great Post-Occupancy Performance.  This course provides step-by-step guidance on how the LEED-EB rating system can be used to achieve and maintain high ongoing performance for buildings certified under the LEED-NC rating system.

This one-hour course will be delivered free as a live webinar on June 17 at 2:00 PM CDT and on July 15 at 1:00 PM CDT.  The course provides both USGBC and AIA continuing education credit.  Visit the Leonardo Academy website to register to participate (www.leonardoacademy.org).

Leonardo Academy provides a wide range of training courses on sustainability and environmental topics, including training courses on LEED and green buildings.  Leonardo Academy is a top tier training provider in the USGBC training provider program, and is an approved provider of training that earns AIA continuing education credit.  Many Leonardo Academy training courses provide both USGBC and AIA continuing education credits, which can be used by members of these organizations to fulfill continuing education requirements as part of their credentialing maintenance programs.

Leonardo Academy delivers its training courses in person, by live webinar and by on-demand webinar.  The full list of current training courses and registration options is available on the Leonardo Academy website at www.leonardoacademy.org.

Leonardo Academy Mission
Leonardo Academy is a charitable nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing sustainability by leveraging innovative tools and information to motivate the competitive market. By utilizing an interdisciplinary approach to sustainability strategies, education and implementation, we strive to make sustainability practical for everyone. We develop integrative sustainability solutions designed to enhance the environmental stewardship, social responsibility and economic prosperity of organizations, corporations and individuals. We see a world filled with sustainable opportunities that can transform the way we live today and ensure the prosperity of future generations.

Leonardo Academy Programs and Services
Leonardo Academy works on a broad range of sustainability issues and provides comprehensive sustainability services to help companies, organizations, families and individuals implement sustainability. Our services include: organizational sustainability assessments and implementation; emissions footprints, reduction strategies and offsets; LEED® for sustainable buildings assessments, implementation and certification application preparation; sustainable land management; sustainability training; and sustainability standard development.

Learn more at www.leonardoacademy.org.

Contact Information
Kara Edmondson, Training Program Manager
Leonardo Academy, Inc.
kara@leonardoacademy.org
Phone: (608) 280-0255

Barbara McCabe, Sustainability Program Manager
Leonardo Academy, Inc.
barb@leonardoacademy.org
Phone: (608) 280-0255

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Top Ways to Green Your Memorial Day Cook Out

According to the Hearth, Patio & Barbecue Association, over half of all Americans will be on patios enjoying meals from backyard grills this Memorial Day weekend.  While the affect of a small grill may seem small, the cumulative impacts of the millions simultaneous burns around the country can add up.  So why not add a little ‘green’ to your party this year?

By increasing your eco awareness on ‘greener’ options, you can make a significant difference in your personal life, local community, and the overall environment.  It can also be fun to try out some new things.  Here are a few tips from Sierra Magazine:

•    Cleaner-burning propane or electric grills are preferable over charcoal fired grills, which contribute more to poor air quality.

•    For those who do use charcoal, consider lump brands bag .  These are made from real hardwood firewood chunks which have been charred and do not contain chemical binders or igniting agents. 

•    Switch from lighter fluid, which releases smog-forming VOCs, to a chimney starter .

•    For those seeking a more sustainable lifestyle, a solar oven or stove avoids emissions altogether.

•    Grill organic, hormone-free meat, wild fish, organic veggies and fruit.

•    Minimize health risks from meats that are grilled or broiled over high direct heat sources.  Choosing lean meats and trimming fat before cooking.

•    Set your picnic table with reusable dishware and silverware and cloth napkins. If that’s not feasible, look for biodegradable or recycled-paper dinnerware, unbleached cups, and recycled-paper napkins.

As a personal sustainability consultant to individuals seeking a more sustainable lifestyle, I encourage everyone to continuously evaluate alternatives in all areas of their life.  A large part of building a personal sustainability plan includes choosing options and products that are good for both the environment as well as your personal well being.  Take this holiday as an opportunity to have ‘green’ fun by expanding the eco awareness to your friends, family, or party guests.

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Lead, Follow or Get the Hell Out of the Way – Three Paradigms for Taking Responsibility in CSR

There have been several discussions in recent months in the blog space regarding the role and value of government in the monitoring and setting of regulations regarding corporate social responsibility (CSR). Perhaps the most radical and visible discussion occurred as a result of a proposal put forth in the Indian legislature that suggested that CSR activities could be traded across companies in a manner similar to the notion of purchase, trade and barter of carbon credits. Such a proposal is rife with difficulties, not the least of which is the assumption that a “right” net amount of CSR activity could occur, allowing corporations to purchase “get out of jail free cards” to mask their environmental or social ills…and that that equation would suffice for people and planet.

This paradigm is culturally dependent however, as the role of government in India is different from the role of government in the US and again different in Canada. An inherent assumption from a North American context is that in order to keep government regulation at bay, industries or indeed corporations must be responsible for self-governance. It is fundamentally an equation, whereby increased autonomy will increase the burden of responsibility to contribute to the greater good; conversely – increased dependency on government programs decreases overall autonomy and by default decreases the innate sense of responsibility to society. It was once stated (by an unfortunately forgotten source) that it is not the role of government to provide all programs, but rather to ensure that all programs are provided.
 
If one accepts these assumptions, the role of government is not to legislate compliance to a CSR yardstick, but instead to support societal expectations of all constituents, personal, public, and corporate to declare a responsibility to contribute to the social and environmental good. This leads to one of three options running their course. 1. A corporation sees their responsibility to society and fulfills it – this allows them to be valued on a variety of levels, and they continue to do business.  2. A corporation abdicates their responsibility and chooses to do nothing but take from their community and the planet in a short-term race toward profit. – This corporation will lose its competitive advantage as it engages in socially and environmentally unsustainable behaviors – ultimately they will cease to exist. 3. A corporation chooses to flaunt civil standards and commits human rights or environmental abuses – here, the government steps in – and seeks fines or jail terms in order to create some kind of redress of the wrongs committed against society.
 
Now, this is a simplistic view of government and CSR – and does not address many of the nuances in the continuum of behaviors outlined above, but the fundamental premise is that corporations will step up and have impactful and meaningful CSR strategies not because of some government mandate, but because it meets their responsibility as members of the community.
 
Is there a fourth paradigm for companies to pursue? Should government be more involved in setting this agenda? Please leave comments at www.theacaciagroup.blogspot.com
 
The Acacia Group’s mission is to offer transformative and unique leadership development for organizations seeking to live out their global citizenship. To do this we blend knowledge from Corporate Social Responsibility, Community Development and Leadership Development and Learning to create new opportunities for excellence for our clients. For more information, visit www.theacaciagroup.ca
 
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Drive Over Plastic Trash and Old Tires!

My old man was in the concrete business. I was learning how to use (or at least hold) a trowel when I was 4 years old, working on a concrete driveway with him. Concrete is energy intensive, accounting for roughly 8% of all waste CO2 worldwide. But concrete is durable- what else holds up so well?

Well, plastic and old tires for one thing. What if you could take plastics and tires, headed for the landfill to spend a few hundred or thousand years buried, and take advantage of their persistence and durability? There’s a paving systems now, the Vast Paver, that’s been getting a lot of press lately. This composite paver is made from 90-95% recycled scrap tire rubber and plastics. 1,000 square-feet of these pavers saves 500 tires and 15,000 plastic containers from landfills or incinerators. That plastic and rubber would be just lying around anyway- why not put them to work as pavement? Because they are individual bricks rather than a monolithic slab, they can be used in driveways, walkways, even rooftops, decks, and patios. And they come in several designer colors, so your car won’t have to drive over the same boring gray concrete all the time.

Vast Pavers weigh 2/3rds less than concrete and can be installed on a grid system. And they can help you get LEED certified. You can get permeable pavers to let the water drain through your drive or walk, not run off it. And that’s better for your yard and nearby creeks and streams. The things can even be cut with a circular saw if you want to do the installation yourself (wear a dust mask).

So check it out: by using these pavers, you avoid all that concrete, wasted energy and CO2, get those lazy plastic containers and tires out of the landfill and back into useful work, and wind up with pavement that acts more like natural gravel or stone. Sounds like a plan to me. Hey Dad, here’s another reason you should be glad you’re out of the concrete business!

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 behavior on our website, through our Greenopolis recycling kiosks and with curbside recycling programs.

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Pearl Jam Partners with Cascade Land Conservancy to Mitigate Band’s CO2 Emissions

Pearl Jam is an iconic rock band from Seattle, Washington that is more than just super guitar riffs and badass songs – the members are also very active in promoting political and environmental issues. When they’re not touring and selling over 60 million records around the world, they’re doing things like donating money to rainforest preservation initiatives and riding in biodiesel-fueled buses.

They’re also always trying to find new ways to fight climate change. That’s why ever since 2003 the band has partnered with various programs to offset the carbon emissions from its worldwide tours. This year the band has decided to partner with the Cascade Land Conservancy, Washington’s largest land conservation, stewardship and community building organization. The band chose the CLC because of its hometown ties and also because it wanted to restore native trees and ecosystems throughout the Puget Sound area in the state.

So, what exactly will this partnership entail? The band will be donating $210,000 to help fund the CLC urban forestry project. This money will be used to plant about 33 acres of native trees and plants in Pugent Sound, which will in turn mitigate more than 7,000 tons of carbon emissions! Now doesn’t that make you like Pearl Jam even more?

On the band’s website, Stone Gossard (the band’s guitarist and founder) said, “Businesses have an opportunity to lead the way in becoming a more conscious economy, one that views the health of our environment as inseparable from our personal and economic well being. Tracking and mitigating the band’s carbon footprint is a big first step that our business is taking in that direction, and we hope other businesses will join us in this effort.”

If you’re wondering how in the world the band’s CO2 emissions were calculated, here’s the answer: they were calculated by Michael Tottenchief, climate and water adviser for Conservation International (an organization whose logo is “People need nature to thrive.”) Some of the things that he took into account were:

• Air and bus travel for the band and crew

• Hotel rooms and nights for the band and crew

• The venues where the band performed

• Every concert attendance

• Concert equipment freight and transportation

Also included was an overall “good faith” estimate of how much CO2 fans created while traveling to and from each concert.

Pearl Jam was already a great band, but knowing that it gives back to the planet by restoring ecosystems makes it one of THE most awesome bands around. Look, singer Eddie Vedder can even capture balls of solar energy while he performs!

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 behavior on our website, through our Greenopolis recycling kiosks and with curbside recycling programs.

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Wal-Mart: Advancing Business Sustainability and Bikes

While we may be more familiar with  Wal-Mart’s business sustainability strategies demonstrated in broad supplier-focused efforts like its Packaging Scorecard and Sustainability Index, in celebration of National Bike Month during May, Wal-Mart is offering free shipping and free assembly on ALL bikes purchased online at Walmart.com. In addition, customers who purchase Cruiser bikes on Walmart.com during the month of May will receive a free $20.00 e-Gift card.

 Why is riding a bike sustainable?  As expressed in our sustainability consulting, bike commuting is a win-win for both businesses and individuals looking to reduce costs, embrace eco awareness, and adhere to business and personal sustainability programs.  It’s not uncommon to be asked in an eco friendly training session, “Why ride a bike to work?”  Current commuters understand the benefits, but for those that don’t, here’s why:

 Bike commuting improves your health:
•    Staying in better shape will decrease your chances of getting sick.
•    National health statistics show that when you’re more active, you decrease your risk for cancer, heart disease, obesity and diabetes.
•    Bicycle commuting allows you to include your workout in your daily schedule and helps to meet fitness goals.

 Bike commuting improves your mood:
•    More energy available throughout the day.
•    Improved health and happiness.
•    Regular participation in a cycling routine naturally shifts your focus to include thoughts of the weather, areas in your community to ride, road safety, and traffic.  Thereby increasing your awareness of the link between the environment and your community.

 Bike commuting saves you money:
•    Reduce car maintenance.
•    Reduce your gas bill.
•    Reduce parking costs.

 As President Obama’s Recovery Package helps more cities make their infrastructure bicycle friendly, and as Americans look to less expensive,  healthier, and more eco friendly ways to get around town, now is the perfect time to adopt a bike commuting lifestyle.  Cycling as alternative transportation can help conserve energy, reduce traffic, reduce carbon emissions, and help to preserve the environment.  Bike commuting helps the environment by reducing your carbon footprint. Get started today and ride your bike!

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AngelPoints Giving: This Isn’t Your Old-School Giving Campaign

This Isn’t Your Old-School Giving Campaign

Get a sneak peak of the latest addition to our online CSR and Sustainability platform – AngelPoints Giving- designed to help you manage your employee giving, matching gift and disaster relief campaigns. Why should your employees settle for clunky and out-dated software when they can have a tool that makes giving easy and impactful?

Be one of a growing number of companies leveraging AngelPoints to manage their giving, volunteerism, sustainability and health & wellness initiatives in one place. 

Get a Sneak Peak…..

About AngelPoints
AngelPoints is where personal responsibility meets corporate strategy.  Since 2001, AngelPoints has helped leading companies in every industry around the globe manage and measure the impact of their CSR and sustainability initiatives.  

Our mission is simple: by providing comprehensive products and services, we make it easy and efficient to execute and scale world-class CSR and Sustainability programs. With our tools, your employees will commit to activities like never before and program impact will take off, credibly and transparently.  But don’t just take our word for it – see who’s using AngelPoints!  
 
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