December 30, 2009
Green Business 2009 – Environmental Leader’s Most Popular Stories
It’s a good time to look back at the green business issues and news items popular with energy and environmental executives. Here are Environmental Leader’s top green business stories for 2009, based on reader interest:
1. Energy Efficient Appliance Rebates Ready to Roll
The U.S. government’s stimulus package signed into law earlier this year includes $300 million to fund the Energy Efficient Appliance Rebate Program, which offers rebates to consumers who buy Energy Star-rated appliances. Appliance makers and retailers may see a spike in sales if the U.S. government’s appliance rebate program for trading in old appliances for new energy-efficient ones works like the “Cash for Clunkers” program. More.
2. Staples Offers Rewards for Ink Cartridge Recycling
Staples began offering rewards to consumers who participate in their ink and toner recycling program. In exchange for bringing an empty cartridge to the store, Staples will give consumers $3 in Staples Rewards, which can be used at stores, for online shopping, or to order catalog items over the phone. More.
3. 100 Most Sustainable Companies 2009
Corporate Knights Inc and Innovest Strategic Value Advisors announced its fifth annual list of the 100 most sustainable corporations in the world at the World Economic Forum in Davos. The G100 includes companies from 15 countries encompassing all sectors. They were evaluated according to how effectively they managed environmental, social and governance risks and opportunities relative to their industry peers. The US added 4 companies from its 2008 tally for a winning total of 20 companies, knocking the UK to second, with 19 (down from 24 in 2008). More.
4. Wal-Mart Wants to Eliminate All Packaging Waste by 2025
Wal-Mart wants to eliminate all waste by reducing, recycling or reusing everything that comes into its 4,100 American stores by 2025, and for Asda, its British operation, the target is 2010. The giant retailer aims to reduce the amount of packaging in the supply chain 5 percent by 2013, and is working with suppliers to help find sustainable packaging solutions. More.
5. Wind Turbine Market Share Revealed
The global wind turbine market grew vastly in 2007, the year for which most recent figures are available. Nearly 30 GW of turbines were activated during 2007, almost double the volume in 2006. More.
6. Apple Drops Bombshell, Immediately Withdraws from U.S. Chamber
Becoming the first major consumer brand to make a big statement against the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s position on climate change, Apple left the organization. In contrast to PG&E, PMN and Exelon, the utilities that previously announced their intention not to renew their chamber memberships, Apple made its exit from the chamber effective immediately. More.
7. 82 Percent of Consumers Buy Green, Despite Economy
Four out of five people said they were still buying green products and services – which sometimes cost more – even in the midst of a U.S. recession. Half of the 1,000 people surveyed were buying just as many green products as they did before the economic downturn, while 19 percent said they were buying more green products. Fourteen percent said they were buying fewer environmentally green products. More.
8. Twenty Trends for Sustainability in 2009-10
A list of 20 sustainability trends that are changing the business landscape. More.
9. Top 10 Uses of NanoTechnology in Food
Nanoparticles may be able to detect bacteria, extend food shelf life, add health benefits, or improve flavor. While nanotechnology does not involve any genetic manipulation, many companies are keeping secret about their work their doing. While this can keep competitors off their trail, it can also make it difficult for regulatory agencies to manage risks and create laws for these emerging technologies. Nonetheless, nanotechnology offers some exciting potential benefits for the quality and safety of our foods. More.
10. Top UN Environmental Official: Ban Plastic Bags
Plastic bags, which choke marine life, should be banned or phased out rapidly, said Achim Steiner, executive director of the U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP). UNEP released a report identifying plastic as the most pervasive form of ocean litter. The report’s findings revealed that despite several international, regional and national efforts to reverse marine pollution, ocean litter continues to endanger people’s safety and health, entrap wildlife, damage nautical equipment and deface coastal areas around the world. More.
The next 10:
11. McDonald’s Green Prototype Uses 25 Percent Less Energy
12. Sustainable Companies Outperform Peers During Financial Crisis
13. Green Business 2008 – Environmental Leader’s Most Popular Stories
14. Climate Scientists Alleged to Have Manipulated Data
15. The Five Stages of Adopting Corporate Sustainability
16. The Seven Pillars of a ‘Green’ Corporate Strategy
17. Green Building Retrofits Represent a Potential $400B Market
18. CBO: Cap-And-Trade to Cost $175 Per Household
19. FTC Cites Kmart, Tender, Dyna-E for False Green Claims
20. Consumer Survey: Growth of ‘Green’ Consumption On Hold
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Reader Comments
The House of Representatives has passed an Energy Bill for Renewable Energy
The United States House of Representatives has passed an Energy Bill requiring utility companies to produce 15 per cent of their electricity from renewable sources such as wind and solar power by 2020. The Bill passed in the House on a 241-172 vote, despite strong opposition from electric utility companies and the White House, which has threatened to veto the measure. Twenty six Republicans voted in favor and nine Democrats opposed the bill. A senior analyst for Lazard Capital Markets described the bill as “a significant positive step towards creating a cohesive energy policy.” The renewable electricity standard applies only to investor-owned utilities and exempts rural electric cooperatives, municipal utilities, the Tennessee Valley Authority and the state of Hawaii from the mandate. The bill also calls for stronger energy efficiency standards for appliances and lighting and incentives for building more energy-efficient buildings. The bill bans the sale of 100-watt incandescent light bulbs by 2012 and requires that all bulbs be 300% more efficient than today’s ordinary bulbs by 2020. The bill also includes a range of loan guarantees, federal grants and tax breaks for alternative energy programs. These include building biomass factories, research into making ethanol from wood chips and switch grass and producing better batteries for hybrid cars. The bill will repeal a tax break for oil companies from 2009, and another tax break relating to income from foreign oil production. Critics of the two tax breaks called them loopholes that the industry had taken advantage of. The 786-page House energy bill does not include an increase in fuel-efficiency standards for cars and light trucks. That issue, as well as whether to force major increases in the use of E85 fuel as a substitute for gasoline, were left to be negotiated when the House bill is merged with energy legislation the Senate passed in June.”There’s a war going on against energy from fossil fuels” said Representative Ralph Hall, Republican-Texas. Representative Joe Barton predicted the bill “isn’t going to go anywhere” because President Bush would veto it if it reaches his desk. In a somewhat surprising comment from the White House, they accused the bill of making “no serious attempts to increase our energy security”. This defies commonsense as by producing more electricity from domestic renewable sources rather than with imported natural gas by definition increases the United States’ diversity and security of energy supply. As with all legislation the details (such as a subsidy for installing gas pumps for expensive and inefficient E85 fuel) need to be checked carefully. Regardless a 15% renewable energy standard is good news.
Kelly Fuller | December 31st, 2009