http://www.environmentalleader.com The Executive's Daily Green Briefing Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:16:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/20/around-the-web-nike-google-nissan-bushs-green-library-wwf/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/20/around-the-web-nike-google-nissan-bushs-green-library-wwf/#comments Fri, 20 Nov 2009 07:02:10 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=27653 Today’s news from around the Web. Google Says It Doesn’t Want to Be a Utility NY Times How Much of China’s Emissions Mess Is Really Ours? WSJ Benchmarking Tool Aims to Help Semiconductor Facilities Improve Energy Efficiency IndustryWeek Plans for the Green George W. Bush Presidential Center Released inhabitat Nissan chief: Electric car adoption to be gradual AP How Nike Considered Uses Innovation and Collaboration [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/20/around-the-web-nike-google-nissan-bushs-green-library-wwf/feed/ 0 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/09/study-finds-more-value-in-peat-co2-credits/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/09/study-finds-more-value-in-peat-co2-credits/#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 15:36:39 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=26940 Carbon-rich peatlands may trap more greenhouse gases than first thought, driving up their potential value on the carbon market, according to a new study, reports Reuters. Huge amounts of greenhouse gases are released when peatlands are logged or drained for agriculture, and even more when the dried bogs catch fire and release toxic haze into the [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/09/study-finds-more-value-in-peat-co2-credits/feed/ 0 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/02/kraft-foods-to-purchase-30000-tons-of-sustainable-cocoa-by-2012/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/02/kraft-foods-to-purchase-30000-tons-of-sustainable-cocoa-by-2012/#comments Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:46:27 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=26559 Bolstering its commitment to sustainable cocoa farming, Kraft Foods has launched the first mainstream chocolate products in Europe to carry the Rainforest Alliance Certified seal. The global food company also has committed to increase its current purchases of cocoa beans from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms ten-fold by the end of 2012, to 30,000 tons. Beginning in [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/11/02/kraft-foods-to-purchase-30000-tons-of-sustainable-cocoa-by-2012/feed/ 1 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/27/putting-carbon-emissions-labels-on-food-how-swede-it-is/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/27/putting-carbon-emissions-labels-on-food-how-swede-it-is/#comments Tue, 27 Oct 2009 07:23:49 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=26216 New labels listing the carbon dioxide emissions associated with the production of foods, from whole wheat pasta to fast food burgers, are appearing on some grocery items and restaurant menus in Sweden, which is expected to cut the nation’s emissions from food production by 20 to 50 percent, reports the New York Times. Ulf Bohman, head [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/27/putting-carbon-emissions-labels-on-food-how-swede-it-is/feed/ 1 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/22/verdegaal-bros-offsets-99-of-energy-bill-with-solar/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/22/verdegaal-bros-offsets-99-of-energy-bill-with-solar/#comments Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:49:26 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=26062 A new fixed-mount solar installation at a California agricultural company should save the company about $60,000 a year in energy costs. The new 188-kilowatt system at Verdegall Bros Inc. was made possible with more than $350,000 in tax incentives, cash rebates and accelerated market depreciation, according to a press release (PDF). The system is being installed [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/22/verdegaal-bros-offsets-99-of-energy-bill-with-solar/feed/ 1 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/21/un-launches-satellite-forest-health-tracker/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/21/un-launches-satellite-forest-health-tracker/#comments Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:55:53 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=25788 As more and more companies begin buying and selling forest carbon offsets, the United Nations has launched an online forest health tracker. The tracker uses various data sets, as well as satellite data, to help monitor the size and health of forests. The system has data for 13,000 forest locations, according to the UN. The UN’s Food [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/21/un-launches-satellite-forest-health-tracker/feed/ 0 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/21/dairy-farm-ties-into-grid-with-methane-plant/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/21/dairy-farm-ties-into-grid-with-methane-plant/#comments Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:29:23 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=25779 Westminster Farms, a Vermont dairy company, partnered with Green Mountain Power to build an on-site plant to convert methane into electricity. The project, which cost more than $1 million, will provide enough 225 kilowatts, or enough electricity to power 250 homes, using methane gathered from piles of stinky manure from 1,200 cattle. For Westminster Farms, there is [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/21/dairy-farm-ties-into-grid-with-methane-plant/feed/ 1 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/16/rodney-strong-vineyards-goes-carbon-neutral/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/16/rodney-strong-vineyards-goes-carbon-neutral/#comments Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:46:06 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=24069 Already using a 766 kW solar system, Rodney Strong Vineyards has gone the extra step of becoming carbon neutral via purchase of offsets. As part of Pacific Gas & Electric’s ClimateSmart program, Rodney Strong Vineyards will offset the remainder of its emissions by paying a separate amount on its monthly bill. The separate amount will reflect [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/16/rodney-strong-vineyards-goes-carbon-neutral/feed/ 0 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/13/restored-wetlands-considered-for-carbon-offsets/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/13/restored-wetlands-considered-for-carbon-offsets/#comments Tue, 13 Oct 2009 16:50:50 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=23606 As landowners increasingly market forest lands for their carbon offsets, other sources are being considered. Enter wetland restoration projects, which are known for helping absorb carbon dioxide. Some data suggests that wetlands could store six times more carbon per acre than forests, according to Ron Sass, a professor at Rice University, reports the Houston Chronicle. Marsh plants [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/13/restored-wetlands-considered-for-carbon-offsets/feed/ 0 http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/12/goldman-sachs-sells-12m-in-carbon-offsets-in-largest-such-u-s-deal-so-far/ http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/12/goldman-sachs-sells-12m-in-carbon-offsets-in-largest-such-u-s-deal-so-far/#comments Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:29:13 +0000 Environmental Leader http://www.environmentalleader.com/?p=23567 Goldman Sachs marketed $12 million worth of carbon offsets to CE2 Carbon Capital in what Goldman Sachs is calling the largest publicly announced U.S. offset deal so far, reports Reuters. CE2 Carbon Capital is a U.S. investor and owner of carbon-based assets and commodities. Goldman Sachs sold the offsets on behalf of Blue Source, a company that [...]]]> http://www.environmentalleader.com/2009/10/12/goldman-sachs-sells-12m-in-carbon-offsets-in-largest-such-u-s-deal-so-far/feed/ 3