ClimateBiz.com

Kraft Trims Millions of Shipping Miles Through Smarter Logistics

GreenBiz Staff — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:50:37 +0000

A focused effort on making its distribution network more efficient has allowed Kraft Foods to save more than 50 million miles since 2005.

Wells Fargo Expands Green Financing with Cleantech Practice

GreenBiz Staff — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:37:28 +0000

The banking giant's new commercial banking group focused on clean technology firms will add to the $600 million the company has already dedicated to the market.

Climate Counts and the Green Race to the Top

Marc Gunther — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:17:28 +0000

If climate regulation will burden businesses or increase costs, then why are so many companies strengthening their voluntary response to the climate crisis in the midst of an economic downturn?

AU Optronics Helps Create a Frisbee-Shaped Solar Roof at Taipei Playground

GreenerBuildings Staff — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:15:20 +0000

AU Optronics Corp., Taiwan's largest manufacturer of thin film transistor liquid crystal display panels, has helped craft a “Solar Frisbee Roof” to canopy playground equipment at a Taipei schoolyard.

Post Office's First Sustainability Report Charts Agency's Green Path

GreenBiz Staff — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:48:12 +0000

In releasing its first-ever sustainability data, the U.S. Postal Service shows that it has cut total energy use by 9 percent in the past three years, while making strides in e-waste recycling and energy intensity.

Real Climate Leadership and the Rules of Policy Engagement

Ryan Schuchard and Laura Ediger — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:59:22 +0000

As negotiators gather in Copenhagen next month to discuss a global climate policy framework, there has never been a better time for companies to influence the policy instruments that could dramatically affect the future of climate change.

RSC Equipment Rental Rolls Out Emissions Tracking Service

Leslie Guevarra — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:25:18 +0000

While the push is on to green buildings, the RSC Equipment Rental firm has devised a new service to help reduce the environmental impact of a key component of construction: It tracks the emissions of every diesel unit that rolls out of its lots around the country.

How a Soft Energy Path Could Put China on the Right Track to Sustainable Growth

Aris Yi and Jonah Taylor — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 21:41:27 +0000

China is putting forward aggressive policies to reduce energy intensity while still maintaining rapid development. But transformative sustainable development in China needs to respect some unique conditions to be successful.

Nike, Unilever, HP Top Latest Climate Counts Scorecard

GreenBiz Staff — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Climate Counts has compiled its third scorecard rating 90 major corporations on their efforts to measure and reduce their climate impact, support or oppose climate legislation and disclose their actions. Nike retained the top score for the second year in a row as some companies that previously had low scores shot up in the rankings.

When Behavioral Economics Meets Climate Change, Guess What's Coming for Dinner?

Marc Gunther — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:30:42 +0000

When a meat-based entrée is being served and people are offered a vegetarian alternative, about 5 to 10 percent will request it. But what if the choices were reversed?

U.S. Climate Bill Could Boost Economy by $111B, Study Says

Cath Everett — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:50:20 +0000

As Republican senators try to stall climate change legislation on grounds that it could harm the U.S. economy, a major study from three universities suggests a robust climate bill would do just the opposite and boost GDP by $111 billion by 2020.

The Carrots and Sticks of Proposed Climate Policy

Terry Moore — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:30:14 +0000

Motivational experts have for years argued about whether incentives or threats are more effective, and we're seeing an array of both being applied to mulish Congressional opponents of major climate legislation.

Clean Energy and Climate Policy for U.S. Growth and Job Creation

ClimateBiz Staff — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:37:12 +0000

This study finds that a robust climate bill could boost the U.S. economy by about $111 billion by 2020 and create as many as 1.9 million jobs.

Making A Big Deal of Small Wind

Marc Gunther — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:10:49 +0000

Why is wind-power behemoth GE bothering to invest a relatively tiny amount of money in a small company that makes backyard wind turbines?

Australians Think Locally, But Will They Be Allowed to Act?

Molly Peters-Stanley — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:28:49 +0000

Broad but not deep, Australia's new mandatory cap-and-trade regime limits the emissions of industries responsible for 75% of all greenhouse gas emissions. Those limits, however, are weak compared to those of most developed countries, and critics say the law actually prevents voluntary offsets from being used to incentivize deeper cuts.

Autodesk Draws Up a New Way to Set Carbon Footprint Goals

ClimateBiz Staff — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:15:26 +0000

The Autodesk team announced this week it has devised a new way of setting goals to reduce its carbon footprint. It's called the Corporate Finance Approach to Climate-Stabilizing Targets, or C-FACT, and the company hopes other businesses will adopt it and even help Autodesk make it better.

Heinz On Track to Reduce Waste, Water, Energy Impacts by 20 Percent

GreenBiz Staff — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:04:25 +0000

The company's 2009 sustainability report shows that not only has the company passed the half-way point on its goals, but that its reductions are picking up speed year over year.

The Companies Mixing Up Greener Cement

Jonathan Bardelline — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 15:00:09 +0000

Cement and concrete companies are using a range of strategies to lower the impacts of their industry, which contributes 5 percent or more of CO2 emissions. Using a power plant byproduct, secret ingredients and mixtures that make concrete waterproof are just some of their methods.

NRDC Leader Says The Time is Now to Act on Climate

Marc Gunther — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:18:13 +0000

Frances Beinecke's new book -- a straightforward, easy-to-read argument -- attempts to connect the climate issue to everyday concerns like jobs, the economy and national security.

Putting Business Growth and Emissions on Separate Tracks

Tilde Herrera — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:37:02 +0000

With climate scientists warning that greenhouse gas emissions must decline upwards of 80 percent by 2050 to avoid catastrophic climate change, some like Salvatore Gabola are calling for businesses to move past normalized reduction targets to lower their total carbon footprints.

Financial Crisis Offers Narrow Window to Take Climate Action, IEA Warns

GreenBiz Staff — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:57:24 +0000

The International Energy Agency on Tuesday called on world leaders to strike a deal to address climate change, warning that the current business-as-usual scenario is unsustainable and will lead to skyrocketing energy demand, price spikes and up to a 6 degree temperature rise.

Sainsbury's CEO Demands New Focus on Green Economy

Luke Walsh — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:07:28 +0000

The chief executive of a leading supermarket has demanded the government tackle a lack of trained workers with green skills.