People, Projects, and Programs

Technology Firms Dominate List of Greenest Companies in USATechnology firms are making the most headway toward being role models of green behavior, ac-cording to a report by Newsweek. The publication’s annual list, Greenest Companies in America, fea-tures eight tech firms in the top 10, including the top three—Dell, Hewlett-Packard, and IBM. Pharma-ceutical firms also made a strong showing, posting three in the top 20, including fourth-ranked Johnson & Johnson. Office Depot, at No. 18, was named the nation’s greenest retailer of 2010. Companies on the list—500 in all—were rated by various sustainability factors, such as Environmental Impact, Key Impacts, Disclosure, Image vs. Reality, Green Policies, and Reputation Survey. The full list is available at www.newsweek.com/feature/2010/green-rankings.html.

California Expected To Become World Eco LeaderIn what could be a turning point for the United States toward building a national program to address global warming, California’s Air Resources Board has approved rules for a multibillion-dollar carbon market. The rules limit emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases and let power plants, factories, and eventually refiners and others to trade permits to pollute in a program generally known as cap-and-trade. California, considered by many to be the model and testing grounds for pro-environmen-tal actions, will become the second-largest carbon market in the world. Environmental consulting firm Point Carbon forecasts the world’s carbon market will grow from $1.7 billion in 2012 to nearby $10 bil-lion in 2016, with prices rising from $10 a metric ton in 2012 to $18 per ton in 2016.

BMW Takes Evolutionary Step with Carbon-Fiber All-Electric CarAuto giant BMW is entering the green movement with the development of the MegaCity carbon-fiber all-electric car, scheduled for debut at the 2012

UPFRONTPeople, Projects, and Programs

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Olympics in London and worldwide launch in 2013. According to Richard Steinberg, BMW’s manager of electric vehicle operations and strategy for North America, the company has produced electric cars for several years as part of its Project i line. But the MegaCity Vehicle is BMW’s first attempt to make a car out of carbon fiber, a super-strong and light-weight material that nicely balances out the weight of hefty lithium-ion bat-tery packs used by plug-in vehicles. Studies show that every 3 percent reduction of body weight extends the life of a plug-in battery by 2 percent. BMW, which has already invested $100 million in the product, plans to build the first pre-release vehicles at a hydro-powered plant in Wash-ington state in 2012. The German manufacturer is also spending $560 million to retrofit its Leipzig-based facility for the MegaCity’s mass production starting in 2013, Steinberg said.

Wearing a Graduation Gown Is a Really Trashy Affair

If fall semester graduates at Iowa State University thought their graduation gowns looked trashy, it’s because they really were. The 1,700 students who walked the line in December wore gowns that were made from recycled plastic. The GreenWeaver gowns are part of the school’s campus-wide sustain-ability program, Live Green, designed to encourage the college to use fewer resources. Earlier efforts have resulted in a recycling program in dormitories and a significantly reduced amount of cafeteria food thrown away. But the gowns, made from recycled plastic bottles that were melted into pellets and spun to create a lightweight fabric, were a first,

MARY ANN LIEBERT, INC. • VOL. 4 NO. 1 • FEBRUARY 2011 • DOI: 10.1089/sus.2010.9725 SUSTAINABILITY 3

The MegaCity Vehicle is BMW’s first attempt to make a car out of carbon fiber, a super-strong and lightweight material that nicely balances out the weight of hefty lithium-ion battery packs.

according to Amy Delashmutt, marketing manager for the ISU bookstore. Most students buying the academic gowns couldn’t tell the difference, she said. Graduates who want to keep the recycling going can return their gowns to the bookstore. They will be re-turned to the manufacturer, Oak Hall Cap and Gown in Salem, VA, and recycled to make new gowns, Delashmutt said. Other schools using the gowns include Yale University, Kansas State University, Central Michigan University, and the University of Chicago.

Water Conservation May Become Norm by 2050Ten of America’s biggest cities are headed for severe water shortages in the next several decades and will be forced to undertake drastic water conservation efforts, according to a report by 24/7 Wall St. In some cases, the shortages are expected to be the result of water rights disputes, while in others they will be the effect of extended drought, often combined with growing populations, the financial analyst notes. Los Angeles, which tops the list, is the only one of the listed cities with a relatively slow population growth (3.7 percent) over the past decade. The other nine—Houston, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Francisco, Fort Worth, Las Vegas, Tucson, Atlanta, and Orlando—showed a range of growth between 15 and 36 percent between 2000 and 2010. Phoenix, San Francisco, and Orlando already have water conservation measures in place, while Atlanta, Fort Worth, and San Antonio are involved in legal battles with surrounding areas over the availability of water

Obama Signs One-Year Extension to Federal Grant ProgramBuilders of renewable-energy power plants will have access to another year of federal aid. In December 2010, President Obama signed an extension through 2011 of a program that gives the

builders a grant worth 30 percent of each plant’s total cost, in lieu of taking a tax credit of equal value. According to Rhone Resch, president of the Solar Energy Industries Association, developers of wind farms, solar plants, and geothermal facilities con-sidered the public grants essential for persuading private financiers to back their projects. Created as part of Obama’s $787 billion economic stimulus in 2009, the grant program was set to expire at the end of 2010. Only projects that started construction by Dec. 31, 2010 qualify.

Ultra Energy-Efficient Passive Homes Gaining GroundIt sounds illogical—a cold-weather house with no visible heat source, a hot-territory home without any kind of air conditioning. Yet these off-the-wall structures, known as passive homes, are slowly gain-ing ground in some of the world’s harshest climates, according to a report in the New York Times. A typical dwelling is a solar-driven A-frame with super-thick insulation, carefully positioned when built to capture the sun at the right parts of the day. The technique works well—they’re not the one-room cabins many people laughed at when first introduced in the 1960s. Now, homes of up to 3,000 square feet are not out of the question, the Times notes. They’re more expensive, typically costing up to twice as much to build, but that cost comes back quickly. Passive homes use up to 90 percent less energy than traditional structures built to code. It’ll be a while, though, before they’re a viable option in the United States: While there are 25,000 passive structures—from schools and commercial buildings to homes and apartment houses—in Europe, there are 13 in the U.S., with a few dozen more in thepipeline, according to the Times.

Environmentalists Revert to Grassroots Efforts

Environmentalists, discouraged by a lack of prog-ress in working with the federal government, are shifting their focus back to the grassroots and the shared values that gave the movement its initial momentum more than 40 years ago, according to a report by the Washington Post. The Post reports that environmentalists are “engaged in their most profound bout of soul-searching in more than a decade” as they watch priorities such as a nation-wide cap on carbon emissions founder in the face of competing concerns about jobs. In addition, many of their political allies on both the state and federal levels have been ousted in recent elections. So now, instead of spending millions of dollars to win over lawmakers on Capitol Hill, green groups are ramp-ing up their operations outside of Washington, DC, focusing on public utilities commissions that sign off on new power plants and state ballot initiatives

4 SUSTAINABILITY MARY ANN LIEBERT, INC. • VOL. 4 NO. 1 • FEBRUARY 2011 • DOI: 10.1089/sus.2010.9725

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“The gowns, made from recycled

plastic bottles that were melted into

pellets and spun to create a lightweight fabric, were a first.”

Amy DelashmuttMarketing ManagerIowa State University bookstore

Builders of renewable-energy power plants

will have access to another year of

federal aid.

that could funnel hundreds of millions of dollars to conservation efforts.

Vietnam Launches Sustainable Corporate CouncilVietnam has launched its first business council for the promotion of corporate environmental responsi-bility. The Vietnam Business Council for Sustainable Development (VBCSD) will encourage the prin-ciples of sustainable environment, sustainable soci-ety, and sustainable economy, according to VBCSD Deputy Executive President and Chairperson Doan Duy Khuong. “It was the trend countries and com-panies wanted to follow on the way to growth,” Khuong said. “It was necessary, entering the 21st century with its heightened opportunities and chal-lenges, for enterprises to provide leadership and join hands for the sustainable development of the country and the region.” The council will serve as a bridge between the government and businesses to exchange information, and increase cooperation in implementing sustainable development programs, Khuong added.

Green Housing Market May Double by 2013Despite the languishing housing market of recent years, there is great potential ahead for green homebuilders, according to a report by consulting firm Calvert Investments. The company’s study, “A Green Recovery for America’s Homebuilders? A Survey of Sustainable Practices by the Homebuilding Industry,” an update to its 2008 analysis, notes that green building offers a “tremendous opportunity to the industry as it focuses on rebuilding its market and restoring financial profitability.” Estimated at $36 billion to $49 billion, the green building market is expected to double by 2013, the study notes. There are challenges ahead, however: As consumers become more educated about environmental options and green residential construction, and as policymakers increase incentives for green development and restrict conventional development efforts, some homebuilders may be at a competitive disadvantage if they have not integrated sustain-able design and construction principles into their operations. Homebuilders may also face risks from the physical impact of a changing climate, including threats to raw materials, water supplies, and alter-ing geographical patterns of habitation, the report notes. The study is available at: www.calvert.com/sr-greener-pastures.html.

Seattle University Imposes Ban on Sale of Bottled WaterSeattle University has become the first college in the state of Washington to impose a campus-wide ban

on selling bottled water, asking students to instead drink from the ever-reliable tap. According to a report in Eco News, bottled water has been removed from SU’s vending machines, athletic concession stands, the bookstore, on-campus restaurants, and catering services in order to reduce the university’s impact on the environment. The final campus-wide decision was a culmination of a three-year stu-dent led initiative that campaigned against bottled water because of its effects on social justice and the environment. According to the Earth Policy Insti-tute, 86 percent of empty plastic bottles end up in the trash. The school is following an effort launched by Washington University in St. Louis, MO, in 2009. Other colleges have attempted to implement a bottle ban but have run into problems, such as contracts with beverage suppliers. In some cases, the ban has failed, but in others, such as Muhlenberg College in Pennsylvania, compromise worked: The school kept bottled water available on campus, but eliminated it from the school meal plan.

LEED Certification Program Tops 1 Billion Square Feet

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has now certified more than 1 billion square feet of green construction under its LEED Green Building Rat-ing System. According to USGBC President Rick Fedrizzi, since it was first introduced to the mar-ketplace in 2000, over 36,000 commercial projects and 38,000 single-family homes have participated in LEED. By consuming less energy, LEED-certified buildings save money for families, businesses, and taxpayers; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; and contribute to healthier environments for residents, workers, and the community. There’s more on the way: Another 6 billion square feet of projects are registered and currently working toward LEED cer-tification around the world, Fedrizzi said.

Deloitte Consulting Acquires ClearCarbon and Domani

New York City-based Deloitte Consulting LLP, which specializes in sustainability project counsel-ing, is engaging in its own green growth by acquir-ing competitors ClearCarbon Consulting Inc. and Domani Sustainability Consulting LLC. According to Jessica Blume, national managing principal for research and innovation at Deloitte, the separate transactions will expand Deloitte’s expertise in the fields of energy supply, demand, and efficiency; water and other resource scarcity; carbon and greenhouse gas management; and demand for increased trans-parency and assurance of nonfinancial performance. ClearCarbon, based in Washington, DC, measures and manages the carbon footprints for more than 25,000 locations in 128 countries. Domani, based in


Seattle University has become the first college in the state of Washington to impose a campus-wide ban on selling bottled water, asking students to instead drink from the ever-reliable tap.

New York City, provides strategic and technical solu-tions to clients’ energy, carbon, and water challenges. The two companies will operate on an interim basis as ClearCarbon by Deloitte and Domani by Deloitte.

Mercury-Free Blood Pressure Monitor Improves Treatment

A solar-powered device that costs less than $35 could help people in developing nations accu-rately track blood pressure and also hasten the removal of environmentally dangerous mercu-ry-based blood pressure monitors, according to a World Health Organization-funded study.

The Hem-Solar device, developed by Omron Healthcare, is 94 percent accurate and can run on batteries as well as solar power. The device will allow nonphysician health workers to “participate in the diagnosis and management of hypertension” and will hopefully help to better control blood pressure in low- and mid-dle-income countries, said study

co-author Dr. Eoin O’Brien at Uni-versity College in Dublin, Ireland. It could

also act as a replacement for manual blood pressure units that contain mercury, and which

are gradually being phased out. Doing so has been slow due to limited availability of an alternate

product. “High blood pressure is the major cause of disease burden across the world and is responsible for 8 million deaths annually worldwide,” O’Brien said. “If you can’t measure it, you can’t even begin to diag-nose hypertension or treat it.”

Telecommuting Law To Reduce Traffic, Air Pollution, Energy UseIn a move that will help reduce traffic, air pollu-tion, and energy use, President Obama in December 2010 signed a bill that will enable federal employ-ees to work from home and other remote locations through telepresence and other telecommuting tech-nologies. The Telework Enhancement Act will also keep the federal government running at full capac-ity during natural disasters and other emergencies, according to Cindy Auten, general manager of Tele-work Exchange, an Alexandria, VA-based organiza-tion that supports the federal teleworker community. By June, federal agencies are required to establish telecommuting policies, identify and notify eligible employees, establish interactive training programs, as well as name a high-ranking official to manage the initiative. Federal employees whose job requires them to be on-site, including Border Patrol agents, nurses, prison guards, and TSA screeners, are not eligible to take part in the program. Officials with the General Services Administration estimate that agencies could save more than $2 billion annually if


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federal employees telecommute at least one day a week. Critics argue that the statute would cost too much money to implement and would create yet another level of bureaucracy.

Natural Papermaking Project by St. Benedict Student

A student at the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph, MN, has developed a way to create paper using plants and grasses unique to the area around the school. Now she’s gotten into the habit of going green with her writing material as she contin-ues her senior year. In 2009, Ellory Eggermont was given an assignment to create the school’s signature paper using only the materials nature provided. Eggermont literally hit the prairie and forest areas around CSB and neighboring Saint John’s University to find grasses that she could use in the papermak-ing process. After a trial and error period of “pick grass, make paper, see how it turns out,” she settled on a combination of big bluestem and reed canary grasses. One ream of paper later, Eggermont aced her assignment. Now she has another use for the hand-produced writing material: a senior art project, required for graduation. “Here we have a very direct connection to the land we live on, and that was the main influence for this project—to create something that’s specifically from Saint Ben’s and Saint John’s,” Eggermont said. “And, the grass is quickly renewed. The grass I took from the prairie last year has already been replaced. Trees are renewable, but it might take 100 years (to grow).”

West Chester University Receives $5 Million Energy Dept. GrantWest Chester University in Pennsylvania has received a $5 million grant from the U.S. Depart-ment of Energy to help it continue efforts to convert campus heating and cooling systems to geothermal. The grant is the largest in the school’s history. By

The device will allow

nonphysician health workers

to “participate in the diagnosis and management of

hypertension” and will hopefully help to better control blood pressure in low- and

middle-income countries.

summer, the school will convert three of the uni-versity’s 25 campus buildings to the natural, clean-energy process, according to Greg Cuprak, WCU’s executive director of facilities management. West Chester is in its third phase of a 10-year conversion plan. Converting just the three buildings will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 4.7 million pounds a year. Officials expect the complete system to reduce campus heating bills by 40 percent and cooling costs by 20 percent. The system can also be used for class-room experiments and demonstrations. Ultimately, the university’s goal is to shut down its central heat-ing plant and eliminate all coal and most fuel oil burned on campus. Before starting the conversion process, the campus burned roughly 7,000 tons of coal a year. In winter 2009, the campus burned less than 4,500 tons, Cuprak said.

Marriott Program Encouraging Use of Sustainably Farmed FishMarriott International has become the first large global hotel chain to launch a program dedicated to use of sustainably raised seafood. The company’s Future Fish program calls for its 780 full-service hotels to source at least 50 percent of their seafood from certified sustainable, responsible fisheries and aquaculture farms, according to Brad Nelson, Marri-ott’s culinary vice president and corporate chef. The program will “influence how individual chefs pur-chase their seafood, what types of seafood they buy, and how hotels market their seafood to customers,” Nelson said. Certain seafood items may be cut from hotel menus in favor of others if they are not deemed sustainably raised. Nelson and his culinary team—who have been studying the concept for about two years—were motivated to create Future Fish because of philosophical concerns of both chefs and consum-ers about the depletion of global fish stocks, he said.

New Weapon Combats Icy Walkways: Sugar Beet Juice

University of Iowa landscape services crews are using a new tool in the battle against icy walkways, steps, and building entrances this winter: sugar beet juice. The crews are using ProMelt, an ecofriendly de-icer that combines salt with a byproduct from sugar beet processing. According to Scott Gritsch, manager of UI Facilities Management Landscape Services in Iowa City, the product provides better anti-icing and de-icing performance than rock salt alone, reduc-ing the number of applications and quantity needed. Gritsch anticipates using 30 percent less product this season to keep the walkways clear and safe. UI of-ficials are considering this first season a trial year for the product. In addition to gauging its effective-ness on snow and ice, Gritsch hopes to see reduced corrosion of concrete and damage to vegetation. The reduced environmental impact of the naturally

derived material that is manufactured in Waterloo, IA, fits well with the university’s commitment to sus-tainability, Gritsch said.

Department of Labor Awards $3.4 Million to CalhounCalhoun Community College in Decatur, AL, has received a $3.4 million grant from the U.S. Depart-ment of Labor for the school’s forthcoming Alabama Center for Excellence in Clean Energy Technology. According to Interim Director Jerry Adams, the cen-ter will train students for green technology jobs such as photovoltaic systems, renewable energies, heating and air conditioning systems, and electricity. The center will offer three tiers of education: an associate degree in heating and air conditioning or electricity with a concentration on renewable energies; a short-term 23-hour certificate on renewable energies; and a short-term certificate on green and renew-able energy awareness. Construction on the center will begin in March. When complete, the building will feature four classrooms and a 7,000-square-foot lab. The building will use 100 percent recycled wa-ter through a rainwater collection system, and solar panels will provide at least 50 percent of the power.

Procter & Gamble Plant Achieves Zero Waste to Landfill Status

The Procter & Gamble manufacturing plant in Auburn, ME, has become the first plant in North America to achieve zero waste to landfill status, the company announced. According to Len Sauers, P&G’s vice president of global sustainability, the feminine care facility worked with employees and suppliers to implement a process that beneficially uses 100 percent of its waste. More than 60 percent is recycled or reused, while the remainder is con-verted to energy. The plant is connected with a site solution provider that sorts all recyclable materials and converts existing nonrecyclable materials to energy through incineration. The generated electric-ity is used by the incineration facility and the excess is sold to the local power company. In the past year alone, tens of thousands of tons of material have been diverted from landfills while delivering tens of millions of dollars in cost recovery to the company, Sauers said. Auburn is the ninth P&G global manu-facturing plant to achieve zero waste to landfill.

Office Depot Recycling Program Helps Students Earn Supplies

Office Depot has launched a program to help students learn about the benefits of recycling. The program will also help schools gain much-needed supplies for classrooms. The company’s Recycling Rules program encourages students and teachers to

Certain seafood items may be cut from hotel menus in favor of others if they are not deemed sustainably raised.


ProMelt is an ecofriendly de-icer that combines salt with a byproduct from sugar beet processing.

recycle ink, toner, and small electronics, while also enrolling their classrooms in a rewards competition where the most-successful classes receive gift cards for school supplies. Classrooms are supplied with boxes for collection of items; when they are full, they may be shipped back to Office Depot for recycling. Participants may enroll at www.myschoolrecycles.com.

Purdue University Receives $1.2 Million for Organic Farming

Purdue University in West Lafayette has received a $1.2 million, three-year grant from the U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture to promote organic farming in Indiana. According to Purdue botanist and project leader Kevin Gibson, Indiana is behind other states in implementing organic farming, a situation he hopes to reverse. Gibson said his team will focus on increasing information about organic farming prac-tices for Purdue Extension educators. The grant also will help start a three-acre student farm on campus, which will help students learn about organic farming methods and how to run a business. The team will

also study the roles crop rotation and cover crops have in improving soil quality and pest management.

Forum for the Future’s Sustainable Shipping Initiative

Six major shipping line companies have joined the Sustainable Shipping Initiative (SSI) developed by United Kingdom-based Forum for the Future in an effort to establish a strategy for future business and operations. According to Jonathon Porritt, founding director of Forum for the Future, the strategic plan will consist of a Case for Action, the first integrated sustainability profile of the industry with projec-tions to 2030, and an Action Plan for the industry and its customers, suppliers, and regulators. The 11-member group plans to launch its Action Plan at a members’ summit later this year, Porritt said. SSI’s goal is to identify megatrends affecting the industry, including climate change and new weather patterns; oil shortages and carbon taxes; changing markets and cargoes; labor standards and skills shortage; pi-racy and marine governance; new ship designs; and other technological developments.


The company’s Recycling

Rules program encourages students

and teachers to recycle ink,

toner, and small electronics, while also

enrolling their classrooms in

a rewards competition.

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People, Projects, and Programs