GREENBUZZ :: April 21, 2008

If you are having trouble reading this page, you may view the current issue online here

April 21, 2008 News, Tools & Resources from GreenBiz.com Hot Topics   |   News   |   Resources   |   Job Link   |   Our Sites   |   About GreenBiz.com   Taking Care of Business It's Earth Day week, as you probably know. So what? For those of us who work year 'round in the environmental arena, April 22nd is just another day. I've spent many of the past dozen or so Earth Days with nothing special planned. (This year, I'll be at Fortune magazine's Brainstorm: GREEN conference, where I'll be speaking on a panel about green consumers.) The run-up to Earth Day in recent years sure has been a whirlwind. Over the past 10 days, I've been to a half-dozen cities -- from southern Florida to northern Minnesota to central Iowa -- talking about the greening of mainstream business. I've fielded calls from more two dozen reporters and sorted through hundreds of incoming press releases. Everyone, it seems, has a story to tell in April. Some of those stories are substantive, increasingly so, though they represent what has become a daily drumbeat of developments in this field, the most significant of which we bring you each business day on GreenBiz.com. Of course, there also are countless P.R. pitches that seem lightweight at best, sometimes seeming to grasp for a green angle. And then there are the research polls, which blossom with the warming of spring. Traditionally, they have brought good news about the growing green marketplace -- too good to be believed, in many cases. This year, however, I've noted a handful of more realistic survey results, revealing, for instance, that consumers are confused about shopping green, and aren't willing to pay more or otherwise sacrifice to do so. That's refreshingly honest, however sobering. I don't mean to be an Earth Day Scrooge. The annual attention to things environmental is helpful, albeit insufficient. Earth Day can be energizing. At minimum, it should be a day to step back and take stock of the wondrous planet and all it offers. But soon it will be April 23rd, and we can all get back to the work at hand. —Joel Makower, Executive Editor New on GreenBiz Radio: Green IT Can Be Virtually Free As IT needs take up an ever-bigger part of companies' energy bills and purchasing budget, the costs of maintaining computers based on their performance per dollar are growing exponentially. Ken Brill of the Uptime Institute spoke with GreenBiz Radio about the surprisingly easy ways to drop IT costs while improving performance. You can listen to GreenBiz Radio online, download programs to your desktop, or subscribe to the GreenBiz Radio RSS feed. THIS ISSUE'S SPONSOR Want to be a GreenBuzz sponsor? Click here. Subscribe to GreenBiz.com RSS Headlines The Latest News on Business and the Environment Nike Works to Green its Supply Chain in Asia Nike has teamed with four contract factories in China and Vietnam to help the facilities become more energy efficient. Hearst Tower Aims for Zero Waste with Recycling, Composting Programs The Hearst Corporation's headquarters has started a composting program aimed at keeping 95 percent of its food waste out of landfills. Energy Efficiency Interest Grows But Investment Remains Flat: Report Facility managers are more aware of the benefits of energy efficiency improvements than ever but investment levels have not enjoyed a similar increase, according to a new survey from Johnson Controls and the International Facility Management Association. Waste Mgmt. Breaks Ground on Second Canadian Waste-to-Energy Plant Waste Management broke ground on its second Canadian landfill gas-to-energy facility as part of its goal of building 60 new renewable energy facilities by 2012. DHL to Cut Emissions by 30 Percent by 2020 By Andrew Charlesworth, BusinessGreen Program includes vehicle and aircraft fleets replacement, buildings overhaul and staff training. Hilton's European Hotels Cut Energy Use by 10 Percent in 2007 More than eighty Hilton hotels across Europe collectively cut their energy use by 10 percent and water consumption by 5 percent last year. Businesses Should Consider Climate Risks: Report Some impacts of climate change are unavoidable but businesses can evaluate potential risks and try to reduce them, according to a new report. Canada Could be First to Call Bisphenol A Toxic Health Canada is expected to label bisphenol A, a common chemical in reusable water bottles, baby bottles and numerous other items, as a toxic chemical, prompting retailers to purge their shelves of BPA-containing items. Four Aveda Ingredients Certified Cradle to Cradle The Environmental Protection and Encouragement Agency assigned uruku and sandalwood, rose and lavender oils the certification after a three year assessment. Bush Reverses Climate Policy President George W. Bush set a new national goal of stopping the rise of greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. by 2025. Americans Trust Green Claims, But Support Government Oversight: Survey The 2008 Green Gap Survey found that while about half of U.S. residents think companies are being truthful in their green messages, even more would support increased government regulation of green claims. Marks & Spencer a Green Winner, BP Biggest Greenwasher: Survey A survey of UK opinion makers reveals what companies are seen as the biggest green winners and greenwashers, and what people think are the motives behind greener business. Put GreenBiz news on your site for free! Learn more... > MORE NEWS HEADLINES Featured Resource A Wealth of Hands-On Help Sustainable Procurement of Wood and Paper-based Products The World Resources Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development have partnered to provide reliable, impartial and technically "easy-to-understand" information to assist sustainability officers and business procurement managers, especially major purchasers of wood and paper-based products, in their purchasing decisions. > MORE TOOLS     > MORE WEB SITES Columns and Features Insight and Inspiration from the Experts Trying To Turn Coke Green By Marc Gunther, Fortune CEO Neville Isdell is an environmentalist, but making The Coca-Cola Co. sustainable is harder than it looks. Growing the Eco-Patent Commons to Truly Promote Green Innovation By Nancy Edwards Cronin The launch earlier this year of the Eco-Patent Commons marked a big step forward in information-sharing among greentech companies; despite its significant promise, the Commons needs some small improvements to truly become a powerful building block for innovation. GreenBiz Blogs Joel Makower's Two Steps Forward: A Deeper Dive into the Business of Water > More from Joel Makower Marc Gunther on Corporate America: Turning Coke Green > More from Marc Gunther David Wigder's Green Marketing Strategies: Shifting from Product Placement to Engagement in Green > More from David Wigder Wanna write for GreenBiz? GreenBiz is looking for guest and regular columnists and feature writers. We're seeking contributions from business leaders as well as the journalists who write about them. If you're interested, send a brief query to managing editor Matthew Wheeland, at editor@greenbiz.com | Read our editorial guidelines > MORE COLUMNS     > MORE FEATURES Send This Newsletter to Colleagues Spread the Word! Amaze Your Friends! Win Our Gratitude! Your Name: Your E-mail: Colleague's E-mail:   Separate each address with a comma (,) View our Privacy Policy    GREENBIZ IS HIRING! > Sales Representative Greener World Media Oakland, Calif. > Associate Editor Greener World Media Oakland, Calif. > Administrative Assistant Greener World Media Oakland, Calif. > MORE JOB LISTINGS FEATURED BOOK Innovations Towards Sustainability: Conditions and Consequences by Marco Lehmann-Waffenschmidt The volume contains eight articles together with comments by 20 authors and discussants on the topic of innovations and sustainability, and provides a differentiated state-of-the-art insight into the relation between innovations and sustainability from the perspective of evolutionary economics. > BUY IT! > READ MORE FEATURED EVENT Social Responsibility Summit Host: Nielsen Business Media Date: May 20-21, 2008 Location: Hilton Riverside, New Orleans LA Join today's top marketing, media and entertainment leaders at the inaugural Social Responsibility Summit to learn how to reach value-driven consumers through socially responsible actions. This two-day event will offer key business information and thought leadership ideas for building an eco-friendly and socially responsible company infrastructure. > SUBMIT YOUR EVENT News Releases from the World of Green Business > TalentPlus Green Creates First Speakers Bureau, Agency for Eco-Experts and Adventurers > Three Spanish Solar Power Generation Plants Enabled By Chemistry From Dow Performance Fluids > Innovest Releases Special Report On Proposed Coal Fired Power Plant In Kansas: Sunflower Electric's Expansion Proposal Illuminates Carbon-Risk Exposure and Financing Challenges of New Coal-Fired Power Plants in Light of Impending Climate Legislation > Virtual Energy Forum: Online-Only Event Focused on Corporate Energy Efficiency > More from the Wire > Submit Your News Release > About this Service YOUR AD HERE! Become a GreenBuzz sponsor or advertiser, reaching tens of thousands of businesses every week. Click Here to receive more information. Please e-mail content queries to the GreenBiz Editor.   GREENBUZZ and GreenBiz.com are produced by Greener World Media, Inc. Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. Disclaimer | About Us | Privacy Policy Forward email Email Marketing by GreenBiz.com | Greener World Media, Inc. | Oakland | CA | 94610