GREENBUZZ :: March 31, 2008

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March 31, 2008 News, Tools & Resources from GreenBiz.com Hot Topics   |   News   |   Resources   |   Job Link   |   Our Sites   |   About GreenBiz.com   Taking Care of Business What's your footprint? It's a question being asked increasingly of both large and small companies. And it can be tough to answer. There's no standard definition or measurement of "footprint." In some contexts, it refers mainly to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions: a company's "carbon footprint." In others it refers to the full measure of impacts involved with designing products, sourcing materials, manufacturing, distribution, and sales -- and sometimes the use and disposal of products. In either case, figuring out what to count can involve equal parts art and science. Patagonia, the innovative and maverick clothing company, recently launched an interactive website describing in words and pictures the footprint of representative products. It's a fun visual tour of a typical product's path around the world. But it's much more than that, of course. It's also a chance for companies and their customers to assess a given product's biggest impacts, sometimes with surprising results. For example, Patagonia found that transportation represents a much smaller portion of energy use than previously thought. Patagonia isn't alone. Many companies are assessing their footprint, especially for carbon, and a few are disclosing them publicly, as columnist Coral Rose reported last year. It's a promising trend. As companies more fully understand their impacts, they will be better able to find opportunities for reducing emissions and costs, and their customers will be better able to make smart choices, reducing their impacts, too. So, what's your footprint? Will you be able to answer that question when asked? -- Joel Makower, Executive Editor New on GreenBiz Radio: The Power of the Big Green Purse According to author Diane MacEachern, women hold the upper hand in the majority of business and consumer purchasing decisions, and as a result can play a big role in growing the green economy. GreenBiz.com editor Joel Makower spoke with MacEachern about her new book, "The Big Green Purse." 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 Southern California Edison Plans Country's Largest Solar Project The utility aims to cover 65 million square feet of rooftops in southern California with enough solar panels to generate 250 megawatts of electricity. Planned to start in August, the utility hopes to install one megawatt a week over the next five years. Patagonia Shares Eco-Footprint of Select Products with Consumers This year, Patagonia will track the environmental footprints of 10 more products on its microsite unveiled last fall called the Footprint Chronicles. Law Firm Adds Sustainability Initiative Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP unveiled last week an initiative to boost energy efficiency, reduce waste and improve its bottom line. EPA Helps Small Businesses Bring Green Technologies to Market The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will award $1.75 million to 25 small companies to spur development of new environmental technologies through the Small Business Innovation Research program. Shell and Virent Partner to Produce 'Biogasoline' Royal Dutch Shell and Virent Energy Systems inc. formed a five-year partnership to produce a gasoline alternative from plant sugars that won't impact food prices or require modified gasoline engines. Xerox's Sustainability Calculator Tracks Environmental Impact of Office Equipment The company's newest Office Services tool helps customers find out how their printers and copiers are impacting the environment as well as calculate the effect of reducing their equipment and changing their office practices. Coca-Cola Aims for 'Water Neutrality' Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) released last week a report detailing the evolution of The Coca-Cola Co.'s water management strategy. Credit Suisse to Invest $300M in Renewables Credit Suisse and its partners will invest at least $300 million in the renewable energy sector through private equity firm Hudson Clean Energy Partners. China's Auto Industry Agrees to Parts Recycling Program Fourteen motor vehicle and auto parts companies have signed onto a pilot auto parts recycling program. Toyota Joins Audubon in Latest Corporate-NGO Partnership In another high-profile partnership announced recently, Toyota gave the Audubon Society its largest grant ever -- $20 million -- to fund conservation projects, train environmental leaders and boost volunteerism, the company said Wednesday. U.K. Water Industry to Get New Carbon Calculator A carbon calculator will be developed to measure the amount of embodied carbon used by the United Kingdom water industry. The framework will be part of U.K. Water Industry Research's (UKWIR) project to draw up carbon guidance for the industry. JPMorgan Buys Carbon Offsetting Company JPMorgan has acquired ClimateCare and plans to integrate the carbon offsetting company into its Environmental Markets group. The companies will invest in large-scale carbon emissions reduction projects and trade the resulting carbon reduction credits in the voluntary and compliance markets. Toxic Toy Regulations Take Shape Across States, Nation More than two dozen states and the federal government are considering new restrictions on lead and other materials in toys, resulting in a patchwork of regulatory ideas that could hamper businesses in the sector. Put GreenBiz news on your site for free! Learn more... > MORE NEWS HEADLINES Featured Resource A Wealth of Hands-On Help Sustainable Value in Automobile Manufacturing This report looks at the environmental and social records of 16 automobile manufacturers around the world. By looking at emissions, waste produced, water use and other factors, the authors of the report assign each company's performance a monetary value. > MORE TOOLS     > MORE WEB SITES Columns and Features Insight and Inspiration from the Experts The Zero Waste Office: Is it Possible? By Jonathan Bardelline Large companies in sectors from retail to automobiles have taken innovative steps in design, facility management and across operations to reduce the trash they produce to zero. Here's how just about any company can achieve nothingness. Authoritarianism and Scientific Elitism By Brad Allenby Science and technology have led us to our current environmental crisis, and many believe that it also holds the most promising key to getting us out of this predicament. But several new books explore the notion that the rise of 'scientism' can lead to an erosion of personal freedoms. GreenBiz Blogs Joel Makower's Two Steps Forward: The Death and Rebirth of "50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth" > More from Joel Makower Marc Gunther on Corporate America: The greening of the summer game > More from Marc Gunther David Wigder's Green Marketing Strategies: Green Religiosity > 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    FEATURED BOOK Profiting from Clean Energy by Richard W. Asplund Investment analyst Richard Asplund provides an in-depth explanation of the technology and industry structure behind clean energy and discusses what it takes to effectively invest in the sector. > BUY IT! > READ MORE FEATURED EVENT Sustainable Packaging Coalition: Spring Meeting 2008 Host: Sustainable Packaging Coalition Date: April 2-4, 2008 Location: San Francisco, Calif. The SPC Spring Meeting is open to SPC members and nonmembers alike. This event will offer educational presentations and also provide an opportunity for packaging professionals to network. > SUBMIT YOUR EVENT NEW GREEN JOBS > Executive Assistant to the Development Director Design to Win Foundationr San Francisco > Solar Sales Director Solarcity Culver City, Calif. > Director of Government Affairs Solarcity Culver City, Calif. > Senior Supply Manager NativeEnergy Burlington, Vt. > Membership and Marketing Director Oregon Environmental Council Portland, Ore. > MORE JOB LISTINGS News Releases from the World of Green Business > Beaulieu Commercial Joins Green-e Marketplace with 100% Renewable Energy Purchase > Lucid Design Group Offsets its Carbon Emissions with Carbonfund.org > UPS Deploys 167 "Green" Trucks > Sundance Channel Makes Programming from The Green Available On iTunes > More from the Wire > Submit Your News Release > About this Service YOUR AD HERE! 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