Conservation Efforts on the Rise in the Business Community
 
Oct 04, 2016
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A lot of column inches (and pixels) have been dedicated to the different methods businesses can use to reduce their carbon footprints and practice more sustainable ethics. By now we all know about going paperless, having a water dispenser instead of bringing in bottles, etc. We’ve heard endless amounts of information about LED bulbs and low flow toilets. These are the simple things. But what about the harder stuff?

This is where businesses really have the chance to make a difference in their environmental impact. If you are a business owner who also owns the structures and property on which that business operates (sorry renters and lessees, there isn’t a whole lot you can do without risking violating your lease agreement), here are some of the steps you can take to dramatically reduce your carbon footprint and make your company more sustainable.

Upgrade Your Plumbing

Unless you’re building a structure from scratch--which allows you to make every single decision about every single material used during construction--you’re likely dealing with some old and potentially code-breaking pipes. While most structures switched out their lead-based pipes for PVC and steel a long time ago, there are still better and more environmentally friendly options out there--especially for companies that engage in industrial work.

Advancements have been made in industrial wear tech to fit important materials with a chromium carbide overlay. This overlay is designed to withstand massive amounts of abrasion and stress without a reduction in performance. It helps piping and other fittings to last longer without leaching materials into the surrounding environment via corrosion or breakage.

Repurposing Roofs

There are a couple of ways that you can put your roof to work for your business and for the environment. Installing solar paneling is one very popular option. Converting your existing roof into a green roof is another.

One of the reasons that solar power hasn’t had as much success as we’d hoped is we haven’t figured out yet how to make the panels required to harvest the sun’s energy small. Sure we’ve made them slightly smaller, but the fact remains: if you want to be able to see any difference in your power consumption and actually reduce your dependence on the municipal power grid, you’re going to need some big panels that take up a good amount of space. This is where your roof comes in: installing the panels on your roof allows you to harvest the sun’s power without having to purchase additional lot space or convert what might be much needed free range land into an individual solar farm.

Green roofs are another way to use your roof to improve your company’s sustainability and environmental friendliness. A green roof, or living roof, is one that is covered in vegetation (that is planted on a waterproof overlay for your building). Some green roofs have drainage and irrigation built into them. Some even have small shallow ponds for processing greywater. These roofs help lower the temperature of areas both urban and industrial, reduce companies’ dependence on municipal water supplies, provide habitats for wildlife, help insulate their underlying buildings and improve the views of those who work around you. Advancements have been made to keep the weight of these roofs to a minimum and the maintenance required to keep them functional is about the same as what you would do to a standard yard or garden.

Work With Green Companies

Whether or not we want to admit it, the business world is a symbiotic one. No company operates completely independently. It buys supplies from somewhere--paper, electronics, etc. One fantastic way to help spread “green business” is to work only with those companies whose practices are sustainable and environmentally friendly. For example, there is a company in New York called Evocative that uses mushrooms to create organic and completely biodegradable packing materials (to use in place of styrofoam or air pillows). You can have your specific packing materials custom designed to meet your exact specifications and they’ll keep until they are tossed outside--the materials don’t break down until they are exposed to sunlight and other living organisms (like the bacteria found in soil, plant materials, etc).

Working with companies like Evocative, in addition to helping reduce your own company’s emissions, helps build these companies up and improves their visibility. The more businesses we have that offer eco-friendly and sustainable tools, the less everybody will depend upon mining and other environmentally damaging supplies.

Going green isn’t just about making small changes, though those do help. It is about making the biggest changes you can. These changes have a domino-like effect and encourage your colleagues and competitors to make similar changes themselves. And that is the best case scenario for everyone.

Written by Jane Brown

 
 
Asbestos: A Deadly Shortcut to Industrialization
 
Nov 06, 2014
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Like a bizarro world version of love and marriage, asbestos and mesothelioma are a match made in hell. In the developed, Western world, asbestos is, at least, the devil we know. But what about other parts of the world, where an exotic form of cancer may be lower on the list of concerns than, say, the procurement of clean water? What is their stance with regard to asbestos use? What do they know? When did they know it? And what are they doing about it? Let’s take a closer look:

Accountability

Who is responsible for knowing about deadly materials in commercial use? Is it the consumer's job to know about and test for unsuitable materials in everything they purchase? What about buildings they happen to enter? Does the same apply to buildings they are required to enter due to work or school? How much is the consumer required to know? Who is responsible for knowing about which materials are harmful for public consumption?

These are questions about accountability. There was a time when we did not know that asbestos was harmful to us. But what happens when people producing asbestos products do know about the harm, yet continue to use the material? That is when the question of accountability becomes a legal matter. If you know something is poisonous, yet put it into the water supply, are you not guilty of something criminal?

Many attorneys have made it their life’s work to hold asbestos pushers accountable, and stop asbestos use worldwide. That is because at this time, there are no asbestos product manufacturers who are unaware of the devastating effects of the material. This is just as true for developing nations as it is for the U.S. It begs the question why anyone, anywhere in the world would intentionally use it.

Industrialization and profit

In a sweeping exposé on asbestos in Asia, a seller of asbestos roofing sheets is quoted as saying:

"I've known it's a health hazard for about 10 years, but what can we do? This is a country of poor people, and for less money they can have a roof over their heads," Kumar said.

"These people are not aware" of the health risks, he said. But as sellers of asbestos sheets wanting to stay in business, "we're not able to tell them much.”

There is no question of ignorance, no doubt about intent. The peddlers of asbestos know exactly what they are doing. They are engaging in blatant misinformation campaigns to bolster their industry. They are much like the tobacco industry. They lie about their product because it makes them billions of dollars at the expense of sometimes poor, uneducated people.

According to the same epic piece, two-thirds of India’s population lives on about $1.25 a day. No one is testing these people for exotic lung diseases that no doctor would look for or treat if found. Villages like Vaishali, in the impoverished state of Bihar are on their own when it comes to educating themselves and taking action.

Future prospects

One thing that all humans seem to have in common is that we are willing to pay a heavy, long-term price for short-term benefits. Cigarette smoking, drug use, and credit debt are just different expressions of this universal reality. As long as asbestos offers benefits on the cheap, and profits to producers, it will continue to be a worldwide problem.

The top countries by asbestos use are:
• India
• Russia
• China
• Kazakhstan
• Thailand

Canada is no longer a supporter of asbestos.

Banning asbestos is a luxury that much of the world feels they simply do not have. The asbestos industry is too big a part of the GDP of these countries to even consider giving up in the foreseeable future. As long as their short-term problems are greater than the long-term health risks to the poorest of their population, they have no incentive to change.

As with developed, Western nations, there have to be affordable alternatives for consumers. And producing it has to become unprofitable. When will it be banned worldwide? Consider this sobering fact: It is still being used in the U.S..

Written Jane Brown

 
 
Consumers Encourage Companies To Go Green & Companies' Profits Increase
 
Aug 23, 2014
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In the past few years, consumers have been opting for eco-friendly products. This change has encouraged businesses to follow suit and adapt the same principles. The push is not only helping their bottom dollar, but improving the environment simultaneously. Additionally, many of these companies reap the rewards of tax breaks as well.

Ford Motor Company has been at the forefront of a green initiative. In addition to releasing several fuel efficient vehicles which includes the first clean diesel engine, Ford has dominated the flex fuel market, allowing vehicle owners to chose between gasoline and E85 Ethanol fuels. Since the introduction of the EcoBoost feature in 2009, Ford has seen a drastic improvement in sales. The Ford Escape features interior fabric materials made of recycled plastic bottles and scrap cotton that would otherwise end up in a landfill. Several of their facilities are also adapting green policies. Geothermal cooling systems, sustainable landscaping, and a system that turns volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from paint into fuel have all been utilized in various plants. The Dearborn, MI location even boasts the Guinness record for World's
Largest Living Roof which not only provides stronger insulation, but is estimated to last twice as long as standard roofing.

Japanese automaker, Toyota, has been rated as the #2 ecological car company, according to Interbrand. In addition to the Prius, Toyota offers four other vehicles in a hybrid model. They also have the all electric iQ EV, a fuel cell vehicle called FCV, and a plugin hybrid that they are continually working on. In addition to creating eco-friendly vehicles, the company has instituted green policies like reforestation and grant programs aimed at rehabilitating the environment. Additionally, they have adopted a stewardship program called Toyota Green Initiative that partners with Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) to educate students and alumni about the benefits of going green.

Ice cream giant Ben & Jerry's is known to utilize green practices. They initiated a project called Caring Dairy to encourage sustainable practices within the dairy farms they utilize. The company has also invested heavily in alternative energy sources including solar and wind, as well as carbon neutrality programs. In their Netherlands facility, the company recently installed a anaerobic floatation reactor called The Chunkinator. The machine uses ice cream waste to create biogas, creating enough energy to create 16 million pints of ice cream. The machine not only reduces their carbon footprint, but drastically cuts energy expenses since energy is now sourced internally.

Ben & Jerry's parent company, Unilever, utilizes green practices across the board. The company institutes a four step practice to reduce greenhouse gasses, water usage, waste, and packaging while utilizing sustainable sourcing. As one of the world's largest purchaser of palm oil, they have been a large contributor to deforestation, however the company is moving towards sustainable practices which will also reduce greenhouse gases. Unilever oversees many food, beauty, and cleaning product companies including Dove, Knorr, Lipton, Bertolli, and St. Ives.

Many hotels like Marriott have instituted green policies which they encourage their guests to participate. Marriott were the first hotel company to design and build a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified hotel. So far the company has 31 LEED-certified hotels and 106 LEED-registered hotels. Energy efficient lighting, water conserving shower heads, and sustainable linen practices have been implemented. More than 60 of their locations across the globe feature electric vehicle charging stations, encouraging their customers to consider green initiatives as well.

These green practices aren't strictly for product companies. Schools from grade school to college across the country are utilizing eco-friendly practices as well. Schools are retrofitting lighting and installing water conservation systems. AM Conservation Group points out that a recent survey by The Princeton Review, called 2014 College Hopes & Worries Survey, found that 61 percent of respondents consider a college's commitment to green practices before enrolling. The large benefit of school-based programs is the ability to educate the students in the process. The energy consumption cost reduction allows schools to focus funds onto programs that benefit the students as well.

As more consumers seek green products and services, more companies are taking green initiatives. A Edelman goodpurpose study found that 72 percent of people would use and recommend a product from an environmentally conscious company over other companies. Consumers are influencing companies all over the planet to adapt green practices. By publicly announcing the initiatives their taking, companies are increasing profit while making a change for the environment.

Written by Jane Brown