Being Green Actually Improves Revenues?! No Way?!?!

Part of what we have been learning in class recently deals with the fact that incorporating sustainable business practices and environmental concerns as part of the core company activities leads to greater profitability. This example has been made on a huge scale by the GE company this year. The GE company just reported a 21% increase in revenues throughout it's environmentally concerned sectors, which is nothing to shrug off. I am sure the CEOs of other similar albeit less environmentally concerned companies are scratching their balding heads and wondering what they are doing wrong. How could being green actually prosper the business? It is just ridiculous!!! Or is it?

Too bad many of these execs haven't taken a class in green business and don't realize that you needn't wear Birkenstocks and tye-dye to be concerned about global eco-changes. It doesn't have to be like that, it can be as simple as increasing efficiency which haphazardly can reduce the negative externalities of your Fortune 500 company.

Some of the more ambitious environmentally concerned goals for GE are stated below:

"• Bringing annuals sales of ecomagination products to $25 billion by 2010.
• Investing $1.5 billion annually in ecomagination R&D by 2010.
• Improving energy efficiency by 30 percent by 2012. (GE has already met its 2012 target to cut absolute GHG emissions by 1 percent, the goal it set in 2005.)
• Reducing water consumption by 20 percent by 2012; the company's water use was flat last year."

It is about time that other monstrous conglomerates realize that services and eco-friendly initiatives are not a passing phase and represent vital business opportunities. Until then, companies like GE will reap all the rewards for their innovation and eco-magination.

Retired U.S. Military Leaders Dog on Our Current Energy Policy

Often, you hear the message of change from idealic young citizens in America. When the message comes from retired military personnel you know the revolution is almost here. A report put out by the Military Advisory Board, part of a nonprofit research firm called CNA, attacks our current energy policy. The conclusion of their report is that staying on this road we journey down is simply "perilous."

Here are some of the conclusions from the article on greenbiz.com...

"• The U.S. uses a quarter of the world’s oil but only controls 3 percent, leading to a dependence that undermines its foreign policy objectives and economic stability.

• Climate change will foster instability in already politically unstable regions. Dwindling fossil fuel reserves will face additional costs from an increase in demand and future regulations put in place for carbon-intensive fuels

• The military is overly reliant on fossil fuels but uses them inefficiently, undermining effectiveness and exacting a human and economic toll. The Department of Defense should understand its own carbon footprint, correct inefficiencies and adopt renewable energy where possible"

It is easy to see that a reliance on fossil fuels is detrimental to the American way of life. Third party interests by large industries like the oil producers, automobile industry, and others have led American energy concerns for too long. It is time to take a serious look at the downfalls of our current society and make changes that will secure the infrastructure of this country and lessen our worries over seas.

Uzbekistan Cotton

While doing research for our marketing campaign which focuses on the detrimental effects of cotton production on a global scale, I came across this thoroughly depressing video from Uzbekistan. It is a video created by the Environmental Justice Foundation in I think 2007, that clearly illustrates the wide range of negative aspects of cotton production in the small Asian country. You owe it to yourself to watch the video and realize just what goes in to some of the everyday materials we take for granted in America. Uzbekistan is the second largest exporter of cotton in the world and Europe is a huge purchaser of this ill-gotten cotton. Schools are completely shut down throughout the whole country and students of very young ages are forced to work in cotton fields all day to the tune of 3 cents an hour... Too bad on top of that they have to pay an average of 10 dollars a day for lodging and food ( usually 20 children placed in 1 dorm room ) and end up in debt by the end of the harvesting season.

I had no idea this was happening still in the world today...

Luckily, many companies --including Wal-Mart-- have boycotted the use of Uzbek cotton. I stand behind them totally, I want to find out more than I can do to help but the country is so backwards and is currently under the rule of an extreme authoritarian government that renders aid futile.

White Gold: The True Cost of Cotton

White Gold - the true cost of cotton from Environmental Justice Foundation on Vimeo.

Recapping my Carbon Footprint Reduction

So, looking back at my carbon reducing strategies, I would have to say that I am doing quite well on my commitments.

1. Replace a meat-based meal with a nice, healthy peanut butter and jelly

Recently, I ran out of peanut butter... I have been scraping the bottom of the jar. It is truly sad to watch. But soon, soon I will have another jar and things will be back up and running. Other than this recent --yet frightful-- deviation from my carbon-fighting course, I have done well on eating PB&J once a day or atleast like 3-5 times a week. Sadly, I am getting a little sick of it, but I can struggle through --it is for a good cause after all. This goal has had a great impact on making me pay attention to what I eat everyday and I have made a conscious attempt to change my eating patterns for the better of myself and the environment.

2. Reduce buying of non-essential new consumer goods

This goal has been going pretty well too... I admit, I bought a nice, new shirt from target for like 20 bucks... but it was for work and I haven't bought anything else, i swear! No new socks, underwear, t shirts, nothing. I feel like this is something that will become even more important to me over the coming years. I now feel like I need to know where a piece of clothing or consumer good is coming from before I feel truly comfortable with purchasing it. It is definitely a step in the right direction. Our project focuses on the detrimental impacts of cotton growing around the globe and that also makes me wary of where exactly my clothes come from. I have always had more of a flare for social justice rather than the environment but now I am finding out how inextricably linked they are and it is startling.

3. Reduce household energy consumption simply, by unplugging unused appliances

Once again I feel like I have done very good at this goal. In my room currently, I can attest to the fact that my most often used electronics are plugged in to my surge protector and that it is currently turned off! My computer isn't needlessly charging, and my cell phone charger is only plugged in when truly necessary. I only charge it when it completely dies. I think that I have helped urge my roommates to reduce their unused electrical components too. And I also have been paying more attention to when lights are being overused, or turned on for no reason.

United States of Efficiency Contest

One of my favorite websites to peruse when not learning about the detriments occurring to our planet everyday, is a website called instructables. It is a DIY based website where people around America upload different projects for other people to do. There are all kinds of different instructional ideas put up everyday, ranging from dorky crafts to highly involved technological toys.

One thing that I just noticed on the website is very interesting and relevant for this class though too!

The website is featuring a complete green section to their DIY projects and is also holding a contest on energy efficiency. So, in essence, people are going to just upload different things they have created that are eco-friendly and reduce energy waste. Instructables partnered up with EarthJustice to hold this competition and they are offering a macbook pro as the top prize! Too bad I saw this competition too late, but as of now the final entrants are being voted on.

One of the ideas that I thought was pretty cool was this portable iPod or iPhone solar charger... Very fashionable and yet, eco-friendly. And honestly, who hasn't needed to charge their iPod without having their computer around? I think it is a pretty good idea and these kinds of websites are becoming much more popular. They put the power of change in the hands of every day people and also allow those people to show off their good ideas for gadgets.

There are a whole host of other entries in the competition and I will post a follow up describing the winning instructable.