Sustainable Operations

http://www.novonordisk.com/sustainability/How-we-manage/blueprints.asp

Blueprint for Change
Sustainability
About us
How we manage sustainably
The Triple Bottom Line
Stakeholder engagement
Awards and recognition

Mr Phine also spoke about a pharmaceutical company, that I had no idea about their sustainable approach! He informed the class how the company contributes to the zerowaste Eco City in Scandinavia! I was so amazed about how a company can contribute to the whole picture…cradle to cradle!! The company’s model will deliver sustaibable solutions!

Renewable Energy

http://www.google.com/intl/en/press/pressrel/20071127_green.html

Google’s Goal: Renewable Energy Cheaper than Coal
Creates renewable energy R&D group and supports breakthrough technologies

Mountain View, Calif. (November 27, 2007) – Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) today announced a new strategic initiative to develop electricity from renewable energy sources that will be cheaper than electricity produced from coal. The newly created initiative, known as RE<C, will focus initially on advanced solar thermal power, wind power technologies, enhanced geothermal systems and other potential breakthrough technologies….

After tonights speaker Mr Mitch Phine, I learned even More about Sustainability! He was amazing but open my eyes to certain companies and their goal of sustainability. Google was a company that he spoke on their sustainable goals. I found the article interesting and educational. I am glad to that google and as large as they are, are doing their part for a healthy, safe, clean environment!!

Sustainable Building

http://cee.stanford.edu/about/builtEnvi.html

Built Environment
Creating a Sustainable Built Environment
Architecture, Engineering and Construction professionals create the fixed, physical wealth of nations — the “Built Environment” — including residential, commercial and industrial buildings, along with the infrastructure for transportation, water supply, waste treatment, power, health care and communications. The built environment provides the basis for most of the world’s economic and leisure activities. It affects the lives of all humans and impacts upon the economic performance of corporations and nations.

Cradle-to-Cradle Design
Our built environment will be sustainable only when its social and environmental context is given rigorous attention at all stages of a project’s life from planning, design and construction to operation, demolition and reuse. We can no longer allow short-term economic savings to override the potential social unrest of introducing new infrastructure with higher long-term fees. We can no longer believe that considering the environment means being mindful of the natural habitat being displaced by a project and yet ignore resource use, emissions and landfill volume resulting from every project decision. We must improve our fragmented understanding of the interactions between the built environment and its natural, social, and economic contexts.
This link is marketing for the school, however reading about the program definatly cayght my eye when I read about the Cradle to Cradle Design. After reading Edward’s THriving Beyond Sustainability, I understand the design more than I would have before reading the book. The design allows for no waste. Every material is reused and recycled. Natural habitat has a focus and every element in nature is considered and has a purpose. Building construction and operation have extensive direct and indirect impacts on the environment and I feel all companies should, at least, attemp a sustainable building.

Grey Water

http://bracsystems.com/swf/brac-dvd.html

“Brac systems can help you save 35% to 40% on your annual water bill, and while saving money, you will also help save the environment and provide a better future for our children and their children to come. With this amount of savings, your Brac Grey Water Recycling System pays itself.

“UNESCO has predicted that by 2020 water shortage will be a serious worldwide problem.”

The Brac Grey Water Recycling System is a must for anyone who cares about the environment”
THis link provided me with an insight grey water recycling. I completely agree with the vision of the company. As my knowlege in sustainability increases, I look for companies like Brac that will contribute to a safe, heallthy future for our future generations!

water risk

Water risks and opportunities

The Global Environmental Outlook – 4 (GEO-4) report released by the United Nations in October 2007 provides an update on the environmental state-of-play. This edition we focus on the report’s water scorecard and the implications for organisations of all sizes and locations.

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“The report highlights the role of climate change, human use of water systems and the over-exploitation of fish stocks on the state of our water environment.
The news is sobering.
The water cycle is being affected by long-term changes in climate including the melting of sea and land ice, changes in ocean salinity, sea levels, rainfall patterns and extreme weather events.
Coastal ecosystems are being impacted by urbanisation and tourism development. Water quality degradation continues to harm ecosystem health and is the single greatest cause of human illness and death. Degradation of aquatic ecosystems, habitat changes and over fishing are all placing pressure on biodiversity and food supplies.
Present trends will see 1.8 billion people living in areas with absolute water scarcity by 2025 and two-thirds of the world’s population could be subject to water stress. Considering that 70% of current water usage is directed to agriculture these trends are alarming.
The report calls for concerted global action to address the root causes of these issues combined with local efforts to reduce vulnerability”

I like this article about water sustainablity, because I understand and can relate to the issue. It makes perfect sense….if we waste water, destroy our natural resources and overall, not take care of what we have now….we may not have much in the future!! I teach elementary so I work with our future Everyday! I want there to be a safe, healthy place for them to live when they are my age! Water quality is an issue that is on the rise. Polluting our water is increasing human illnesss. If humanity does not recognize the uses and waste our our water supply, then ther may not be a water supply

Land and Air

I am very excited about my degree and learning more about sustainability. There are many students in my class that have greater knowledge in a sustainable life than myself. I like this defination…it paints a clear picture for me and possibly for others on my level 🙂
“Climate change can be complicated, jargony, and technical, but it doesn’t have to be.
If you’ve only got 10 seconds, and you’ve not thought a lot about climate change, here’s what you need to know:
People, our energy, our economies and our lives, create pollution. Some of this pollution traps the sun’s heat in the earth’s atmosphere, too much heat. So far only a little too much, but in the future it could become a big problem — maybe the biggest problem human beings have ever known.
Yes, it’s actually much more complicated than that. But what did you expect in 10 seconds?
If you’ve got 60 more seconds, here’s how climate change works:
“Greenhouse gases” like carbon dioxide are a big part of human life as we know it; they’re created when we breath and when we burn things — especially when we burn the fossil fuels like oil and coal that make our world go. They’re called “greenhouse gasses” because they trap heat from the sun in the atmosphere and cause the whole earth to heat up.

We’ve burned A LOT of fossil fuels over the last few hundred years and while there’s disagreement over just how much warming is going to happen, as a result of all the additional greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere, there is no doubt that the earth is heating up. It’s been measured. By thermometers (among other methods).

This is a problem because when the planet heats up, the entire ecosystem starts to change. If the earth heats up a lot and the ecosystem changes a lot, that could have big implications for life on earth. Especially life as human beings have known it for the last 10,000 years.
“There are lots of uncertainties in climate science. But that does not mean it is fundamentally wrong.”

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/features/moving-by-degrees/research.html

Moving by Degree/Climate science, Climate change

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/features/moving-by-degrees/live-video-event.html

THis video is great! I agree with many points that Dr Romm. One way is the way global warming is reported. General reporters are the ones reporting and they do not have the same education as scientist, geologist, chemist etc, but are the ones reporting. This will cause a less educated society and tell them everything that we know. How does the media operate, what is the truth and need to know who is the audience. The planet is waiting on “proof” of global issues and waiting for global warming “to kick us in the teeth” Also, he talkes about how the planet does not recognize that the environment plays a large role in health related issues, young childrens asthma to respratory issues and disease with adults. We need to understand the content in which the problems exist.

Transportation

http://www.epa.gov/smartway/basic-info/index.htm”&gt;
http://raiderexpress.com/

This information was very interesting to me. I met the owner of this trucking company and we began talking about sustainable driving. He said his company has implemented the program with all of his trucks! He lauched “SmartWay, an EPA program that reduces transportation-related emissions by creating incentives to improve supply chain fuel efficiency” with every driver that works for him. NOt only will this help with the reduction of emissions, the company is also reducing gas costs using the Technology program, which is a “testing, verification, and designation program to help freight companies identify equipment, technologies and strategies that save fuel and lower emissions.” All is trucks are set to 60mph, which I thought was a great idea. They save fuel and are also providing a safe drive for their drivers. passangers and others driving on the road! Now if all trucking companies could adapt the same policies!!!!

eco run

Organic vs Local

http://news.change.org/stories/local-vs-organic-which-is-more-sustainable

Class this evening was very insightful! We discussed everything from Walmarts sustainable approach(marketing), to office policies that could create a more sustainable work environment! One discussion was related to how, what and where we get our food when we shop at the grocery stores. For example, if you are buying mushrooms…you can buy the fully sliced shrooms, ready to cook, no extra labor, less work, but more wrap and carton they are packed in. Or you can purchase the mushrooms that come whole, less packaging, but more work for the consumer when it comes time to cook them. I never thought of the packaging of different veggies when relating to sustainability! I do now! However, I do look for local produce and products when I do shop. Local, means fresher and also less travel to get to me! If I can do my part..one step at a time…as little as it may seem, I will to increase a sustainable environment!