Within companies, the sustainability agenda has moved from green marketing to sustainability communications and from simple compliance to a source of innovation.
Companies that have invested in ‘greening’ their internal processes, such as their supply chain, now have a good story to tell and are looking for new and interactive ways to take their consumers on their sustainability journey with them.
Digital sustainability is an innovative concept that allows companies to do just that. By integrating environmental, social and economic sustainability topics into every day conversations online, brands are beginning to make sustainability issues both accessible and normal. They are also demonstrating how sustainability can help people to do good and feel good through interaction with brands, organisations, and each other.
Brands have recognised that there is a tangible commercial opportunity to use digital channels to not only communicate sustainability but to enable positive and collective change. This shift has shed light on the emergence of four mega trends that have resulted from the convergence of sustainability and digital:
Awareness: CSR practitioners have recently woken up to the fact that they can use digital platforms to build awareness and a “fan base” or community around the topics that consumers are most passionate about, in order to push their message further than ever before. One of the most recent examples of this was Greenpeace’s viral video which attacked Nestle’s palm oil sourcing methods. Following an extensive backlash from the digital community that included almost 1.5 million views of their Kit Kat advert, over 200,000 e-mails sent and countless Facebook comments, the multinational company introduced a ‘zero deforestation’ policy.
Personalisation: This incredible power given to individual consumers through the brand in its digital form has also led to the growing individualisation of information, interaction and engagement. Companies are using this shift from mass information to value and relevancy as a way of communicating with their customers and reacting to their needs. Brands such as DoGood Headquarters have developed a browser plug-in for end consumers to download, which gives them the choice “to see green, charitable, and health and wellness advertising… and donates 50% of the earned profits from said advertising back to green initiative and charities.”
Traceability: Pioneering brands are using digital traceability to enhance transparency. Dole’s organic labelling scheme allows customers to track each piece of fruit through a unique code, from the farm it was grown on to the journey it took. This cradle to table view emphasises the importance of Dole’s accountability throughout the supply and transportation chain. This emphasis on accountability will become essential with the advances in digital allowing for more detail and connection with the journey of the brand.
The new role of the consumer: Integrated throughout these trends is the new role of consumers, who have been imbued with the power to move beyond boycotts and protests, to begin shaping and defining how brands behave. Companies such as Pepsi and Pampers have used the power of crowd-sourcing to unleash the creative potential of their audiences, enabling them to fulfil their ambitions either for a cause or for personal empowerment. These engagement platforms have facilitated genuine two-way dialogue, which we predict will sit at the heart of all future development within the leading brands of tomorrow.
In our increasingly fragmented world, sustainability is set to play a crucial role in allowing consumers to engage in meaningful and lasting relationships with those around them as they seek to live better, more connected lives. As marketers, our job is to give them the tools so that together we can build this brighter future.
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
EADS to Fly Algae-Powered Plane
EADS, the European aerospace company, plans to fly a plane powered by a biofuel made entirely from algae at the ILA Berlin Airshow this week, the world’s first such aircraft, according to an AFP report.
The article quoted a company technical director who said that 10 percent of the EADS fleet could be powered by biofuels as early as 2040.
In addition to conventional airplane fuel, EADS has also begun research into using algae for jet fuel. EADS is the parent company of Airbus. The company is also showcasing a hybrid helicopter that will run on both electric power and diesel fuel.
One advantage of the algae-based fuel over conventional aviation fuel, according to a report on Inhabitat, is energy density. The plane uses 1.5 liters less fuel per hour when consuming biofuel, or a 5 – 10 percent saving in energy, according to Aviation Week. Unlike traditional kerosene, the biofuel emits 40 percent less nitrogen oxide and 98 percent less sulfur dioxide, according to Flightglobal.
The plane, a twin engine Diamond DA42, has been flying for several weeks with one engine fueled by the biofuel and the other loaded with traditional kerosene fuel. EADS hopes to expand tests of the biofuel with the cooperation of Boeing.
Meanwhile, Environmental Leader has reported that Boeing, Virgin, Continental and General Electric have all been working on aviation biofuel initiatives. Virgin has flown several test flights using aviation biofuel. United Airlines has also recently conducted test flights using a natural gas based synthetic fuel.
The article quoted a company technical director who said that 10 percent of the EADS fleet could be powered by biofuels as early as 2040.
In addition to conventional airplane fuel, EADS has also begun research into using algae for jet fuel. EADS is the parent company of Airbus. The company is also showcasing a hybrid helicopter that will run on both electric power and diesel fuel.
One advantage of the algae-based fuel over conventional aviation fuel, according to a report on Inhabitat, is energy density. The plane uses 1.5 liters less fuel per hour when consuming biofuel, or a 5 – 10 percent saving in energy, according to Aviation Week. Unlike traditional kerosene, the biofuel emits 40 percent less nitrogen oxide and 98 percent less sulfur dioxide, according to Flightglobal.
The plane, a twin engine Diamond DA42, has been flying for several weeks with one engine fueled by the biofuel and the other loaded with traditional kerosene fuel. EADS hopes to expand tests of the biofuel with the cooperation of Boeing.
Meanwhile, Environmental Leader has reported that Boeing, Virgin, Continental and General Electric have all been working on aviation biofuel initiatives. Virgin has flown several test flights using aviation biofuel. United Airlines has also recently conducted test flights using a natural gas based synthetic fuel.
Dr Pepper to Recycle 80% of Waste
Dr Pepper Snapple Group said it will recycle 80 percent of its solid waste as part of its set of five-year goals for improved environmental and social performance across the company’s operations, according to its first CSR report.
Among the company’s goals for the next five years are plans to improve energy efficiency in manufacturing operations by 10 percent per gallon of finished product above 2009 levels, increase product shipments per gallon of fuel used by 20 percent, replace 60,000 vending machines and coolers with Energy Star-rated equipment that is approximately 30 percent more energy efficient, reduce water usage and wastewater discharge ratio in manufacturing operations by 10 percent per gallon of finished product, and conserve more than 60 million pounds of PET plastic through package reengineering and increased use of post-consumer recycled material.
The company also said it is making logistics improvements that have so far yielded efficiencies that have reduced shipping distances to customers by up to 90 miles per load, and is exploring opportunities in hybrid and alternative fleet vehicles. The company will also begin monitoring fuel efficiency in its vehicle fleet beginning this year, it said in the report.
The company also plans to replace more than 60,000 older vending machines with new equipment by 2013, which will reduce energy consumption by more than 30 percent and result in $7.6 million in electricity cost savings for customers. According to the company, this savings represents the equivalent emissions of 9,000 cars
Among the company’s goals for the next five years are plans to improve energy efficiency in manufacturing operations by 10 percent per gallon of finished product above 2009 levels, increase product shipments per gallon of fuel used by 20 percent, replace 60,000 vending machines and coolers with Energy Star-rated equipment that is approximately 30 percent more energy efficient, reduce water usage and wastewater discharge ratio in manufacturing operations by 10 percent per gallon of finished product, and conserve more than 60 million pounds of PET plastic through package reengineering and increased use of post-consumer recycled material.
The company also said it is making logistics improvements that have so far yielded efficiencies that have reduced shipping distances to customers by up to 90 miles per load, and is exploring opportunities in hybrid and alternative fleet vehicles. The company will also begin monitoring fuel efficiency in its vehicle fleet beginning this year, it said in the report.
The company also plans to replace more than 60,000 older vending machines with new equipment by 2013, which will reduce energy consumption by more than 30 percent and result in $7.6 million in electricity cost savings for customers. According to the company, this savings represents the equivalent emissions of 9,000 cars
Greenpeace – 95% Renewable Energy Without Slowing Growth
Greenpeace outlined a scenario in which 95 percent of energy generation comes from renewable sources by 2050 while creating 12 million jobs, for a price tag of around $18 trillion in global investment, resulting in an 80 percent decrease in CO2 emissions.
According to the Greenpeace report, Energy [R]evolution: A Sustainable World Energy Outlook, such a drastic revolution in energy production is necessary, since even a 50 percent decrease in CO2 emissions by 2050 might not be enough to prevent runaway climate change scenarios. Under the Greenpeace scenario, CO2 emissions will peak in 2015 before dropping by more than 80 percent by 2050.
In its first edition of the Energy [R]evolution report in 2007, Greenpeace had predicted that 156 GW of renewable energy would be produced in 2010. As of the end of 2009, 158 GW were being produced.
The report makes several policy recommendations, such as phasing out all subsidies for fossil and nuclear fuel businesses, establishing legally binding targets for renewable energy, and strict efficiency standards. According to the report, conventional fuel sources receives an estimated $250 – 300 billion in worldwide subsidies, with coal alone receiving $63 billion.
The Energy [R]evolution scenario outlines a scenario which creates about 12 million jobs, with 8.5 million in the renewables sector alone, by 2030. Without adopting the policy recommendations of the report, however, only 2.4 million renewable jobs will be created. The renewable energy sector already employees two million people worldwide. The policy recommendations also state that the market for renewable technology will increase from $100 billion today to more than $600 billion by 2030.
Actual energy consumption is expected to increase up to 60 percent by 2050, according to the report. Implementing the policy recommendations in the report, including improved insulation and design for buildings, implementing efficiency standards and replacing heating systems with renewable technology, would decrease energy consumption by 20 percent.
Greenpeace also reported that renewable energy resources alone have the potential to generate up to 32 times current global power demands.
The report estimates potential savings in fuel costs of switching to renewable systems at $282 billion per year. However, the annual investment necessary between now and 2030 is estimated to be $782 billion, though without further investment costs beyond that time horizon. Under current policies, Greenpeace estimates global energy investment of $11.2 trillion dollars from now until 2030, while under the Energy [R]evolution scenario, global investment reaches $17.9 trillion.
According to the Greenpeace report, Energy [R]evolution: A Sustainable World Energy Outlook, such a drastic revolution in energy production is necessary, since even a 50 percent decrease in CO2 emissions by 2050 might not be enough to prevent runaway climate change scenarios. Under the Greenpeace scenario, CO2 emissions will peak in 2015 before dropping by more than 80 percent by 2050.
In its first edition of the Energy [R]evolution report in 2007, Greenpeace had predicted that 156 GW of renewable energy would be produced in 2010. As of the end of 2009, 158 GW were being produced.
The report makes several policy recommendations, such as phasing out all subsidies for fossil and nuclear fuel businesses, establishing legally binding targets for renewable energy, and strict efficiency standards. According to the report, conventional fuel sources receives an estimated $250 – 300 billion in worldwide subsidies, with coal alone receiving $63 billion.
The Energy [R]evolution scenario outlines a scenario which creates about 12 million jobs, with 8.5 million in the renewables sector alone, by 2030. Without adopting the policy recommendations of the report, however, only 2.4 million renewable jobs will be created. The renewable energy sector already employees two million people worldwide. The policy recommendations also state that the market for renewable technology will increase from $100 billion today to more than $600 billion by 2030.
Actual energy consumption is expected to increase up to 60 percent by 2050, according to the report. Implementing the policy recommendations in the report, including improved insulation and design for buildings, implementing efficiency standards and replacing heating systems with renewable technology, would decrease energy consumption by 20 percent.
Greenpeace also reported that renewable energy resources alone have the potential to generate up to 32 times current global power demands.
The report estimates potential savings in fuel costs of switching to renewable systems at $282 billion per year. However, the annual investment necessary between now and 2030 is estimated to be $782 billion, though without further investment costs beyond that time horizon. Under current policies, Greenpeace estimates global energy investment of $11.2 trillion dollars from now until 2030, while under the Energy [R]evolution scenario, global investment reaches $17.9 trillion.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Celebrate Earth Day: How One Person Can Change the World
Earth Day is a time when millions of people worldwide celebrate and renew their personal commitment to environmental stewardship.
And it has never been more important, or more urgent, for you and people everywhere to take personal action, to adopt a greener lifestyle, and to share your concerns about the environment.
How Can One Person Change the World?
Today, the environmental problems facing the world are enormous. Earth’s finite resources are being stretched to the limit by rapid population growth, air, water and soil pollution, and much more. Global warming, spurred by our use of fossil fuels for energy and transportation as well as mass-scale agriculture and other human activities, threatens to push our planet beyond its ability to support human life unless we can meet the growing need for food, energy and economic opportunity within a sustainable environment.
In the face of such huge global problems, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless, and to find ourselves asking, “What difference can one person make?” The answer is that one person can make all the difference in the world:
Rachel Carson was just one person who wrote Silent Spring, a book credited with launching the environmental movement in the United States.
John Muir was one person who saved the Yosemite Valley, founded the Sierra Club, and inspired generations of conservationists who continue to do life-giving work.
Wangari Maathai is one person who started planting trees and empowering women in her native Kenya, and eventually was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2004 for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.
Al Gore is just one person who traveled for years to any conference room or auditorium where people would gather to hear his call to action and see his slide show, which became the Academy Award-winning film and best-selling book, An Inconvenient Truth
The Power of Personal Commitment
Each of us has the power through our daily decisions and lifestyle choices to make our homes and communities more environmentally friendly, but our power doesn’t end there.
There is no question that solving many of the problems currently threatening our global environment will require the resources and enlightened action of government and industry. Yet, because government and industry exist to serve the needs of their citizens and customers, how you live your life, the demands you and your neighbors make for products and services that help to preserve rather than erode the environment, will influence those actions and, ultimately, help to determine the future of planet Earth and the fate of mankind.
Anthropologist Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
So make some changes in the way you live your life. Use less energy and fewer resources, create less waste, and join with others who share your beliefs to urge government representatives and business executives to follow your lead toward a more sustainable world.
And it has never been more important, or more urgent, for you and people everywhere to take personal action, to adopt a greener lifestyle, and to share your concerns about the environment.
How Can One Person Change the World?
Today, the environmental problems facing the world are enormous. Earth’s finite resources are being stretched to the limit by rapid population growth, air, water and soil pollution, and much more. Global warming, spurred by our use of fossil fuels for energy and transportation as well as mass-scale agriculture and other human activities, threatens to push our planet beyond its ability to support human life unless we can meet the growing need for food, energy and economic opportunity within a sustainable environment.
In the face of such huge global problems, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless, and to find ourselves asking, “What difference can one person make?” The answer is that one person can make all the difference in the world:
Rachel Carson was just one person who wrote Silent Spring, a book credited with launching the environmental movement in the United States.
John Muir was one person who saved the Yosemite Valley, founded the Sierra Club, and inspired generations of conservationists who continue to do life-giving work.
Wangari Maathai is one person who started planting trees and empowering women in her native Kenya, and eventually was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2004 for her contribution to sustainable development, democracy and peace.
Al Gore is just one person who traveled for years to any conference room or auditorium where people would gather to hear his call to action and see his slide show, which became the Academy Award-winning film and best-selling book, An Inconvenient Truth
The Power of Personal Commitment
Each of us has the power through our daily decisions and lifestyle choices to make our homes and communities more environmentally friendly, but our power doesn’t end there.
There is no question that solving many of the problems currently threatening our global environment will require the resources and enlightened action of government and industry. Yet, because government and industry exist to serve the needs of their citizens and customers, how you live your life, the demands you and your neighbors make for products and services that help to preserve rather than erode the environment, will influence those actions and, ultimately, help to determine the future of planet Earth and the fate of mankind.
Anthropologist Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has."
So make some changes in the way you live your life. Use less energy and fewer resources, create less waste, and join with others who share your beliefs to urge government representatives and business executives to follow your lead toward a more sustainable world.
Global Warming May Kill Billions This Century
In the 1970s, James Lovelock became one of the world’s most celebrated environmental scientists after he proposed the Gaia theory, the idea of Earth as a self-sustaining organism with a built-in control system that keeps the environment in balance and the planet fit for life. Writing in The Independent newspaper, Lovelock warns that the world has already passed the point of no return with global warming, and that climate change will kill billions of people in this century as the Earth reaches a “coma'' state from which it may not recover for 100,000 years.
If almost anyone other than James Lovelock issued such a warning about global warming, it would be labeled at best science fiction and at worst irresponsible and alarmist. But Lovelock has a formidable reputation as an environmental scientist and a stunning record of achievement, so when he says mankind has pushed the planet to the breaking point, it pays to listen.
Beyond the Point of No Return
Writing in The Independent and in his new book, “The Revenge of Gaia,” to be published next month, Lovelock says that current efforts to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and mitigate the greenhouse effect that leads to global warming—including the Kyoto Protocol and the alternative Sydney Summit —won't be enough to solve the problem. He says the only hope is for all nations to use their resources wisely to sustain civilization for as long as possible.
“We have given Gaia a fever and soon her condition will worsen to a state like a coma,” Lovelock writes. “She has been there before and recovered, but it took more than 100,000 years. We are responsible and will suffer the consequences.”
Lovelock predicts that by the end of the century the temperature will rise 8 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) in temperate regions such as Europe and the U.S., and 5 degrees Celsius in the tropics.
“Much of the tropical land mass will become scrub and desert, and will no longer serve for regulation; this adds to the 40 per cent of the Earth's surface we have depleted to feed ourselves,” Lovelock explains.
If Lovelock is correct, the outlook is grim for the human race, and for the planet.
"Before this century is over, billions of us will die, and the few breeding pairs of people that survive will be in the Arctic where the climate remains tolerable," Lovelock writes.
Nuclear Energy May Be Key to Survival
According to Lovelock, there is still time to prevent such a disaster—although not much time—but he says the nations with the most power to halt the approaching devastation are also the ones doing the most to bring it about.
"Civilisation is energy-intensive and we cannot turn it off without crashing, so we need the security of a powered descent,” Lovelock writes. “Sadly I cannot see the United States or the emerging economies of China and India cutting back in time, and they are the main source of emissions. The worst will happen and survivors will have to adapt to a hell of a climate.”
Lovelock is a leading thinker in envirnomental science whose holistic view of the planet sometimes puts him out of step with others in the environmental community. For example, Lovelock supports further development of nuclear energy as the only clean source of energy that can be developed in time to slow the effects of global warming and head off the disaster he believes is coming. According to Lovelock, who views the Earth as a living organism, human civilization is not only a large part of the problem but also a "precious resource" for the planet.
“We should be the heart and mind of the Earth, not its malady,” he says. “Most of all, we should remember that we are a part of it, and it is indeed our home.”
If almost anyone other than James Lovelock issued such a warning about global warming, it would be labeled at best science fiction and at worst irresponsible and alarmist. But Lovelock has a formidable reputation as an environmental scientist and a stunning record of achievement, so when he says mankind has pushed the planet to the breaking point, it pays to listen.
Beyond the Point of No Return
Writing in The Independent and in his new book, “The Revenge of Gaia,” to be published next month, Lovelock says that current efforts to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and mitigate the greenhouse effect that leads to global warming—including the Kyoto Protocol and the alternative Sydney Summit —won't be enough to solve the problem. He says the only hope is for all nations to use their resources wisely to sustain civilization for as long as possible.
“We have given Gaia a fever and soon her condition will worsen to a state like a coma,” Lovelock writes. “She has been there before and recovered, but it took more than 100,000 years. We are responsible and will suffer the consequences.”
Lovelock predicts that by the end of the century the temperature will rise 8 degrees Celsius (14 degrees Fahrenheit) in temperate regions such as Europe and the U.S., and 5 degrees Celsius in the tropics.
“Much of the tropical land mass will become scrub and desert, and will no longer serve for regulation; this adds to the 40 per cent of the Earth's surface we have depleted to feed ourselves,” Lovelock explains.
If Lovelock is correct, the outlook is grim for the human race, and for the planet.
"Before this century is over, billions of us will die, and the few breeding pairs of people that survive will be in the Arctic where the climate remains tolerable," Lovelock writes.
Nuclear Energy May Be Key to Survival
According to Lovelock, there is still time to prevent such a disaster—although not much time—but he says the nations with the most power to halt the approaching devastation are also the ones doing the most to bring it about.
"Civilisation is energy-intensive and we cannot turn it off without crashing, so we need the security of a powered descent,” Lovelock writes. “Sadly I cannot see the United States or the emerging economies of China and India cutting back in time, and they are the main source of emissions. The worst will happen and survivors will have to adapt to a hell of a climate.”
Lovelock is a leading thinker in envirnomental science whose holistic view of the planet sometimes puts him out of step with others in the environmental community. For example, Lovelock supports further development of nuclear energy as the only clean source of energy that can be developed in time to slow the effects of global warming and head off the disaster he believes is coming. According to Lovelock, who views the Earth as a living organism, human civilization is not only a large part of the problem but also a "precious resource" for the planet.
“We should be the heart and mind of the Earth, not its malady,” he says. “Most of all, we should remember that we are a part of it, and it is indeed our home.”
Did Global Warming Cause Iceland Volcano to Erupt?
You can blame climate change for a lot, but not for spoiling your European vacation.
Global warming probably did not cause the volcanic eruption beneath Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull glacier, which has disrupted global aviation and grounded travelers on multiple continents over the past few days--but many scientists believe global warming will trigger future volcanic eruptions in Iceland and throughout the polar regions.
Ice is heavy and exerts enormous pressure on whatever lies beneath it. Under glaciers and other thick ice formations, the pressure is often enough to limit geologic movement, or even to restrict the formation of magma by leaving too little room for superheated rock to expand and become molten. When glacial ice melts, the pressure underneath is reduced, allowing the surface of the Earth to push free of its constraints, a release of energy that sometimes causes earthquakes, tsunamis or volcanic eruptions.
The Icelandic volcano that is currently spewing ash into the atmosphere is located under a small and lightweight ice cap, as ice caps go, so scientists are pretty certain than melting ice did not trigger the eruption.
Size also matters in the question of whether ash from the volcano in Iceland will be enough to slow global warming by creating a kind of reflector shield in the stratosphere to block some of the sun's rays and prevent them from reaching the Earth's surface. Again, the relatively small size of the volcano and the eruption leads scientists to believe that the world will go on warming with no cooling effect from Iceland's geology.
The poet Robert Frost wrote, "Some say the world will end in fire/some say in ice," and then went on to offer his own views on the subject. From what scientists are starting to learn about the relationship between climate change, glacial ice and volcanoes, we may get plenty of both before we're through.
Global warming probably did not cause the volcanic eruption beneath Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull glacier, which has disrupted global aviation and grounded travelers on multiple continents over the past few days--but many scientists believe global warming will trigger future volcanic eruptions in Iceland and throughout the polar regions.
Ice is heavy and exerts enormous pressure on whatever lies beneath it. Under glaciers and other thick ice formations, the pressure is often enough to limit geologic movement, or even to restrict the formation of magma by leaving too little room for superheated rock to expand and become molten. When glacial ice melts, the pressure underneath is reduced, allowing the surface of the Earth to push free of its constraints, a release of energy that sometimes causes earthquakes, tsunamis or volcanic eruptions.
The Icelandic volcano that is currently spewing ash into the atmosphere is located under a small and lightweight ice cap, as ice caps go, so scientists are pretty certain than melting ice did not trigger the eruption.
Size also matters in the question of whether ash from the volcano in Iceland will be enough to slow global warming by creating a kind of reflector shield in the stratosphere to block some of the sun's rays and prevent them from reaching the Earth's surface. Again, the relatively small size of the volcano and the eruption leads scientists to believe that the world will go on warming with no cooling effect from Iceland's geology.
The poet Robert Frost wrote, "Some say the world will end in fire/some say in ice," and then went on to offer his own views on the subject. From what scientists are starting to learn about the relationship between climate change, glacial ice and volcanoes, we may get plenty of both before we're through.
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