3p Contributor: Cory Vanderpool
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What Corporate America Can Learn from the Grateful Dead
Copyright the Grateful Dead
Editor’s Note: In its original form, this article used many phrases pulled (but not quoted) from Joshua Green’s article in the March issue of The Atlantic, which served as its inspiration. We’ve therefore revised the post. Our apologies to Mr. Green.
Though I wasn’t born until 1978, I was a follower of the Grateful Dead. People of all ages have different reasons for becoming fans of the Dead, but for me, I just really liked their music. I was fascinated by the movement that followed them, one which they had no intention of creating, but found themselves inadvertently surrounded by legions of fans that looked to them as Gods.I was lucky enough to attend a Dead concert at RFK stadium in D.C. back in the mid 90s and it was an unexplainable experience. Less than a year later, Jerry Garcia, the band’s lead singer and guitarist, died of a heart attack.
Now, as an adult, I am still captivated by the Dead’s enduring legacy. The way they created customer value, promoted social networking. Making their mark on music and business, all while giving counterculture a home. Last year the remaining band members announced that the Grateful Dead Archive – recordings, press clippings, props, letters, etc. – was scheduled to open at the University of California at Santa Cruz. This news is great for the musicologists, historians, sociologists, philosophers, psychologists and business theorists who study the Grateful Dead.
House Resolution Passed in Utah: Climate Change a Conspiracy
Hundreds of private e-mail messages and documents hacked from a computer server last November caused a stir among global warming skeptics, who said they show that climate scientists conspired to overstate the case for a human influence on climate change.
These events, combined with constant back and forth debate, have left people here in America, and around the world, confused about the state of climate change. Is it happening or not? Is man to blame? For every piece of evidence claiming that global warming is true, by showing that Arctic ice hit a 30 year low in 2007, there are opposing reports that claim the ice is at record high levels. Many people on the East Coast, having been choked by recent record snowfalls and unseasonably cold temperatures, are quick to assert that these weather events are evidence that the Earth is not warming after all. Even though this kind of anecdotal evidence is clearly not scientific, many people are using these events to support existing suspicions that climate change is not occurring. Not surprisingly, state politics has found its way to the center of this ongoing debate. In Utah, the House displayed its own distrust about the premise of global warming by passing a resolution claiming it is all a big conspiracy.
Utah’s House of Representatives passed a resolution on Tuesday February 9th, 2010 that implies climate change science is a conspiracy and urged the EPA to stop all carbon dioxide reduction policies and programs. As a resolution, it holds no legal weight, but it sends a clear message. The resolution specifically claims that there is a “well organized and ongoing effort to manipulate global temperature data in order to produce a global warming outcome.”
Is Climate Change Legislation Dead in 2010?
The latest chatter on the Hill is that climate legislation is not likely to pass this year. High jobless numbers, financial reform and the health care debate continue to thwart efforts focused on the environment. It is possible that the Senate will settle for an energy-only bill and call it a day. The likelihood of this strategy was echoed by comments made by President Obama on Tuesday February 2, 2010 at a town hall meeting in Nashua, New Hampshire. The President said that he would be open to the possibility of the Senate passing an energy bill without a carbon dioxide cap-and-trade program. These comments have put him at odds with Senate Democrats who have insisted that an energy bill be combined with a climate change bill.
The idea of splitting up the energy bill, which was passed last year by the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, is a departure from the strategy advocated by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada. Reid wants an energy bill with a renewable electricity standard, efficiency standards and other provisions to be combined with a cap-and-trade bill. The centerpiece of that bill is a renewable electricity standard (RES) that would require electric utilities to generate 15 percent of their power from renewable sources by 2021.
Focus on Product Stewardship Shifts Waste Disposal Responsibility to Manufacturers
Most manufacturers of products that contain hazardous substances, like toxic mercury, cadmium, nickel, arsenic and lead, don’t think much about the end of their products life cycle. The onus to properly dispose of many banned substances is predominantly on the consumer. The problem with this scenario is that people still dispose of batteries, fluorescent lights, needles, cell phones, radios, computers and even televisions, through regular waste streams. In California, for example, citizens who throw batteries or CFL lights in the trash are creating a major headache for the waste management authority. Local governments frustrated with the burden, and the financial repercussions that result from it, are finally taking a stand and pushing back.
During the past year lawmakers in Maine, California, Minnesota and Oregon have proposed ways to start shifting the burden of waste disposal from the public to the private sector. The idea centers around “product stewardship” which means that manufacturers themselves would be required to pay for collecting, recycling and disposing of designated products after their consumers are through with them.
California Adopts First Statewide Green Building Codes
The fight against climate change must in some way involve changes in the energy performance of buildings. Addressing the basic rules that govern how buildings are designed and constructed is an important first step in the process. These basic rules, referred to more commonly as building codes, are updated by a group called the International Code Council (ICC). The ICC is currently at work on updates to model energy codes for release in 2012 and three national organizations, New Buildings Institute (NBI), the American Institute of Architects (AIA), and the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), have jointly proposed comprehensive changes that would result in commercial buildings that are up to 30 percent more efficient than those built to today’s standards.
On January 12, 2010, California approved the most stringent, eco-friendly statewide building code in the United States. The new building code standard called “CALGreen” will take effect next January and lays out specific constraints for newly constructed buildings. The code was supported by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and the state Chamber of Commerce, as well as many builders and realtors, who argued it would only slightly increase initial construction costs. Private groups with green rating programs, including the U.S. Green Building Council, argued that it could lead to myriad standards and confusion.
Hub Culture’s 2010 Zeitgeist Rankings
For those of you who aren’t aware (I admit I was a bit off), the German concept of “zeitgeist” means the “spirit of the times” and generally refers to the cultural, intellectual, ethical, spiritual and political climate within a nation. This reminder might make understanding Hub Culture’s 2010 Zeitgeist Rankings a bit clearer.
Hub Culture is a social network that merges the online and physical environments. Each year it compiles a list of city rankings, gathered through surveys and outreach with Hub Culture members around the world, to determine where we are headed and where the action is. In developing the rankings, Hub Culture utilizes markers such as population rankings, gross domestic product (GDP) and quality of life. This year, the list seems to be strongly influenced by cities with access to resources and those that are committed to saving the planet.
Dubai: Curse of the Skyscraper
There has always been a significant amount of prestige and pride associated with creating the world’s tallest building as skyscrapers represent a spectacular display of money, power and hubris. Given the sneaky tricks used by architects to add a couple of inches to the top, it can be somewhat difficult to assess which building truly deserves to be labeled the tallest in the world. The completion of the Burj Dubai, however, has made that decision a lot easier. Finished in December 2009, it took the title of “world’s tallest building” by the mere fact that it is really big.
Standing at 2,717 feet tall, it is more than 1,000 feet taller than its nearest competitor, the Taipei 101 building in Taiwan. Its success, though, is not as sweet as many had hoped given the fact that its arrival coincides with a debt crisis in Dubai. Its property market has crumbled and this once booming city is now in the midst of a cold, economic winter.
Why Energy Efficiency Is Worth the Investment
Investing in energy efficiency is a critical piece of the climate change puzzle. Given that the built environment accounts for 39 percent of total energy use in the US, real estate investment represents one of the most effective ways to implement energy efficiency strategies. A recent report from Ceres and Mercer, reviewed in Environmental Leader, outlines the business case that investing in energy efficiency enhances value in real estate portfolios. The report draws on key industry and academic research on building efficiency’s economic impacts and outlines steps and best practices for leveraging efficiency in real estate investments, including pertinent case studies about TIAA-CREF and CalPERS.
Furthermore, the results of the report indicate that companies who fail to factor energy efficiency into their real estate investment decisions might be assuming significant risk in the future and could be overlooking substantial opportunities to enhance returns.
Check Please! Government Picks Up Tab, Starts Caring about Triple Bottom Line
There is a lot of controversy over the Health Care Bill. Although agreement on how to deal with the state of health care is lacking, many Americans agree that there are issues that need to be corrected. As Canadian conservative commentator David Frum argues, “The U.S. health care system costs too much, delivers too little and excludes too many.” He isn’t off the mark. In fact, Americans typically pay 60 percent more per person for health care than any other nation, yet we rank only 41st in life expectancy. Many people live with the fear that if they lose their job, they lose their health care coverage. The aim of this article is to shed some light on a couple pieces of the bill that are green and seemingly good.
In a December 2009 article, Treehugger writer Lloyd Alter mentioned that in places where universal health care coverage is available, like Canada, the benefit of the government paying the bills is that it gets really concerned about the health of its citizens. The result of this concern comes in the form of junk food bans in schools, smoking prohibited almost everywhere and the removal of taxes on bikes. There is certainly something to be said for a focus on health education and prevention given a recent report that nearly 1 of every 5 dollars spent on health care in the U.S. will be attributable to obesity-related conditions, including diabetes and high blood pressure.
Giving Lip Service: How Important is Energy Efficiency, Really?
If someone were to give you $10,000 for home improvements, how would you spend it? Would you pick ways to make your house look better or choose upgrades that would make your home more energy efficient?
If you are leaning towards beauty over efficiency, you’re in the majority. In this economy, where home sales are non-existent and loans are impossible to come by, some might assume that homeowners would be more likely to find ways to save money on things like their home energy bill. As most of the country heads into what is slated to be a very cold winter, homeowners are probably fearful of opening their first energy bill. Even though many Americans talk about wanting to make their homes more energy efficient, are they really doing anything about it?
Unfortunately the short answer is “no.” According to the Shelton Group’s annual Energy Pulse survey conducted in September, 37 percent of homeowners polled said that if they were handed $10,000 for home improvements, they would choose to refinish the kitchen or bathroom. This is compared to 31 percent who said they would replace windows or 23 percent that would replace their HVAC system.
GE: Bringing Good Things (Like Smarter Appliances and New Jobs) to Life
For those of you that have always dreamed of living like the Jetsons, you’ll soon get your chance. General Electric (GE) announced on December 14, 2009 that it will begin manufacturing high-end energy efficient front-load washers and dryers at its Appliance Park facility in Louisville, Kentucky, beginning in 2012. Referred to as “smart” appliances, they have the ability to talk to other appliances and communicate with the electricity grid. Production of the laundry units is the second new product platform to be introduced in Louisville this year. The first was the GE Hybrid Water Heater, which is GE’s first commercially available smart-grid enabled product. Slated for production in mid-2011, the hybrid water heaters will save consumers approximately $320 annually.
These products take energy efficiency one step further at a time when many Americans are facing increasing electricity costs, while still experiencing the hardships of the recession. Given the fact that about half of a typical home’s electricity consumption goes to power appliances, lighting, and water heating, smarter appliances will save families money and shrink their personal carbon footprint. For most utilities, electricity demand peaks between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., when people come home from work, cook dinner, wash clothes, run the dishwasher and flick on their big screen televisions.
New Global Study: Not All Salmon Are Created Equal
Food production, in aggregate, is considered to be the single largest source of environmental degradation globally. Fisheries around the world are suffering, and while the ecological impacts of this destruction could be catastrophic if not corrected, the environmental, economic and social impacts are also staggering. For concerned consumers, it’s important to think about how food was produced and transported and not just where it was produced.
A global study of salmon conducted by Dalhousie University, Ecotrust and the Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology shows that sustainable food production may not be so sustainable. This three-year study points the way to sustainable salmon production and, along the way, debunks some food sustainability myths. Rather than pushing for organic or land-based production, or worrying about “food miles,” the study finds that the world can achieve greater environmental benefits by focusing on improvements to key aspects of production and distribution. The researchers chose salmon as their focus because it exemplifies important characteristics of modern food systems and offers unique opportunities for comparison.
New Journal Aims to Move from Problems to Solutions
![Solutions issues[1]](http://www.triplepundit.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Solutions-issues1.png "Solutions issues[1]")
There are many scientific journals and publications that exist to raise awareness about environmental issues, where scientists can present research and propose recommendations on ways to mitigate the problems we face related to our environment. Though discussion and debate is important, many believe it is time to move from debate to demonstrated action.
While, as a nation we, await some resolution by way of energy legislation, there are undoubtedly myriad other solutions that have to be implemented. Translating good science into appropriate policy is critical and many ideas and solutions begin by the research coming out of the scientific community, as well as technological revolutions from the business community. There is no silver bullet.
The launch of a new journal titled Solutions aims to help us move from a debate culture to one of collaboration, by creating a global forum for dialogue with people, governments, business and civil society. The goal is to identify integrative socio-economic and environmental solutions that inspire action towards a better, more sustainable future for everyone. Not only is the objective at Solutions different, but the process is too. Instead of a typical peer review process, which can be more destructive than constructive, Solutions reviewers are empowered to use their depth of expertise in a more productive manner, by helping the authors perfect their story. In some cases, if the original author accepts, the reviewers may become co-authors on the piece.
San Diego Convention Center: Committed to Green Events
The trade show industry is second only to the construction industry in the amount of waste it generates. If you have ever attended or exhibited at a trade show, you have seen the amount of waste and energy consumed first hand…it is everywhere. Very little about the trade show industry seems efficient. Though companies need to make their products and services known in the green arena, participating in trade shows that don’t include eco-friendly practices seems counter intuitive. Trade shows represent what is good for business but what is bad for the planet. The waste produced from a typical show includes excessive paper handouts that aren’t recycled, countless plastic bottles thrown in the trash, unsustainable promotional items, garbage from packing materials and unregulated energy usage, not to mention the carbon emissions associated with travel to and from the show.
Many trade show organizers simply don’t have enough eco-friendly options when it comes to venues. Hopefully, convention centers and other trade show venues will take a cue from San Diego and realize that a commitment to sustainable practices is good for the planet and very good for business. Their sustainable efforts include waste minimization, energy efficiency, water conservation, food composting, environmental purchasing, donating reusable goods and all-around environmental leadership.
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