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Video Tour: Abu Dhabi’s Zero Carbon, Zero Waste Masdar City
Among the highlights of last month’s trip to the World Future Energy Summit was a tour of Masdar City, Abu Dhabi’s living laboratory in sustainable development and what is held out to be among the most sustainable cities ever built (at least in the modern sense). Masdar City has progressed significantly since my last [...]
What Does It Take to Achieve a Sustainable Future?
What does it take to achieve a sustainable future? The UN’s Secretary-General’s High Level Panel on Global Sustainability’s final report, released on January 30, thinks that transparency is needed. Yes, you read that correctly. The Panel’s report thinks that by making both the cost of action and inaction transparent “political processes can summon both the arguments and the political will necessary to act for a sustainable future.”
UN Calls Sustainable Development a Top Priority
The UN High-Level Panel Global Sustainability released its report in Addis Ababa yesterday entitled “Resilient People, Resilient Planet: A Future Worth Choosing.” The panel’s 99-page report, which will serve as an input to the UN Conference on Sustainable Development in June, (otherwise known as the Rio+20 Summit) is a call to action, “to address the sustainable development challenge in a fresh and operational way.”
LA’s Transition to a Greener Economy
Our economy – and thus, our lifestyle – is firmly entrenched in the infrastructure that surrounds us and how we use it. This makes it extremely challenging to change how we live. At the VerdeXchange Conference in my home city of Los Angeles last week, I was pleased to encounter a group of individuals from government organizations and the private sector coming together to figure out how to transition Los Angeles to a greener economy. Even as a resident working in the sustainability field, I was surprised to learn about some of the work being done to green the city’s most carbon intensive and highly polluting facilities, operations, and infrastructure.
The Economic Importance of Biodiversity
Today we’re faced with a double crisis – environmental and economic, and all across the world there’s a tug of war between the need for sustained economic growth and the imperative for environmental protection.
India Emerges as Solar Energy Hotspot
A growing host of India’s business conglomerates is leveraging the Indian government’s national solar energy program and investing in the sector, that latest being the Bhanshali group’s Talma Chemical Industries. Talma’s Visual Percept Solar Projects intends to invest in building 100-MW of solar energy generation capacity.
The 10 Emerging Sustainable Cities to Watch in 2012
Whether they benefit from visionary leaders, flourishing social enterprise, or commitment from community activists, the following 10 cities are well worth a visit to experience their transformation and resilience.
Indian Women Find Self-Reliance Through Embroidery Businesses
In a store in my hometown of Ahmedabad, India, I was immediately charmed by the colorful display of intricate handcrafted embroidery on pillow covers, decorative wall-hangings and silk kurtas. The needlework was simple, yet elegant, distinctive – and yes, expensive. At first I hesitated over whether to spend so much on an embroidered piece I really liked. Then I read the price tag a bit more carefully and noticed that 65 percent of the proceeds went directly to the artisans, and the store itself was affiliated with SEWA, the Self-Employed Women’s Association.
Draft Sustainable Land Development Code (SLDC) Chapters Now Available
The first four chapters of the Sustainable Land Development Code (SLDC) were released to the Santa Fe, NM Board of County Commissioners (BCC) and the public at the December 13, 2011 BCC Meeting. The SLDC will implement the goals, policies, and strategies of the adopted Sustainable Growth Management Plan (SGMP), which was approved in November [...]
iEmployee: Motivate Employees and Avoid a Robot Uprising
Break traditional concepts of “human capital” and achieve business success via employee motivation. And how not to motivate employees based on surprising psychological findings.
The Power of a Population
As we seek to discover new methods of generating and harnessing energy, there is one source that is worth discussing: the human body.
Greenwashing Labor Injustices in Dubai
Construction projects should not be considered Green or sustainable unless they have applied equal consideration to all resources used. In Dubai, the labor resources are treated terribly regardless of the “green” nature of the development, this can be changed by incorporating fair and equitable treatment of construction workers into existing sustainable development laws and guidelines.
In Defense of Bicycle and Pedestrian Project Funding
3p is proud to partner with the Presidio Graduate School’s Macroeconomics course on a blogging series about “the economics of sustainability.” This post is part of that series. To follow along, please click here. By Amanda Irene Rohlich In a rare showing of cooperation on Capitol Hill, the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public [...]
Open Letter to Presidio Graduate School MBA Students and the David and Lucile Packard Foundation
SLDI Responds to Presidio Students’ open letter to the David and Lucille Packard Foundation
Bug Bites: Insects Might Be the Protein of Tomorrow
A strong case can be made for grubbing on bugs, but in the United States and Europe there’s a prevalent cultural bias against insects as a source of edible protein. Find out why entomophagy—the practice of eating insects—has recently started gaining traction as a viable alternative.
Sustainable America Part 2: It Took a “Bearheart” Land Developer to Revitalize a Vital Wetland
By: Richard Thornton – Community Planner, Architect and Native American Historian Five hundred years ago, the young Spanish colonial town of Pensacola was surrounded by permanent and seasonal wetlands. The swamps were considered a vital part of the colony’s defenses – in more ways than one. They made transportation of heavy siege cannons near the [...]
Mexican Farmers Win Economic Opportunities and Create Healthier Supply Chains
PepsiCo, has committed to purchasing sunflower oil sourced from farmers in Mexico. The arrangement will also lead to its snack food products becoming more healthier for its customers.
Why Second-Hand Shopping Isn’t Truly Guilt-Free
As a long term, lifetime thrift store shopper, I have always taken great satisfaction in my ability to build wardrobes without paying retail prices. With a little patience and the thrill of the hunt spurring me on, I have spent many hours rifling through second-hand clothing racks looking for that something special for just $3.99.
Rooting Your Portfolio in Positive-Impact Real Estate
Can an investment help the pocketbook and the planet at the same time? Definitely, says R. Paul Herman, author of The HIP Investor: Making Better Profits by Building a Better World. Following is an excerpt from Herman’s book. Explore the options, and put your money on a wiser course… What frameworks are useful in evaluating real estate [...]
Jump Starting the Solar Economy Means Bringing Solar to Every Home, One Neighborhood at a Time
Through Community Solar programs—which overcome the high upfront costs of going solar and the complexities of solar subsidy programs—we can jumpstart the solar economy, saving households billions of dollars and creating new jobs, while bringing these benefits to the country’s poorest neighborhoods.
Sierra Club’s Nukespeak Revives the Nuclear Debate
It was nearly 30 years ago, in the wake of the Three Mile Island nuclear accident, when the classic Nukespeak from Sierra Club Books was published and immediately shaped public debate on the immense risks of nuclear technology. Now an extensively revised and updated edition promises to continue to fuel that debate in the aftermath [...]
Sustainable America Part 1: Ancient Architecture and Town Planning
All across America, archaeologists and anthropologists, along with geneticists, linguists, geologists, and some of America’s native peoples, are assembling new data, reassessing older data, and generating new models that shed new light on much of what has been written in our history books to-date about how pre-Columbian Americans lived. This new information provides valuable insight [...]
Mountain Riders Alliance: Skiers Founding a Movement through Social Media
How the power of social media has been leveraged to found a movement that is seeking to revolutionize the ski industry. The buzz created found its ways to the pages of Powder Magazine, the industry standard for hard core skiers, with this article in the January 2009 issue by John C. Davies.
Sun Shines on Private Solar Financing in New Orleans
Adam Capital Clean Energy Finance, a private investment firm, has agreed to lend $1 million to finance rooftop solar panels for 85 low-income homes in New Orleans. The loan is with Sustainable Environmental Enterprises of Louisiana, a community-development organization engaged in financing solar projects for disadvantaged communities. A joint press release from Adam Capital and [...]
Population Growth Must Be Addressed to Achieve Sustainable Development
The 7 billionth baby was born on 31st October in Lucknow, India and by the time you read this, the world will have gone past the 7 billion mark. Author of The Population Bomb, Paul Ehrlich of Stanford University recently gave an interview where he emphasized that global population has more than doubled since he wrote the book in 1968. [...]
The Childhood Smoking Epidemic in Indonesia
In the 80’s I would always see an ad of a cowboy smoking a cigarette with the sunset behind him. I learned that he was the Marlboro Man, a symbol of what a cool smoker would look like. Marketing professionals would agree that an ad like the Marlboro Man is an iconic image that has helped sell millions of cigarettes.
Augusta, Georgia: A Green Masters Jacket for the City?
By Martin Melaver Here’s a quiet story in the making. Two historic, predominantly African American neighborhoods in Augusta, Georgia (Laney Walker & Bethlehem) coming together to regenerate not only their community but, in the process, transforming Augusta’s entire urban core into a place few people ever imagined was possible. It’s a story that should resonate [...]
Somalian Famine Highlights the Need for Urgent Sustainable Development
In 1984, when the world was assaulted with terrible pictures of famine coming out of Ethiopia, several original charity singles like We are the World, Do they know its Christmas? came out to bring awareness to the cause. The world vowed then that this tragedy would never happen. Sadly, fast forward 27 years and it’s [...]
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Webinar: Feb 17Greening Stonyfield Farm: As a consultant with Stonyfield Farm for the past 12 years, Switzer Fellow Tim Greiner will discuss efforts to broaden and deepen sustainability within the company. He will discuss the company's efforts to track its environmental impacts, barriers the company had to overcome.
Webinar: Feb 29Product Scorecards for Sustainability: Product scorecards that detail and evaluate environmental and sustainability aspects of products are increasingly adopted by leading companies. This webinar covers the best practices in this area and a case study by Seventh Generation.
NY: Mar 19-20Wall Street Green: The longest running and most comprehensive environmental market event in the industry. The Wall Street Green Summit covers cutting edge content, industry developments and features the practitioners and the leaders of tomorrow.
Bay Area: Mar 22-23GRI Certified Training: Demand for sustainability experts is growing rapidly as companies look for proven professionals. For companies, GRI trained employees mean faster implementations and better use of the GRI Sustainability Reporting Framework. Join our partner ISOS group for this two day session. Early bird discounts apply!
SF: Mar 26-28Cleantech Forum San Francisco: The 2012 Cleantech Forum San Francisco will mark the 10th anniversary of Cleantech Forums, the annual gathering of the global clean technology innovation community. Our theme this year is “The Power of Global Partnerships,” an exploration of how strategic relationships are playing an ever more important role in the future of clean technology. For a $300 Discount use code "VIPofTriplePundit " More Info.
SF: April 10-12 Navigating the American Carbon World: The must-attend event for professionals in the carbon landscape. Over the past decade, NACW has consistently provided informative content, thoughtful discussions and outstanding opportunities for collaboration.
Have your event listed here.
Webinar: Feb 17Greening Stonyfield Farm: As a consultant with Stonyfield Farm for the past 12 years, Switzer Fellow Tim Greiner will discuss efforts to broaden and deepen sustainability within the company. He will discuss the company's efforts to track its environmental impacts, barriers the company had to overcome.Webinar: Feb 29Product Scorecards for Sustainability: Product scorecards that detail and evaluate environmental and sustainability aspects of products are increasingly adopted by leading companies. This webinar covers the best practices in this area and a case study by Seventh Generation.NY: Mar 19-20Wall Street Green: The longest running and most comprehensive environmental market event in the industry. The Wall Street Green Summit covers cutting edge content, industry developments and features the practitioners and the leaders of tomorrow. Bay Area: Mar 22-23GRI Certified Training: Demand for sustainability experts is growing rapidly as companies look for proven professionals. For companies, GRI trained employees mean faster implementations and better use of the GRI Sustainability Reporting Framework. Join our partner ISOS group for this two day session. Early bird discounts apply!SF: Mar 26-28Cleantech Forum San Francisco: The 2012 Cleantech Forum San Francisco will mark the 10th anniversary of Cleantech Forums, the annual gathering of the global clean technology innovation community. Our theme this year is “The Power of Global Partnerships,” an exploration of how strategic relationships are playing an ever more important role in the future of clean technology. For a $300 Discount use code "VIPofTriplePundit " More Info.SF: April 10-12 Navigating the American Carbon World: The must-attend event for professionals in the carbon landscape. Over the past decade, NACW has consistently provided informative content, thoughtful discussions and outstanding opportunities for collaboration.Have your event listed here.
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