GM Zero-Waste: Recycling Generates $1bn Annually GM’s 9-step landfill-free program General Motors (GM) recently announced that it is ramping up its waste diversion goals and now generates $1 billion a year from the reuse and recycling of byproducts the company generates at its manufacturing plants. With the massive impact a company such as GM has because of the size and scope of its operations as well as supply chain, the company’s recent achievements and future goals are an important step for other automakers to emulate. After all, while automobiles are among the United States’ most recycled products, with as much as 75 percent of their content reprocessed and reused, more improvements during the manufacturing phase could benefit more businesses, and of course, the environment. Currently, GM recycles about 90 percent of its manufacturing waste. So how does a stodgy Rust Belt company eliminate waste throughout its business? Engagement is also an important lynchpin in GM’s recycling and zero-waste programs.
Home - GHG and Carbon Accounting, Auditing, Management & Training | Greenhouse Gas Management Institute Innovation by Public-Sector Solar Programs in the US – A Sampling of Approaches | States Advancing Solar Browse by topic: This webinar will highlight some of the innovative policies and programs being employed across the country by states and utilities to support the rapid acceleration of solar deployment in the U.S. This webinar will provide an overview of a variety of solar incentives and financing approaches, such as feed-in tariffs, solar RECs, and community-based programs for bulk purchases. Mark Sinclair, CESA Executive Director, will be the host. There will be time alotted for Q&A for the participants. Speakers: Tim Tutt, Sacramento Municipal Utiliites DistrictKacia Brockman, Energy Trust of OregonAndrew Brydges, Massachusetts Clean Energy Center Event Materials: You are here:Home » New Developments » Innovation by Public-Sector Solar Programs in the US – A Sampling of Approaches
Local London news, sport, jobs, cars, homes, leisure and local information from around the capital. Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability News, Press Releases, Feeds, Events and More Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator | Clean Energy <p class="warning">This calculator requires JavaScript, which is currently disabled in your browser. To calculate the equivalencies manually, you can refer to <a href="refs.html"> the calculations and assumptions page</a>.</p> Did you ever wonder what reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 1 million metric tons means in everyday terms? This calculator may be useful in communicating your greenhouse gas reduction strategy, reduction targets, or other initiatives aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. There are two options for entering reduction data into this calculator. Please note that these estimates are approximate and should not be used for emission inventory or formal carbon footprinting exercises. **This calculator uses an eGRID non-baseload national average emissions rate when calculating “kilowatt-hours of electricity” to “carbon dioxide equivalent.”
The EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) The EU ETS: operates in 31 countries (all 28 EU countries plus Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway) limits emissions from more than 11,000 heavy energy-using installations (power stations & industrial plants) and airlines operating between these countries covers around 45% of the EU's greenhouse gas emissions. For a detailed overview, see: EU ETS factsheet (466 kB) EU ETS Handbook (3.19 Mb) A 'cap and trade' system The EU ETS works on the 'cap and trade' principle. A cap is set on the total amount of certain greenhouse gases that can be emitted by installations covered by the system. Within the cap, companies receive or buy emission allowances which they can trade with one another as needed. After each year a company must surrender enough allowances to cover all its emissions, otherwise heavy fines are imposed. Trading brings flexibility that ensures emissions are cut where it costs least to do so. Key features of phase 3 (2013-2020) The main changes are: Sectors and gases covered
Young Professionals in Energy - Energy Organizations and Young Professional Network Green Lodging News : Lodging's Leading Environmental News Source Mission & Vision | Carbon War Room The Carbon War Room accelerates the adoption of business solutions that reduce carbon emissions at gigaton scale and advance the low-carbon economy. Carbon War Room focuses on the market barriers that reinforce the status quo and prevent capital from flowing to sustainable solutions with compelling returns. Often, strong policy is a necessary but insufficient condition, and technology is not the bottleneck: Capital has to flow to solutions in a well-functioning market-place. Our vision is a world where over $1trillion invested in climate change solutions is an annual occurrence, not a historic milestone (Bloomberg New Energy Finance). In this world, market barriers will not exist in any sector where profitable carbon reduction solutions exist; and entrepreneurs who are passionate about preserving our planet’s resources are simultaneously tapping in to the economic opportunity of our generation. There is no Planet B.
Beginning of a Groundswell: Role of Energy Clubs in Energy Innovation Challenges | Inga's Live Blog: ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit 23 energy clubs (out of around 70 energy clubs total) shared a little bit about themselves with us this morning at the Student Program. “No one at the federal government will turn down a student,” says Shannon Yee, the first ARPA-E fellow and current PhD candidate at Berkeley. Contact fed representatives to come speak at your energy club! They love students! Asher Burns-Burg, an ex-co-president of BERC, says there are 3 problems facing students interested in energy, “No opportunities to work across disciplines, gaps in energy curriculums, and difficulty for students to engage and make an impact in energy.” Out of the world’s top 10 universities, the US has 7. The Thesis: Energy clubs provide a low cost way to increase US energy competitiveness by engaging students, fostering new companies, educating a new workforce and catalyzing energy innovation. What exists for energy students: Moving forward: Matching seed fundConsistent venue to share best practicesCoordination support (between clubs)
Measuring the benefits of a green hotel REPORT FROM THE U.S.—The verdict is still unclear whether going green puts green back into hoteliers’ pockets, according to sources. A recent study, “Hotel sustainability: Financial analysis shines a cautious green light,” found, on average, booking revenue neither increased nor decreased for eco-certified hotels. The study analyzed millions of individual bookings in more than 3,000 certified hotels, with a comparison group of 6,000 non-certified properties. “Earning a green certification does not automatically result in a large revenue bump nor a revenue fall. In short, green is not a ‘silver bullet’ strategy,” the report stated. “In this study, we just wanted to look at if putting a green leaf on Travelocity as an indicator of whether it’s sustainable or not, will that change the market performance. “We have another related study. … We have property-level cost data—cost for various types of energy usage, utilities and other things. Cost, ROI of green The green umbrella
About CDM The allows emission-reduction projects in developing countries to earn certified emission reduction (CER) credits, each equivalent to one tonne of CO2. These CERs can be traded and sold, and used by industrialized countries to a meet a part of their emission reduction targets under the Kyoto Protocol. The mechanism stimulates sustainable development and emission reductions, while giving industrialized countries some flexibility in how they meet their emission reduction limitation targets. The CDM is the main source of income for the UNFCCC Adaptation Fund, which was established to finance adaptation projects and programmes in developing country Parties to the Kyoto Protocol that are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change.