The drama at the Democratic Convention has centered on the Clintons – Hillary last night and Bill tonight and the two hour crowd lines to enter the
By Grant Draper of The Element Agency in New York, blogging live from the Democratic National Convention in Denver
As the United States and (possibly) Canada gear up for elections to change leadership at the Federal level, here is a green tech lesson from Down Under, published by Fortune’s Green Wombat blog.
Australia should be the ideal country for solar power. But during the Conservative Party’s rule, a lack of support for the industry sent solar start-ups to greener pastures like California.
When new Prime Minister Kevin Rudd came to power, he immediately signed the Kyoto Accord and put goals in place to foster clean energy. A national subsidy for rooftop solar panels was instituted, and homeowners can now more easily sell excess electricity back to the utilities.
Solar firms like SunPower are returning to invest in Australia, but due to mixed regulatory messages between the federal government and states, solar firms are still weary about their long-term prospects.
In today’s global economy, clean tech firms will move to wherever the regulatory environment is most favorable. Hopefully leaders in North America will get the message that their clean tech firms have the option to pack up and head abroad if necessary.
In Canada, the Liberal Party’s Green Shift proposal promises to institute substantial incentives for a future green tech economy. And in the United States, both Senators Obama and McCain have suggested that they will take steps to combat climate change and promote a greener society. As the Aussie case shows, now is the time for government to make its position clear and put its support firmly behind its clean tech companies.
By Stefan Deeran at The Element Agency in New York
Environment
The Element produced video above showcases the grassroots support of Barack Obama.
Enjoy!
By Stefan Deeran at The Element Agency in New York
By Peo Akesson of Sustainable Cards LLC, today’s guest blogger
In 2005, I was traveling through
I felt compelled to bring the same concept back to the
Since 2006 we have learned that the wooden card is not only unique and great looking, but is far more environmentally friendly than PVC, biodegradable PVC, corn-cards or even recycled plastic or paper cards. We’ve spent the last two years searching for the best partners we could find to bring these sustainably forested birch wood cards to market.
The result is the most environmentally friendly, low cost, and high quality wooden key cards available today. We formally changed our name to Sustainable Cards LLC this year. The response by individual hotel operators and hotel brands alike has been overwhelming. Our launch at the upcoming Democratic National Convention, where
If hotels would switch from the current PVC plastic cards to wood cards, we would eliminate over 1,300 tons of plastic waste – that’s equal to the volume of seven 777 airplanes. Obviously, that impacts our environment. The bottom line is that we aim to do whatever we can to reduce the vast amount of waste generated by non-recyclable plastic in order to protect the environment. These hotel key cards are just the start.
Editor’s note: Peo Akesson is the Chairman and Founder of Sustainable Cards LLC. If you are interested in learning more about the company, Mr. Akesson welcomes e-mails at peo@sustainablecards.com.
The views expressed above are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent The Element Agency. If you are interested in penning guest posts for My Green Element, please email Stefan Deeran via stefan@theelementagency.com.
From across the green blogosphere, a few posts worth a peek over the weekend:
McDonald’s new CSR Director defends their sponsorship of the Olympics in Beijing (it’s all about the athletics, in their view) on the company’s Open For Discussion blog.
Grist is reporting that ACCCE, the front group for the coal industry, will be heavily hyping its mystical “clean coal” at the Democratic and Republican conventions.
Good news for solar manufacturers. EcoGeek argues that global silicon prices are about to drop significantly.
Speaking of solar, Jetson Green has got the details on a new innovation from CENTRIA services group which could allow you to seamlessly outfit your entire roof with an integrated panel.
And finally, this week Environment America endorsed Mr. Obama for President with an Element produced video. Check it out here.
By Stefan Deeran at The Element Agency in New York
As a green marketing firm with a strong online practice, our clients often ask us to help build widgets and other custom applications for social media networks like Facebook. So it is worthwhile for us to report here on the viral green marketing efforts that seem to be generating special buzz for their novel approaches.
Village Green, a California-based provider of renewable energy credits, has tapped into social media to promote its brand and services to a younger audience that’s ready and willing to work for a greener planet.
Its new Facebook application, Green My Vino operates like a charity pledge drive, except for-profit companies are leveraging their green goodwill to generate sales and publicity. For every Facebook user that sends the Green My Vino application to their friends, the participating California wineries will pledge to buy a certain amount of renewable energy credits (RECs) from Village Green.
Therefore, you have Facebook users, eager to prove their eco-credentials to their peers, effectively acting as free brand ambassadors for both Village Green and the participating wine companies. In exchange for the free brand exposure, the wineries are surely happy to purchase some RECs from Village Green, and hopefully the market for renewable energy improves.
By Stefan Deeran at The Element Agency in New York
From the Erie Canal to the Empire State Building, New Yorkers have been known for their sense of innovation and willingness to take risks. Kudos to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg for carrying the banner into the 21st century.
Yesterday, while giving the closing speech at the National Clean Energy Summit, a forum on green energy in Las Vegas sponsored by the honorable Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), Mayor Bloomberg praised wind as part of the solution to the City’s energy problems.
“I think it would be a thing of beauty if, when Lady Liberty looks out on the horizon, she not only welcomes new immigrants but lights their way with a torch powered by an ocean wind farm,” the Mayor said according to the New York Post.
Wind farms have been stalled in other coastal areas due to resistance from residents that think the distant lights will compromise their views. Thankfully, Mayor Bloomberg recognizes that clean tech can be a thing of beauty.
Imagine that, a public visionary actually wants green tech in his own backyard. Just like the Mayor’s new friend, Texas oilman T. Boone Pickens. Supporting clean tech is a nonpartisan win-win.
By Grant Draper at The Element Agency in New York
American retailers are working together to become more green, even though it may seem like nothing has been accomplished just yet. Retailers will hold their first summit next month to discuss green issues. The event is hosted by the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA), a large trade association and lobby group that counts Wal-Mart, REI and Target as members.
RILA has also launched a formal sustainability initiative. Thus far, the lobby has established working groups, led by environmental managers from the nation’s top retail brands, to address environmental issues, regulations, communications and membership.
Greenbiz.com has reported that the EPA will join the effort, eventually creating an online portal for retailers to gather the latest information about going green all in one place.
American retailers have done very little to improve their environmental performance, especially when compared to other industries. But it is a good sign that they are working together to create green best practices. Hopefully they will use their collective clout to green supply chains rather than exploit their EPA partnership to avoid more regulations. We will review the details of these efforts as they emerge.
By Stefan Deeran at The Element Agency in New York
Greetings from Vancouver, Canada.
Let’s kick off the weekly blog round-up with Treehugger’s review of a massive, proposed hydro-electric dam in British Columbia.
EcoGeek summarizes the largest wind projects around the planet.
Buying BPA-free products on GreenThinkers and Enviroblog.
Triple Pundit questions whether the credit crunch will harm the organic food industry.
The Oil Drum doesn’t believe that more drilling will amount to much more petroleum.
Tired of celebrities telling you how green they are? Sprig investigates whether those recent celebrity babies were born in an eco-friendly fashion.
Marc Gunther checks out what JP Morgan has done in the green space of late.
By Stefan Deeran of The Element Agency, reporting from our Vancouver office.
Organic food has been around for decades and many restaurants have a long history of operating their properties with an eye towards the environment. The organic food they serve is highly regulated, with certification standards (for better or worse) backed by the U.S. government.
But in 2008, there is still no consensus on what exactly defines a green restaurant.
A new initiative by the Food Trade Sustainability Leadership Association is trying to change that. The effort, in coordination with the University of Oregon, intends to build a coalition of 50 members, which would include the entire food chain from suppliers and distributors up to restaurants and retailers.
The scheme will track sustainability through the following categories: organic food, distribution, energy, climate change, water, waste, packaging, labor, animal care, consumer education and governance. If you visit their site, we will find verbose declarations and values statements. You have to become a member to see the toolkits they have developed to actually define those sustainability categories. Thus far, 18 organic food companies have signed up.
On the East Coast, Boston’s Green Restaurant Association has been certifying mom and pop establishments as well as national chains like Le Pain Quotidien for years. Their metrics are more explicit than those of the Food Trade Sustainability Leadership Association. They also have a more recognizable brand which is often proudly displayed on the menus of their members.
Not to be outdone by its nonprofit peers, the National Restaurant Association, the main industry lobby in the U.S., has just launched its own green initiative called Conserve. The effort, funded in part by Ted Turner’s foundation and the EPA’s Energy Star program, does not attempt to define a green restaurant. Instead, the initiative is more informational, offering resources, tips, factsheets and a database to share green ideas.
Surprisingly, with the notable exception of McDonalds and now Subway, few major chains have indicated any significant concern for sustainability. These global brands have the power to move markets with their purchasing decisions. Perhaps one of these efforts will help get the message across that going green is not a passing fad.
By Stefan Deeran at The Element Agency in New York
By Barry D. Bernsten of BG Automotive, Ltd. , today’s guest blogger
BG Automotive Group Ltd. (BG) has decided that the time has come for North America to take the energy crisis seriously and to contribute to ending our energy dependence on mostly hostile foreign nations. We cannot let the short term drop in oil prices fool us once again. Americans must remain focused in order to achieve our independence.
The domestic automobile industry has stayed the course by producing vehicles that offer the greatest profit margins—large trucks and SUV’s. The industry as a whole has ignored the basic business model they studied in their MBA programs. When gasoline prices increase, demand for larger gas consuming vehicles will decrease. Now the gas combustion industry is paying the price, but unfortunately their employees will pay a larger one. We are about to see the three major North American automotive firms file for bankruptcy, and then inevitably lobby Washington D.C. to bail them out as we did once before with Chrysler. The U.S. Government will pay for the bail-out since they, too, are guilty exacerbating the problem by not imposing tighter fuel standards, and not encouraging Electric Vehicle development.
BG (which stands for ‘Be Green’) is an automotive company whose mission it is to bring reliable, safe, and affordable electric vehicles (EV’s) to the North American consumer. We do not offer three wheeled vehicles, vehicles that look like moon rovers, or which cost USD $40,000-$110,000 for which the industry is best known. The consumer needs an EV that they can afford and feel comfortable with buying and driving.
By Steven F. Young of Wainwright Bank, today’s guest blogger
As the country’s leading socially progressive bank, Wainwright is considered a pioneer in what has come to be known as “green banking”. Since 1993, long before the term ‘green’ was widely used, Wainwright Bank has employed sustainable practices simply thinking of it as a part of its commitment to social responsibility. The concept is quite basic: in all aspects of doing business equally consider the impact on people, planet and profit. Or in other words, do no harm.
Wainwright purchases recycled paper products with the highest post-consumer waste content possible. This includes monthly statements, brochures, ATM receipts, annual reports, newsletters, copy paper, envelopes – even toilet paper. Whenever available, vegetable-based inks are used instead of less environmentally friendly oil-based inks. Paper, cans and bottles are recycled at the headquarters and branch offices.
The lighting at the Wainwright Bank headquarters building has been retrofitted in accordance with the EPA Green Lights program. Energy Star rated computer equipment and appliances are purchased for new and replacement electronic devices. Employees are provided a subsidy to encourage the use of public transportation and none of the branches has a drive-through teller, thus helping to reduce gas consumption, pollution and traffic congestion.
Products
The Wainwright Bank Green Loan™ provides discounted home equity loan financing for home improvement projects that reduce energy consumption including solar systems, windmills, new septic systems, windows, insulation and more.