Friday Blog Roundup
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Treehugger reported yesterday on how renewable energy development and equipment manufacturing could really bring jobs back to parts of the country which have been dealing with tough economic times. Global Wind Systems’ will be opening a new wind turbine assembly plant in Novi, Michigan, one of the hardest hit regions of the U.S., due to the auto industry’s decades-long love affair with SUVs.
The plant expects to hire 250 skilled tradespeople in May (with an additional 150 or more expected within two years), to assemble 1.5 MW wind turbines. Although many of the components will have to be initially sourced from Europe, the goal is to shift that to in-state suppliers.
Following Michigan’s state mandate that 10% of its electricity come from renewable sources by 2015, more than two dozen companies have started or diversified into manufacturing wind turbine components.
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Environmental Leader reports that nearly 60% of corporate marketers expect their companies to increase environmental sustainability initiatives over the next two to three years, according to a survey conducted by the American Marketing Association and Fleishman-Hillard, Inc. Half of the respondents also believe that current economic conditions will encourage the adoption of sustainability practices.
Not surprisingly, more than half of those surveyed believe that sustainability is crucial to their company’s reputation. Nearly three-quarters believe that corporate reputation, corporate culture and technological advancements will be the drivers for sustainability. The Obama administration’s policies also will drive the adoption of corporate sustainability programs, according to 63% of respondents.
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The Wall Street Journal’s Environmental Capital reports that London-based environmental data provider Trucost PLC released a report entitled, “Carbon Counts USA,” which ranks U.S. equity funds based on their greenhouse-gas emissions.
Once a cap is in place on greenhouse-gas emissions, companies will need to clean up their act or purchase carbon credits on the market. Either way, “it will be translated into a real cost” for companies and investors, said Simon Thomas, chief executive of Trucost, in an interview.
When climate-change legislation does arrive—the House saw a draft energy and climate bill introduced last week — carbon-intensive companies will likely be the hardest hit.
Tim Woodall at FD Element