Friday Blog Roundup
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GreenBiz reports that the entertainment industry that has a reputation for being comprised of “tree-hugging liberals,” is not so green after all. In a report entitled “2009 Entertainment Sector Analysis,” the Roberts Environmental Center at Claremont McKenna College analyzed the social responsibility reporting efforts of the world’s leading entertainment companies. While a majority of the entertainment companies surveyed for the report has published an environmental visionary statement, few actually report on the major environmental issues. Or anything at all, for that matter. Only four of the 14 companies surveyed received points for environmental reporting, and no company received points for environmental performance.
As Environmental Leader reports, FedEx Ground is building a 2.4 megawatt solar array atop its distribution facility in New Jersey. This array will provide up to 30 percent of the hub’s annual energy needs, and will be the largest in the U.S. To give you a sense of what a 2.4 MW installation looks like, it will cover 3.3 acres of rooftop space, featuring approximately 12,400 solar panels, and will generate 2.6 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually.
The New York Times’ Green Inc. reports on the efficacy of the much-discussed “Cash for Clunkers” program. While good-intentioned, there was clearly someone asleep at the wheel when this was initially drafted. Apparently, you could trade in your “clunker” that gets 18 mpg, for a “whiz-bang new model” that gets 22 mpg. What am I missing? In any case, the White House has approved an additional $2B in funding (pending a Senate okay), as if that’s going to help at all… Adam Lee, a co-owner of Lee Auto Malls, one of the largest car dealerships in Maine, outlined for Green Inc that “we [they were] having all sorts of problems” with the program.
Business Week’s Green Business blog reports on the difficulties airlines will be facing once the European Emission Trading System begins including their industry in the mix beginning in 2012. Based on current market prices in Europe ($20.50 per metric ton of CO2), airlines will have to pay approximately $1.6 billion annually for all flights that land or take off within the EU, including those operated by companies registered overseas. Delta will face a carbon shortfall of 3.5 million metric tons (worth an estimated $71 million) and United must offset 3.3 million metric tons (worth an estimated $67 million). “The American carriers in the scheme will be the first sector in the U.S. to be drawn into mandatory international emissions trading, even though it is implemented by the EU,” Point Carbon senior analyst Andreas Arvanitakis said in a statement.
Tim Woodall at FD Element