Justmeans's blogshttp://www.justmeans.com/editorials/corporatesocialresponsibility/4.htmlSun, 19 May 2013 01:28:36 GMThttp://www.justmeans.com en hourly 1http://www.justmeans.com/Tesla-Earnings-Receive-a-Boost-from--Green--Car-Credits/59457.htmlSat, 18 May 2013 08:53:34 GMTVikas Vij Tesla Motor Co. (NASDAQ: TSLA) may end up making $188 million this year from selling greenhouse gas and zero emission vehicle credits. Adam Jonas, an analyst at Morgan Stanley, says that Test is expected to draw about 11 percent of its annual revenue this year by selling 'green' car credits to other automakers. Most automakers are under pressure to meet clean air policies in US states such as California.Ever since this report came out, the shares of Tesla have jumped by about 50 percent. The aut Read Full Article ]]> Tesla Motor Co. (NASDAQ: TSLA) may end up making $188 million this year from selling greenhouse gas and zero emission vehicle credits. Adam Jonas, an analyst at Morgan Stanley, says that Test is expected to draw about 11 percent of its annual revenue this year by selling 'green' car credits to other automakers. Most automakers are under pressure to meet clean air policies in US states such as California.Ever since this report came out, the shares of Tesla have jumped by about 50 percent. The automaker, which produces the Model S electric sedan, relied significantly on its 'green' credit sales during the first quarter as it reported its first-ever quarterly profit.Jonas wrote in a research note that credit sales mean a lot to Tesla. "At one level, it amounts to a continuous capital raise, funded by the established internal combustion engine auto competition. This is one part irony, one part grand design."Tough emission policies for automakers in several states have thrown open a market that is directly advantageous to manufacturers like Tesla. The company has accumulated green car credits because it only sells electric cars. During the first quarter, Tesla drew about 12 percent of its revenue, or about $68 million, from selling zero emission credits. It made another $17.1 million from selling greenhouse gas credits.Jonas wrote in the research note: "Stripping out the credits reveals a still very low profitability for the core auto business in 1Q." The figures indicate that "the vast majority of the company's 1Q gross margin came from the credits themselves."Revenue from credit sales could possibly be large enough to help Tesla to pay off the remainder of its $465 million US Department of Energy loan over the next 12 to 18 months. Jonas says that it could also pay for the company's capital expenditures in 2013 and provide for a considerable part of capex and R&D costs in the future.Photo Credit: flaivolekaSource: Business Spectator]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Mexican-Coffee-Growing-Community-Members-Blog-to-Connect-with-Canadian-Coffee-Drinkers--Van-Houtte-s-Farm-Views-Project/59382.htmlFri, 17 May 2013 12:00:20 GMTRobyn Hall A busy coffee drinker at a Van Houtte coffee shop in Canada or shopping in the coffee aisle at the grocery store may not have a coffee farmer on his mind as he grabs his daily fix. But Van Houtte's new Farm Views Project is working to change that.The project will bring the voices of coffee growers to Canadian consumers through blog posts on Van Houtte's C! The Coffee Blog that shine a light on the farmers' daily lives. Five members of the VIDA project community in Veracruz, Mexico will each be t Read Full Article ]]> A busy coffee drinker at a Van Houtte coffee shop in Canada or shopping in the coffee aisle at the grocery store may not have a coffee farmer on his mind as he grabs his daily fix. But Van Houtte's new Farm Views Project is working to change that.The project will bring the voices of coffee growers to Canadian consumers through blog posts on Van Houtte's C! The Coffee Blog that shine a light on the farmers' daily lives. Five members of the VIDA project community in Veracruz, Mexico will each be taking pictures and sharing posts about their activities and communities once a month for the coming year. The bloggers have been supplied with cameras to use throughout the projectand have been elected by peers to be guardians of these community tools. They have also received photo and storytelling training.The Farm Views Project has come to life in partnership with Coffee Kids, an NGO working with coffee growing communities in Latin America, and VIDA (The Association for Agroecological Development in Coffee). Coffee farmers face many challenges, and Coffee Kids helps build local capacity to withstand the volatility of the global coffee market. Their initiatives include micro-credit projects for women, scholarships, food security programs and other initiatives unique to community need. GMCR Canada Holding Inc. ("GMCR Canada") has donated nearly $500,000 to Coffee Kids since their partnership began in 1998.The bloggers' inaugural posts are about food growing and bartering. Gabriela talks about the central market in Coscomatepec. There is a long tradition of women from 50 surrounding communities trading the food they grow at home here: 3 bananas for 6 avocados or bartering for flowers that can be used in home shrines or 'mesa de santos'. Elvia talks about neighbor Doa Esperanza Reynoso's involvement in a Coffee Kids food security project. Doa Reynoso has started growing vegetables to improve her family's diet and to sell for additional income."Coffee Kids does an amazing job at providing sustainable solutions to coffee growing communities' challenges and we were looking for a way to share the stories of the people involved in the projects. With Farm Views, we have found the perfect vehicle to do so," says Caroline Fournier, Coffee Expertise Communication Manager at GMCR Canada.According to a study of the University of Vermont, 70% of global coffee supply is from small coffee farmers. There are 25 million small coffee producers. Sometimes, they can cultivate less than 3 hectares of coffee and harvest 1,000-3,000 pounds of unroasted coffee per year.Kudos to GMCR Canada for using social media to shed some light on those things important to coffee farmers and to raise awareness amongitsCanadian consumers.Thisproject providesonesmallwindow on a very complexfood system.Follow the Farm Views bloggers all year at: http://www.vanhoutte.com/en-ca/c-the-coffee-blog/coffee-culture/the-farm-views-projectGMCR Canada, owner of the Van Houtte brand, is committed to social and environmental responsibility, and continues to evolve the company's corporate citizenship and community outreach efforts. The parent company, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. allocates a portion of its pre-tax profits every year to support socially and environmentally responsible initiatives. You can learn more about GMCR Canada's commitment to sustainability at http://GmcrCanadaSustainability.ca]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Air-Travel-Takes-On-Environmental-Challenges-the-Industry-Faces/59442.htmlFri, 17 May 2013 08:39:35 GMTAntonio Pasolini Scientists from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have issued a release saying the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has reached the feared milestone of 400 ppm (parts per million). The last time there was this level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was three million years ago when the Arctic region was 8C (46.4 F) warmer. The scientists say more needs to be done to prevent the release of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which comes mainly from the burning of fossil fu Read Full Article ]]> Scientists from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have issued a release saying the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has reached the feared milestone of 400 ppm (parts per million). The last time there was this level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was three million years ago when the Arctic region was 8C (46.4 F) warmer. The scientists say more needs to be done to prevent the release of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which comes mainly from the burning of fossil fuels.In the United States, electricity is the biggest source of emissions because the generation of electricity there requires the burning of fossil fuels. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, in 2011 it accounted for about 38 percent of the total. Transportation comes second, since it also depends on fossil fuels such as gasoline and diesel. It amounts to 31 percent of the U.S. CO2 emissions. This includes all transportation industries, such as land and marine transportation, rail and air travel.Air travel deserves special attention since, as far as transportation is concerned, it is where frequent travelers clock up most of their carbon footprint. The industry as a whole accounts for only five percent of the total (or 677 million tonnes in 2012, according to IATA), well behind the livestock industry which, according to a UN report from 2006, is responsible for 18 percent of the total. But air travel's share of CO2 emissions is set to grow because volume is outpacing gains in flight fuel efficiency. Meanwhile emissions from other sectors are falling, said the New York Times.The air travel sector is taking steps to mitigate its impact on the environment, though. Bloomberg reported this week that Airbus SAS, Air Canada (AC/A) and BioFuelNet Canada have entered an agreement to study clean jet fuel, said Business Week. The aim is to eventually supply the Canadian carrier and reduce its emissions. The agreement was signed in Montreal on Monday 13. The first step is a study due to be completed by the end of the year. The study will look at different processes and raw materials available for biofuel production.Algae has emerged as a viable candidate for sustainable raw material for jet fuel. Back in 2010, the Pentagon announced that U.S. jets would soon use a new type algae-based fuel. It contracted, Solazyme, a bioproduct company in San Francisco, to provide 100% algae-based jet fuel. Solazyme sent 1,500 gallons of Soladiesel to the Navy for testing in July, and in September the company announced it satisfied its contract with the Navy by providing 20,000 gallons. It was the largest microbial shipboard fuel delivery in history.Biofuels are definitely where the air transport sector will be looking at to reduce its emissions. However, the biofuel industry first needs to be scale up to commercial production in order to reach competitive levels. For now, they are several times more expensive than fossil jet fuels.But it's not only on fuels that airlines are working to boost their green credentials. Earlier this week Southwest Airlines released its latest triple bottom line report outlining the actions it has taken and the results achieved. The company said in 2012 it diverted nearly 2,900 tons of material, or the weight equivalent of more than 69 Boeing 737-700s, from landfills and into recycling facilities with its co-mingled recycling program. This is a seven percent increase over 2011 figures, exceeding the goal of a 2.5 percent improvement.Last week at IATA's Fuel Forum in Berlin, CEO Tony Tyler made some remarks that signal industry concerns over its future and its relationship to the environment. The industry has set goals reduce its environmental impact that include improving fuel efficiency by 1.5% annually until 2020; achieving carbon-neutral growth from 2020 (CNG2020); cutting our net emissions in half by 2050 compared to 2005 levels; investing in new technology."Aviation is committed to the use of biofuels. They represent a tremendous opportunity for sustainable growth as well as employment and economic development and we encourage governments to take the next steps toward enabling industrial scale production so that they may be made affordable over the long term," he said.Image credit: Southwest Airlines]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Aeroplan-Members-Share-A-Milestone--300-Million-Aeroplan-Miles-To-Charities/59412.htmlFri, 17 May 2013 08:00:00 GMTRobyn Hall It started quietly seven years ago, with one web page online inviting Aeroplan loyalty program members to share their Aeroplan Miles with seven Canadian charitable partners. Seven years on, Aeroplan Members have donated more than 300 million miles to NGO's in Canada and around the world to complete their missions.Currently, Aeroplan's Beyond Miles program has 10 partner organizations and more than 400 Charitable Pooling Accounts, but the range of causes supported is also impressive. To name a fe Read Full Article ]]> It started quietly seven years ago, with one web page online inviting Aeroplan loyalty program members to share their Aeroplan Miles with seven Canadian charitable partners. Seven years on, Aeroplan Members have donated more than 300 million miles to NGO's in Canada and around the world to complete their missions.Currently, Aeroplan's Beyond Miles program has 10 partner organizations and more than 400 Charitable Pooling Accounts, but the range of causes supported is also impressive. To name a few examples: high-schoolers travelling to volunteer on an international project for Free the Children; Ballet Jrgen Canada bringing dance to communities across Canada; and Veterinarians Without Borders supporting healthy animals and communities.Beyond Miles Builds A Community of GivingBeyond Miles is a Canadian social purpose initiative of Aimia, the international loyalty group and Aeroplan's parent company. Aimia started out in 1984 as Aeroplan, the frequent flyer program for Air Canada. Since then, Groupe Aeroplan, now Aimia, has gone global, owning a portfolio of loyalty management programs including Nectar in the UK and other programs in Chile, Italy and more.The Aeroplan member base in Canada is a force within Aimia, numbering 4.6 million members. And the Beyond Miles program has evolved its engagement with this group, especially online. With a full Beyond Miles microsite and more social media activity, "we have identified a community of giving within Aeroplan's overall customer base," says Alden Hadwen, Director, Community Engagement, Canada at Aimia.The interactive website has also facilitated some program innovations. The program began with partners selected by Aeroplan based on feedback from its members, but members can now support a range of charities in the arts, education, environment, health and youth program and more. "It's been an evolution. Members are showing a lot of support for smaller charitable organizations in their own backyard that have meaning for them. There is now fifty/fifty support between partners and smaller organizations such as Oceans Initiatives," according to Hadwen.Once a charity is on board, they can receive donations of miles throughout the year, and they are also allowed to conduct a 30-day marketing campaign to gain a target of miles once a year - with Aeroplan contributing the last 10% of the miles to reach their goal. That means a lot of social media outreach within the Beyond Miles community of giving."It's about peer-to-peer fundraising, marketing, sharing concern, and helping each other, all through the context of Aeroplan. It's a real fulfillment of what we have been trying to achieve," says Hadwen.It can also stimulate some fun educational outreach with school groups and others. On World Oceans Day, June 8, for every image of a whale uploaded to Aeroplan's Facebook site, Aeroplan will donate miles to Oceans Initiative's pooling account to support their mission to protect marine life and the study of whales and other sea mammals.It isn't always about flights though. Charitable organizations can use the donated miles for hotels, rental cars or infrastructure needs. For example, NGOs can redeem donated miles for refurbished recycled computer equipment. Aeroplan also offsets 100 per cent of all carbon emissions from flights taken by Beyond Miles partners using donated miles.70 Miles Donated for Every New Twitter Follower and Retweet of anniversary message on May 17 To celebrate another major milestone, the 7th anniversary of the Beyond Miles program, Aeroplan is donating 70 miles to the Beyond Miles program for every new Twitter follower or RT of @BeyondMiles on May 17.More about Beyond Miles: www.aeroplan.com/donateMore about Aeroplan: www.aeroplan.comMore about Aimia: http://www.aimia.com/]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Welcome-to-the-City--Sky-Gardens--Roof-Meadows-and-Rooftop-Farms/59285.htmlFri, 17 May 2013 02:00:49 GMTSangeeta Haindl There is something romantic about roof gardens: flowers amongst the clouds. Now the most romantic city in the world, Paris, has just opened its largest green roof, covering 7,000 square metres, equivalent to a football stadium. Situated on top of the Beaugrenelle shopping centre, its purpose is to provide a haven for biodiversity and limit temperature extremes inside and around the building. Nesting boxes will soon be installed next to a dozen hives to attract birds. Green roofs are not a modern Read Full Article ]]> There is something romantic about roof gardens: flowers amongst the clouds. Now the most romantic city in the world, Paris, has just opened its largest green roof, covering 7,000 square metres, equivalent to a football stadium. Situated on top of the Beaugrenelle shopping centre, its purpose is to provide a haven for biodiversity and limit temperature extremes inside and around the building. Nesting boxes will soon be installed next to a dozen hives to attract birds. Green roofs are not a modern day idea. They have been a feature of urban landscape for centuries. Germany in the Sixties led the way in the development of the modern green roof with which we are familiar today, and they have become an increasingly common feature of towns and cities in Canada, Australia, the U.S. and Europe.Yet, creating green roofs are more about urban needs than romantic notions as their environmental benefits are well known. They provide a whole host of positive reasons for designing them from biodiversity conservation, rainwater harvesting, thermal and acoustic insulation, flood prevention via lower surface water run-off levels, air filtration and the reduction of the urban heat island effect. As towns continue to grow, replanting vegetation has become an urban requirement and green roofs are spreading fast. Last year 1m square metres of plant-covered roofing was built in France, with as much as in America and 10 times more than in Germany.Green roofs are also increasingly being used for another sustainable purpose: urban agriculture. Growing food on roofs too is not a new idea, yet it is one that is rapidly expanding into both urban culture and strategic planning policy. Toronto is a city right at the forefront of the urban agriculture movement. A study in 2009 by the National Research Council Canada found that if just 6 per cent of the city's rooftops (one per cent of the land area) were greened, Toronto would reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 2.18 mega tonnes per year. Additionally, this would deliver greater food security, stimulate the food production economy, provide new employment opportunities and further decrease carbon emissions by lowering food transportation times and distances.In the U.K. green roofs are not quite as developed as in Canada, and a handful of landmark projects have attempted to realise this ambition. A rooftop allotment in London's King's Cross area has been transformed into an urban eco-garden, providing naturally grown food for a local eatery. In Boston, Higher Ground Farm was recently successfully funded on Kickstarter to become that city's first commercial rooftop farm and the second largest open-air rooftop farm in the world. It will be installing its food-producing green roof on a 55,000 square foot space on the South Boston waterfront this year. It is no longer possible to plan cities without making room for nature. In Mumbai, India the proposed Imperial Tower, a 116-story tower will feature several sky gardens. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations is forecasting urban areas to account for 70 per cent of the world population in 2050. Perhaps building roof farms and roof gardens will become a prerequisite for all future building developments.Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Dell-Social-Innovation-Challenge-Recognizes-Exceptional-Social-Entrepreneurs/59399.htmlThu, 16 May 2013 23:20:25 GMTVikas Vij The annual Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) Social Innovation Challenge received a 60 percent higher response from participants this year, with more than 25,000 students from 100 countries submitting 2,600 projects. The Dell Challenge awarded some of the exceptional social entrepreneurs and innovators who are making an impact to address some of the most pressing problems the world faces today.Dell has given away a total of $350,000 in seed money to social entrepreneurs tackling a variety of challenges rangin Read Full Article ]]> The annual Dell (NASDAQ: DELL) Social Innovation Challenge received a 60 percent higher response from participants this year, with more than 25,000 students from 100 countries submitting 2,600 projects. The Dell Challenge awarded some of the exceptional social entrepreneurs and innovators who are making an impact to address some of the most pressing problems the world faces today.Dell has given away a total of $350,000 in seed money to social entrepreneurs tackling a variety of challenges ranging from energy consumption and pollution to medical problems. The company also provided mentoring for 250 semi-finalists as a part of the program.Dell's Grand Prize of $60,000 was won by Shital Somani and her team from India for their "Solar Conduction Dryer" project. During her 90-second pitch at the Challenge, Somani said that about 20 to 30 percent of the harvest of Indian farmers is spoiled due to lack of refrigeration facilities, leaving the farmers in perpetual poverty. The Social Conduction Dryer would enable the farmers to dry their surplus produce and save it for up to a year, without having to depend on the unreliable power supply. The entry also won the audience choice prize of $1,000.Foot Soldiers, a company from Bangladesh, won the second place at the awards and received $40,000 in seed money. Foot Soldiers provides affordable sandals made from recycled tires for people in Bangladesh. Nearly 50 million impoverished people in the country cannot afford footwear. Foot Soldiers can produce durable rubber sandals for these people for $1 a pair.The third winning entry at the Challenge was Good Benefits, an American company that develops easily-administered benefits packages for business to enable employees to funnel money into causes they believe in. Good Benefits received $20,000 in prize money. Sunride, a German team that creates community crowd-sourcing for solar power, and Semka, a Mexican enterprise that uses blood tests instead of biopsies for cancer patients were two other finalists who received $10,000 each.Source: Silicon Hill News]]>http://www.justmeans.com/DiCaprio-s-Environmental-Charity-Art-Auction-Raises--33-Million/59396.htmlThu, 16 May 2013 23:15:05 GMTVikas Vij Leonardo DiCaprio's environmental charity auction at Christie's in New York has raised an impressive $33.3 million from wealthy art collectors. Most of the sale proceeds went to environmental protection causes promoted by the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. The Hollywood actor, who was himself present at the auction, urged collectors to bid as if the planet's fate "depends on us" - and they responded to his call generously.The 11th Hour auction featured 33 works of art, most of them contemporary. Read Full Article ]]> Leonardo DiCaprio's environmental charity auction at Christie's in New York has raised an impressive $33.3 million from wealthy art collectors. Most of the sale proceeds went to environmental protection causes promoted by the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation. The Hollywood actor, who was himself present at the auction, urged collectors to bid as if the planet's fate "depends on us" - and they responded to his call generously.The 11th Hour auction featured 33 works of art, most of them contemporary. A large part of the collection was created especially for the event and addressed environmental themes. The exceptionally strong response doubled pre-sale estimates, with nine of the works selling in excess of $1 million. Mark Grotjahn's Untitled led the sale with $6.5 million and The Tiger by Zeng Fanzhi went for $5 million. Both the sales were about double of their pre-sale estimates.DiCaprio says that his foundation is "dedicated to protecting the last wild places on Earth and the critically endangered species that inhabit them." Elizabeth Peyton's 2013 portrait of DiCaprio himself sold for $1.05 million at the auction, surpassing its original sale estimate of $400,000-600,000.DiCaprio emphasized at the event that the embattled global environment is in need of far greater help. "Despite the significant efforts of organizations and individuals all over the world, our modern way of life has caused unprecedented devastation to our oceans, our forests and our wildlife. We are at the 11th hour, we are facing a tipping point of environmental crisis unprecedented in human history," he said.Source: IOL]]>http://www.justmeans.com/The-Best-of-British-Community-Spirit-in-Business---Think-Local/59280.htmlThu, 16 May 2013 02:00:48 GMTSangeeta Haindl We have seen how social media and communities come together during times of crisis; think of Hurricane Sandy last year and how the use of Twitter became a real time lifeline. Well, wouldn't it be great if the digital world enabled community spirit during the good times, too, and not just the bad? One new exciting and rapidly growing platform does exist in Enfield, a suburb of London: 'Love Your DoorStep (LYDS).'Since it was set up in 2012 as a Facebook group, it has launched a local radio statio Read Full Article ]]> We have seen how social media and communities come together during times of crisis; think of Hurricane Sandy last year and how the use of Twitter became a real time lifeline. Well, wouldn't it be great if the digital world enabled community spirit during the good times, too, and not just the bad? One new exciting and rapidly growing platform does exist in Enfield, a suburb of London: 'Love Your DoorStep (LYDS).'Since it was set up in 2012 as a Facebook group, it has launched a local radio station; a local app; found a local missing person; works with over 350 local businesses; and has 4000 local people talking in real time about what's going on across Enfield! It has now evolved into a website, with a mission to share information on products and services, offering spontaneous help and recommendations.LYDS prompts people living in Enfield to engage and discuss issues relevant to the area and is getting people to talk in a way they've never done before. It is encouraging neighbours to work as a team to build stronger community links and support systems. Crucially, it has become the ideal platform to bring together businesses and individuals with a common purpose to support one another through job opportunities, charitable causes, networking, business referrals and genuine endorsements.The British Future State of the Nation Report 2012 highlights that respondents believed that if you knew your neighbours, took part in local events or knew people to nod to in the street then you were more likely to be optimistic about the year ahead and also more likely to be economically upbeat. LYDS strongly advocates people to shop locally, spending their money with the area's independent businesses. Explaining that by doing so people are choosing to invest in the economy of their own community. As local business owners are also more connected to their own community than larger chains, with a vested interest to give back to the area by supporting local charities, campaigns and causes. This action is an extremely valuable part of creating a cohesive and a sustainable community.Emma Rigby, mum of two who is the inspiration and founder behind this social innovation initiative, is originally from New Zealand and says, "When I married my husband, who grew up in this area, it naturally become my home away from home and I knew that this was where we'd raise our children. Neither of us could quite believe it when the riots happened, right on our doorstep. I had this desperate need to create some community spirit that seemed lost in the wake of the riots." Emma's vision now is to have LYDS across the U.K. and one testimonial on the site, sums everything up perfectly, "I cannot tell you enough how Love Your DoorStep has opened my eyes and mind of the necessity of community. How great is the feeling to be a part...If only the whole country had Love Your DoorStep."Photo Credit: Wikimedia]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Mabuhay--Business--Sustainable-Development-and-Foreign-Direct-Investment-in-the-Philippines/59293.htmlWed, 15 May 2013 10:06:38 GMTReynard Loki No longer the "sick man of Asia," the Philippines proved to be economically resilient through the global financial crisis, emerging as a good place to do business. But will increased foreign direct investment inflows support the nation's sustainable development goals?During the 19th and early 20th centuries, after it was forced into semi-colonial status through a series of unequal treaties negotiated by the Great Powers, China was known as "the sick man of Asia." In more recent times, however, t Read Full Article ]]> No longer the "sick man of Asia," the Philippines proved to be economically resilient through the global financial crisis, emerging as a good place to do business. But will increased foreign direct investment inflows support the nation's sustainable development goals?During the 19th and early 20th centuries, after it was forced into semi-colonial status through a series of unequal treaties negotiated by the Great Powers, China was known as "the sick man of Asia." In more recent times, however, that phrase has been used to describe the Philippines, which for decades has remained the region's economic laggard. Though Corazon "Cory"Aquino's "People Power" Revolution put an end to Ferdinand Marcos' two-decade-long dictatorship in 1986 and brought democratic self-rule to the island nation, corruption and mismanagement has been a chronic problem, cramping the government's ability to create jobs and a growth economy. In recent years, however, thanks to improved fiscal management and government transparency under the leadership of president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who held office from 2001 to 2010, the once economically sluggish South Pacific archipelago has emerged as a desirable location for investors.During the Arroyo administration, the nation's economy expanded each quarter, logging an average annual growth rate of 4.5%, higher than her three immediate predecessors.[1][2] Arroyo's policies have generally been continued under the current president, Cory Aquino's son Benigno S. Aquino III, who recently had a new reason to smile: In March, the Philippines received its first-ever investment-grade rating from Fitch Ratings, one of the world's premier ratings agencies. The move lifted the nation's ratingwhich applies to long-term foreign currency-denominated debtout of junk status, upgrading it from BB+ to BBB-.STOCKS SOAR THROUGH RESILIENT ECONOMYThe Fitch report states:"The Philippines' sovereign external balance sheet is considered strong relative to 'A' range peers, let alone 'BB' and 'BBB' category medians. A persistent current account surplus (CAS), underpinned by remittance inflows, has led to the emergence of a net external creditor position worth 12% of GDP by end-2012, up from 6% at end-2010. Remittance inflows were worth 8% of GDP in 2012 and proved resilient even through the shock of the global financial crisis. The Philippine economy has been resilient, expanding 6.6% in 2012 amid a weak global economic backdrop. Strong domestic demand drove this outturn. Fitch expects GDP growth of 5.5% in 2013. The Philippines has experienced stronger and less volatile growth than its 'BBB' peers over the past five years."[3]The country is on a roll. Last month, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) released its Asia-Pacific economic outlook and included the Philippines among seven emerging economies in Asia to look out for, along with Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore. Out of this group, the Philippines experienced the highest GDP growth last year at 6.6 percent. And since January 2012, the Philippines' stock market has experienced the second-most growth in the region, following only Japan.[4]GOOD HOUSEKEEPING LEADS TO MORE HOUSEGUESTSThe improved rating and solid projections certainly make the nation a more favorable place to do business, particularly for foreign investors seeking stable and growth-oriented shores. But what will it ultimately mean for the Philippines?"This investment-grade rating is a seal of good housekeeping and a resounding vote of confidence in the Philippine economy," hailed an official statement from the president's office. "It is strong affirmation that the Philippines is on the right path toward sustainable and inclusive growth. It also closes the gap between our market rating and our credit rating. This upgrade was achieved due to sound macroeconomic fundamentals, underpinned by good governance reforms as well as the Philippines' good economic prospects moving forward."[5]"This means much more than lower interest rates on our debt and more investors buying our securities," Mr. Aquino said. "This is an institutional affirmation of our good governance agenda: Sound fiscal management and integrity-based leadership has led to a resurgent economy in the face of uncertainties in the global arena. It serves to encourage even greater interest and investments in our country."[6]Norio Usui, country economist for the Philippines at the Manila-based Asian Development Bank called the upgrade overdue. "Financial markets have already fully incorporated it," he said. "Bold governance reforms under the current administration have changed consumers' and investors' sentiment. Prudent macroeconomic management has laid the foundation for the strong growth. This rating will give investors the confidence they need to give the Philippines a much closer look."[7]FACING CYNICSAND CHALLENGESRenato M. Reyes Jr., secretary-general ofBayan, aleftist political coalition, was less than enthused and even cynical. "It will not necessarily generate jobs and lead to sustainable growth," he said. "It looks good only on paper and will only benefit big business. Expect Aquino to milk this for the 2013 elections."The president's office did concede that the upgrade "poses a challenge to all of us to maintain it," but added that the government would remain focused on maintaining a "sustainable fiscal position," that "[f]oreign and local businesses can rely on a government that will continue to be transparent" and that"[d]omestic and foreign businesses would be more encouraged to increase investments in the country's productive capacity such as in the manufacturing industry and in agribusiness, thus generating more employment."[8]But some politicians have expressed concerns about how economic development will stay on the sustainable track with the expected increase in foreign direct investment (FDI). In a statement released on Earth Day last month, Senator Loren Legarda, the chair of the Climate Change Oversight Committee of the Senate, said, "If we are to pursue sustainable and resilient development rightly, we need a new attitude towards our environment and our worldone of genuine concern and care, one of respect and fairness." Legarda, a staunch environmentalist who was the principal author of the Climate Change Act (Republic Act 9729), said the Philippines, like other countries, is feeling the effect of climate change.[9]CALLING FOR A NEW ATTITUDE TOWARD MOTHER EARTHIf the government encourages FDI to pump up the nation's manufacturing and agricultural sectors, but fails to support sustainability, the environment or the rights of workers and indigenous people through strong regulation and enforcement, then Senator Legarda is correct is saying a new attitude is needed.I visited the Philippines just days after the Fitch upgrade and witnessed some of that new attitude. The last time was in Manila was in 1991. At the time, Cory Aquino had been in office for some five years; democracy was still fresh. FDI was limited at best: Under 20 years of the Marcos regime, the nation was not very welcoming of foreign investors.Manila today is just as loud, colorful and overcrowded as it was two decades ago, but there are changes that are apparent: vertical gardens lining major highways to suck up CO2 emissions; recycling containers separating paper, glass and plastic; and public signage promoting civic green programs. Posters across Pasig City in Metro Manila proudly state the municipality's status as "The Recycling Industry Capital of the Philippines," urging residents to "plant a tree, they are the lungs of the city."Even on the island of Marinduque, where I visited my father's small sustainable farm, today's visitors are greeted with large signs explaining the province's bamboo-planting and river conservation programs (see the image above). Eco-tourism is growing. A local grassroots movement on the island even succeeded in giving a mining company its walking papers.[For more on how unsustainable mining by foreign business has negatively impacted the nation, see my 2008 editorial, "Mining for Answers in the Philippines."]But as Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi, the secretary-general of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Investment (UNCTAD), flatly observed earlier this year, "promoting FDI for sustainable development remains a challenge."[10]The IMF noted that in the Philippines, "robust remittance flows are expected to underpin private consumption and investment."[11] In 2012, Filipino OFWs sent $24 billion back home in remittances, behind only China ($65 million) and India ($70 million), and clearly punching well above its weight in terms of population.[12]FDI IN THE PI: FROM LEAST ATTRACTIVE TO MOST ATTRACTIVEThe People Power Revolution was able to topple an entrenched dictator. Maybe the nation needs a Green Revolution to ensure that all the expected new investmentwhether it comes from foreigners or citizensshould be sustainable. [One small sign that people in the Philippines are interested in doing business better: The nation ranks in the top ten for monthly visitors to Justmeans.com.]This week, Pew Research's Global Attitudes Project reported that the new "sick man of Europe" is the European Union: "Positive views of the European Union are at or near their low point in most EU nations, even among the young, the hope for the EU's future."[13] In an op-ed last week on Truthout.org, Cliff DuRand, a research associate at the Center for Global Justice, opined, "The American Dream of upward mobility is dead, thanks to the neoliberal ministrations of capital and government."[14] As the United States and the European Union stagnate, Asialed by economic juggernaut Chinais poised to be a region of global growth and opportunity. For investors looking into this part of the world, the friendly shores of the Philippines are looking pretty sunny. But concerns that the path to economic health will leave a trail of environmental degradation are valid.Economist Solita Collas-Monsod, who served as the Director-General of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) under Cory Aquino's administration wrote in July of last year: "The Philippines is among the least attractive of countries to inflows of FDI, and the FDI it attracts contributes the least (relative to other countries) to our development."[15]We now know that the first part of her statement is no longer true. But what about the second part? That all depends on whether or not the Philippines' new investment-grade rating will be joined by a new attitude.NOTES[1] CIA World Factbook. Philippines. Updated May 7, 2013. Accessed May 10, 2013.[2] Reference.com. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Accessed May 13, 2013[3] Fitch Ratings. RPT-Fitch upgrades Philippines to investment grade; outlook stable. Reuters.com. March 27, 2013. Accessed May 13, 2013.[4] International Monetary Fund. Regional Economic Outlook: Asia and Pacific. April 2013. Accessed May 13, 2013.[5] Official Gazette. Q&A on Fitch Ratings' announcement declaring the Philippines Investment Grade, March 27, 2013. Edited at the Office of the President of the Philippines. March 27, 2013. Accessed May 13, 2013.[6] Bettina Wassener and Floyd Whaley. Philippines Gets Investment-Grade Credit Rating. The New York Times. March 27, 2013. Accessed May 13, 2013.[7] Ibid.[8] Ibid., 5.[9] Ricky Bautista. Lawmaker calls for sustainable, resilient environment development. Manila Channel. April 22, 2013. Accessed May 13, 2013.[10] United Nations Conference on Trade and Investment. Global Investment Trends Monitor. No. 11. January 23, 2013. Accessed May 13, 2013.[11] International Monetary Fund. Regional Economic Outlook: Asia and Pacific. April 2013. Accessed May 13, 2013.[12] World Bank. Migration and Development Brief. November 20, 2012. Accessed May 10, 2013.[13] Pew Research. The New Sick Man of Europe: the European Union. Pew Research Global Attitudes Project. May 13, 2013. Accessed May 13, 2013.[14] Cliff DuRand. The American Dream Is Dead; Long Live the New Dream. May 10, 2013. Accessed May 13, 2013.[15] Solita Collas-Monsod. On a Roll, But Not Quite. Per Se. July 9, 2012. Accessed May 13, 2013.image: Public sign welcoming visitors to Marinduque, Philippines, promoting the province's "Plant Bamboo" river conservation campaign (credit: Reynard Loki, March 26, 2013)]]>http://www.justmeans.com/National-PTA-and-Discovery-Education-Hit-the-Road-to-Fight-Bullying/59359.htmlWed, 15 May 2013 06:41:13 GMTAntonio Pasolini Bullying is not a new problem but it's one that has escalated and gained visibility in the last decades. It can destroy lives and cause untold misery to people who find themselves targeted by bullies. School children are the biggest victims of bullying, which results in a complex challenge to parents and education professionals.National PTA and Discovery Education have joined the efforts to prevent bullying with a series of town halls that launched last week. Besides prevention, the halls will d Read Full Article ]]> Bullying is not a new problem but it's one that has escalated and gained visibility in the last decades. It can destroy lives and cause untold misery to people who find themselves targeted by bullies. School children are the biggest victims of bullying, which results in a complex challenge to parents and education professionals.National PTA and Discovery Education have joined the efforts to prevent bullying with a series of town halls that launched last week. Besides prevention, the halls will discuss mental health assistance with students, parents, educators and other community members across the nation. The program was developed to create a meaningful response to President Obama's call for action on the issue.The project kicked off in Charlotte on May 9 and will move to Cincinatti on June 20, plus other cities throughout the year. Of these, some of the town halls will focus on family-school partnerships while others will focus on student interventions. All conferences will feature a taped message from Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Dr. Jill Biden, in addition to an experienced panel of experts who will provide information on and solutions to bullying behaviors and on how to access mental health assistance.The Cincinnati town hall will be part of the 2013 National PTA Convention and Youth Summit this June. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Kari Byron, co-host of MythBusters, will be featured speakers at the town hall. Discoveryeducation.com also will host a wide assortment of content that addresses contemporary issues students face around bullying."The students in our nation have a right to receive a high-quality education to prepare for their futures, and if they cannot go to school without fearing for their safety, they cannot exercise that right," said Bill Goodwyn, CEO, Discovery Education.Image credit: National PTA]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Auto-West-BMW-Wins--The-Most-Sustainable-BMW-Dealership-in-the-World--Award/59356.htmlWed, 15 May 2013 05:21:40 GMTVikas Vij BMW AG has recognized Auto West BMW as the world's most sustainable BMW dealership. The company awarded this coveted title to Auto West BMW at this year's BMW Sales Excellence Award Ceremony that took place at the iconic BMW Museum in Munich, Germany.This prestigious award marks BMW's global commitment to address the pressing issues related to sustainability, as one of the most innovative auto companies in the world. The award is a way to recognize dealerships around the world that are helping p Read Full Article ]]> BMW AG has recognized Auto West BMW as the world's most sustainable BMW dealership. The company awarded this coveted title to Auto West BMW at this year's BMW Sales Excellence Award Ceremony that took place at the iconic BMW Museum in Munich, Germany.This prestigious award marks BMW's global commitment to address the pressing issues related to sustainability, as one of the most innovative auto companies in the world. The award is a way to recognize dealerships around the world that are helping pave the way for a greener future.Canada-based Auto West BMW ranks among the leading dealers in the world. Auto West is committed to promoting sustainability and environmental awareness through its dealership network. The company's founder and president, Joachim Neumann, said: "This sustainability award plays a crucial role in promoting the principles of environmental responsibility to an industry that's considered to be very wasteful. Auto West Group is committed to developing a greener environment for Canada - one project at a time."Among Auto West BMW's unique sustainability features is a green roof concept that consists of eight gardens with 2,200 plants. The company has installed BC's only commercial vertical axis wind turbine, which produces up to 3,500 watts of power to generate natural energy. The company has also installed a series of rooftop solar panels that produce 2,300 KWH of power to reduce overall power consumption.Pete Sargent, Project Manager for Auto West Group, said: "We have made all of these investments without the expectation of an immediate financial return. This is about being good corporate citizens within our community by doing what is right for the environment, while also setting an example as a sustainable leader in the automotive marketplace."Source: Hybrid Cars]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Patagonia-and-eBay-to-Promote-Sustainable-Consumption-in-the-UK/59339.htmlTue, 14 May 2013 07:10:54 GMTVikas Vij Patagonia and eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY) have come together to encourage UK buyers to buy clothes responsibly and help preserve the environment. The leading outdoor clothing giant Patagonia believes that buying clothes one does not really need in the first place compromises the principles of ethical consumption. Patagonia strives to live up to its commitment to meet the four Rs of waste management: reduce, repair, reuse and recycle.Vincent Stanley, Patagonia's acting head of marketing, says: "If [a com Read Full Article ]]> Patagonia and eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY) have come together to encourage UK buyers to buy clothes responsibly and help preserve the environment. The leading outdoor clothing giant Patagonia believes that buying clothes one does not really need in the first place compromises the principles of ethical consumption. Patagonia strives to live up to its commitment to meet the four Rs of waste management: reduce, repair, reuse and recycle.Vincent Stanley, Patagonia's acting head of marketing, says: "If [a company is] recycling something that really shouldn't have been made in the first place, you're not doing your job. If you're making something that can't be repaired, you're not doing your job. If a Patagonia ski parka is hanging in someone's closest because they've outgrown it or no longer like the color - and it's not in circulation - we're not doing our job."To give a concrete shape to its thinking, the company entered into a unique partnership with eBay to promote reuse of its products. Patagonia's storefront on eBay will now also include independent sellers of the company's goods if they take the Common Threads Partnership pledge. This is an innovative solution to getting more used Patagonia products back into circulation.The Common Threads Partnership pledge commits the company to produce durable clothes, not to produce goods that are not required to be made, to repair clothes when customers return them, and to take back any Patagonia product ever produced for recycling. In turn, the company requests its customers "to exhibit the same behavior - don't buy what you don't need, repair what doesn't work anymore, re-circulate what you no longer wear and recycle it when it comes to the end of its life".eBay's first multi-seller branded store, the Common Threads Partnership store, will highlight sellers who make this pledge. The program has already achieved success in the U.S., and now it hopes to widen its impact with an entry into the UK market. Alan Marks, senior vice president of global communications at eBay said: "Through the US program more than 53,000 Patagonia items are now in circulation, where otherwise they may have been in a closet or ended up in a landfill.""eBay is a global platform [and] the US and UK are two of our biggest markets. A lot of consumers around the world go to those sites to shop, so, if a seller with Patagonia merchandise is willing to ship internationally, a consumer anywhere in the world can participate in this program."Source: Business Green]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Canadians-Respond-to-Bangladesh-Factory-Collapse/59328.htmlTue, 14 May 2013 06:23:55 GMTRobyn Hall As the bad news from Bangladesh continues, with the death toll from the Rana Plaza building collapses surpassing a gut-wrenching 1,000, and additional deaths in a separate factory fire last week, Canadians, from corporations to NGOs, are responding to the tragic circumstances in a variety of ways.In Canada, the building collapse has been a major media story with a big focus on national grocery retailerLoblaw Companies Limited and their low-price fashion brand Joe Fresh1. A small portion of Joe F Read Full Article ]]> As the bad news from Bangladesh continues, with the death toll from the Rana Plaza building collapses surpassing a gut-wrenching 1,000, and additional deaths in a separate factory fire last week, Canadians, from corporations to NGOs, are responding to the tragic circumstances in a variety of ways.In Canada, the building collapse has been a major media story with a big focus on national grocery retailerLoblaw Companies Limited and their low-price fashion brand Joe Fresh1. A small portion of Joe Fresh clothing was produced in the collapsed factory (the Joe Fresh brand is produced in 47 factories in Bangladesh).2 The collapse comes as the brand is expanding into the US from its base in Canada, recently opening shops inside 683 JC Penneys across the US.3One of Canada's largest private-sector employers, Loblaw has devoted a lot of energy in recent years to its corporate responsibility strategy.4 That footprint is clearly visible in the Loblaw response to the disaster. Communicating quickly, the company went on to be one of the few brands globally to take early public responsibility and announce compensation for families.5Both Loblaw Executive Chairman Galen Weston Jr. and Joe Fresh Creative Director Joe Mimran were visibly in front of the issue, addressing the media at their Annual General Meeting on May 2, 2013. Weston Jr., next-generation public face of the business, is already strongly associated with the brand in national grocery marketing.Weston Jr. and Mimran made three commitments6: a relief fund for families; the addition to their factory audit criteria of local construction and building code compliance; and a commitment to add on-the-ground employees to monitor compliance with organizational values. Loblaw senior managers are visiting Bangladesh to address the situation.In terms of their immediate response, Loblaw has been timely, compassionate and committed to staying in country to affect change. But, there is also a sense that Joe Fresh is on probation with some parts of the Canadian public, depending on the longer-term response to the issue.7That is where the debate is now focused in Canada. At the collective level, the Canadian retail community met through Retail Council of Canada, announcing that it will develop an updated set of responsible trade guidelines, join a North American coalition of retail industry associations on the issue, and through the coalition, work with the International Labour Organization, the Bangladeshi government and others to align with plans to address safety in the garment industry.8Twenty-three Canadian trade unions, NGOs and others sent a joint letter to Loblaw urging them to commit to the joint fire and building safety program with the global garment worker union IndustriALL.9I have seen at least one No-Loblaws sign in a shop window in Kensington Market, Toronto. But others do not advocate a boycott of Joe Fresh or Bangladeshi-produced clothing, including green folks, given the impact on workers who depend on the low wages for their livelihoods in a desperately poor country.10The Canadian-based Maquila Solidarity Network recommends Canadians support an Avaaz.org online petition urging Gap and H&M CEOs sign the Accord on Fire and Building Safety in Bangladesh, the IndustriALL efforts, as well as engaging with Joe Fresh through social media.11 (H&M has now signed on to the Accord, but Joe Fresh has not as yet.)12Forward motion will have to come from collaboration between business and government, recognizing worker human rights, right to organize, safety rights, and engaging on infrastructure.As others have said, if we look in our closets, most of us are touched by the issue. Choosing to boycott one brand will not abate the demand and expectation consumers now have for instant fashion at a "value" price.How much can price move to ensure proper infrastructure for garment production, and, once in place, to ensure businesses remain in country long term? This is the competitive corner clothing brands have to work their way out of together through collaborative initiatives like the Sustainable Apparel Coalition, and hopefully, through the long-term effects of consolidating global CR standards.1,6 Joe Fresh website. Retrieved from http://www.joefresh.com/en/2 Kopun, F. (2013, 2 May). Toronto Star. Bangladesh factory collapse: Loblaw to audit structural safety of suppliers' buildings. Retrieved fromhttp://www.thestar.com/business/2013/05/02/bangladesh_factory_collapse_unions_put_pressure_on_loblaw_joe_fresh.html3 Kopun, F. (2013, 14 March). Toronto Star. Joe Fresh debuts stores at J.C. Penney locations across the U.S. Retrieved fromhttp://www.thestar.com/business/2013/03/14/joe_fresh_debuts_stores_at_jc_penney_locations_across_the_us.html4 Responsibility. Loblaws website. Retrieved fromhttp://www.loblaw.ca/English/responsibility/default.aspx5. Taylor, S. (2013, 29 April). Thomson Reuters. Canada's Loblaw joins Primark in Bangladesh compensation pledge.Retrieved from http://www.theglobeandmail.com/feeds/thomson-reuters/canadas-loblaw-joins-primark-in-bangladesh-compensation-pledge/article11623232/#dashboard/follows/7,11 Strapagiel, L. (2o13, 29 April). Canada.com. Don't boycott Joe Fresh (yet). Retrieved fromhttp://o.canada.com/2013/04/29/dont-boycott-joe-fresh-yet/8 Retail Council of Canada. (2013, 30 April). Statement on Bangladesh. Retrieved fromhttp://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1155829/retail-council-of-canada-statement-bangladesh9 Maquila Solidarity Network (2013, 1 May). Rana Plaza Bangladesh Canadian Letter. Retrieved fromhttp://en.maquilasolidarity.org/sites/maquilasolidarity.org/files/RanaPlazaBangladesh-CanadianLetter-Loblaw-AGM-2013-05-01.pdf10 Vasil, A. (2013). Now Magazine. Should we boycott Joe Fresh? Retrieved fromhttp://www.nowtoronto.com/lifestyle/story.cfm?content=19245512 Maquila Solidarity Network (2013, 13 May). Website. Retrieved fromhttp://en.maquilasolidarity.org/]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Eating-More-Protein-is-Associated-with-Weight-Loss/59277.htmlTue, 14 May 2013 02:00:37 GMTSangeeta Haindl At some point in our lives, we have been on some kind of diet or other. There is the 'cabbage soup diet'; '5:2 diet'; and then high protein diets such as Atkins, Zone and South Beach, etc. Some people turn to higher-protein diets to lose weight, because some studies suggest that higher-protein diets help people better control their appetites and calorie intake. Diets with 30 per cent protein are now considered "reasonable" and the term "high protein diet" is now reserved for diets with over 50 p Read Full Article ]]> At some point in our lives, we have been on some kind of diet or other. There is the 'cabbage soup diet'; '5:2 diet'; and then high protein diets such as Atkins, Zone and South Beach, etc. Some people turn to higher-protein diets to lose weight, because some studies suggest that higher-protein diets help people better control their appetites and calorie intake. Diets with 30 per cent protein are now considered "reasonable" and the term "high protein diet" is now reserved for diets with over 50 per cent protein.Now, a new study released in the May/June 2013 issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behaviour, reports that ''eating more protein'' to prevent weight gain is associated with reported weight loss. The research from the University of Minnesota in the U.S. surveyed 1,824 midlife women in the age group 40-60. You need protein at all stages of life. It is the major component of all cells, including muscle and bone. It's needed for growth, development and immunity to fight off infections and protect the body. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is for men 56 grams a day and for women 46 grams a day.This latest study focused on three key factors: first, how these women describe and recognise protein sources and requirements; second, identify the reported frequency of using the ''eating more protein'' practice to prevent weight gain; and lastly, compare reported protein intake to reported frequency of using the ''eating more protein'' practice to prevent weight gain.On the whole, most women who participated in this research correctly pinpointed good protein sources, while the majority could indicate the daily per cent of dietary energy recommended from protein. ''Eating more protein'' to prevent weight gain was reported by 43% of women (and more than half of obese women) as a practice to prevent weight gain. Reported use of this practice was related to self-reported weight loss over two years. Two factors associated with effective use of this practice included the level of protein intake and self-efficacy toward weight management. Noel Aldrich, lead author of this report says, "Education regarding dietary protein requirements may enhance the use of this practice. Given that the majority of Americans are overweight, identifying the most effective practices and related factors surrounding successful weight loss and prevention of weight gain are important."Is it possible to eat too much protein? There are no dangers associated with higher intakes of protein, unless you havea kidney or liver problem. To be on the safe side, check with your doctor before adding large amounts of protein to your diet. Dieting is tough and putting it into practice can be complicated. Finding a diet that you enjoy that works with your lifestyle and has the right combination of nutrients is a very personal process.Photo Credit: Elephantjournal.com ]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Enerliance-Recognized-for-its-Contribution-to-the-Environment/59288.htmlMon, 13 May 2013 06:36:02 GMTVikas Vij The OC Register Metro magazine in Orange County has recognized Enerliance for its exemplary contribution to the environment. The company has been listed as a member of the "2013 Green Team" by the magazine. The company's cutting-edge software platform LOBOS delivers significant environmental benefits for large buildings.LOBOS adds intelligence to the air conditioning systems in large buildings, resulting in substantial reduction in energy waste. During a situation of energy grid congestion, the Read Full Article ]]> The OC Register Metro magazine in Orange County has recognized Enerliance for its exemplary contribution to the environment. The company has been listed as a member of the "2013 Green Team" by the magazine. The company's cutting-edge software platform LOBOS delivers significant environmental benefits for large buildings.LOBOS adds intelligence to the air conditioning systems in large buildings, resulting in substantial reduction in energy waste. During a situation of energy grid congestion, the platform also provides fully automated demand response capabilities. According to Enerliance, if the system were deployed across the country, it could offer the equivalent of energy generated by 21 nuclear power plants.Enerliance's listing as a 2013 Green Team member is a recognition of the company's past achievements as well as its promising future potential. The systems current energy savings in terms of greenhouse gas reductions are equivalent to keeping more than 4,000 cars of the roads for a year.Enerliance president, Ray Pustinger, said: "LOBOS systems and logic have been installed in more than 40-million square feet of commercial space, with another 34-million square feet planned for 2013. Right now, it's saving more than $3 million in annual energy costs for facility owners and occupants."The future is a lot more promising. An Enerliance-commissioned independent study found that if the LOBOS system were installed in every compatible office building nationwide, it could cut down energy consumption by over 46,000 gigawatt hours each year. In terms of emissions, this would be equivalent to keeping about 10 million cars off the roads each year.Pustinger said: "Demand for LOBOS is being driven by the combination of the system's environmental and cost benefits. Companies who install LOBOS don't have to pick between being green or saving money. They get both."Source: PR Web]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Food-Recovery-Network-Started-by-Students-to-Help-End-America-s-Hunger/59274.htmlMon, 13 May 2013 02:00:06 GMTSangeeta Haindl According to official statistics, America's food waste amounted to 35 million tons in 2010. Ninety-seven per cent of that ended up in incinerators or landfills, where rotting food is a top emitter of methane gas, which is 21 times more harmful toward climate change than carbon dioxide. At the same time, 50 million Americans are food insecure, including one in five children. So, how do you solve a problem like food waste? Well, an innovative venture led by university students called Food Recovery Read Full Article ]]> According to official statistics, America's food waste amounted to 35 million tons in 2010. Ninety-seven per cent of that ended up in incinerators or landfills, where rotting food is a top emitter of methane gas, which is 21 times more harmful toward climate change than carbon dioxide. At the same time, 50 million Americans are food insecure, including one in five children. So, how do you solve a problem like food waste? Well, an innovative venture led by university students called Food Recovery Network (FRN) has cracked it. It is helping to end hunger and create real change in local communities.Three students from different campus organisations came together in 2011 to form the FRN at the University of Maryland, College Park, where they put together a team, got student groups to volunteer one night a week and worked with Dining Services to start recovering leftover food. In the first weeks, students were recovering 150-200 pounds of food a day. Every night of the week, a different student group on campus would spend an hour recovering food from the dining halls and donating it to shelters in the D.C. area. By the time the 2011-2012 year was over, the group had donated 30,000 meals to D.C.-area shelters.Today, the FRN has expanded to 21 campuses in nine U.S. states plus Washington, DC, recovering over 140,000 pounds of food. Colleges are the perfect place for food rescue, because of the abundance of food and free labour through student volunteers. However, in spite of these winning factors, 75 per cent of American colleges do not have a food recovery programme; for the estimated 22 million wasted meals a year. Now the Sodexo Foundation has made a major investment in the FRN, which will make a huge difference to its work and be able to advance its fight against food waste and hunger across the States. The Sodexo Foundation is committed to investing in youth engagement and the fight against hunger; it has given a $150,000 grant to the FRN. Through this partnership these two organisations will be able to break down walls and expand a very common sense solution; food for people, not for dumpsters!During its first 20 months, FRN was run entirely by students volunteering. The organisation is currently led by a co-founding team of students who each contribute 5-20 hours per week guiding other students across the country. This valuable funding from the Sodexo Foundation will enable this body to employ full-time paid staff and provide opportunities to expand, and operate as a professional organisation. FRN's mission is simple: to make food recovery the new norm and to have 1,000 chapters across America donating 10 million pounds of food by the end of 2017.Photo Credit: Food Recovery Network Website]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Canadian-Retailers-to-Ban-Sow-Gestation-Crates/59270.htmlFri, 10 May 2013 18:02:09 GMTAntonio Pasolini Sow gestation crates are one of the cruelest components of intensive animal farming. An increasing number of retailers are dropping suppliers who use them. The latest announcement related to the topic was made by the Retail Council of Canada, who said that eight of the largest Canadian supermarket chains, including Walmart Canada, Costco Canada, Metro, Loblaw, Safeway Canada, Federated Co-operatives, Sobeys and Co-op Atlantic, will move away from this method of confinement in their supply system Read Full Article ]]> Sow gestation crates are one of the cruelest components of intensive animal farming. An increasing number of retailers are dropping suppliers who use them. The latest announcement related to the topic was made by the Retail Council of Canada, who said that eight of the largest Canadian supermarket chains, including Walmart Canada, Costco Canada, Metro, Loblaw, Safeway Canada, Federated Co-operatives, Sobeys and Co-op Atlantic, will move away from this method of confinement in their supply systems over the next nine years. Humane Society International/Canada and The Humane Society of the United States welcomed the announcement.More than one million breeding sows are kept on Canadian farms, the majority of them confined in cages known as gestation crates. These are cages used to tightly confine breeding pigs to the point where the animals can't even turn around for nearly their entire lives. The animals are subsequently transferred into another crate to give birth, re-impregnated, and put back into a gestation crate. This happens pregnancy after pregnancy for their entire lives, adding up to years of virtual immobilization. This confinement system has come under fire from veterinarians, farmers, animal welfare advocates, animal scientists, consumers and others.The announcement comes at a time when the National Farm Animal Care Council, a governmental funded organization, is reviewing and revising its Codes of Practice and considering a nationwide phase-out of gestation crates."Increasingly, stakeholder expectations have been changing and industry is being encouraged to shift towards alternative [gestation crate-free] housing practices. The Retail Council of Canada believes that sows should be housed in an environment where their pregnancy, health and well-being are taken into highest consideration," the Retail Council of Canada said in a press release.Similar announcements were made recently by other food companies, signaling a reversal in a three-decade-old trend in the pork industry that leaves most breeding pigs confined day and night in gestation crates during their four-month pregnancy.Image credit: Humane Society International/Canada]]>http://www.justmeans.com/Patagonia-Launches--20M-Green-Venture-Capital-Fund/59266.htmlFri, 10 May 2013 10:37:49 GMTVikas Vij Patagonia has launched an in-house venture fund to provide seed capital to eco-friendly businesses. The company's proven business model of charging a premium for green products gives it the confidence to achieve success with new like-minded startups following the same philosophy.Patagonia gives away one percent of its profits to grassroots environmental nonprofits as a practice. With the new venture fund of more than $20 million, the company is looking to invest in for-profit sustainable busines Read Full Article ]]> Patagonia has launched an in-house venture fund to provide seed capital to eco-friendly businesses. The company's proven business model of charging a premium for green products gives it the confidence to achieve success with new like-minded startups following the same philosophy.Patagonia gives away one percent of its profits to grassroots environmental nonprofits as a practice. With the new venture fund of more than $20 million, the company is looking to invest in for-profit sustainable businesses. This is an in-house venture that will identify and support startups involved with energy, food, water or waste.Investments in each small business will range in size from $0.5 million to $5 million, depending on the capital needs of the business and its future prospects and goals. Any company with revenues or capitalization in excess of $1 million is eligible for consideration for this investment. The most likely candidates will essentially be the ones that fit into Patagonia's own vision.Rose Marcario, CEO of Patagonia Works, said: "We believe in our company's long-term vision around the environment and areas we want to make change in. We know there are great entrepreneurs out there with really great ideas and resources and they could be the next Patagonia.We want to invest in an eco startup and company with the same values around the environment as us."The venture fund is an extension of the vision of founder Yvon Chouinard who has built Patagonia into a $400 million enterprise with 29 stores selling high-end outdoor apparel. Marcario said: "Patagonia, the company, has doubled in size and we have generated additional capital, and Yvon and I have talked about what we can do with that cash to have influence over protecting the environment. Yvon wants to use that money to create greater change in the world. He's not doing what some companies do, who hoard their cash or pay huge dividends."Patagonia is already investing money directly into the environment. Last year it began investing in sustainable food practices through a unit called Patagonia Provisions. The unit produces wild salmon jerky. The salmon are caught in-river in British Columbia and processed in consonance with the guidelines of conservation NGOs.Photo Credit: AmbrozjoSource: The Daily Beast]]>http://www.justmeans.com/The-Orchestra-of-Recycled-Instruments-Played-by-Children-from-the-Dump/59104.htmlFri, 10 May 2013 02:00:48 GMTSangeeta Haindl Unfortunately, too many children are born into the world with little or no hope. Imagine being born without hope, that it has been taken from you even before you have had the chance to live your life? Well, there is such a place: the town of Cateura which was built virtually on top of a landfill. Situated along the banks of the Paraguay River, the landfill receives over 1,500 more tons of solid waste each day. Poor management of the waste has caused critical pollution to the most important water Read Full Article ]]> Unfortunately, too many children are born into the world with little or no hope. Imagine being born without hope, that it has been taken from you even before you have had the chance to live your life? Well, there is such a place: the town of Cateura which was built virtually on top of a landfill. Situated along the banks of the Paraguay River, the landfill receives over 1,500 more tons of solid waste each day. Poor management of the waste has caused critical pollution to the most important water source in the country and threatens the health of its residents. There are seven different neighbourhoods built around the landfill, accounting for over 2,500 families living in close proximity to dangerous waste. Most of the families, including children, are employed by the landfill as recyclers. The extreme poverty here has forced children to work in the stench-filled refuse dumps, neglecting any education that might lead them to a better life. That is, until one man came along, Favio Chvez, who worked alongside this landfill community as a technician, helping recyclers to classify refuse. He became acutely aware that the children needed something positive in their lives and was inspired to do something, so he began using the trash in the landfill to create instruments for the children. This is probably going to be one of the most inspiring stories you will have read for some time . . . .An estimated 500gancheros (recyclers) work at Cateura on the outskirts of Asuncin, where 1.5 tonnes of rubbish are deposited daily, separating plastic and aluminium that they sell on for as little as 15p a bag. Some of this refuse has a value to Chvez and his Cateura Orchestra of Recycled Instruments, which is made up of 30 schoolchildren. These young musicians have learned to play amongst the rotting refuse of Cateura and are now receiving worldwide acclaim that included a concert this April in Amsterdam.The metal oven trays found on the dump are turned into violins with an electric saw, while cellos are created from oil barrels. The necks of string instruments are carved from old strips of wood and a guitar can be fashioned from two large tins that once contained a Paraguayan sweet potato dessert.Chvez believes the mentality required to learn an instrument can be applied more widely to lift his pupils out of poverty as thanks to the orchestra the children have seen new countries, which has opened them up to opportunities for a better future. The orchestra will play this year in Argentina, the U.S., Palestine, Canada, Norway and Japan; and has an invitation to play in London too. Now there is a film project on Kickstarter called, Landfill Harmonic, which tells the story of these amazing children who play instruments made from recycled rubbish to bring hope to other children whose future is otherwise bleak.Photo Credit: Facebook Page of Landfill Harmonic ]]>http://www.justmeans.com/TerraPass-Helps-VivaTerra-Green-Up-its-Shipping/59261.htmlThu, 09 May 2013 19:37:59 GMTAntonio Pasolini Online and catalog green lifestyle retailer VivaTerra will make its operations even greener by purchasing carbon offsets and renewable energy credits (RECs) from TerraPass, a leading provider of such products.Customers will be given the choice to purchase carbon offsets during check-out in order to mitigate the carbon footprint of their packages, similarly to airline passengers who choose this option before flying.The $1 carbon offset add-on ?reduces greenhouse gas emissions ?that equal to ?turn Read Full Article ]]> Online and catalog green lifestyle retailer VivaTerra will make its operations even greener by purchasing carbon offsets and renewable energy credits (RECs) from TerraPass, a leading provider of such products.Customers will be given the choice to purchase carbon offsets during check-out in order to mitigate the carbon footprint of their packages, similarly to airline passengers who choose this option before flying.The $1 carbon offset add-on ?reduces greenhouse gas emissions ?that equal to ?turning off a laptop for about ?four? months and goes to support the Red Hills Wind Farm in Oklahoma. This project puts renewable energy on the grid in an area that is predominantly powered by coal.Recently?,? TerraPass helped Colby College boost its sustainability credentials when it helped the organization to invest in greenhouse gas reduction at the City of Presque Isle Landfill. The investment helped Colby reach its carbon neutrality, a projected that spanned a decade. Revenue from these offsets directly funds reduction in the landfill's greenhouse gas emissions.TerraPass's carbon offsets are 100% verified against accepted standards by independent third party verifiers. The company's primary standards are the Verified Carbon Standard and the Climate Action Reserve.Image credit: TerraPass]]>