The Kroger Co., often just referred to as Kroger, is a popular American supermarket chain first founded in 1883 in the Ohio city of Cincinnati. It is one of the largest grocery store chains in the United States with more than 3,600 stores. Kroger comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, including supermarkets, department stores, hypermarkets, and convenience stores. Just like a majority of other supermarket chains throughout the United States, Kroger is taking a number of necessary steps to bump up its sustainability record and become more environmentally friendly. This includes opening up a lot of recycling ports in grocery stores and initiating a program to limit the utilization of plastic bags for groceries. Listed below are just a few of the ways that Kroger is taking a stand to become more sustainable and protect the environment for generations to come.

1 ) Sustainable Seafood Policy. As one of the largest traditional grocery retailers in the United States, Kroger realizes the important role it plays in the responsible sourcing of all seafood for products. As such, Kroger will not purchase seafood that has been illegally caught or comes from unregulated fisheries. In 2009, Kroger partnered with the World Wildlife Fund to find adequate sustainable fisheries to source seafood from. Kroger also complies with the Global Aquaculture Alliance’s Best Aquaculture Practices Program in regards to industry accepted guidelines for all farmed raised seafood.

2 ) Carbon Footprint and Energy Reduction. Kroger has been using a lot of new technology in their stores to increase energy efficiency and decrease their carbon footprint. For example, all stores built after the year 2000 consumer 30 percent less energy. All stores are equipped with LED lighting and motion sensors. There are also skylights to increase natural lighting, control systems for all HVAC and lighting systems, and a number of Energy Star appliances.

3 ) Reducing Waste. One of the primary sustainability priorities for Kroger’s is waste. Since 2010, the grocery chain has been making a number of strides in reducing waste, including reducing packaging, diverting waste from landfills, and recycling plastic bags. For example, all food scraps from meat and deli departments are picked up by local companies along with old produce to be composted. As well in 2010, Kroger manufacturing plants have been able to reduce waste sent to landfills by more than 20 million pounds – a 30 percent reduction since 2009.

4 ) Reducing Plastic Bag Use. Kroger is always looking for ways to reduce the number of plastic bags used and help customers make the transition to reusable bags. By 2014, Kroger wants to save one billion plastic bags via education, signage, and aiding in changing customer habits. Kroger has a “Fill the Bag” training to teach employees how to optimally fill plastic grocery bags so not too many are used, reducing the number of plastic bags at retail locations. In 2011, over five million reusable bags were sold.

5 ) Transportation Efficiency. Kroger is always looking for new, more efficient ways to transport products to stores throughout the United States. The company’s fleet consists of 8,200 trailers and 1,200 tractors, plus there are over 2,500 third party tractors and trailers utilized for product deliveries. By 2010, Kroger was able to improve fleet efficiency by almost ten percent. The goal is to improve total fleet efficiency by 40 percent by the year 2014 by employing fuel-saving strategies, routine maintenance to ensure all equipment is at peak performance, and reducing the total number of miles traveled.

6 ) Food Safety. Kroger believes food safety to be a top priority in all stores; ensuring customers receive fresh, wholesome, and safe food. The supermarket chain has put in place a number of best practices to ensure the safety of all food items. For example, bi-monthly food safety review audits are done in every store to ensure food safety.

7 ) Animal Welfare. Kroger has made a strong commitment to their business practices, including the human treatment of all animals from the farm to the table. Kroger does not currently operate farms or animal processing facilities, but ensure that all suppliers meet the Food Marketing Institute’s Animal Welfare standards and guidelines.

8 ) Renewable Energy. In 2010, Kroger completed its very first wind energy project with two new installed wind turbines in Lancaster, Pennsylvania for Kroger’s Turkey Hill Dairy. The turbines will supply 25 percent of all annual electricity needs, enough to produce 15 million gallons of ice tea and six million gallons of ice cream. In terms of solar energy, in 2011 Kroger completed the first phase of installing solar photovoltaic systems on the roofs of four stores and one distribution center. It will produce around 900 kilowatts of solar energy capacity.

9 ) Customer Sustainability. Kroger Manufacturing operates a number of certified organic processing facilities. Kroger has also partnered with HarvestMark to enable customers to learn about where produce sold at all Kroger stores is grown. Kroger also works with a number of local farmers and suppliers to provide locally produced goods to all grocery stores. Customers can look for “locally grown and produced” signs around the stores.

10 ) Portland Kroger LEEDs the Way. A Kroger store in Portland, Oregon was able to reach LEED Silver Certification as it reached the environmental sustainability guidelines set up by the United States Green Building Council. It is the first store to achieve this rating and features items like increased insulation along exterior walls to decrease energy costs, water-saving fixtures in kitchens and bathrooms, skylights, efficient refrigeration and ventilation systems, and concrete floors that do not necessitate chemicals for cleaning. While the renovations cost more than normal renovations, the store will make it back tenfold in energy savings. According to Justin Doak, the manager of the LEED for Retail program, “[Supermarket] energy bills are so high because of refrigeration that they are constantly looking for ways to become more efficient. So, it’s a little more money upfront in construction costs but tremendous savings in the long run. And it’s the right thing for the environment.”

Article by Shawn Lesser, Co-founder & Managing Partner of Atlanta-based Watershed Capital Group – an investment bank assisting sustainable fund and companies raise capital, perform acquisitions, and in other strategic financial decisions. He is also a Co-founder of the GCCA Global Cleantech Cluster Association ”The Global Voice of Cleantech”. He writes for various cleantech publications and is known as the David Letterman of Cleantech for his “Top 10″ series. He can be reached at shawn@watershedcapital.com.

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It should come as no surprise that the large majority of environmental impact takes place outside a company’s physical boundaries. Greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) reporting probably gives us the best estimate of this; the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) estimates that over 50% of an entity’s greenhouse gas emissions are indirect ‘Scope 3’ emissions, while AT Kearny says the number is closer to 80% (source: CDP 2011 Supply Chain Report). In this article, we look at why so many companies are now addressing sustainability in the supply chain, and what approaches are used to reduce environmental impact in the supply chain. We use AMD, a Chamber BCLC Environmental Innovation Network member, as a case study, which reports that 63% of total GHGs are Scope 3, over 90% of which comes from the supply chain. (The rest comes from business travel and employee commutes; see this page for more information or the AMD 2010 Corporate Responsibility Report.)

Even the most far-reaching climate legislation, either passed or proposed, recognizes that supply chain emissions are not the legal responsibility of a firm. So why are so many companies beginning to measure and manage supply chains for sustainability? The reasons are simple. First, many companies are feeling pressure from a wide array of stakeholders, including consumers, shareholders, retailers and nonprofits. Second, a sustainable supply chain is an efficient supply chain, so improving supply chain performance can provide multiple benefits to a firm by saving money while reducing impact.

Despite the high impact of supply chains and the potential benefits from addressing them, most companies have still not looked closely at the issue. CDP reports that, of the 57 companies participating in their supply chain initiative, 87% have GHG reduction targets but only 45% of these include supply chains.

Which companies are diving in? From our experience, companies that have a high level of accountability to stakeholders and have more public visibility are feeling more pressure to act. In addition, companies that can more easily influence their suppliers find it easier to act and reap the benefits. So when companies are insulated from stakeholders or when supply chains are unruly, large, or often in flux, implementing a deep sustainability program isn’t easy.

Learning from others’ experiences can help smooth the path. Companies are finding a host of ways to reduce supply chain impacts, and these include: (1) using ecodesign principles to make more sustainable products; (2) implementing green procurement policies that select more environmentally friendly providers; (3) helping suppliers improve onsite operational efficiency; (4) improving logistics to save time and money while reducing impact; (5) reducing or switching to eco-friendly packaging; (6) using footprinting or life cycle analysis as a tool to understand impact; and (7) improving and managing communication with suppliers.

But which approach is right to take for your company? The key is to understand how your supply chain is structured and use that to find opportunities.

When a firm has a large number of suppliers, when competition between potential suppliers exists, or when the final product is a commodity with infrequent innovations, developing reporting systems to grade suppliers is a promising approach. CDP call this ‘Buyer Advantage’, since buyers can pick and choose suppliers. This can also be thought of as a technical approach to manage an efficient supply chain structure (Parmigiani, A., Klassen, R.D., Russo, M.V., 2011. Journal of Operations Management, 29: 212–223.) A reporting or scorecard approach gives yet another set of criteria, in addition to cost and quality considerations, by which firms can judge suppliers and determine where to purchase. Wal-Mart’s sustainability scorecard is a well-known example of this approach, and balancing a comprehensive and accountable set of criteria with minimizing the burden to suppliers is critical to success.

On the other hand, when a firm has fewer suppliers, when each supplier fills a critical role that would be difficult to replace, when relationships with suppliers are longer and deeper, or when supplier innovation is critical to maintaining market advantage, the ‘threat’ of a scorecard system is less of an option, and enhancing communication with suppliers may be the best way forward. This is often called ‘Supplier Advantage’ (CDP) or a relational approach in a responsive supply chain (Parmigiani et al.).

This is precisely AMD’s situation. A relatively small number of foundries produce AMD wafers, and these suppliers make up the lion’s share of supply chain risk. Over the past two years, the AMD Corporate Responsibility team has established quarterly reviews with these foundries. During these reviews, the foundries report several key metrics to track progress, such as GHG emissions, energy use, water consumption, waste volume, and environmental regulatory compliance. For other suppliers, sustainability is integrated into existing supply chain processes by leveraging the strong existing relationships and close communication between lead source managers and suppliers. Through AMD’s business review process, sustainability and corporate responsibility are incorporated as part of suppliers’ performance evaluation, and the frequency of reviews – either quarterly or semiannually – is determine by supplier risk. According to AMD’s Corporate Responsibility Manager, Heather O’Cleirigh, “through this process, and due to strong existing relationships, AMD and our suppliers work together to reduce environmental and social impact.”

Given the complexity of the issue, it isn’t surprising that there is no one-size-fits-all solution. For us, there are three key steps in any comprehensive supply chain initiative: (1) Determining and building support for an approach, (2) Developing a system to collect and track information, and (3) Influencing supplier decision-making. Underlying all of this is a set of robust performance metrics, which are critical for executive buy-in, determining cost-effective actions, and creating competition among suppliers. In a survey of 582 European companies, over half are already using sustainability performance criteria with suppliers, and among Scandinavian countries 77% do so (BearingPoint 4th Supply Chain Monitor, 2010-2011).

It may seem paradoxical that supply chains constitute the bulk of environmental impact and are still a relatively new frontier in corporate sustainability. Clearly, there are good reasons to attack supply chains only after low-hanging fruit has been picked. But as we get better at understanding and managing supply chains, and as the tools and metrics get standardized within industries, supply chains will rise to the forefront of corporate sustainability.

Article by James Barsimantov, Principal and Cofounder of EcoShift; Article appearing courtesy 3BL Media.

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General Motors, more commonly known as GM to the public, is an American multinational automotive corporation with headquarters in Detroit, Michigan. In 2010, it was listed as the second largest automaker in the world, and for the first half of 2011, GM was actually listed as the first largest. GM is known for its numerous divisions and brands, including Buick, Chevrolet, Cadillac, and GMC. However, it is not just with automobile manufacturing that puts GM in the lead above all other automakers, but also its use of renewable energy. In 2008, GM made the commitment to ensure that half of its manufacturing plants are landfill-free. Aside from building hybrid and all electric vehicles for public consumption, GM has spearheaded a number of sustainability initiatives to make its actions much greener, paving the way for a much greener environment.

1 ) Greener Vehicles. GM is now building a number of fuel-efficient vehicles that fit the needs and lifestyle of their customers while, at the same time, being much better for the environment. Currently, 12 vehicles made by GM get a minimum of 30 miles per gallon on the highway, and GM is also the leading FlexFuel vehicle producer in the world. The engineers at GM are working tirelessly to develop advanced technologies for automobiles that will allow for improved fuel economy, a reduced dependence on the need for petroleum, and less carbon dioxide emissions.

2 ) Energy Efficiency. At GM, there is the need to reduce emissions as well as dependence on petroleum by becoming more energy efficient. Between the years 2005 and 2010, GM has been able to reduce use of energy by more than 30 percent. GM has also been able to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 30 percent. Currently, seven facilities house 30 megawatts of solar energy, with plans to double that amount by 2015. GM is also the second largest industrial users of landfill gas throughout the United States. In facilities, for example, GM utilizes energy efficient lighting, energy efficient HVAC systems, shutting down equipment, and technologies to track hourly energy consumption. The Lansing Delta Township Assembly plant in Lansing, Michigan has received LEED Gold Certification from the United States Green Building Council for all its ways of reducing energy.

3 ) Waste Reduction. Out of all the global automakers, GM reuses and recycles the most waste coming from manufacturing facilities. In 2010, GM recycled or reused approximately 92 percent of all worldwide waste, which translates into around 2.5 million tons. Half of all global manufacturing facilities are just about waste free. Employees are always looking of ways to reduce scrap as well as design products. This allowed them to cut total waste from all global operations by 43 percent from 2000 to 2010.

4 ) Resource Preservation. At GM, the goal is to help in the preservation of natural resources as well as enhance the natural habitats that surround all facilities. For instance, between the years 2005 and 2010, Toyota was able to reduce water consumption at all global facilities by 35 percent. GM also has more certifications from the Wildlife Habitat Council than any other manufacturer from North America. GM also has 15 different habitat programs going on around the world to aid in ensuring that species of plants and animals around the areas of manufacturing facilities are properly cared for and not put into danger.

5 ) Goal of Zero Landfill Waste. GM has the goal to kick landfill to the curb, and by that, GM means not sending any of the waste to landfills. GM remains committed to reducing the total amount of waste created in all facilities. As previously mention, half of all manufacturing plants are landfill-free. At these facilities, 97 percent of all waste that has been generated by daily manufacturing operations is reused or recycled, while the remaining three percent is converted straight to energy. While it is impossible to not generate certain kinds of waste, including paint sludge or scrap metal, GM is finding new and innovative ways to repurpose it so it will not end up at a landfill.

6 ) 30 HM Plants meet the Environmental Protection Agency Energy – Reduction Challenge. In December of 2011, GM had listed that they were able to cut the energy intensity at 30 North American manufacturing plants by 25 percent, equivalent of the carbon dioxide emissions created by 97,000 homes in the United States. Therefore, they were able to meet the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Energy Star Challenge for Industry. These facilities were able to avoid the production of more than 775,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide passes and saved over $50 million in energy costs.

7 ) Lansing Plant Receives Energy Star Certification from the Environmental Protection Agency. In December of 2011, the Lansing, Michigan GM plant was the very first in the United States to get an Energy Star certification for its superior level of energy efficiency. This facility builds the Chevrolet Traverse, GMC Acadia, and the Buick Enclave. The vice president for Sustainability and Global Regulatory Affairs, Mike Robinson, said, “Certifications like this demonstrate our commitment to improving energy efficiency practices beyond our vehicles.”

8 ) GM’s First United States Landfill-Free Assembly Plant Located in Fort Wayne. The Fort Wayne GM Assembly Plant, which is responsible for building GMC Sierras and Chevrolet Silverados is the very first assembly plant to recycle, reuse, or convert to energy all the waste that was created by daily operations. Jon Bradburm, the GM Manager for waste-reduction efforts said, “Assembly plants are challenged with a large amount of waste streams and byproducts, from varying types of plastics and metals to expendable packaging and containers. Fort Wayne has succeeded in finding sustainable options for these materials while working with other GM lpants and suppliers to improve its impact from an overall systems perspective.”

9 ) EcoCAR Challenge. The EcoCAR Challenge was created in a partnership between GM and the United States Department of Energy. This competition challenges 16 different universities in North America and asks them to find a way to reduce the overall environmental impact of vehicles by decreasing its fuel consumption and emissions while still retaining the performance of the vehicle, as well as consumer appeal and safety. Students design and integrate their technologies into a vehicle donated by GM.

10 ) GM Installs the Biggest Rooftop Solar Panels in the World. In 2008 the largest rooftop solar power station began construction in Spain. It is made up of 85,000 lightweight panels that cover approximately two million square feet. It belongs to the GM car factory in Zaragoza, Spain. GM unveiled the €50 million project with hopes install solar panels at an additional 11 plants throughout the European Continent.

Article by Shawn Lesser, Co-founder & Managing Partner of Atlanta-based Watershed Capital Group – an investment bank assisting sustainable fund and companies raise capital, perform acquisitions, and in other strategic financial decisions. He is also a Co-founder of the GCCA Global Cleantech Cluster Association ”The Global Voice of Cleantech”. He writes for various cleantech publications and is known as the David Letterman of Cleantech for his “Top 10″ series. He can be reached at shawn@watershedcapital.com.

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It’s been quite a couple of weeks for the sustainability movement in Canada, since Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver’s comments about “environmental and other radical groups” and their opposition to the Northern Gateway pipeline project.

The unfortunate result of the government and media’s framing of the pipeline issue is that we are presented with a false choice: save the economy or save the environment. It is an age-old myth that many people have been working hard for years to overcome by promoting the idea of sustainable development. We should not have to choose between jobs and the environment. As a native Albertan with many personal and professional connections to the energy industry, an academic background in commerce from the University of Alberta, and now a role leading what some might call an “environmental NGO” based in Ottawa, you would think by this framing that I would be very conflicted: Am I on the side of the economy or the side of the environment? But I am not conflicted.

Instead, these recent developments have made it clearer than ever to me that Canada needs a national energy strategy (not program!) that includes a compelling vision of a sustainable energy future. My view is that there are very few people (even in the energy industry in Alberta) who wake up every day with the intention to do harm to natural or social systems. Unfortunately, our system has evolved with some inherent “design flaws” that make this harm the natural outcome of our economic activity. But it need not be so—we know what the design flaws are and we can work to design them out of our system.

This is essentially what sustainable development is about, and thousands of organizations around the world—including large and small businesses in every sector—have been working on it for years. Similarly, very few people (even those radical environmentalists) would disagree with the notion that we need a vibrant economy that generates jobs and wealth—now and all the way through the much needed transition to a sustainable future.

If we stretch the timeline out far enough, most people would probably even agree on the most important elements of such a vision. We all want a good future for our children and grandchildren: good jobs, in vibrant economies, in strong communities, in a healthy environment. And we know that the energy industry will be a vital part of that future, since we will need energy to achieve it.

With a vision of the energy system that we desire for the future—one based on sound scientific fundamentals that tell us what sustainability really requires of us—we could then evaluate projects and initiatives for how well they serve as a stepping stone toward that energy future. In that analysis, we could assess how flexible and adaptable the initiative is to accommodate changing circumstances, and, yes, what the return on the investment is.

In the absence of a compelling and broadly shared sustainable energy vision, we are left to evaluate projects based on a list of pros and cons that have no other context and which inevitably leaves us stuck in trade-offs. And that leaves us all vulnerable to a descent into angry name-calling as we each begin to resent the views of those “others” who don’t see the pros and cons the same way we do.

Surely, we can find a way to make the public dialogue a respectful and mature consideration of the best way forward for the country, instead of a polarizing debate about hidden agendas and ulterior motives. At The Natural Step, we call it backcasting. Others might call it common sense: a radical idea whose time has truly come.

Article by Chad Park, Executive Director of The Natural Step Canada, a non-profit sustainability organization that delivers leading consulting and education services. He was recently honored as one of Canada’s Clean16—the 16 individuals in Canada who have done the most to advance the cause of sustainability and clean capitalism. For more on The Natural Step Canada, please visit www.thenaturalstep.org/canada.

Article appearing courtesy 3BL Media.

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In 1999, fewer than 500 companies issued sustainability reports. That number is now over 3,500. Once only a concern for a few niche companies with sustainability as a core value and brand differentiator, corporate sustainability has moved categorically into the mainstream.

Today, there is a growing demand for companies to demonstrate a responsible, sustainable, long-term approach to business, to produce a statement of their sustainability activities, and to clearly show how this relates to their core business strategy. Corporate sustainability reports now contain detailed performance metrics and reflect the priority companies have given to measuring and managing the impact of their operations.

Several factors have driven the current momentum for sustainable corporate performance:

Stakeholder expectations: Companies understand the many benefits of sustainable operations, especially now that they engage with a wider range of stakeholders – shareholders, employees, business partners, investors, consumers, NGOs, the media – who demand accountability and transparency.

Global standards: The development and acceptance of global standards has played a critical role in sustainability reporting and performance management. Currently, over 1,500 companies across 60 countries have adopted the G3 standards – introduced by the Global Reporting Initiative, which provides a universal framework for disclosure. Additionally, groups such as the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, the World Resources Institute and the World Intellectual Capital Initiative have also developed useful resources for business reporting language.

Investor interest: Institutional investors and stock exchanges have also asked for better sustainability reporting from listed companies. Consequently, environmental, social and corporate governance indices have been established, such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Index and The Carbon Disclosure Project.

Natural resource constraints: Every company that depends on natural resources is facing increased costs and constraints. Sustainability helps companies improve their operations as natural resource constraints reshape markets.

In November, I had the honor of serving on the Selection Committee of the Zayed Future Energy Prize – a global initiative by the Abu Dhabi government that recognizes and rewards outstanding efforts in the renewable energy and sustainability sectors. I was impressed by the number of companies that had developed approaches, practices and processes to measure their performance as sustainable businesses.

From my experience on the Selection Committee, one thing is clear: corporate sustainability is becoming a boardroom strategy that is driving enormous creativity, efficiency and innovation.

The day may come when understanding the lifecycle of a product or service is so engrained in business that we won’t need to call that “sustainability”. Until then, initiatives such as the Zayed Future Energy Prize help showcase and promote the business value of sustainability, while facilitating sharing and learning between large corporations, NGOs and individuals.

Article by Roberta B. Bowman, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer at Duke Energy, and served as a member of the Selection Committee for the 2012 Zayed Future Energy Prize. Article appearing courtesy Earth & Industry.

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It is hard to believe there was a time when we, as a united people on Planet Earth, didn’t really focus on the environment. However, it really wasn’t until 1970 that the collective global eye turned towards the environment and how the global human footprint was making a forever-impact.

In 1972, the United Nations took notice and held the Conference on the Human Environment. Soon enough, diverse constituencies ranging from companies and regulatory bodies to consumers and activists realized there had to be a common framework for talking about the environment, monitoring impacts, and improving how human beings treat the only planet we call home.

It took almost 25 years but, in 1996, the United Nations was able to pass the ISO 14000 family of standards. Today, it is used in about 160 nations. ISO 14000 mirrored what ISO 9000 standards accomplished for quality. Thanks to ISO 9000, everyone, no matter the nation, industry, company, or department, approached quality from the same points of reference.

The ISO 14000 series was developed by the International Organization for Standardization as a multi-purpose tool. To begin with, standard concepts and terminology was created to allow many countries to “speak the same language” when it came to organizational processes and how they were affecting the environment.

It stands to reason that if it could work for global quality issues, it could work for common goals relating to the environment. That’s why, when it comes to sustainability, with a common framework, the private sector, government, and nonprofits can also make faster progress. With these standards in place, countries and companies can address these issues more easily internally as well as externally with international and nation regulatory bodies, consumers, the public, and funding sources — be they investors or foundations.

Secondly, the basic ISO 14001 standard provides guidelines for improving environmental performance. Participation is voluntary. The initial step is a review or gap analysis of all the organization’s processes and what might be on the drawing board. It’s a broad set of guidelines — extending from internal operations such as production to sourcing of raw materials. However, it works because, based on the findings, targets are established. Such analysis and goal-setting also serve as a standard way to comply with and report to regulatory bodies and conduct remedial action.

The third way the tool works is through implementing the plan. Seems obvious, but that’s a major undertaking. Executives have to buy in and then employees have to be trained. A new language is introduced and then systems, procedures, and practices are modified or eliminated if they fail to meet goals. Finally, measurement becomes routine.

The fourth function is continuous improvement. Usually that includes expanding the effort and raising the bar on expectations. At that point, the organization builds sustainability into its overall strategy. There it can become innovative and perhaps even launch breakthrough approaches.

The payoff of basic ISO 14001 can be profound.
• Organizations have clear guidelines for establishing environmental policy.
• Process changes usually reduce electricity costs.
• Compliance and reporting are easier and less expensive.
• Stakeholders are satisfied that sustainability is being addressed and the risk of environmental crisis minimal.

The other ISO 14000 standards are applied for specific functions such as labeling and auditing.

Global standards forge common goals, that’s for certain. But the real work starts at home – in your own backyard. As you “go global’ with your environmental efforts, take the time to measure energy use to make sure your own companies’ systems are in order. A properly working HVAC system, for example, will keep occupants cool in the summer and warm in the winter. However, perhaps most importantly, it will keep utility costs under control every season of the year.

Article by Bari Faye Siegel, a technology writer and marketing consultant at Noveda Technologies, an innovative leader in real-time, web-based energy management, solar PV monitoring and water management. Noveda also offers real-time collaboration tools that leverage social media to educate and empower stakeholder communities and make the smart grid a reality today. For more information, visit www.noveda.com.

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Nissan Motors Ltd., commonly known as just Nissan, is a multinational automobile manufacturer located in Japan. Like all other global automobile manufacturers, Nissan Motors has quickly realized the importance of environmental stewardship and environmental sustainability. Knowing that automobiles are the primary cause for much of the carbon dioxide emissions, Nissan Motors is now taking necessary steps in reducing their carbon footprint, both with the automobiles the automobile manufacturer produces as well as within all its offices and manufacturing factories. Below is a list of just ten of the sustainability initiatives Nissan Motors is involved in.

1 ) Nissan Green Program. The Nissan Green Program is Nissan Motor’s way of creating a more sustainable mobile society by addressing environmental challenges and finding routes around them, mainly being a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, minimizing emissions to preserve the water, soil, and atmosphere, and resource recycling to promote reducing, reusing, and recycling. The overall objective is to reduce carbon dioxide emissions wherever Nissan Motors has corporate endeavors, including offices, shops, and factories.

2 ) Nissan Green Shops. Nissan Green Shop Activities includes a large variety of environmental efforts that take place at Nissan Motor dealerships throughout the globe, including reducing waste, recycling, and energy saving endeavors. The program was introduced in April of 2000 as an environmental management system for all car dealerships. According to the website, “Dealerships that have been certified in Nissan Green Shop have appointed environmental staff and directors to be in charge of environmental activities, and established a system of responsibility for these activities. Working within this system, the environmental staff and directors (1) ensure that end-of-life vehicles and waste are disposed of properly, (2) manage environmental facilities, and (3) conduct public relations and other activities to inform customers of Nissan’s environmental efforts.”

3 ) Nissan LEAF Wins 2011-2012 JAHFA Car of the Year Award. In December of 2011, Nissan Motors won the 2011 – 2012 Japan Automotive Hall of Fall (JAHFA) Car of the Year and Car Design of the Year awards for their 100 percent electric car, the Nissan LEAF. It won car of the year because of, “The courage that Nissan displayed in developing a mass-market electric vehicle ahead of the rest of the world’s automakers; it is an attractive, competitive product that has been recognized globally; [and] it has an EV-IT system that enhances the usability of the vehicle.” It won for car design of the year because, “It expresses thoughtful styling as a pioneer EV sedan; it reduces wind noise through its aerodynamic form; [and] the car’s interior design expresses the feeling of a new era.”

4 ) Nissan Starts Japan Sales for a New Quick Charger for Electric Vehicles. On November 30, 2011 Nissan Motors made the announcement that it was starting sales for its brand new quick charger throughout Japan. The newly developed unit has the same high performance as the current charger but is half the size. It has the same safety features and complies with CHAdeMO protocol. It is compatible with all Nissan electric vehicles and electric vehicles that were manufactured by other automakers. Not only is it a lot smaller, but it is also a lot easier to install.

5 ) Nissan Delivers 100 Percent Electric LEAF to Wuhan. In November of 2011, Nissan Motor and the Wuhan Municipal Government are going ahead with a new pilot program that would promote zero emission mobility. With this, Wuhan accepted the delivery from Nissan of 15 Nissan LEAFs, with ten more of these units to be delivered sometime in 2012. In this pilot program, Nissan is working alongside the city on a number of joint activities that are aimed at the contribution of the establishment of a city that is environmentally friendly and energy efficient. Another focus is to aid in the planning for a complete rollout of electric vehicles into the Chinese market.

6 ) Nissan and Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport Launch Test for Road Guidance. In December of 2011, Nissan Motor and the Beijing Municipal Commission of Transport began a large-scale demonstration test for the new Traffic Information System Model Project. The demonstration will start the end of January of 2012 and will “verify the effects of traffic dispersion by dynamic route guidance with IT devices.” In the test, 12,000 individuals are going to be given IT devices to provide eco-drive support and dynamic route guidance. Users in the trial can expect to see reduced fuel consumption and travel time as well as a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.

7 ) Activities at Plants. At all Nissan Motor production plants, a number of systems are thoroughly implemented to control substances that can have a negative environmental impact. Activities are undertaken to reduce the total amount of the harmful substances used as well as emitted during production operations. Other activities at the plant include introducing equipment that is energy saving and reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and controlling all standards and systems to manage all air pollutants and participate in a number of activities to reduce the substances that are emitted at production plants.

8 ) Activities in Products. Nissan Motor believes that the company can contribute to a sustainable mobile society by improving these aspects. Therefore, Nissan looks to offer vehicles that are not only attractive, but also have a reduced environmental impact. Nissan is undertaking a lot of aggressive efforts to improve overall fuel efficiency and aid in the development of vehicles that only use clean energies. Nissan is also in the development process of clean vehicles, including EVs and FCEVs that do not emit carbon dioxide emissions or even exhaust when operated.

9 ) Nissan Green Program 2016. The Nissan Green Program 2016 was created to help the company achieve its environmental philosophy of “Symbiosis of People, Vehicles, and Nature.” This program promotes activities “not only in development and manufacturing departments associated with the production of automobiles, but also in sales, service, and all other departments company-wide. In specific terms, this program ensures that environmental action plans are formulated, the targets and aims relating to business activities and associated indirectly with the environment are set for mid-term, long-term, and yearly periods, and that every possible effort is made to achieve sustainable development.”Activities include the penetration of zero-emission vehicles, wider application of fuel efficient vehicles, corporate carbon footprint minimization, and natural resource usage minimization.

10 ) Increased Biofuel Use. Nissan takes use of biofuels seriously. In North America, Nissan Motor markets flexible-fuel vehicles – cars that can handle ethanol-based mixtures and not present any kind of problem. In another example, in April of 1008, Nissan Motor started taking part in the Tokachi E10 Trials, which looks to increase the utilization of E10 fuel, which is a biofuels.

Article by Shawn Lesser, Co-founder & Managing Partner of Atlanta-based Watershed Capital Group – an investment bank assisting sustainable fund and companies raise capital, perform acquisitions, and in other strategic financial decisions. He is also a Co-founder of the GCCA Global Cleantech Cluster Association ”The Global Voice of Cleantech”. He writes for various cleantech publications and is known as the David Letterman of Cleantech for his “Top 10″ series. He can be reached at shawn@watershedcapital.com.

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As the founder of the Bay Area networking group, Women In Cleantech & Sustainability, I am keenly interested in learning about who the media thinks as being the most influential women in the field. However, it feels like every top ten list for women in Cleantech always lists the same lovely ladies. This is not to say that the women are not contributing massively to the effort of clean technology, they are. And there are so many more women in the field!

Clean technology is ever-changing, with new innovators, particularly among women, making their mark in a traditionally male-dominated field. In this occasional series, we shine the spotlight on the most savvy and accomplished women pioneers in cleantech and sustainability. Some are building their own start-ups, others are climbing the ranks of high-profile companies, and still others are investors. Whether they are on the front lines or behind the scenes, they inspire us to keep striving forward, to break the ever existent glass ceiling, and change how the world lives.

As always we are open to your suggestions of who you feel are the female game-changers. Who do you think should be on the list?

*Special thanks to Shawn Lesser of Watershed Capital for his support and mentorship for this series.

1. Virginia Klausmeier, CEO, Sylvatex

Quite possibly the youngest CEO in the biofuel/Green chemistry industry, Virginia Klausmeier has spent the past five years developing the Sylvatex fuel technology with her late father, Dr. William Klausmeier. Sylvatex is currently commercializing a proprietary renewable fuel for the US diesel and biodiesel markets. The company has won numerous awards at industry conferences and venture funding competitions, including Silicon Valley LAUNCH and PortTechLA, as well as funding and support through San Francisco’s Greenstart accelerator program. Virginia earned her B.S in Chemistry and Physiology and M.S. in Biomechanics at the University of Oregon and has is also active in San Francisco’s BioDiesel Task force and Biodiesel Coop.

2. Kef Kasdin, CEO, Proterro BioFuels

Kef Kasdin is CEO of Proterro, a venture-backed start-up located in Princeton, New Jersey. It develops non-plant-based, noncellulosic fermentation-ready sugar feedstock, which enables the economical and scalable production of biofuels and chemicals. The company, which is transitioning from discovery to the engineering phase, has functioning prototype sucrose-producing organisms and a working model bioreactor system. Proterro’s Protose sugar is a sustainable, inexpensive, geoflexible, feedstock that can be used to produce a variety of commercial scale fuels and chemicals through standard industrial fermentation methods. Before Proterro, Kef spent nine years at 3Com Corp, including managing $1B division. She also spent 10 years as venture capitalist, and is general partner/cofounder of Battelle Ventures and affiliate Innovation Valley Partners, with company-creation, lab-spinout, and energy-market expertise.

3. Lissa Morgenthaler-Jones, CEO and Co-Founder, LiveFuels

Lissa Morgenthalter-Jones leads strategic planning and corporate development for the LiveFuels, a company with the goal of developing the most efficient and scalable algae-based biofuel process. Since 1990, she has also specialized in biotechnology investing since 1990. After learning about turning algae and animal waste into fuel, she started her own clean energy venture capital fund in 2004. She raised $10 million from the Quercus Trust and individual investors in May 2007. To date, her company has established pilot operations across the U.S., generated extensive intellectual property, and is well on its way to producing an economically feasible and sustainable algal fuel.

4. K’ Lynne Johnson, CEO, Elevance Renewable Sciences

K’Lynne is leading Illinois based Elevance, with her 19 years of experience in the oil and petrochemicals industry (Amoco, BP and Innovene). The company is striving to be the first to successfully bridge the renewables and chemicals industries. With its Nobel-prize winning technology the company transforms natural plant-based oils, like soybean, rapeseed (canola), palm, corn, or algae, into specialty high-performance, cost-effective commercial products, such as advanced biofuels, deterents and cleaners, personal care products, and others.

5. Jennifer Case, co-founder and CEO, New Leaf Biofuel

In 2010, co-founder Jennifer Case took the helm at New Leaf Biofuel as CEO. She has helped grow the company to 24 employees and increase its customer base, including US Navy, the City of Chula Vista, Allied Waste, and dozens of other commercial and municipal fleets in Southern California. Jennifer Case obtained a BA in Political Science from UC San Diego, and a law degree from Pepperdine University. In her legal practice, Jennifer represented individuals, business and public entity clients in such areas as general business litigation, real estate, construction and technology. Prior to attending law school, Ms. Case was an administrator of a start-up fiber optics company in the Silicon Valley.

6. Pamela R. Contag, Ph.D, microbiologist, Founder of Xenogen Corp and Cobalt Biofuels

Cobalt Technologies, located in Mountain View, CA, is leading the transportation industry for cleaner, more efficient renewable fuels. It is a venture-backed company that produces biobutanol from renewable feedstock. Xenogen Corp, located in Alameda, CA, was founded in 1998, and is a leader in the field of biophotonic imaging. Pamela R. Contag, Ph.D., is a microbiologist who has been called a “serial entrepreneur,” having founded two biotech and two biofuel startups. She is the founder of Xenogen Corp. and Cobalt Biofuels, Inc. She is also the founder and CEO of Cygnet Biofuels and ConcentRX, Inc., a biotechnology company developing a unique cancer therapy. She founded Xenogen Corporation with two colleagues while at Stanford University, where they invented in vivo biophotonic imaging. Pamela has filed a patent on a process she developed that utilizes algae to produce polysaccharides that can be easily converted to alcohol fuels or to biolipids, and then to biodiesel. She was also named one of the “Top 25 Women in Small Business” by Fortune Magazine.

7. Cynthia (CJ) Warner, President, of Sapphire Energy

Cynthia (C.J.) Warner joined Sapphire Energy in February 2009 as President. She brings more than 27 years of experience in the energy, refining and transportation industries. At Sapphire Energy, Ms. Warner is tasked with driving the company’s initiative to transition technology trials and research into commercial-scale crude oil operations. Using only sunlight, CO2 and non-potable water, Sapphire Energy is one of the world’s largest leaders in algae-based crude oil. A chemical engineer by training and one of the very few senior women in the oil and gas industry, CJ served as an executive with energy industry giants British Petroleum, Amoco Oil Company and UOP. CJ is currently a member of the National Petroleum Council. She is a featured leader in the 2008 book ‘Becoming a Resonant Leader: Develop Your Emotional Intelligence′ (Harvard Business School Press). CJ has a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from Vanderbilt University and an MBA from Illinois Institute of Technology.

8. Dr. Claire Kinlaw, Lead Product Development, TerViva BioEnergy

Claire is an MBA-trained scientist and currently Project Lead for TerViva BioEnergy, a startup commercializing the high oil seed tree pongamia in the US as a feedstock for biodiesel refining. Pongamia pinnata, a nitrogen fixing tree native to India that grows on marginal soils. TerVia is working to commercialize this tree as a renewable source of diesel fuel, planting across the southern USA on pasturelands and other lands not used for food production. Claire leads the R&D effort to improve the underlying asset, the tree for even greater, more predictable oil production and good growth characteristics in US locations. Prior to joining TerViva in 2010, Claire developed commercial strategies for biotechnology startups and small businesses, negotiated and managed research and business agreements, directed the USDA Institute of Forest Genetics, and led life science research projects with molecular genetics and genomic science focus. Claire holds an MBA from UC Berkeley, a PhD in biochemistry from Rice University, and a BA in chemistry from the University of Virginia.

9. Nicole Kennard, co-founder and former CEO, New Leaf Biofuel

Nicole Kennard founded New Leaf Biofuel in 2006 with four co-founders, with the aim to be the biggest provider of biodiesel in San Diego County, a dream that involves trucking tons of used fryer grease from 900 area restaurants to New Leaf’s San Diego processing facility and converting it into B99 (99 percent biodiesel fuel), which is then purchased by government and business fleets across the county, such as Sun Diego Charter Co and C & D Towing, and the Regional Transportation Center, San Diego’s only alternative fueling station. She built the company to 10 employees and a company capacity to produce 140,000 gallons of fuel a month. Nicole has BA in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science from UC San Diego and an MS in Mechanical Engineering with an emphasis on Renewable Energy from San Diego State University. Formerly, Nicole was the Coordinator of the Department of Energy’s Industrial Assessment Center (IAC), located at San Diego State University. She is also a renewable energy adviser and biodiesel consultant for the San Diego City School District and a co-founder of the Biofuels Action and Awareness Network, a student action group at UCSD focused on community outreach and education.

10. Susan B. Leschine, Founder and Chief Scientist, SunEthanol

Susan Leschine founded and was the Chief Scientist of SunEthanol, now QTeros. Currently, Dr. Leschine is a senior faculty member in the Microbiology Department at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Dr. Leschine is internationally-known as an authority on the biology and diversity of cellulose-digesting microbes. Her research formed the basis for SunEthanol’s Q Microbe biodigesting technology.

Article by Lisa Ann Pinkerton, founder of Women In Cleantech & Sustainability, a networking and career development group dedicated to the advancement of women in various environmental technology sectors. She is also Founder and President of Technica Communications, where she handles public relations and marketing strategies for cleantech and biotech companies. Lisa Ann is a former award-winning broadcast journalist who reported for National Public Radio, PBS Television, WPXI-NBC, American Public Media, and Free Speech TV.

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The Maldives, an island nation in the Indian Ocean that is threatened by rising sea levels, is turning to solar power to get its electricity.

State Electric Company Limited (STELCO) and Renewable Energy Maldives (REM) have devised a solar energy project to generate electricity for six islands of Malé atoll. Altogether, The Maldives are comprised of nearly 1,200 islands and atolls.

The project is part of the country’s goal to achieve carbon neutrality. The inauguration ceremony was attended by the country’s Environment Minister, Mohamed Aslam and Katherina Reiche, who is the Parliamentary Secretary of the German Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.

The rooftop of the Muhiyiddeen School in Villimalé district, one of the island districts of Malé, received the first solar energy panels that accompanied the inauguration of the project. The panels are expected to generate 61 kilowatts of electricity with the potential to power 30 houses.

The other five islands included in this project are Maafushi, Guraidhoo, Himmafushi, Kaashidhoo and Thulusdhoo. The plan is to achieve a generation of 652 kilowatts of electricity using solar energy.

Article by Antonio Pasolini, a Brazilian writer and video art curator based in London, UK. He holds a BA in journalism and an MA in film and television.

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Located in the center of Manhattan, New York is Columbia University. Columbia University has been one of the leaders since the creation of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s PlaNYC to make New York City a more sustainable city. Therefore, the university has created a number of sustainable initiatives to aid in helping the university achieve its goal of being one of the most sustainable universities not just in New York State, but also throughout the entire United States. Here is a list of just a few of the sustainable initiatives Columbia University has taken on to make their campus much more sustainable and to teach the students and employees about sustainability for the future.

1. Environmental Stewardship Office. The Environmental Stewardship Office at Columbia University looks to have everyone on the campus work together “to reduce our consumption of resources in the classrooms, offices, and residences, [to] begin to develop a culture of respect for the environment.” The office works to implement a number of practical programs that will reduce the environmental footprint of the university and promote a strong culture valuing the environment and protecting it. The office sets up a number of interdepartmental and interdisciplinary working groups as well as joint programs to achieve all sustainability goals.

2. Administration. In 2007, Columbia University joined with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s PlaNYC Challenge, making toe pledge to reduce the total carbon dioxide emissions coming from the university by a minimum of 30 percent by the year 2017. The university’s Environmental Stewardship Office has a full time and part time staff that is dedicated to this by creating a number of policy recommendations as well as principles of sustainability.

3. Climate Change and Energy. Columbia University recently created a new policy that will reduce cooling and heating consumption throughout all residential buildings and classroom buildings. The university is doing this with the help of a computerized building management system that they are currently launching. Known as the Cool Columbia campaign, energy audits are conducted throughout off-campus housing, providing information on energy-efficient appliances and how to get them at reduced prices. The campaign also encourages the residents to take a three step pledge in an effort to reduce overall energy consumption.

4. Food and Recycling. Columbia University has made the commitment to purchase a percentage of its food locally. Currently, this percentage is at 16 percent. There is an organic student co-op in one of the campus dining halls well campus-grown produce is sold. As well, all food venues service fair trade coffee. As well, twice a week the campus has a farmer’s market right on the campus for people. All to-go containers in the dining halls are biodegradable. There is also a reusable mug program that offers discounts on the price of coffee to all participants.

5. Green Building. Currently, Columbia University required at all new construction projects on campus meets the standards of LEED Silver Certification. Right now the campus has five registered LEED projects currently in work. In 2008, Columbia University launched the beginning of its very first green residential dormitory. This dormitory features items like an automated energy monitoring system, energy efficient windows, and energy efficient boilers.

6. Student Involvement. There are a number of sustainability-related opportunities that are directed toward the students. This includes internships at the Environmental Stewardship Office and a number of Eco-Reps programs. There is an Eco-Reps program at Columbia’s medical campus. There is also the Green Umbrella Program, which is collaboration between the various environmental student groups to provide a voice to environmental sustainability and get more students involved in making the university a sustainable one, such as offering information of what students are doing at home. In the student-led RecycleBank program, students earn various rewards, including free meals and university apparel, for recycling items on campus.

7. Transportation. The entire Columbia University campus is serviced by an inter-campus shuttle that makes stops near major subway stations and bus stations. Columbia University also provides employees to purchase mass transit tickets with their pretax dollars. The university has also set up numerous bike racks for students to bike to classes rather than taking other transportation options. Eventually, the university will also be adopting a brand new policy for telecommuting.

8. CUIT. The Columbia University Information Technology center has also made the commitment to reduce their carbon footprint by creating a new project that will make various energy efficiency improvements to Columbia University’s Morningside Heights Data Center. The project is being supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA).

9. Clean, Give + Go Green. During December, Columbia University has the Clean, Give + Go Green recycling and donation drive. Hosted by the Environmental Stewardship Office along with other departments in the university, the drive collected more than 5,000 pounds of clothes, as well as hundreds of pounds of canned goods, computer equipment, toiletries, and other items for nonprofit organizations and homeless shelters. The drive also provided the opportunity for people to shred paper and recycle it rather than just rip it up and throw it away. The goal was to aid in bringing sustainability awareness to Columbia’s campus. It occurred at the end of the semester, providing students with a place to donate items they did not need while moving out.

10. Energy Conservation Pilot Programs. Columbia University has created a number of innovative pilot programs to test the different ways to improve overall energy efficient across the campus using LEDs, microturbines, as well as “dashboards” web interfaces that track energy. For instance, LED lights were installed throughout locations within the School of International and Public Affairs because the LED lights last longer and use much less energy than the regularly used fluorescent light bulbs. In another example, the facilities at the School of Social Work use the dashboards in an effort to track the heat and electricity being used in the business on an hour-by-hour basis, allowing the school to see data required to create strategies that will reduce energy consumption.

Article by Shawn Lesser, Co-founder & Managing Partner of Atlanta-based Watershed Capital Group – an investment bank assisting sustainable fund and companies raise capital, perform acquisitions, and in other strategic financial decisions. He is also a Co-founder of the GCCA Global Cleantech Cluster Association ”The Global Voice of Cleantech”. He writes for various cleantech publications and is known as the David Letterman of Cleantech for his “Top 10″ series. He can be reached at shawn@watershedcapital.com.

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