Clean Technologies

LOHAS Wellness Trends

Tuesday, February 7, 2012 by Ted Ning

After scanning health and wellness trends for 2012 here are a few that caught my eye along with my own perspectices that are LOHAS related.

1. Yoga & Meditation as Mainstream Treatment: Interest in alternative treatments will experience a second surge. Even though interest in alternative treatments is already high, more people, practitioners and patients will be willing to experiment with new remedies, activities and lifestyle changes to avoid these kinds of medications. A study[10] finds that of the 41 million Americans that use mind-body therapies like yoga or tai chi, 6.4 million are now doing them because they were “prescribed” by their medical provider. Yoga, tai chi, qigong, Feldenkrais, guided imagery, acupuncture and other practices will continue to gain attention due to their ability to calm, soothe and attend to medical situations such as chronic pain, hypertension, obesity and stress. With returning PTSD suffering Iraqi war veterans and stress brought upon with tornadoes, hurricanes and earthquakes there will be a greater interest in how trauma affects us both personally and in our institutions, including our workplaces and schools and how to respond in effective ways.

2. Awareness & Prevention Will Have a Renewed Focus: As chronic diseases account for many of our healthcare issues and costs there will be a revitalized focus on preventative medicine. Anticipate the integration of wellness programs into businesses by employers and provide resources programs to encourage better health and prevention. This was predicted in our 2011 wellness trends but anticipate stronger campaigns on all fronts as health becomes a larger issue for society.

3. The Empowered Consumer Continues to Rise: The DYI trend among consumers will continue in 2012. And technology plays a large role here. Research shows that 80% of U.S. Internet users claim to have used the web to search for health-related information and answers. And that is just search. Many platforms from interactive healthcare kiosks to social media to personalized health sites are allowing consumers to empower themselves. As consumers increasingly turn to self-service technologies and channels, the entire healthcare industry has a tremendous opportunity to reach, engage and interactive with today’s empowered consumer. And that will yield some powerful results from consumers to doctors to advertisers.

4. Family Wellness Travel: The boom in solo travellers continues to rise for wellness holidays but more families are now searching for these types of getaways. Parents want their children to be healthy on holiday and also keep busy with plenty of activities so they don’t get bored. More resorts are also introducing healthy children’s menus so they can learn good habits early. Parents also want to be able to enjoy holistic activities and spa treatments, whilst their children are staying active.

5. Retail Plays an Increased Role: In response to the DYI demand from consumers in-store clinics and healthcare kiosks will play vital roles to connect with consumers for better healthcare access, awareness and treatments. Consumers are still frequenting brick-n-mortar stores; connecting with them while they are there offers great opportunities for healthcare providers, advertisers and the retail locations.

6. Holidaying with Health Gurus: Top health and fitness experts now work at some of the leading resorts around the world. More people want to receive dedicated support and guidance from the best in the industry; wellness retreats are bringing in the top yoga teachers, nutritionists, doctors, personal trainers and more health gurus to raise their game. Clients want to be inspired and informed so that they can lead a healthier and more fulfilling lifestyle when they return home. Expect more tailored programs to be developed such as ones provided at Tao Inspired Living or Rancho La Puerta.

7. Obesity Awareness: Losing weight will continue to be the primary reason consumers seek personal training support as the public responds to the expanded messaging concerning the dangers of physical inactivity and obesity. The recently released Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index report that showed a modest improvement in the nation’s obesity rates for the first time in more than three years is a very encouraging sign. However, the fact remains that three out of five Americans are still overweight or obese, requiring more work to be done.

8. Whole-life training: Lifestyle/ Wellness coaching will become a bigger trend with more personal trainers, fitness centers and spas looking to holistically improve client lifestyle and expanding their education and training to include this skill set. There are efforts to clearly define the parameters of coaching and help distinguish coaching (which is future-focused) from other professional services like counseling (which delve into a person’s past). The medical industry and academic groups are examining the value of wellness coaching. Harvard Medical School (www.harvardcoaching.org) now underwrites an annual conference on coaching’s role in healthcare. One of the many research initiatives being analyzed by the International Coaching Research Forum (U.K.) is developing coaching as a global, academic profession. Companies like Wellpeople.com (U.S.) offer certified on-site or virtual wellness coaches for spas, hospitals and businesses. Anticipate fitness facilities to hire nutritionists and other allied healthcare professionals such as physical therapists and psychologists to serve the expanding needs of their health-conscious members including wellness, nutrition, and stress-management programs.

9. Community Collaboration: Access to fitness services and education will continue to expand in local communities including activities in gyms, parks, and recreation centers. Local leaders are taking a more active role to address health issues in their communities. This includes proactive measures through school-based education programs and engagement with low-income and at-risk families. The Canyon Ranch Institute provides Life Enhancement Programs in underserved communities of the South Bronx, Cleveland, and Tuscon to prevent, diagnose, and address chronic diseases.

10. Healthy Fast Food: There will be a greater push to keep students and employees healthy. This will mean a closer examination of cafeteria food in schools and on-site vending machines in work places, including information on how eating patterns create stress, obesity and health and behavior problems. As more people recognize the failings of fast food and food processing companies expect vendors to upgrade their product offerings to develop and market products that are not only healthy but actually promote health.

11. Clean Eating Focus: The food-health connection will be very important. As we learn more about "clean eating" -- consuming foods without preservatives, chemicals, sugars and other additives -- our habits will change as we read labels even more carefully and appreciate the rewards of more energy and fewer chronic illnesses. Along with clean eating, we will also become aware of the problems associated with GMO crops that have been over-hybridized by corporations for fast growth and easy harvest. The Non GMO project, The Institute for Responsible Technology and others are working on raising awareness for consumers on the hazards of GMO foods on the environment and health.

12. Evidence based Spa Therapies: There has been a significant amount of efforts put forth by skincare companies and alternative therapy groups to provide research backing the results of treatments. SpaEvidence is a web resource that gives the world easy access to the “evidence-based medicine” databases that doctors use, so they can search thousands of studies evaluating which spa modalities are proven to work, and for which exact conditions.

Feel free to add any that I may have missed.

Green Marketing Q&A with Seri McClendon, CLEAN Agency CEO

Thursday, July 28, 2011 by Seri Mclendon

The 2011 Green Brands Survey recently found that consumer interest in green products continues to increase and has expanded across categories – from personal care, food and household products to automotive, energy and technology goods. Companies across all sectors are rolling out new and or improved products touting eco-friendly attributes. With such a varied selection of products making green claims, how does one make an educated decision on the best products for their family and lifestyle? Seri McClendon, chief executive officer of CLEAN Agency, shares insight on this issue.

What are businesses doing to meet consumer demand for eco-friendly products and services?

Sustainability has become a key business issue for consumer product companies. They recognize that in order to remain competitive they must shift to meet the changing demands of consumers and of the environment. To do this, businesses are taking a critical look at their supply chains and determining how they can produce better products that have a reduced impact on the environment and can still deliver on their brand promise. Some of the ways this is being done include responsible raw material sourcing, more efficient manufacturing processes and reduced, reusable or recyclable packaging materials to cut waste to landfills. Companies are also beginning to highlight such innovations on their product packaging to promote their commitment to environmental stewardship and gain loyalty from like-minded consumers.

When shopping for green products, what should consumers know about “greenwashing” and how can they evaluate eco-friendly product claims?

Greenwashing has received a lot of attention lately as more and more businesses try to capitalize on the growing consumer interest in green products. Greenwashing refers to deceptive marketing used to promote a misleading statement or perception about a product, policy or service. The first step in making smart purchase decisions is to educate yourself before heading to the store. GreenerChoices.org is an excellent resource for consumers that want to learn more about specific product claims and their meaning. The site provides independently researched, unbiased information on product safety, health and nutrition, updated label claims and other related topics.

Certification labels from reputable environmental organizations can also help consumers choose sustainable products. The Environmental Protection Agency, for example, provides Energy Star certification for energy efficient home appliances and the Design for the Environment label for high performance, cost effective and environmentally-friendly cleaning products. Responsible consumer product companies like Seventh Generation, Patagonia and Aveda also document and substantiate product claims on their web site.

How can consumers further drive sustainability efforts of their favorite brands?

Be vocal! Let the brands you patronize know how you feel about their products and their efforts towards becoming more sustainable. Share feedback on a company’s web site, comment on news stories written about sustainable innovations of your favorite brands and leverage the power of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to let companies know what you want from their products and services.

ABOUT SERI MCCLENDON

Seri McClendon is the CEO of CLEAN Agency. She is an industry veteran with more than 22 years of marketing experience. Seri formed CLEAN, an integrated agency serving the sustainable business sector, from her passion for environmental studies, policy and science. She holds a Masters degree in Geography with an emphasis in Industrial Ecology and a BA in marketing. Seri is a member of The USC Center for Sustainable Cities Advisory Board and was recently recognized as an Outstanding Woman in Environment and Energy Efficiency by the 2011 Women in Business Awards.

10 Things That Make the LOHAS Forum Unique

Wednesday, June 8, 2011 by Ted Ning

1. Cross section of attendees is like no other event. Where else will you find Fortune 500 companies shoulder to start up entrepreneurs next to mainstream media and celebrity. It is a great networking event for those who want to stretch their comfort zone and meet new people.

2. Permission to drop the armor of image is granted and expected. Everyone at the event wants to know who each other is at heart first and then get to professional interests second. This makes the attendees really open to each other and sincerely attentive to each other’s needs.

3. On the cutting edge of what is next. Many events have large corporations as the core of their speakers where at LOHAS you see more of the larger corporations in the audience learning how to enter the LOHAS market.

4. Boulder City is the epicenter of LOHAS activity. Despite being just over 100K in population it is the hub of organics, clean tech, outdoor industry, spirituality, alternative medicine, technology, entrepreneurship and is beautiful place to be in June when the LOHAS Forum occurs.

5. St. Julien Hotel & Spa is the best hotel in Boulder and has a very accommodating staff and has fully embraced sustainability. They provide the measurements for landfill alleviation for the LOHAS forum and organic and locally sourced meal options. Last year we were able to recycle 87% of our waste from the event. We strive to do more this year. The spa is top notch as well.

6. The LOHAS gift room is legendary. Rather than provide a pre stuffed conference bag of brochures that are typically dumped in the hotel room we provide a gift room of various items from LOHAS companies that attendees can pick and choose from. Attendees love this and the gift bags are usually quite stuffed when people leave the room!

7. Market data worth thousands of dollars is presented by a variety of green market trend specialists. Those that are interested on what is happening in the LOHAS space can collect a tremendous amount of insight from these highly sought presentations.

8. Program content transcends green business to include elements to connect with the human spirit and community in a way that is energetic and inspiring.

9. A paperless program for this year and digital signage. The program will be on an app that is also a mobile website. The app will be downloadable on iTunes and will allow those who are not attending to see what is happening by reading the social media feeds, text alerts and uploaded images by attendees. Conference signage are flatscreen monitors that double as media centers for video.

10. Not just a conference but a community celebration! We have a variety of ways built into the event ranging from morning yoga and meditation to musical entertainment to after parties to engage the senses for attendees.

If you are an attendee and have other elements I have forgotten I would love to hear them. Please share!

A Gaijin's Perspective of the Japan Crisis

Friday, March 18, 2011 by Ted Ning

By Peter David of ESquare corresponding from Japan.

I am writing to you from a hotel along the shore of Biwa-ko, Japan's largest lake some 528 km west (and slightly south) of the Fukushima nuclear power station. Fresh snow is covering the landscape in what would, normally, be a very idyllic setting.

Right now, it feels absolutely surreal, as if all the earthquake destruction in Eastern Japan combined with the man-made specter of nuclear destruction were scenes out a Hollywood movie entitled "Twin Disasters." But this is no movie, and whether there will be any form of "happy" ending to the nuclear malaise remains entirely unpredictable.

The Japanese government "cannot" talk openly and honestly to the Japanese public about the potential dangers in a worst case scenario at Fukushima, primarily because of fears of panic in the 30 million population in the world's largest metropolitan area, Tokyo + Yokohama.

Personally, I have over the last 10 years or so repeatedly experienced the attempts of TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power Co.) to control information on nuclear power in this country. For eighteen months, from 2000-2001, I anchored the main news program at MX TV, Tokyo's local TV station, and was told by the producer that "since TEPCO is a sponsor of our program, I would prefer if you do not openly criticize nuclear power."

On another occasion, I was writing a piece for a well-known publication for 5-6th grade school kids on the environment, this time being told by the chief editor that, "TEPCO is one of the sponsors of our magazine. While I would like you to write on the enviroment, please don't be critical of nuclear power."

On a third occasion, not directly related to TEPCO, I was interviewed by the Yomiuri Newspaper, one of Japan's top two newspapers in terms of circulation, about the 1978 demonstrations throughout Denmark against the possible introduction of nuclear power in which I participated as a child. When the interview appeared in the newspaper, my phrase "demonstrations against nuclear power" had been altered to "demonstrations for renewable energy." This was not what I had said, and when I called the journalist in charge, he sheepishly apologized, saying that "I did not dare to write anything negative about nuclear power lest I should invite the wrath of my editor (boss)."

I feel so very sorry for the people who are, right now, sacrificing their future health, and some of them their immediate lives, working to stop the disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station. They may be described as "heroes" - and surely their efforts as such are heroic - but in a wider perspective they are victims of an industry in which the brainwashing of contractors and workers to believe that what they work with is safe has been pervasive.

In its entirety, the present situation in Eastern Japan and the Tokyo Metropolitan area has revealed the amazing fragility of modern civilization. All lifelines - water, transport, electricity, food supplies - have been severed or disrupted in Eastern Japan, and one of the world's largest cities, Tokyo, was yesterday afternoon (March 17th), in danger of a large scale, sudden blackout as a cold spell of weather drove up electricity consumption close to the limit of maximum supply. A good friend of mine, working at Tohoku University not far from the epicenter of the earthquake, called to tell how he finally, after six days, managed to leave Sendai (a city of more than a million on Japan's (Honshu's) east coast), driving to Tokyo in a 16 hour ordeal. No gasoline being available anywhere on the route, he barely managed to reach Tokyo, his gas tank drying up. More frightening than the drive, though, was how food and water were virtually impossible to obtain in the city center of Sendai. "Emergency supplies have been distributed to the schools where tens of thousands of people take refuge, but nothing seemed to reach the city of Sendai and shelves in supermarkets were almost completely empty. For the first time, I had the feeling of a threat to my life because of an inability to buy food," he told me.
My friend made it, but older and weaker people are dying - or will die - as the crucial lifelines of a hypermodern society have been devastated.

The question, obviously, is what we can learn, not only in Japan, but in modern society as a whole, from this experience. It remains to be seen whether we will, truly, learn anything at all. To me, there seem to be at least three major lessons.

The first is the question of how or if lifestyles and values will change. The thing that the Japanese have been praised for throughout the first week of this terrible disaster, has not been "technology" or "financial strength"; it has been the strong spirit, the patience, the human qualities of the people here that has touched many around the world. Money and shiny goods in temples of consumption have carried absolutely no value for the people here in the last week. Is there a chance that we may, now, see and act on the emptiness of useless consumerism? A chance there must be, I hope, although I do at the same time fear that once things settle down, Japan and the world will go on as if nothing had happened.

The second lesson is the danger of concentration of population into huge metropolises. Although the epicenter of the M9.0 earthquake was hundreds of kilometers northeast of Tokyo, the city was paralyzed, streets clogged, subways inoperational, phone lines dead. The staff at my office could not get home or get in touch with their family.

What if - and this could happen any day - the earthquake had hit Tokyo straight on? I have not the courage to think of the scale of disaster or the number of human lives that would have been lost. As urbanization continues at great speed in the world's population centers, the utter fragility of the 21st century megacity poses serious questions. Is there a way to answer this question in a more humane and sustainable manner than we are experiencing today?

There must be.

The third lesson is the folly of making ourselves dependent on energy production from large scale and extremely dangerous power stations, where no workable plans exist to control worst case scenarios.

Huge costs will be incurred in Japan over the next several decades to clean up Fukushima. Huge costs were incurred to build the plant in the first place. Surely, this money could have been used more wisely. Hopefully, the lesson taken from Fukushima will, finally, make the idea of non-violent, non-toxic, decentralized energy sources the mainstream policy and business choice around the world.

If we can learn the lessons, there is hope for the future.

If you want to assist with relief efforts here is a list of aid groups who are on the ground helping with putting things back together.

Sundance Explores The Last Mountain

Thursday, March 3, 2011 by Jennifer Schwab of SCGH

PARK CITY, UTAH -- Sundance to the film industry is like the NCAA championship in collegiate basketball: the best of the best in what is designed to be a purist format. It's about the film makers and directors and actors, the writing and the plots, not unlike the two best amateur teams in the world playing on a neutral court, for all the marbles.

It's an ultimate experience for movie buffs. The vibe is so low key that you truly don't notice the famous Hollywood types since everyone wears jeans and a sweater. No paparazzi, no limos, no swanky parties with designer duds. The awards ceremony was held not at the super elite St. Regis or Montage hotels, but at the Basin Recreation Fieldhouse at Kimball Junction. That pretty much says it all about the atmosphere at Sundance. It's about the movies, not the money or the glitz. Of course, commerce is still done, films are picked up for distribution, directors are scouted, and new stars are discovered. Robert Redford sightings are very rare so I didn't get to ask him in person, but he's got to be happy with what he has created: a full-on minor league development system for the film industry.

I came to Park City specifically to view environmental documentaries, as Sundance is well known for its role in premiering important films about social and environmental issues. One of this year's most important movies of this genre is The Last Mountain. This riveting film examines one of Sierra Club's least favorite subjects: coal mining (in this case, coal blasting, literally blowing off the top of a mountain to access its motherlode of coal) and its effect on the environment and the people who live near the mining site.

Here is the quick "official" synopsis of The Last Mountain: "Focusing on the devastating effects of mountaintop coal removal in West Virginia's Coal River Valley, filmmaker Bill Haney illustrates the way residents and activists are standing up to the industry and major employer that is so deeply embedded in the region. With strong support from Bobby Kennedy Jr. and grassroots organizations, awareness is rising in the battle over Appalachian mountaintop mining." You can view the trailer at TreeHugger.com.

Yes, The Last Mountain is another Fight The Power flick. But it's also much more than that. This film reminds us that we are all indirectly supporting the coal mining industry, every time we turn on the lights. It also shows us how important grassroots movements can be. And Robert Kennedy Jr.'s role as champion for the townspeople is depicted for what it is: a sincere, non-grandstanding example of pure volunteerism that lends some celebrity credibility to a legitimate cause.

Mountaintop coal removal is not only destructive, but until recently, it violated the Clean Water Act and Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act. Unfortunately, industry-friendly federal and state agencies mostly looked the other way when it came to enforcing these laws. When the courts and local communities attempted to make the mining companies comply, the Bush administration changed the laws to allow mining companies to continue to dump rock and rubble into the valleys and streams below. Communities throughout Appalachia are fighting back against this blight on the earth that harms the environment, health and quality of life of local citizens. Bank of America even pledged to curtail commercial lending to companies that blow the tops off of mountains.

I'm no film reviewer, so you can search other sites if you'd like to know how the critics rated The Last Mountain. I do have some additional thoughts about this subject, no disrespect to the movie, that need to be brought out. First, it appears that the big bad coal company (none other than Massey Energy, yes the same guys who had the terrible explosion and fatalities last year, and just last week was acquired for $7 billion by Alpha Natural Resources) wins the battle and blows up the mountain anyway. Thanks a lot, George Bush. I say that because the film brings to light the fact that those regulating the coal industry were largely energy industry cronies of Mr. Bush, previously lobbyists and coal company executives hired by the Bush administration. And while the Obama administration has been sympathetic to the cause, they have yet to overturn any important legislation that will keep the mountains intact, prevent coal companies from dumping their waste, and protect the inhabitants of Appalachia. Not sure what they are waiting for?

The Last Mountain provided wake-up call for the general public and those of us who do not live in Appalachia. Actually, there has been a lot of activity in this area for many years. By the end of 2010, Sierra Club lobbying and legal efforts helped stop the construction of 149 coal mines throughout the country with its "Beyond Coal" campaign. NRDC and other leading environmental organizations have also made huge contributions toward stopping this incredibly damaging and dangerous activity. One nitpick I had was at the end of the film there is a call to action to visit The Last Mountain website, i.e. soliciting donations. I found several smaller organizations that need assistance to stop coal mining. Although I am a proponent of grassroots efforts, dollars will go much farther if given directly to existing programs such as Sierra Club or NRDC which have full legal staffs, specialized expertise and years of experience. Why create yet another non-profit to do the same thing when some of the best are already in place?

In case you are a coal mining supporter, right now asking, "so what will we use to turn on the lights if we don't have coal mining?" the answer is, renewable energy. Some combination of wind, solar, fuel cells, petro algae, natural gas and other technologies will ultimately take the place of foreign oil and domestic (and imported) coal to power our country. This will happen, it's just a matter of when. Stopping coal mining will help expedite this process, and anybody who sees The Last Mountain will most likely become a zealot for ending the madness that is mountaintop coal removal.

Photo obtained via a Creative Commons license

Follow Jennifer Schwab on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SCGreen_Home

The Detroit Auto Show: Sure Looks Green to Me

Friday, January 21, 2011 by Jennifer Schwab of SCGH

I'll bet many of you have heard rumblings from friends and relatives or colleagues at work about the premature death of the green movement, and how the economic recovery must first occur before we even address climate change. This rhetoric is a groundswell among otherwise rational people, not just climate change deniers.

I just returned from the Detroit Auto Show (courtesy of Ford Motor Company, I should disclose) and there was one overwhelming, over-arching headline that was in your face, anywhere you looked: the green movement in personal transportation is just beginning. Virtually every automaker showcased green cars above all else. Doubting Thomas's claim that electrics and hybrids combined won't amount to more than five percent of the total car market. It's hard to fathom that almost all the car companies would devote this relentless effort to R&D and marketing launch publicity in return for only a token slice of sales. Indeed, some analysts seriously question the numbers behind the auto industry going green. Thankfully, the companies themselves seem rather committed at this point and there appears to be no turning back.

Now, skeptics might say that four or five years ago, when the green movement appeared to be The Next Big Thing times ten, the automakers had to decide to go green and we are just now seeing the real results of those decisions. (It takes anywhere from two to five years for a new model to make it from concept to production.) I would humbly submit that the incredible onslaught of hybrid, electric and other alternative fuel vehicles seen at the 2011 North American International Auto Show demonstrates that those who really know - the car makers themselves - believe Gen Y and Net Gen are being raised to be environmentally conscious as part of their DNA and will default to buying green vehicles.

Highlights of this commitment include everything from the new small car line from Ford (Fiesta, Focus and C-Max) to two new models of Prius from Toyota, to the best of show-winning Chevrolet Volt hybrid electric, the all electric Nissan Leaf, and unbelievable electric/hybrid race cars for the street from Mercedes Benz (the E-Cell, an electric version of the new SLS Gullwing which only come in a retina piercing electric yellow hue) and Porsche (the 918 hybrid street exotic and track version, both of which are absolutely stunning). The only automakers who seemingly didn't have much to boast about green-wise were Ferrari and Maserati. Even Bentley claims its new GT, all 5,000+ pounds and almost 600 horsepower's worth, is significantly lighter and more fuel-efficient than its predecessor.

Ford Press Conference 2011

Critics claim that hybrids make great publicity and image, but consumers won't pay thousands more for them. Even if that turns out to be true, there seems to be a trickle-down effect that benefits everyone. That is, even good old fashioned gasoline automobiles now get anywhere from good to stunningly great fuel economy. You don't have to go hybrid or electric to go fuel efficient. For example, most gas models of the Fiesta, Focus and C-Max from Ford will get 30-45+ mpg. Those are numbers that even three years ago were almost unachievable. Clearly, the emphasis on going green has affected the designers and engineers, as has the Federal fuel economy fleet requirement to average 35 mpg by 2020. They say you cannot mandate technology, and that the free enterprise system won't allow for products that consumers don't want to buy. What's happening right now with fuel efficient vehicles may prove otherwise. How great is that for the environment, and consumer pocketbooks?

Another example worthy of mention is why Ford invited me and several other green bloggers to the Detroit show in the first place. Ford Digital Communications Director Scott Monty brought these greenies in mostly to show off its commitment to open communications with the environmental media. Participants came from as far away as India, South Africa, Australia, China and Italy, all of which are important international markets for Ford and most major automakers. Many of these writers were not car people, and for that matter, some didn't even have driver's licenses. Ford wanted to show off its environmentally responsible activities such as the clean and green River Rouge plant, previously a classic "Allentown" style hot, dirty and polluting facility which now boasts a green roof, grey water systems, green packaging and recycling top to bottom, and cool, well lit working conditions. For years I wondered about Executive Chairman Bill Ford's grandiose claims from the green soapbox. The rebuilt Rouge plant is truly a great example of a Rust Belt industrial nightmare turned green showpiece. Ford also demonstrated its in-car "Sync" system which is directed at Gen Y and Net Gen with everything from full voice activation to internet hot spot, inputs for all forms of digital music, state-of-the-art NAV systems, and more, all at a price point that younger drivers can afford. All of these features will be offered in the lower priced car lines, not only the upscale models.

Ford Factory Assembly Line

Most major automakers can point to many green product claims and internal practices that were just a pipedream a few short years ago. For this, a green blogger such as I, one who admits to liking cars as part of Americana and the freedom of personal transportation, can feel a lot better about where this industry is headed and what it is doing to address climate change. If the green movement is more hype than reality, this industry ain't buying it and for that we should be grateful.

Consumer Electronics Association Moving Towards Green

Thursday, January 13, 2011 by Ted Ning

The Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®, owner and producer of the International CES, donated $75,000 to Green Chips, a non-profit organization promoting carbon neutrality, to support sustainable energy in southern Nevada.

“This donation illustrates CEA’s commitment to sustainability in the Las Vegas area as we launch another successful International CES,” said Gary Shapiro, president and CEO of CEA. “Green Chips is creating clean energy and showing the power of green innovation and ingenuity in southern Nevada, which mirrors CES’ dedication to being a green tradeshow and to implementing sustainable practices.”

Shapiro presented a check today to Oscar Goodman, chairman of Green Chips and Mayor of Las Vegas, in a ceremony at the Las Vegas Convention Center, the official site of this year’s CES from January 6-9.

The donation was made to Green Chips’ Non-Profit Energy Audit and Retrofit program, which typically covers the cost of a building’s energy efficiency audit and construction retrofit needs. The Shade Tree, a Las Vegas women’s shelter, has utilized this energy efficiency audit and solar retrofit program, along with installing solar panels, to cut energy costs by a projected 10 percent.

“This contribution will enable Green Chips to conduct more audits and prepare more buildings for clean solar energy,” Goodman said. “We applaud CEA’s contribution and welcome another year of the CES, the world’s largest consumer technology tradeshow.”
In 2009, CEA was honored by Trade Show Executive Magazine with the “Leader in Green Initiatives” Gold Grand Award for the greening of the CES. At the 2010 International CES, CEA worked with the Las Vegas Convention Center to recycle 68 percent (372.2 tons) of the total solid waste generated by show attendees through diversion of cardboard, paper, metal, wood, carpet padding and plastic from landfills.

Last year at CES, CEA donated $50,000 to the Las Vegas Metro Police Department to purchase seven Vetrix electric motorcycles, which are on the streets of the tourist corridor every day helping to keeping Las Vegas both safe and green.

More details on the greening of CES are available here: www.cesweb.org/cesgreening.asp.

TEDx: Plastic Is the New Smoking

Tuesday, December 21, 2010 by Jennifer Schwab of SCGH

Think of the Gulf oil spill only a couple thousand miles longer. A loosely formed mass of plastic paraphernalia stretches from the beaches of Santa Monica, all the way across the Pacific Ocean, the other end of this unwieldy but deadly man made monster reaching the eastern Chinese coast. Thus the subject of a one-day conference at the Annenberg House entitled "The TED Great Pacific Garbage Patch" put on by the folks at the Plastic Pollution Coalition.

You may have heard of the TED conference, as in, Technology Entertainment and Design. This was an offshoot of the main TED event, limited to only 80 participants but available free online, as thousands of visitors watched at least part of the proceedings.

A variety of speakers and presentations were all geared around answering the critical question, "how can we live the same lives of convenience without plastics?" Makes you think of the old joke from <em>The Graduate</em> when Mrs. Robinson's husband is counseling Benjamin (Dustin Hoffman) about his future. "Plastics my boy" was at the time a visionary recommendation. And how the worldwide manufacturing industry has embraced those words: over four decades of plastics addiction has caused a true unnatural disaster in our oceans. That's what this conference tried to address.

Suja Lowenthal, vice mayor of Long Beach, allocates millions of dollars annually to clear junk -- mostly plastic -- from the city's beaches. She also documented the tens of millions that must be spent annually by Long Beach and Los Angeles to just pick up the plastic trash discarded by citizens. Loventhal thinks plastics abuse is indicative of a deeper societal problem. "We have convinced emerging societies that a sign of wealth, progress and their becoming truly middle class is usage of disposables, bottles, utensils and packaging." We need to teach the masses to be eco-responsible, not just consumers. Obvious perhaps, but a challenge that will probably take decades to achieve.

Monica Wilson wants to end the use of incinerators to dispose of trash. When you think about it, incinerators seem on the surface to be a good idea as a huge pile of waste is reduced to a handful of ash. Unfortunately, the process releases dioxins, PCBs and other chemicals into the air. Just think about melting all that plastic, surely there are dangerous fumes released in the process. Wilson's Global Alliance for Incineration Alternatives is trying to spread the word about the dangers of incineration worldwide.

Ken Cook heads Environmental Working Group, which believes that plastic pollution begins in the womb. They found BPA in nine of ten newborns tested per year, among other birth defects they claim are affected by the plastics waste we passively ingest.

Andy Keller is otherwise known as The Plastic Bag Monster. His company, ChicoBag, creates sustainable bags you can carry in your pocket. He also showed up in costume to spoof the pervasiveness of plastic bags in our daily life. The point was made: we can get by without, and the only way to do so will be to end single-use plastics.

<img alt="2010-11-10-BagMonsterTedx.jpg" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2010-11-10-BagMonsterTedx.jpg" width="333" height="500" />
Photo taken by Nels Israelson November 4-7 2010

To that end, a sea change (if I may use a bad pun) will never happen without getting business on board. Patrick McKenney has a plan for this: bioplastics, which use biopolymers instead of polymers. Industrial composting is another idea that needs critical mass to make an impact. "Plastic product owners don't want to invest in R&D to retool their manufacturing," explained McKenney. The only way we can make this happen is consumer pull-through, which will occur only if end use customers complain about plastic packaging and products and vote with their pocketbooks. Andy Behar is also encouraging business to move away from plastics through his "As You Sow" organization, which consults with corporations to increase their accountability. They serve as a policing body to ensure companies are in compliance with water and toxins regulations. They also use shareholder advocacy and the financial markets to catalyze positive change within publicly held companies.

To incentivize all this, TED XPrize honcho Ferris Thompson proposed a $10 million prize to the inventor who creates a commercial solution to cleaning up plastic polymer pollution and basically reinvents plastic as we know it. Although the TED XPrize qualifications are extensive, this appears to be a working model to spur innovation.

Van Jones, former environmental adviser to the Obama administration, suggests this is more of a socio-economic problem than we'd like to admit. "Higher income levels allow choices," he explained. "Cheaper products are often the most dangerous. Poor people suffer the most both in production and usage of plastic packaging and products."

<img alt="2010-11-10-VanJones.jpg" src="http://images.huffingtonpost.com/2010-11-10-VanJones.jpg" width="500" height="375" />
Photo taken by Nels Israelson November 4-7 2010

Indeed, one of the best goody bags ever included non-plastic lip balm from Organic Essence; a resuable bamboo utensils set that can replace plastic ones from To-Go Ware; a reusable sandwich bag from Graze Organic, and a glass straw from Glass Dharma. All packaged in a very handy lightweight fold-up shopping bag/backpack provided by ChicoBag. I call out the names of these products for a reason: we need to buy them to support the plastics reduction concept. If we don't go out of our way to eliminate unnecessary plastics from our daily lives, we sure can't expect the general public to do so. Also noteworthy is a new juice vending kiosk machine by Ecowell. I guzzled some super healthy, stunningly tasty fruit juice from this totally sustainable, no-waste system. Even Ecowell's press kit is made from all recycled material.

We heard from David de Rothschild, who built the Plastiki, an ocean-going boat made from plastic water bottles and spent four months sailing it across the Pacific. He did this to raise awareness about the plastic pollution problem, quite effectively I might add.

Beth Terry is one of the most genuine "do not only as I say, but as I do" activists out there. She is living a life without plastic, and going to extreme lengths to do so. She literally laid out all of her plastics for the year on stage. This included mostly items for her cat, packaging from a gift, and prescription bottles. As an ex-accountant, when she mentioned she quantified her plastic consumption on a spreadsheet, it struck a chord. If we all took these extreme measures, maybe we'd understand just how much plastic we go through annually. Check out this all-important resource at <a href="http://www.fakeplasticfish.com" target="_hplink">www.fakeplasticfish.com</a> to gain insight on plastic alternatives.

Other important speakers too numerous to mention all gave moving accounts of their work to help save the Pacific Ocean. Also noteworthy were performances by artists and musicians, tied into the subject matter. Several photographers and mixed media artists have done great works including photography of sea debris entitled "Drifters" by Georgia State professor Pam Longobardi -- dedicated to cleaning up the plastic waste in our oceans.

Any negatives about The TED Great Pacific Garbage Patch? Only that sometimes I feel we are preaching to a large choir. I have seen the pilgrims and they are us. That's well and good, but somehow we have to sell the general public on what we are doing. Otherwise, even if all of the participants in this conference never use a shred of plastic for the remainder of their lives, not much will be gained to clean up the Pacific Ocean. We've got to get the trickle-down effect to make this all worthwhile.

The Cutting Edge in Green Home Power Is Here

Friday, December 17, 2010 by Jennifer Schwab of SCGH

I have been anxiously awaiting an alternative to conventional electric power and the economic benefits that follow. Of course solar comes to mind, and while I love solar power, it can be expensive and because of the space requirements for panel installation, it is not for everybody.

My prayers were finally answered, as ClearEdge Power of Portland, OR, has rolled out the first home fuel cell. Initially available only in California, the ClearEdge5 self-contained fuel cell was actually announced last year but that was somewhat of a well-kept secret. The availability of this product marks the first time in America that fuel cell technology has become available to individual consumers. The ClearEdge5 can create energy that can power, heat and cool your home, and swimming pool, without using electric power from the utility company. You'll reduce the power you pull from the grid while using natural gas - the cheapest power source available at least for now.

"After significant private equity investment and seven years of research by our 50+ R & D team, ClearEdge Power is proud to be the first to offer this groundbreaking technology to California's homeowners," said Russell Ford, CEO of ClearEdge Power. "This is a major development in America's push to become energy independent. We hope to roll this product out to other states, beginning with New York in the early part of 2011. But California is the first, and homeowners can receive federal and local incentives up to $17,500 by installing a ClearEdge5 kilowatt fuel cell."

Fuel cells provide an alternative to solar, wind and other types of renewable energy. They can also work in concert with solar, wind and other renewable energy sources to power a home or commercial structure. Fuel cells were once considered the technology of the future, but have finally become a clean energy solution for today.

A fuel cell is an electrochemical device which converts a source fuel into electrical current. The electricity generated inside the cell is a reaction between the fuel and an oxidant. Fuel cells can operate indefinitely, so long as the necessary reactants and oxidants are replenished. A hydrogen fuel cell uses hydrogen as its fuel and oxygen as an oxidant. Fuel cells can also use hydrocarbons or alcohol as fuel and chlorine or chlorine dioxide as oxidants.

Unlike petroleum-based fossil fuels, fuel cells are a clean energy source creating virtually no toxins or pollutants. The main byproducts are water, heat, and carbon dioxide. The CO2 emissions are substantially less than those produced by conventional power systems.

I contacted a real-world customer of ClearEdge Power to find out more about how the home fuel cell actually works. Gary Dillabough, of Atherton, CA, is a green industry professional who wanted to find an energy alternative with a smaller footprint than solar panels. "The payback is just over three years," Dillabough explained. "I think several of my friends will also adopt this technology after seeing how well it works." Admittedly, Dillabough is a sophisticated investor and early adopter of advanced technology, and the ClearEdge5 penciled nicely for his larger home. As should be the case for a pioneer, he is among the first people in the country, if not the world, to try a home fuel cell. But hopefully his favorable experience is a precursor to much more volume, and lower prices as the technology progresses.

You may have heard of the other significant fuel cell provider, Bloom Energy. Unlike ClearEdge Power, Bloom has received tons of publicity. While Bloom focuses on commercial applications - their initial deliveries to corporate headquarters buildings for Google, E-Bay and FedEx among others, attracted lots of attention - I think ClearEdge Power can potentially be even a bigger player in this space because of its suitability for single family homes and small commercial applications. The hype surrounding Bloom has yet to be proven, as the cost to install and run those commercial applications still exceeds the savings by a significant margin. (I should disclose here that I personally have a small investment in Bloom Energy).

Billions of dollars have been invested in alternative and renewable energy technologies. Bloom is rumored to have spent over $450 million to date, and its product is still in the developmental stages. ClearEdge Power is a true pioneer in America's vision to create energy independence. You can now power your home while reducing your energy bills by as much as 50% and reducing your carbon footprint by as much as 40%.

I should note that initially, the ClearEdge5 makes most sense for homes with a larger footprint and power needs, but as the technology is further developed and power costs continue to rise, future CEP models will become accessible to homeowners with smaller homes. We urge you to visit the Sierra Club Green Home website to learn more about this stunning new technology.

Follow Jennifer Schwab on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SCGreen_Home

Alliance Forms in Colorado to Promote Benefits of Solar Thermal Technology

Wednesday, December 8, 2010 by Allie Gardner

Solar Thermal Panels installed by Capitol Solar Energy

Last week I was invited to attend the first stakeholder’s meeting for the newly formed Solar Thermal Alliance of Colorado (STAC).

Founded by the executive directors of the Colorado Renewable Energy Society (CRES) and the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association (COSEIA), STAC aims to promote awareness of the potential of solar thermal to contribute to the sustainability of the renewable energy industry.

If you’re like most people, you may not realize there’s more than one type of solar energy technology. You may just be familiar with photovoltaic or PV technology, the science of converting the sun’s rays into electricity. Solar thermal technology, on the other hand, is different in that it converts the sun’s rays into heat, functioning in a water and space heating capacity.

In Colorado, in particular, the potential for the clean technology of solar thermal is extraordinary. Thanks to warm days—over 300 of them bright and sunny—cold nights, and cold groundwater temperatures, Colorado is the most fitting state in the nation to take advantage of solar thermal. What’s more, solar thermal is 70 percent efficient at capturing and utilizing energy as compared to 17 percent in PV technology and the 30 percent efficiency coal produces. Solar thermal is affordable, the majority of the materials used to manufacture it are made in the U.S., it can adapt to partial shade, can store solar energy, reduce demand off the grid, could displace natural gas, and save homeowners and businesses a tremendous amount of money.

“Colorado is the bullseye for solar thermal technology,” said Laurent Mellion, president of Capitol Solar Energy, a Colorado-based solar thermal installation company. “I have been in business for over twenty years, and I have never seen an opportunity like the potential for solar thermal in Colorado. Solar thermal could address over half of energy needs for homes in addition to providing local labor and manufacturing opportunities. The opportunities far outweigh the challenges.”

Why then, has it been largely ignored by the public in favor of the less-efficient PV? A lack of public awareness and education is one reason and a lack of solar thermal incentives and consistent permitting policies is another. But all of these factors aside, the low cost of natural gas is the main challenge of solar thermal.

Natural gas is priced well below what many think it should be and others argue we shouldn’t be using it at all. “Natural gas shouldn’t be burned anyway. It’s more valuable as a feedstock for petroleum than it is as a fuel,” said Susan Perkins of Perkins Energy Law. “We should leave it in the ground for future generations. We should be using the sun. We need to monetize the value of not using natural gas.”

As Colorado continues to export natural gas to California and other states at what Mellion calls “an alarming rate,” it’s time to start considering other alternatives. What happens when we run out of natural gas or when demand overtakes supply and the price rises? If we’re not prepared for that scenario – which most energy analysts will tell you isn’t far off – we could be in big trouble.

A solution like solar thermal technology, that’s affordable, ecofriendly, reliable, efficient, and sustainable, just may be the socially and environmentally responsible answer.

New York Restaurants Move Toward Sustainability

Thursday, October 28, 2010 by Allie Gardner

Everyone loves to eat out at a restaurant—food just tastes better when a chef prepares it and you don’t have to wash the dishes. But when it comes to sustainability reporting, most restaurants are in the black, not the green.

Restaurants use large amounts of energy and water and produce vast amounts of waste. “There’s huge potential for increasing sustainability in the hospitality industry as we are a huge user, and abuser, of energy,” says Allen Someck of the New York State Restaurant Association.

Someck is the director of a new Green Restaurant Initiative grant awarded to the NYS Restaurant Association by the Environmental Protection Agency. The purpose of the grant is to educate restaurant owners on energy conservation and sustainability.

“Our focus will be on how to reduce energy, water, and hazardous waste at the restaurant level while supporting each individual restaurant’s bottom line,” said Someck. “It’s a way for us to facilitate the green movement in the hospitality sector.”

The grant includes providing a series of eight conservation trainings for restaurant owners over a period of 18 months. Trainings include presentations from energy industry leaders and departments as well as sustainability experts. In addition, audits will be performed at each restaurant in order to customize conservation recommendations and energy efficiency tips.

“We have found the best way to implement change is to work with restaurants on a one-on-one basis. We’ll be making recommendations for short and long term investments,” says Someck. “Some of the recommendations will be immediate and easy to implement. Others will require more planning.”

Among the innovative clean technologies discussed at the training series will be an affordable energy management system that allows a restaurant owner to control the restaurant’s energy system, including temperature and compression levels, remotely from a laptop.

A big step in the right direction, I’d say. Kudos to the NYS Restaurant Association for leading New York restaurants into a greener, more ecofriendly future.

FTC's New "Green Guides" Finally Emerge

Friday, October 8, 2010 by Jay Eckhardt

After almost three years of consultation and planning, and following a great deal of anticipation in recent months, the Federal Trade Commission has finally published “Proposed, Revised Green Guides.” This latest version of the Green Guides will be open for public comment until December 10, 2010. After that, according to an FTC press release, the agency will issue a final, official version of the Guides.

It’s a sad truth, but consumers and regulators view environmental marketing claims with increasing skepticism. While many companies make fair claims about the environmental attributes of their products, others are exploiting consumer demand for sustainable products with false or unsubstantiated marketing claims. Thanks to such tactics, the term “greenwashing” has entered the marketing lexicon. The environmental marketing firm TerraChoice brilliantly describes and defines greenwashing in its 2009 Greenwashing Report, and concludes that many, if not most, environmental marketing claims are unfounded.

In this climate, it’s no surprise that the FTC is stepping up efforts to combat greenwashing. A key step in this new enforcement effort is to provide more guidance on environmental marketing claims through the Green Guides. The Guides (last updated in 1998) provide non-binding “interpretations” of federal consumer protection regulations, namely Section 5 of the FTC Act (15 U.S.C. § 45), which is the law that empowers the agency to punish deceptive practices.

The Green Guides provide common-sense instruction on green marketing strategy, and more specific guidance on particular marketing terms that were popular in 1998, including “biodegradable,” “compostable,” “recyclable,” “refillable,” and “ozone safe.” The new proposed Green Guides address those terms, but also provide guidance on new terms and concepts found in present-day green marketing, such as:

environmental seals of approval,
“free-of” and “non-toxic” claims,
carbon offsets,
claims concerning renewable energy, and
claims concerning renewable materials.

Given the explosion of environmental marketing claims in recent years, revised Green Guides are well overdue. But what kind of impact will they have? The new Guides do not really change the rules; the FTC has always identified the Green Guides as “guides” useful in applying consumer protection law. Ultimately, product claims for clean technologies will be evaluated under the FTC Act itself, for their potential to deceive consumers. If claims are vague and unqualified, or cannot be substantiated by scientifically proven facts, they are going to be suspect.

The FTC provides a brief summary of the proposed Green Guides here, provides the complete Guides with analysis and comment here; public comments on the proposed Guides may be submitted here. Read more insightful commentary on the new Green Guides here, and here.

Guest Blogger Joseph ("Jay") Eckhardt is an attorney at Stoel Rives LLP, based in Portland, Oregon.

I Can See Clearly Now... Not!?

Tuesday, September 21, 2010 by Jennifer Schwab of SCGH

I am not old enough to remember, but I have heard plenty of stories from older folks about how a literal cloud of smog once hung over downtown Los Angeles. On a perfect sunny morning, you could see only the lower floors of buildings, no real skyline. This is hard to imagine now, as air quality has improved SO much over the past three decades that downtown L.A. can now join the ranks of other major American cities with its own signature views.

Photo: Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive/UCLA Library

Downtown Los Angeles; January 2010

California has always been a leader in environmental legislation, perhaps to a fault. Many in the oil and automotive industries have accused the state's lawmakers of trying to "legislate technology" by mandating virtually impossible reductions in carbon emissions spewing from the tailpipes of our autos. Funny how after all the complaining, they managed to do so, to the point that literally one 1959 Cadillac, like the ones Elvis used to drive, makes more emissions than 100 of the new Cadillac CTS models that are commonly seen around Los Angeles.

The results of this technology improvement are obvious on most mornings. I can see clearly now, as the Johnny Nash song goes, the skyline of L.A. is very visible on a bright sun-shiney day. As the old cars are scrapped and the age of our national fleet is modernized, the improvement in the air we breathe continues. Being able to actually see this only adds to the proof of concept: sometimes "legislating technology" can actually work.

Despite this improvement in science, technology and air quality, it comes as no surprise that a movement is heating up to set aside the Global Warming Solutions Act, which became law over four years ago. Why? Well, oil companies and their backers contend that with California's 12.4 percent unemployment rate, continuing to make the clean air laws tougher will cost jobs and cause higher prices at the pump. You know the drill.

Port of Los Angeles Air Quality Report Card 2005-2009

At the same time, there is a contingent of intelligencia led by former Secretary of State George Schultz, who claim that the new laws are fostering the birth of the green economy and should be upheld. Makes sense to me -- and the large venture capital firms who already have hundreds of millions if not billions of dollars invested in alternative fuels and renewable energy development plays.

Please contact your legislator no matter where you live to reaffirm your support of California's Global Warming Solutions Act, otherwise known as A.B. 32 -- and your opposition to the sentiment that gave life to Proposition 23, the move to suspend A.B. 32. As we know, many states follow California's lead on things environmental, so if Prop 23 is successful, shock waves will be sent throughout the country.

A lot of folks will be watching closely on November 2nd. Please support A.B. 32 and "just say no" to Prop 23.

Thanks for reading, as always, comments please....

Follow Jennifer Schwab on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SCGreen_Home

The Black and White on Going Green

Thursday, June 24, 2010 by Jennifer Schwab of SCGH

Needless to say, I try lots of green products. Since we are still in the second inning of America going green, new products are just now entering the marketplace in slightly increasing numbers. I do my quarterly big box runs to examine just how close we are getting to green alternatives of everyday products. Fortunately or unfortunately, I have had the opportunity to test drive many new products and quite frankly the results are mixed.

I worry about this because when curious but non-green citizens are ready to try a green product, it had better live up to its billing. Otherwise, those folks won't try going green again for many years, if ever.

While admittedly lots of the things I try are personal care products, here is an overview of what has worked well -- and what hasn't.

I tried Organic makeup, the Foundation product is just super, easy to apply, feels nice, right consistency. Other Organic makeup products, however, fell short. Especially the pressed powder packaging. While environmentally friendly, the paper containers virtually ripped apart after only two weeks, thus rendering the products useless. Cost is about on par with an average brand like L'oreal but longevity of the product and packaging did not match up.

EcoVer laundry detergent is a "must" as is their all-purpose cleaner. It is one of the few cleaning solvents that is comparable in results to Clorox Greenworks. Simple Green, I'd take a pass. It left an oily residue on my counters.

As for green shampoo and conditioner, the Burt's Bees items I bought seem better suited for my dog (who will use them as I sure won't) than a long haired woman. They left my hair frizzy and dry. Burt's Bees lip balm, hand cream and other products are really good on balance, it should be mentioned.

Time to dry your hair? Don't bother with an Eco hair dryer. Painfully slow due to reduced power wattage, it takes twice as long, thereby negating the power savings. Next. I tried sustainable cork sandals; they looked reasonably stylish, but the fit and comfort left a lot to be desired. So much so that cork shoes are off my list. And while I buy my clothes at second hand boutiques, I don't really want to wear somebody else's shoes...

We tried to decorate our living room with sustainable furniture. Overall, even from a high quality store like Cisco on the West Coast, we found it to be 30-40 percent more expensive, and the designs were, well, homely. Sorry but this category has a long way to go. On the other hand, we picked up some FSC wood outdoor patio furniture that is great looking, very affordable and seems to be weather resistant. Ours came from Target and other large retailers also carry FSC outdoor lines. Buy these -- a great way to test out some sustainable products that you will be happy with!

We also had to replace our wood deck due to termite damage. We told our contractor it had to be made of FSC wood, period, no options. After an exhaustive search, he finally located a suitable batch of FSC wood, which had to be sanded and sealed. The texture was quite rough. This added cost but otherwise, the raw wood cost was the same as normal pre-treated wood. This took a little extra work and expense but not too much, and the results are fabulous. I highly recommend that if you are building decks, fences, water bridges, and so on, insist on FSC wood.

FSC Furniture A not so great home improvement experience came when using AFM Safecoat wood sealant. Our home is made of spruce, so, it needs to be sealed every two to three years. We had to do quite a bit of research but identified a San Diego-based firm that makes fully sustainable sealant which is water not oil based. We purchased it at a slight premium price, and upon first application it looked great -- we were thrilled. Then, it rained. And rained some more (we LOVE this in Southern California, the more rain the better!). Lo and behold, the sealant literally rinsed off the wood, which felt dry and looked "naked" after the rain. We had to re-seal the entire structure at great expense, Ouch! Another case of a sustainable product that cannot compete with its non-sustainable brethren. Too bad.

The list goes on but you get the idea. When it comes to green products you can use at home, there is some risk involved. Like most new Clean Technologies, there is still a lot to learn and overall quality will improve. Hopefully, these personal anecdotes will help steer you in the right direction. Comment back to us and we will advise you on which green products to try -- and which ones to avoid.

Follow Jennifer Schwab on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SCGreen_Home

All That Glitters Is Green: First-Ever Christie's Green Auction

Tuesday, May 18, 2010 by Jennifer Schwab of SCGH

How about a private lunch with Vera Wang, followed by a visit to her boutique for a $10,000 shopping spree focusing on Eco Friendly Fashion? Or lunch with Ted Danson, plus a painting from his personal art collection? Ladies, how about a day on the set with Hugh Jackman? Or for Yankee loyalists all over the world, dinner with General Manager Brian Cashman plus four game tickets? Want to find out what working for George Steinbrenner is really like!?

There were items available through May 6th at http://www.charitybuzz.com/abidtosavetheearth, which is the silent auction portion of Christie's first-ever green auction. The celebrity-rich live event, held at Christie's near Rockefeller Center in late April, offered similarly unique and desirable items and experiences, all to benefit environmental charities including Oceana, Conservation International, Natural Resources Defense Council and Central Park Conservancy. Indeed, these four charities will end up splitting a pot of around $2 million dollars, a wonderful windfall especially when contributions have been hammered by the Recession.

At the live event, guests entered an environment that looked more like something out of Babylon and Adam and Eve than an auction house. The theme was "a collision between art and nature" and the result was spectacular, especially after entering on the green carpet - literally - surrounded by a throng of paparazzi. A crowd of over 800 attended including a host of celebs such as Candice Bergen, Sam Waterston, Ted Danson, Salma Hayek, Brian Williams, and many more from Hollywood, business, the arts and government. Speeches were short, just a few meaningful words from Christie's Chairman Christopher Burge and Susan Rockefeller (she and her husband David were co-chairs of the event).

This was a great concept, taking what has traditionally been a bastion of the elite -- Christie's -- and putting their vast resources to work for a good green cause. Christie's was supported by Target, Deutsche Bank, NBC Universal and several other sponsors, which resulted in a super high end event that brought visibility to climate change issues and created significant revenue for the general funds of four deserving charities.

I really hope this becomes an annual event for Christie's and that other organizations and NGOs take advantage of this innovative green marketing strategy for fundraising. Everyone knows that the recession has been brutal on the budgets of most non-profit organizations, as donations are down and their own portfolios have been decimated. The green auction idea is a fun and ecofriendly way to raise consciousness as well as funding for the environmental movement. Come to think of it, also very appropriate for Christie's since their very business is sustainability as they sell old items which get "re-used" as they are handed down through generations.

A final anecdote: at risk of sounding like a celebrity hound (I'm not) and a TV fan (I don't watch much), a personal highlight was the chance to visit one on one with Sam Waterston of Law & Order at the after-party, held at the trendy Monkey Bar. I admit to being a bit of a Law & Order junkie, and got to ask him about the departure of Detective Goren, his thoughts on our clean energy future, amongst other tidbits around Oceana and the environment. All in all the Christie's Green Auction lived up to its hype in every way. Click on the link and enjoy your opportunity to participate -- http://www.charitybuzz.com/abidtosavetheearth

Follow Jennifer Schwab on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SCGreen_Home

Fortune Brainstorm Green 2010: A Conference for the Environment

Wednesday, April 28, 2010 by Jennifer Schwab of SCGH

Billions of dollars are at stake. Not to mention reputations of leaders in business, academia and government. Even the public image of our country on the world stage is hanging in the balance.  

 Despite differing viewpoints on nuclear energy, coal-fired power plants, wind energy and a variety of important subjects in the world of green, one consistent theme emerged at the Fortune Brainstorm Green conference, held earlier this month at the sumptuous Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel Resort in Southern California. And that is: we need an official, approved and legislated policy on carbon reduction and we need it now. Not only careers, but also many thousands of jobs and potentially the future of our planet (not to mention Sierra Club Green Home.com) are all seemingly on "hold" until Washington can cobble together a bill on carbon reduction that will pass in the Senate.

Over 300 luminaries from the environmental world, as well as corporate America, Wall Street and Silicon Valley populated  the conference. Listening to the panel discussions, I realized just how committed the big time venture capital groups are to the clean energy movement succeeding. It almost felt like we are all loaded into the same boat together, furiously rowing out to sea but without a compass. Environmentalists, corporate sustainability officers and the investment community look back in nostalgia to the 2009 conference when it seemed certain the U.S. would have an energy policy in place by now.

Some companies and investors cannot proceed without knowing exactly what the U.S. government will ultimately call law on carbon reduction. Be it cap and trade, cap and dividend, a straight carbon tax, or some hybrid thereof, it seemed most participants would be happy with any reasonable approach at this point. In my mind, it would be the start of an evolving framework that will take years to perfect.   

Aside from this glaring issue, a wide variety of provocative topics were batted about, including Lee Scott from Wal-Mart on how the company is going green (Wal-Mart's proposed Sustainability Index is truly groundbreaking as it requires their supplier companies to use sustainable practices or lose their accounts with the retaining giant); Fred Krupp of Environmental Defense Fund, Mark Turcek of Nature Conservancy and our own Michael Brune of Sierra Club trying to explain what environmentalists really want; "Electric Cars: Mass Market or Mirage?" featuring BMW Engineering VP Tom Baloga and David Sokol, who is Warren Buffet's point man on energy investing; legendary green guy Stewart Brand along with several power company CEOs on whether nuclear power is part of the answer (I am still very questionable on this); Aspen Skiing Co. CEO Mike Kaplan on whether sustainable business can operate without the usual hypocrisy and morality issues; "Chasing the Dream of Sustainable Consumption" with top execs from Dell, Starbucks and Wal-Mart, among many, many more.

A representative from Dell explained their commitment to going carbon neutral: they are changing their packaging from polyethylene to bamboo; powering down all corporate machines every evening; offering free recycling for all Dell computers among other initiatives. IBM's expertise in nanotechnology is being leveraged to improve the water desalinization process. Starbucks is feverishly working on making all their cups recyclable, as due to the high temperatures of the beverages, standard recyclable paper cups will not work. Bill Ford of Ford Motor Co. reminded us that no true economic recovery has ever occurred in this country without a strong industrial base. Manufacturing, he said, is critical to keeping America employed and productive.   

Also way cool was a performance by rock keyboardist Chuck Leavell, best known for his work with the Allman Brothers and Rolling Stones. Leavell was on hand not only to entertain, as he is co-founder and primary investor in Mother Nature Network, the green news and information site.

Equally impressive was the true green practices utilized for the entire conference. The Ritz-Carlton offers extensive recycling; efficient watering systems for all landscaping; greywater recycling of washing machine water; and reuse of sheets and towels unless otherwise specified by guests. FORTUNE served organic and sustainable produce from local providers; organic wines, beers and teas; reusable water bottles provided by Dell; onsite shuttle service by electric and hybrid vehicles; and all leftover food was given to local shelters. These are things that ALL conferences and meetings should do, but kudos to FORTUNE for keeping it real -- I've attended too many green events that didn't even have recycling, much less green practices or sustainability management!

 I'm already looking forward to next year's conference. At least by then, there should be resolution one way or the other about what legislation governing carbon reduction we will be working with.  

 As always, we love to hear your comments, let us know what you think will happen in Congress and how it will affect green business and jobs.

Follow Jennifer Schwab on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SCGreen_Home

ECO:nomics -- Creating Environmental Capital

Thursday, March 11, 2010 by Jennifer Schwab of SCGH

Santa Barbara, Calif -- Talk about brains, power and money in one room. This was the ECO:nomics Conference, put on by The Wall Street Journal at the lush Bacara Resort. Legendary investor T. Boone Pickens; top venture capitalists John Doerr and Vinod Khosla; CEOs of Royal Dutch Shell, Rio Tinto and American Electric Power; Energy Secretary Steven Chu; the list goes on. This was almost enough business horsepower to warrant autograph seeking.

If there is one clear message coming out of this gathering, it's that we need to assign a price or cost to carbon emissions, and soon. Almost all the speakers agreed that be it through a direct tax on carbon -- which would affect the average consumer at the pump and on their energy bills -- or the cap and trade model, which auctions off "permits to pollute" to all businesses that emit carbon, we need to enact some serious legislation on this immediately.

Other provocative subjects discussed included wind energy, natural gas, nuclear energy, other types of alternative power, synthetic genomics (I will admit I had a hard time following J. Craig Venter's rocket science, but it involves using genomic research to discover new ways to produce energy) and not incidentally, water.

In fact, one of the best speakers was Patricia Mulroy, General Manager of Southern Nevada Water Authority. She explained that even with the winter rainfall we have been enjoying, Lake Mead (which supplies water for most of Southern Nevada) will be at dangerously low levels by 2016 and Hoover Dam may stop producing electric power. Scary stuff indeed. Mulroy added that water conservation efforts have been quite successful so far, including incentivizing citizens and developers to remove grass and replace it with low-water landscaping. Southern Nevada's water requirements have been reduced by almost a third since 2002, quite an amazing statistic. My comment is this: for those who think climate change is a myth, what do you propose we do about a situation like this? Even with strong conservation measures in place, we are running out of water...

I am one of many who were wondering whatever happened to T. Boone Pickens' wind energy initiative? Well, the answer is oil prices that were $125 a barrel ended up around $80 and thus the math no longer works. Pickens had 648 wind turbines on order from GE, he was able to negotiate that down to 324 and those will indeed be arriving on his doorstep. He will deploy them but the problem with wind energy remains transmission. Of course, Pickens has now moved on to natural gas as our savior. This concept had a number of supporters in the room but was far from unanimous.

Tom Albanese, CEO of Australia-based Rio Tinto, one of the world's largest mining companies, believes in clean coal and thinks it can be part of the energy solution. (As Director of Sustainability for Sierra Club Green Home.com, I must add that I strongly disagree.) Gregory Boyce, CEO of Peabody Energy which is one of the largest coal companies in the world, gave statistics showing just how married to coal American, Japanese, India and Chinese industrial companies are. Albanese made a very strong point that businesses and investors have been preparing for a cost on carbon for quite awhile now, and not having legislation in place leaves a giant question mark going forward for everyone. This point was echoed by top V.C. John Doerr, who ought to know since he has deployed hundreds of millions of dollars into Cleantech over the past nine years.

One of Doerr's early investments was Bloom Energy, which makes a fuel cell technology called the Bloom Box. This self-contained power unit runs off natural gas and provides enough energy, off the electric power grid, to run a large industrial facility and eventually, a smaller unit will power homes. Bloom has used up over $400 million of investor capital already and the audience was mixed on whether the Bloom Box will ultimately be commercially viable. Stay tuned on this one.

The final speaker was Energy Secretary Steven Chu. I was hoping he would address the important question raised by Rio Tinto's Albanese: now that the world's leading companies have braced themselves for assigning a cost to carbon emissions, when will that be, what will that entail, and how will it be administered? His answer: I am optimistic that energy legislation addressing this issue will be passed this year. And that America still can win the worldwide race to lead the green economy. "The Clean Energy movement is ours to lose. China is moving quickly; they see this industry as a huge export opportunity," he added. "This is an incredible economic opportunity for the United States. We have to rebuild our energy infrastructure to make us energy independent."

Follow Jennifer Schwab on Twitter: www.twitter.com/SCGreen_Home

Organics can feed the World

Sunday, March 7, 2010 by Ted Ning

by Seleyn De Yarus

THE UNITED NATIONS AND LEADING RESEARCHERS CONCLUDE THAT ORGANIC FARMING IS A VIABLE OPTION FOR GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND SUSTAINABILITY.

There are an estimated 6.9 billion humans on planet Earth. Of those, there are an estimated 3 billion people living on less than $2 a day. Access to healthy food, housing, and drinkable water challenges nearly half of our species. However, evidence is mounting that organic agriculture can feed and provide income and sustainability to a growing number of the world’s poor while also ensuring healthier ecosystems and more nutritious food.

A shining example of how organic agriculture provides sustenance on many levels is the Tigray Project in Ethiopia.
Local and national experts have cooperated with farmers in the Tigray region and tapped the rich knowledge of the farmers to understand and utilize local ecosystem elements rather than depend on fertilizers. Tigray has achieved higher yields, higher groundwater levels, better soil fertility, increased household income, and stronger livelihood opportunities for farmers than previous efforts with conventional agriculture. The Ethiopian government has now adopted this approach to mitigate soil damage and alleviate poverty in 165 local districts in the grain producing parts of Ethiopia.

A report showing further evidence that organic farming can feed the world was presented in October 2008 by the United Nations Environmental Program. In a statement to The Independent, the head of the UN’s Environment Program, Achim Steiner, said the report “indicates that the potential contribution of organic farming to feeding the world may be far higher than many had supposed.”

The report analyzed 114 projects in 24 African countries and found that yields had more than doubled where organic or near-organic practices had been used as compared to conventional crops. Additionally, the study found that organic practices provided environmental benefits such as improved soil fertility, better retention of water, and resistance to drought. The research also highlighted the role that organic farming could play in improving in areas such as local education, agro-ecological knowledge, leadership training, adult literacy, computer knowledge and experimental farming programs. The report can be found at www.unep.org.

Out With The Green Revolution, In With The Organic Revolution

The Green Revolution, so named in the 1960s and 1970s, offered a package of hybrid seeds, farm technology, better irrigation techniques, and chemical fertilizers and pesticides. It was successful at meeting its primary objective of increasing crop yields and augmenting aggregate food supplies. Yet, despite its success, the Green Revolution as a development approach has not necessarily translated into benefits for the lower strata of the rural poor in terms of greater food security or greater economic opportunity and well-being.

Research shows that the latest scientific approaches in organic agriculture offer developing countries affordable, immediately usable, and universally accessible ways to improve yields. Rodale Institute is a 60-year-old research and education nonprofit with the longest ongoing comparative agricultural field trials in the world.

“Yield data just by itself makes the case for a focused and persistent move to organic farming systems,” explains Dr. Tim LaSalle, CEO of the Rodale Institute. “When we consider that organic systems are building the health of the soil, sequestering CO2, cleaning up the waterways, and returning more economic yield to the farmer, the argument for an Organic Green Revolution becomes overwhelming. These methods also build the soil, increase drought and flood resistance as well as adaptability to climate change,” LaSalle says.

Remember the high yield goal of the Green Revolution? The quest for maximum yield in conventional agriculture has often resulted in declining nutritional quality, says Dr. Donald Davis of the University of Texas, Austin. He and his team analyzed 50 years of USDA nutrition data. According to a study published in 2004 in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, 13 major nutrients in fruits and vegetables tracked by USDA from 1950 to 1999, six showed significant declines—protein, calcium, phosphorus, iron, riboflavin, and vitamin C.

Dr. Davis noted that over many years of using yield potential as the dominant criterion in developing improved varieties, while average yields have risen, plant root systems have not been able to keep pace in drawing more needed micronutrients from the soil. When breeders selectively breed for one resource, using a selected trait like yield, fewer resources remain for other plant functions, the study explains.

Organic fruits and vegetables on other hand, are on average 25% higher in 11 key nutrients than their conventional, chemically produced counterparts, according to research published in March 2008 by The Organic Center. Organic fruits and vegetables also are 30% higher in antioxidants when compared to their conventional counterparts. The higher levels of antioxidants in organic food may also contribute to better taste, according to a 2006 Organic Center report.

Both international and national research is substantiating that food security, human health, economic development and ecological sustainability are better served through organic agricultural methods than previously recognized. The increased recognition of the downsides of chemically intensive agriculture combined with the growing body of evidence for the benefits of organic agriculture provides new momentum for more sustainable agricultural practices to be adopted globally. This is good news for the burgeoning populations of the developing world and their local environments.

Seleyn DeYarus is the development director of The Organic Center and has been an advocate of organic farming and ecological sustainability for 25 years. For more information, visit www.organic-center.org.

Is the Green MBA a Myth?

Tuesday, February 9, 2010 by Ted Ning

At a time when the U.S. economy is facing its biggest crisis in decades, clean technology offers the promise to be the next big engine of business and economic growth.

What is clean tech? At Clean Edge, a firm that covers the clean technology market, our definition refers to any product, service, or process that delivers value using limited or zero nonrenewable resources, and/or creates significantly less waste than conventional offerings. Clean technology comprises a diverse range of products and services—from solar power systems to hybrid electric vehicles—that:

• Harness renewable materials and energy sources or reduce the use of natural resources by using them more efficiently and productively
• Cut or eliminate pollution and toxic wastes
• Deliver equal or superior performance compared with conventional offerings

Clean tech covers four main sectors: energy, transportation, water, and materials. It includes relatively well-known technologies such as solar photovoltaic (PV) and concentrated solar power (CSP), wind energy, biofuels, advanced lithiumion batteries, and large-scale reverse-osmosis water desalination. It also includes emerging technologies such as wave and tidal power, silicon-based fuel cells, distributed hydrogen generation, plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles, and nanotechnology-based materials.

So how did clean tech go from the stuff of back-to-the-earth utopian dreams to its current revolution among the inner circles of corporate boardrooms, Wall Street trading floors, and government offices around the globe?

We’ve identified six major forces—what we call the six Cs—that are pushing clean tech into the mainstream and driving the rapid growth, expansion, and economic necessity of clean tech across the globe: climate, costs, capital, competition, China, and consumers.

Costs. Perhaps the most powerful force driving today’s clean-tech growth is simple economics. As a medium to longterm trend, clean-energy costs are falling as the costs of fossil fuel energy, despite the drop in the price of oil in the second half of 2008, are going up. The future of clean tech is going to be, in many ways, about scaling up manufacturing and driving down costs. Recent advances in core technology and manufacturing processes have significantly improved performance, reliability, scalability, and cost of clean energy sources, primarily solar and
wind.

By contrast, in conventional fossil-fuel power such as coal and natural gas (which together provide approximately 60% of the world’s electricity), the generating technologies are mature, stable, and already widely deployed—so their technology costs are relatively steady and predictable. What determines the price of conventional power is the cost of fuel—and the price of fossil fuels, while certainly experiencing directional gyrations as we’ve seen in the past year, has nearly always moved in the same general direction over the long term: up.

With solar, wind, small-scale hydroelectric, geothermal, and even the nascent technology of ocean tide and wave generated electricity, the price-determining formula is just the opposite. There is no cost of “fuel”—the sun, the breeze, the heat of the earth, the tides and waves arrive free of charge daily.

Climate. Alarm is growing about the climate-change consequences caused by our continued dependence on carbon-intensive, greenhouse gas (GHG)–emitting energy and transportation sources, and manufacturing processes. The United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned in 2007 that global GHG emissions must be in decline by 2015 to avert disastrous “runaway” climate change. And with insurance giants such as Swiss Re and Munich Re thinking twice about climate impact on the issuance of their policies (try getting an insurance policy for an oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico), the climate issue is coming front and center for companies, governments, and individuals.

This is driving clean-tech investment and deployment and becoming an increasingly important factor in assessing
investment risk factors. Global companies from DuPont to Wal-Mart are investing heavily to promote energy efficiency and clean tech in their operations to reduce their GHG contributions. “As an investor, do you believe that we’re going to take climate change seriously in terms of legislation?” asks Mark Trexler, president of Trexler Climate + Energy Services, a firm in Portland, Oregon, that advises companies and utilities on carbon-reduction strategies. “To completely ignore it, in terms of investment decisions, would be a terrible thing.”

Consumers. Rising energy prices, polluted ecosystems, and growing awareness of climate change and the geopolitical costs associated with fossil fuels are driving a shift in consumer attitudes and consumer demand for clean-tech products and services. That’s forcing companies that sell to consumers – from appliance makers to auto manufacturers to Wal-Mart – to produce and sell cleaner, more efficient products and to market them aggressively.

Who is driving this demand and growth, which is also evidenced by the steady expansion of the LOHAS demographic sector? Both early adopters, who installed the first solar PV system in their neighborhood or purchased an early-model Toyota Prius, and mainstream customers, who are installing high-efficiency water heaters, buying higher-mileage cars, insulating their homes with recycled denim, and demanding efficient EnergyStar appliances and windows.

These 21st century consumer preferences don’t seem to be slowed by the dramatic drop in gasoline prices that began in the fall of 2008. A Consumer Federation of America survey in February 2009 found that 76 percent of U.S. adults were still concerned about high gas prices and an equal number worried about American dependence on oil from the Middle East.

Capital. An unprecedented influx of capital is changing the clean-tech landscape, with billions of dollars, euros, yen, and yuan pouring in from a myriad of public and private sector sources. Since the 1970s, investments in clean technology have moved from primarily government research and development (R&D) projects to major multinationals, well-heeled venture capitalists, and savvy individual investors.

General Electric, the world’s largest diversified manufacturer, plans to invest up to $1.5 billion a year in clean-tech R&D by 2010 as part of its “Ecomagination” business strategy. Spain-based energy giants Iberdrola and Acciona are both poised to spend billions of dollars building out their clean-energy portfolios, primarily wind power, over the coming years. Toyota reportedly spends some $8 billion annually in R&D, much of it for hybrid and fuel-cell development. Sanyo, the fourth largest solar cell manufacturer in the world behind Sharp, Q-Cells, and Kyocera, has said it will invest $350 million over 5 years to expand its solar operations as well.

The trend is significant. In 2008, despite its fourth-quarter downturn, venture capital investments in clean tech (in North America, Europe, China, and India) grew 38% to $8.4 billion, according to research firm The Cleantech Group in San Francisco.

China. Clean tech is being driven by the inexorable demands being placed on the earth not only by mature economies but also China, India, Brazil, Russia, and other rapidly developing nations. Their expanding energy needs are driving major growth in clean-energy, transportation, building, and water-delivery technologies.

China is emblematic of the resource-constraint issues facing our planet; China will not be able to sustain its growth if it doesn’t widely embrace clean technology. The Chinese government is starting to understand this and in 2006 committed to investing more than $200 billion over 15 years to meet nationally mandated targets for clean energy. China is planning to have 60 gigawatts of renewable energy (not including large hydroelectric) by 2010 and 120 GW by 2020.

Competition. This refers to competition among cities, regions, and nations to attract and grow clean tech as a core industry for job creation and economic development. Thrust into the national spotlight in the past year with the focus on “green jobs” as a major component of U.S. economic recovery, clean tech as a development tool is gaining significant traction. Whether promoting the retraining of laid-off steelworkers to build wind turbines or employing inner-city job seekers to weatherize homes in their neighborhoods, more governments are seeking (and seeing) the benefits of clean tech-focused development efforts.

These powerful global forces—the six Cs—have put clean tech onto center stage and awakened a diverse range of stakeholders across the world. From Beijing to Berlin, from San Francisco to Bangalore, the clean tech revolution is well under way. It will determine which regions lead and prosper and which regions are left drowning in their own effluents, choking on their own emissions, and struggling to compete in a world that is leaner, greener, and less reliant on fossil fuels.

We believe the choice for investors, companies, governments, and individuals is simple, especially as we seek a dramatic transition out of our current financial crisis. Be part of one of the greatest business and economic shifts in recorded human history, or become extinct like the dinosaurs whose fossils fueled the last great industrial revolution.

It's a Bird! It's A Plane! No, actually, it's Tons of Carbon?!

Friday, December 11, 2009 by Jennifer Schwab of SCGH

So I was wondering, why is it that commercial air travel is considered so non-green? It seems unjust that my efforts to live green all year are negated by a few flights to Sierra Club headquarters and a trip or two to visit my parents.

Most carbon calculators - but notably not ours at Sierra Club Green Home (www.sierraclubgreenhome.com) - penalize even the dark green citizen who is required to fly commercial for work. Let's say you're a sales manager, you diligently recycle, you watch the thermostats, you have low-water landscaping, you eat organic vegetables, you're doing everything right except your job requires you to fly from Denver to Cincinnati twice a month. According to most evaluations, you are a serious carbon emitter. I don't think this is right, it's not fair to call this person a polluter. In ecological thinking, his or her lifestyle and home are green, and should be respected as such.

Although a pitch to the boss for teleconferencing in lieu of so many business trips is the best antidote, the real modern day quest is to achieve eco-friendly air travel. And what about the concept of full vs. empty flights? Nobody will dispute that the least green way to travel (sorry celebrities, CEOs and pro athletes) is by private jet. The amount of carbon produced vs. the number of people moved is not a favorable equation. Consider a 727 stretch packed with 300 people. It would seem that this calculation would be a lot more efficient in terms of carbon produced vs. passenger miles traveled. Kind of like watching a mom drive thru a Starbucks with her 25 pound kid in the passenger seat of a giant SUV - can it get more non-green? Whereas, you can justify driving a stretch Chevy Suburban if it is packed with six or seven passengers and their baggage, this is highly efficient per passenger mile, even at 15 mpg. A better way to quantify your transport emissions would be number of people miles moved per gallon.

Speaking of automobiles, the gains made in emissions control over the past 40 years are mind-blowing. As in, it would take about 50 2009 Corvettes to match the bad exhaust gases produced by one 1969 Corvette big block in an hour of driving. The introduction of computer-controlled engine management and high tech catalytic converters makes this possible. This also explains why the cloud of smog that used to hang over Los Angeles has dissipated significantly over the past few decades. You now can actually see the skyline!

So why, then, haven't airplanes matched this remarkable improvement demonstrated by the car industry? Or have they? To find out, we called Boeing, the world's largest maker of commercial aircraft. We spoke with Billy Glover, Managing Director of Environmental Strategy for Boeing's Commercial Airplane division. In this role, Mr. Glover is primarily responsible for all environmental aspects of the next generation of commercial jets that Boeing will build.

"Fuel efficiency of commercial jets has improved since the 60s by 70 percent," Glover declared. "This must be balanced with the economic consideration that our customers face: their number one cash expense is fuel. They demand improvements each time they order new aircraft."

The efficient marketplace has greatly improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions accordingly. Not to mention, the noise, unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and other yucky stuff produced by commercial jets has been significantly reduced since the 90s. Indeed, take a look at the sky next time a big commercial flight passes overhead. Remember the deafening sound if the plane was below 5,000 feet? And how much visible smoke used to trail behind? That deafening noise has been replaced by near-silence, and those jet streams are for the most part no longer visible. What we are no longer seeing or hearing is technological improvement and reduced emissions. "This has been accomplished by a fundamental change in the architecture of the engine design. The high bypass engine moves higher volumes of air at lower speeds, thus noise is reduced and fuel is saved," explains Glover.

This is all great, but what's next for the sustainable airplane? Boeing and others, most notably Richard Branson's Virgin Air are working on commercial jets that will fly on sustainable biofuels and clean technologies. An industry trade group, Sustainable Aviation Fuels Users Group, is working to establish a sustainable biofuel supply that all aircraft can run on without costly conversions of existing jet engines. One example of biofuel in action was a test in January 2009 -- Continental took a Boeing 737 up for a test flight burning a 50/50 mixture of conventional jet fuel and biofuels. In this particular scenario the biofuel came from algae. The results indicated that this mix could work and it would save the airlines a lot of fuel expense dollars.

Hopefully, advances in jet engine efficiency and emissions control will accelerate, so that at some point our poor sales manager from Denver won't be penalized by the green world for having customers in Cincinnati. A lofty (I can't resist an occasional bad pun) but seemingly achievable goal.

Let's hear from you, as always we encourage and appreciate your comments. Is our sales manager green, or is he/she a carbon villain for flying? You decide. Thanks for reading!

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