2Sustain

Last week, the Oakland Board of Port Commissioners adopted a strict ban on “dirty” trucks effective January 1, 2010. The move goes beyond regulations already in place in the state of California and underscores the Port Board’s continued efforts to clean the air in and around Oakland.

“This is another step that clearly demonstrates our commitment to a healthy community,” Port Board President Victor Uno says. “The strict truck ban will help us achieve our goal of reducing the health risk from diesel pollution from seaport sources.” (more…)

The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) just completed the second year of its Climate Corps campaign, and the outcomes are impressive.

Not familiar with the Climate Corp? Let me fill you in:  The Climate Corps sends talented MBA students from top-ranking business schools to Fortune 500 and other leading companies where they make the business case for energy efficiency investments in office buildings and data centers.

This past summer, 26 Climate Corps fellows uncovered efficiencies in lighting, computer equipment and heating and cooling systems that could

• Save more than $54 million in net operational costs over the lifetime of the projects;

• Cut the equivalent of 160 million kilowatt hours of energy use annually—that’s enough to power 14,000 homes;

• Avoid 100,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year— equivalent to taking more than 12,000 SUVs off the road.

The Climate Corps is now recruiting host companies and MBA students for next summer. Find out more details here.

In addition, you can read more about the work of the 2009 fellows here.

Energy efficiency may not be the most “exciting” topic in your sustainability plan, but companies have proven over and over again that gathering this low-hanging fruit is a relatively easy and reliable way to cut costs, reduce GHG emissions, and start moving down the path toward a more sustainable future.

For more information about improving energy efficiencies at your organization, also see this post about the Pew Center’s new corporate energy efficiency web portal.

On Monday, Converting Magazine ran a great article that outlines insights gathered at the recent Flexible Packaging Association’s 2009 Fall Executive Conference.

For instance, I learned that the FPA has launched a three-phase campaign of market research, in-depth scientific research, and an industry and consumer educational “toolkit” –all designed to support flexible packaging’s sustainability benefits.
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A report released yesterday shows that Macy’s Inc. and Schneider National are realizing both financial and environmental gains from using a new trucking system called the “Empty Miles Service.”

The Empty Miles Service matches a company’s empty return trailers with another company’s loads that can be collected and delivered along the return route. The program is offered through a collaboration of these three organizations:

• the Voluntary Interindustry Commerce Solutions (VICS) Association,

• GS1 US, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to the adoption and implementation of standards-based, global supply-chain solutions, and

• GS1 Canada, a member organization of GS1 that represents the interests of Canada in the continuing development of the global language of business.

More than 30 companies are currently using the Empty Miles Service. It is active in the United States, and will launch in Canada later this year.

Here are a few findings from the new report:

• Schneider National has eliminated 61.65 tons of carbon dioxide, 147.24 tons of particulate matter, and 1.47 tons of nitrous oxide while saving 5,554 gallons of diesel fuel.

• The company also has increased dedicated backhaul revenue on specific accounts using the VICS Empty Miles Service by 25%.

• In addition, Schneider National has decreased its operating costs by eliminating 11% of its empty miles and moving 22% more backhaul freight with member shippers.

• Macy’s has experienced an increase of 30 backhaul loads per week, or a projected 1,500 loads per year, at competitive market rates. In addition, for each initial lane opened, Macy’s has reduced annualized transportation costs  by $25,000, on average.

“Filling empty miles with the VICS service is good for the economy, it’s good for the environment, and it’s healthy for those companies that know how to leverage it and leverage it effectively,” concludes Steve Matheys, Executive Vice President, Chief Administration Officer, Schneider National, in the report.

The full case study is available at http://committees.vics.org/communications/em_case_study_9-18/.

On Tuesday, the paper-based packaging industry launched “The Responsible Package,” an industry-wide campaign to promote the versatile and sustainable packaging solutions provided by paper-based products.

The campaign, funded by the Paperboard Packaging Alliance (PPA) and the Corrugated Packaging Alliance (CPA), will raise awareness of the paper-based packaging industry’s sustainable practices and the sustainable products it supplies. In addition, organizers plan for it to champion the renewability of forest products, the high level of success in recycling paper-based products, and the versatility of paper-based packaging.
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