2Sustain

Last month, Kraft Foods shared results of a pioneering survey that measured the company’s impact on climate change, land and water use.

The multi-year footprinting project—in partnership with Quantis Inc. and reviewed by World Wildlife Fund and academics at the University of Minnesota Institute on the Environment—showed Kraft that its environmental impact goes far beyond the company’s walls.

For example, based on the results of the analysis, Kraft, learned that more than 90 percent of its carbon footprint is outside its plants and offices. Nearly 60 percent is from farm commodities.

The company doesn’t own farms, but the survey certainly supports the work of Kraft’s sustainable agriculture efforts on key commodities to improve crop yields, reduce environmental impacts and improve the lives of farm workers and their families.

In addition, the footprinting work revealed that: (more…)

Citing increased pressure from shareholders, half of the multinationals in a recent study said they expect, in the future, to select their suppliers based upon carbon performance.

The research, commissioned by Carbon Trust Advisory, consisted of phone interviews with 100 organizations that have at least 1,000 employees worldwide. The data shows that: (more…)

Both large emission sources and certain suppliers are now required to report their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)  –and the deadline to submit this data is just around the corner.

Fortunately, the agency has released a new electronic GHG Reporting Tool (e-GGRT) to simplify the process.

EPA’s GHG Reporting Program (GHGRP), launched a year ago (in October 2009), requires the annual reporting of GHG data from large emission sources across a range of 28 industrial industry sectors. Likewise, suppliers of products that would emit GHGs if released, combusted or oxidized are also required to report GHG data.

Under this program, the deadline to submit 2010 reports is September 30, 2011.

The EPA says it expects to receive 2010 GHG data from approximately 7,000 large industrial GHG emitters and suppliers, including power plants, petroleum refineries and landfills. The agency plans to publish non-confidential GHG data collected through the GHGRP by the end of 2011. (more…)

For the first time ever, Google has released information about its carbon footprint.

Last week, the company revealed that in 2010 it generated a total of 1.46 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. As The Guardian points out, those emissions are slightly higher than the country of Laos in south-east Asia and about equivalent to the UN’s operational footprint.

However, Google says its ultimate carbon impact is zero –because the company: (more…)

For the first time ever, leaders within the hotel industry are collaborating to reach a consensus on a single methodology for calculating carbon footprints and consistent metrics for communicating emissions.

The International Tourism Partnership (ITP) and the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) are now working together on a groundbreaking initiative to unite hotel industry sustainability efforts regarding carbon impacts. The new Carbon Measurement Working Group includes leading international hotel companies such as Accor, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Hilton Worldwide, Hyatt Hotels & Resorts, InterContinental Hotels Group, Marriott International Inc, MGM Resorts International, Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts, Red Carnation Hotel Collection, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc, Premier Inn – Whitbread Group and Wyndham Worldwide.

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