2Sustain

New research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) shows that electric vehicles are not just environmentally friendly; they also have the potential to improve the bottom line for many kinds of businesses.

Granted, the up-front costs of electric vehicles can be significant. A company looking to purchase an electric-powered delivery truck today will likely have to shell out nearly $150,000 –compared to about $50,000 for the same kind of truck with a standard internal-combustion engine.

But, the researchers at MIT’s Center for Transportation and Logistics (CTL) found that electric vehicles used to make deliveries on an everyday basis in big cities can cost 9 to 12 percent less to operate than trucks powered by diesel engines. What’s more, as battery costs continue to drop, the business case for electric vehicles will only get better, according to Jarrod Goentzel, director of the Renewable Energy Delivery Project at CTL and one of four co-authors of the new study.

The CTL study was conducted using data collected by the international office supplier Staples, as well as ISO New England, the nonprofit firm that runs New England’s electric power grid.

Using that data, the researchers modeled the costs for a fleet of 250 delivery trucks, and they examined alternate scenarios in which the whole fleet used one of three kinds of motors: purely electric engines, hybrid gas-electric engines and conventional diesel engines.

The researchers analyzed outcomes if the trucks in the fleet were driven 70 miles a day for 253 work days per year, with diesel gasoline costing $4 per gallon. They found that: (more…)

After an in-depth study of 17 global IT services firms across 52 different criteria, the independent analyst firm Verdantix concluded that Accenture, Deloitte, IBM and Logica now lead the way in the highly competitive sustainable technology services market.

According to the Verdantix report, these four firms have distinguished themselves with superior corporate sustainability strategies and stronger commercial expertise across advisory and systems implementation capabilities for:

• renewable energy
• facilities energy management
• sustainable data centers
• environmental compliance
• sustainability performance management
• low carbon transport
• smart grid
• smart meters
• climate change IT services

In addition, the analysis revealed that: (more…)

Colgate-Palmolive has released its latest sustainability report, “Giving the World Reasons to Smile.” The new online report details Colgate’s long-standing commitment, achievements, accomplishments and challenges to sustainability and social responsibility.

Specifically with regard to environmental stewardship, Colgate has:

• Reduced per-ton manufacturing-related greenhouse gas emissions by 21 percent,
• Decreased water use by 44 percent, and
• Lowered wastewater loading by 31 percent

(between 2002 and 2010).

In addition, the company requests that all key suppliers measure and disclose climate change information and overall transparency. Colgate’s Supplier Code of Conduct sets the company’s expectations for suppliers in a number of critical areas, including: (more…)

Building on its reputation as a leader in sustainable seafood practices, Safeway Inc. announced this month that by the end of this year it will transition to free-school purse-seine methods for its Safeway brand skipjack (chunk-light) canned tuna.

This move to a more responsible method of food sourcing is in line with Safeway’s current work on fresh and frozen seafood and will enhance the company’s “Dolphin Safe” tuna commitments previously made to Earth Island Institute.

Here’s some clarification on the fishing method terminology: (more…)

For a decade now, consumers have been calling on chocolate companies to take more responsibility for transparency in the cocoa bean supply chain.  Late last month, the Hershey Company announced that it is doing just that, as it assumes a leadership role in this area and extends its commitment to drive the long-term change that’s needed.

As previously pledged, Hershey has begun to reinforce its cocoa sustainability efforts by accelerating farmer and family development in West Africa, where 70 percent of the world’s cocoa is grown.

In a press release, the company outlined its plans to: (more…)