green business

The Rockefeller family has made an historic challenge to Exxon Mobil Corp. in the form of a shareholder resolution to require an independent chairman of Exxon's board of directors, so that the company can better maximize long-term shareholder value in a rapidly changing energy environment.

The ethical and green products industry has been gaining steam for years precisely because some business visionaries have believed that consumers will indeed pay a little extra for things they can feel better about. But exactly how much extra, and what do companies actually have to do?

Okay so there are lots of companies that are making strides to become eco-friendly. Very often it is a thin line between “greenwashing” and actual improvements but that is a different story all together. So I’m doing my usual perusing around the web today and I come across a story that almost knocks me off my feet, Nike is the most eco-friendly practicing business!

Urine is the main source of some of the chemical nutrients that have to be removed in sewage treatment plants if they are not to wreck ecosystems downstream. Despite making up only 1 per cent of the volume of waste water, urine contributes about 80 per cent of the nitrogen and 45 per cent of all the phosphate. Peeing into the pan immediately dilutes these chemicals with vast quantities of water, making the removal process unnecessarily inefficient.

The most energy-efficient businesses in the U.S. can consume a third less energy than a more conventional company. By arming themselves with knowledge about the financial benefits of sustainability upgrades, facility managers can make these efficiency programs an easy sell.

By gaining control over water use, companies help protect a precious resource, reduce runoff pollution and comply with new conservation legislation. Saving water also reduces the amount of energy needed to transport it.

Cost is the perennial barrier to green corporate investments in energy efficiency, but a new approach from economist Jerry Jackson, the author of "Energy Budgets at Risk," can help companies evaluate these expenditures using tools created by the financial industry.

There are plenty of measures firms can take to limit the environmental impact of business conferences, even in the least-green of locations -- although ultimately holding fewer events may be most sustainable answer.

Now that a certified company has fallen out of compliance with Renewable Energy Certificates rules, REC certifier Green-e is in the position of having to play hardball to maintain the market's credibility.

More businesses are finding it beneficial to lease solar power installations, due in part to state rebate programs and the increasing cost of electrical energy.

Opportunities for green tech entrepreneurs bloom with Microsoft initiatives

Subtle changes to our lifestyles and business practices can have a big impact when done collectively.

Today on our green books series, we're talking business and covering a new book: 'Climate Change: What's Your Business Strategy?' by Andrew J. Hoffman and John G. Woody, which is actually a memo to the CEO. Maybe one of the most important ones that should be put on their table.

The world is obliterated by many man-made products, momentarily useful and when discarded, they leave a nasty scar on the planet. It is often the poorest parts of the world that suffer the worst environmental degradation. The flip-flop is the most basic footwear for so many in the world, and every day thousands of these non-degradable pieces wash up on beaches around the globe, blighting the coastlines and the lives of local coastal people and the marine ecology.

While the truly paperless office may still be a myth and a seemingly impossible goal, it is still something we can move towards in our business operations.