Here’s the latest salvo from our planet’s warriors, Greenpeace.
And it’s Star Wars themed.
Which means I can’t not like it!
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From vwdarkside:
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Related: Is Greenpeace’s Rebel Alliance coming for you next?
From PSFK:
A joint venture between beverage giant Coca-Cola Philippines and environmental group World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) brings forth a 60×60-foot billboard composed of thriving species of Fukien tea plant, the first of its kind in the country. The Fukien Tea plants, each capable of absorbing up to 13 pounds of carbon dioxide in a year, are spread across the billboard with a space in the center in the shape of a Coca-Cola bottle. Anthony Gao, a botanist who worked with Coca-Cola and WWF, comments:
“This billboard helps alleviate air pollution within its proximate areas as it can absorb a total of 46,800 pounds of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, on estimate. This billboard also makes use of recyclable materials. A total of 3,600 pots were used in the billboard, recycling old bottles of various Coca-Cola products.”
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Here’s the other feature of interest: A Drip Irrigation System (via WWF):
A drip irrigation system, also known as trickle irrigation or micro-irrigation, was especially installed for efficient water distribution. This irrigation method saves water and fertilizer by allowing water to drip slowly to the roots of plants, through a network of valves, pipes, tubing and emitters. The system is operated on a schedule to distribute water with nutrients to the plants. It provides the plants with what they need when they need it.
From Channel News Asia:
In a bid to boost transparency and stay ahead, the Singapore Exchange (SGX) has launched a sustainability guide for its listed companies.
This guide outlines best practices for companies with regard to sustainability reporting.
In 1992, there were only 26 sustainability reports world wide, compared to the more than 5,000 today.
While sustainability reporting within Asia is at a very early stage, in Malaysia, there is already mandatory requirements for companies to produce some form of sustainability reports.
The move by Singapore to launch a guide for sustainability reporting is seen as a necessary stepping stone.
At the launch of the guide on Monday, SGX CEO Magnus Bocker highlighted the importance of sustainability reporting to stay ahead.
“Hong Kong has said, and intends to do a consult on its reporting guide. I assume it will be later this year,” Mr Bocker said.
“Our neighbour Bursa Malaysia instituted four years ago for their CSR as part of listed companies reporting.
“We will never be leaders as a global exchange, unless our companies are global leaders in the way they report, in the way they do business.”
SGX said it is the company’s board that should guide such initiatives.
But it added it will take time for such a move to become mandatory.
SGX has however added that it is open to suggestions on how to improve the guide.
Analysts say that education is key.
KPMG Singapore head of climate change & sustainability services Sharad Somani said: “Rather than changing the guidelines, I would say they have to do more market education exercise.
“You have to teach the market what they need to do.
“If you ask the industries, I think majority of them are convinced about it, but… don’t know what to do.”
SGX said the Policy Statement and Sustainability Reporting Guide are applicable to Mainboard and Catalist companies listed on SGX.
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Guide+to+Sustainability+Reporting+for+Listed+Companies
From Al Bawaba Business:
1. Not just marketing, not just nice to have
The first thing to appreciate is that sustainable business is not a bonus or a marketing exercise. Successful businesses of the future will be ones that have managed to adapt to the new landscape and place sustainability at their core. It is no good hoping that a company will be able to adapt immediately in the future, by fine tuning and re-gearing to challenges like resource shortages or more stringent regulations. These things must be factored in early.
2. Not just turning off the lights
One of the issues with sustainable business is that it is often associated primarily with “being green”. Green issues are undeniably important, and businesses’ behaviour can have a large impact. Businesses tend to be resource-heavy in terms of energy use, transport and even elements like stationary.
Thinking about how those resources are used and whether they could be used more efficiently – or even, in some cases, dispensed with – can lead to tremendous savings both financially and environmentally. But “sustainable business” is about far more than turning off the taps or reusing paper cups. It means thinking about resources and one’s impact on the business surroundings in a whole new way.
3. Asking tough questions
In order to make business more sustainable we need a market-based system that both rewards and drives business towards sustainability, where the relevant information is accessible to the right parties, helping them make the best decisions. This means that businesses need to consider their wider role and ask themselves some tough questions.
For example: Will people still need the goods or services they sell in the future? How reliant are they on resources that could run out? This means reworking strategies in the light of sustainability rather than maintaining existing business models.
4. What does sustainable business look like?
A good example of this might be a business\’92 approach to its workforce. Hiring the cheapest possible labour might save money in the short term, but it may mean being in constant need of retraining staff. Then as staff develop the necessary skills, they will expect more remuneration and \’96 if not promoted \’96 will be likely to leave.
Whilst offering low wages might look like a good cash-flow approach in the short term, ultimately this is not a sustainable business model. The company is absorbing all the costs of staff training, equipping a workforce with skills that someone else will then pay slightly more for, leaving the company where it started!
A sustainable approach is to view good staff, and their training, as an investment in the future. This is all the more important now that the worst of the global recession is past us and economic growth is starting again. Companies that have worked hard to incentivise and retain good staff are in the best possible position to take advantage of the upturn, with the resources and skills in place.
5. Accounting for sustainability
For any business to meet this agenda it needs to be able to have the right information, whether it is considering human resources, supply chain management, or how to add value to products and services. Getting that information involves being able to measure and monitor performance, and then communicate the results. This is where accountants come in.
Accounting is all about measuring and monitoring performance and then compiling the results in a way that means that they can be used for planning and business strategy decisions. For organisations with the foresight to refocus on sustainable business, accountants have a key role to play whether they work as business advisers or in the finance function of a company.
6. The future of sustainable business
Embedding environmental and social good practice into commercial operations is not just good for the world, it is good business and should be part of the day-to-day life of any organisation that wants to survive and grow. By focusing on sustainable strategy, businesses will improve their ability to respond to new challenges, to manage risk, and to understand their priorities as markets change. As the business environment changes to reflect the growing emphasis on sustainability, organisations that have made it one of their core values will be the best placed to take advantage of new markets and to develop.
Good news folks, the deadline for entry submissions has been extended to 4th July 2011. Don’t miss this last chance to submit your songs!
Watch the video!
How about some literary intoxication? Here’s a toast to books and booze and bookworm babble!
Melissa and Eileen met while campaigning for climate action in Copenhagen during the 2009 UN Climate Conference as part of a 12-member youth delegation from Singapore. Since then, the two have in their own ways worked to raise the general awareness of socio-environmental issues in Singapore – but they believe this idea might just be the best one yet!
They’ve refined the idea of a book swop to incorporate all that book lovers should enjoy: the exchange and passing on of books they love and authors they enjoy – or well, don’t wish to have on their bookshelves any longer; the sharing of mystic and wonder and intellectualism – with the like-minded and the awed; and the coming together of an eclectic mix – the eccentric and the electric and whoever you may be.
So come read and recycle, rehydrate and be regaled. The 4 Rs we all firmly believe in – in varying orders of importance.
DETAILS
D: 2 July 2011
T: 3 – 6pm
V: Bar Stories (57A Haji Lane)
Drinks specials include the yummilicious Sour Grapes and Lady in Red mocktails each going for only $10!
Be sure to come on down early to enjoy these specials (oh, and to swap your books too!)
RULES
The rules of the book* swap are simple:
All participants of the book trade are only allowed to bring up to 10 books and ideally aim to bring home the same number of books they came with. If participants leave books behind, the organizers reserve the right to donate these books to charity.
And for the techies with your e-readers, bring them along. We’re sure you’d find an e-trove out there!
See you there!
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Social scientist Juliet Schor has a solution that helps with a few problems in the modern world. It’s called the 80% solution – making a four-day work week standard in order to simultaneously reduce unemployment and our environmental footprint.
From Climatide:
Schorr says her idea isn’t as revolutionary as it might seem. Between 1870 and 1973, work hours in several European countries, plus Japan and the U.S. dropped from more than 60 hours per week to the 40 hours we now call full-time. Over the last three and a half decades, Europe and Japan have continued that trend of decreasing the length of the work week. In the Netherlands, four-day work weeks are now the norm.
But the U.S. has been moving in the opposite direction. The average number of hours worked per person has increased by almost 60% since 1973, and we’re now back where we were three quarters of a century ago. Schorr has written two books about the personal, economic, and environmental repercussions of America’s workaholism – The Overworked American, and The Overspent American. She says Americans work more and buy more, but that doesn’t make us happier or healthier. And it contributes to an unsustainable model of economic growth and environmental exploitation.
The solution? Schorr says widespread reductions in working hours would pay out triple dividends.That is, it’s a win-win-win situation:
1. Lower unemployment – Decreasing individuals’ working hours frees up tasks and wages, creating opportunities for new jobs. Schorr argues that dropping working hours is the only way to maintain a growing work force. And between population growth and the fact that working age is extending beyond the traditional 65 years, we certainly have a growing work force that needs jobs.
2. Improved quality of life – Another way of saying ‘four-day work week’ is ‘long weekend’ … every weekend. Schorr says that translates into more leisure time, reduced stress levels, enhanced family life and stronger communities.
3. Reduced ecological impact – Shortened work hours does mean lower household income, and that means less money being spent on ‘stuff.’ That, in turn, means less ‘stuff’ being made using fewer environmental resources. Schorr says that along with reduced work hours comes a shift in the entire economic system, away from manufacturing and consumer spending, toward investment, services, research, and technology.
According to Schorr, the Dutch have generally been happy to trade a 20% drop in income for a 50% increase in time off. If you were offered the option to voluntarily drop to a four day work week, would you take it?
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I thought about something similar a while back, I had convinced myself that I was onto “The Future of Work”. People were telling me that it made sense, but I (to be honest) didn’t think anyone would be adventurous enough (especially in Singapore) to even consider the idea of allowing a 4 day week. So I put those thoughts back on the shelf.
But now, after reading this…… I feel pretty vindicated that I can back that stuff up with the words of an academic!
It looks like I’ll need to revisit that soon.
From Center for American Progress:
“Company threatens firings to stop pollution controls.”
“American Electric Power announced that it plans to close 21 coal-fired electricity units rather than invest in reducing pollution under forthcoming EPA regulations.”
“On June 9, American Electric Power, a major utility company that owns plants from Texas to Virginia, announced that it plans to close 21 coal-fired electricity units rather than invest in reducing their toxic air pollution to comply with the forthcoming Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reduction requirements.”
“In reality, AEP is threatening to shut down these plants to stoke congressional and public opposition to EPA’s efforts to reduce toxic air pollution. So far, several legislators have risen to the bait, including Senator Joe Machin (D-WV) and Representative Shelly Moore Capito (R-WV). Both have again attached EPA for attempting to protect children and others from cancer-causing air pollution. Other utilities, however, support EPA’s requirements, which are also job creators.”
Shame on you, billionaire management of American Electric Power. Terrible. Not enough money in the pockets? Not enough penthouse apartments and golf club memberships yet? Maybe the kid needs another private jet!
From Channel NewsAsia:
“The Singapore Vehicle Traders Association is urging the government to scrap the two percent transfer fee for used cars.”
Admittedly, the Singapore Vehicle Traders Association’s position is an attempt to increase business for the companies that fall under their care, but I too am hopeful that they will gain some traction with this proposal.
Reason? Making it more affordable for people to buy used cars, as opposed to introducing more cars into the transportation system in Singapore, encouraging used car purchase (while the COE and road tax continues to discourage new car uptake) could be the lesser of two evils?
Of course, it would be immensely more awesome if you went with the extensive public transport infrastructure as much as possible.
Would be cool too if someone lobbied for even more subsidies in promoting alternative-energy-powered vehicles. Like this:
Yes, I am still bummed that they are no longer available in Singapore.
Wet wipes, a modern invention born (I feel) from our obsession over cleanliness and germ warfare (not the WMD kind). While personally I don’t see a need for it generally, I will not deny that there are circumstances when I wish I had a couple of the wipes myself.
The problem? They leave quite an undesirable impact on the environment. Not only are they designed to be a one-use product, they also tend to carry a load of harmful chemicals.
The solution? Make your own!
From wikiHow:
Brilliant!
