Will Ben & Jerry’s continue to be Social Leaders?
Ben & Jerry’s mission statement (see http://www.benjerry.com/activism/) aligns with my own personal career goal to guide businesses to become more socially and environmentally responsible. (see www.michaellemons.com/about) I think environmental and social responsibility should be an integral part of any corporate culture. The environmental and social initiatives of a corporation should be something that all members of the organization feel ownership of and fully participate in.
The desire to contribute to the greater good of the society in which a company operates must be a core value present in all the members of the team. The social and environmental goals should be big hairy and audacious goals and the core value of social responsibility should be a timeless guiding principle for the company. I think Ben & Jerry’s does an excellent job of meeting these requirements. It seems like Ben & Jerry’s was actually thinking about and establishing the importance of the triple bottom line long before it became a common business practice.
Today, many companies have realized the importance that the stewardship of the community and environment in which they operate plays an important role in the amount of top line growth on their income statement. Ben & Jerry’s realized this long ago, and worked hard to maintain their core values and envisioned future through their day to day operations of the business. They truly led by example by talking the talk and walking the walk.
I am concerned that the acquisition of the company in 2000 may have shifted the company culture and forced the managers to focus more on bottom line growth by minimizing costs. They appear to have done this by scaling back corporate philanthropy and maximizing corporate social integration. I hope Ben & Jerry’s will continue to be a leader in the area of corporate social responsibility, and I am curious what all of my readers think?
Question and Answer
Q: What is sustainable lighting?
Source: GreenBiz.com
Geothermal Expert Weighs In (Part 2)
I had the opportunity to interview Matt Miller. Mr. Miller is the Lead Design Engineer at GBL Geothermal, a Reno, NV based turn-key Geothermal Heat Pump provider. Matt is an IGSHPA certified designer and a LEED Accredited Professional. GBL Geothermal is a company that is leading the way in clean energy technology.
This is part two of two.
Michael: What is your recommendation for a home or business owner who wants a net zero building? How would you combine your system with other systems and what other systems would that be? (For the Reno area)
Mr. Miller: The idea of a net zero building is one that we come across a lot, and it brings up a few interesting points. A building that uses no more energy than it produces and emits a net-zero amount of greenhouse gasses is very difficult and often expensive to build, but we can get close to that goal for a fraction of the cost of actually hitting the zero mark. Heating, Cooling, and Hot Water heating make up about 75% of a home’s energy use, so you want to make sure that you get that part right. There is a lot that can be done to the shell of a building so that that 75% is as small of a number as possible. People do not have unlimited funds right now no matter how important being green is to them. Sometimes other options make sense, but that usually depends more on the customer than the other technologies. We look at the Return On Investment (ROI) to find where first dollars are best spent. We can set up a hierarchy of options using this method, and often times a GHP system along with some insulation is glaringly the best option.
Michael: Will this be different for the California area?
Mr. Miller: The net zero numbers look similar for Northern California, but they change once we get to Southern California. Solar options start to make more sense down there, including Southern Nevada and Arizona. This is because the dominant load is drastically towards Air Conditioning, and the peak of that load matches the peak solar output, so in this case they are a good direct match. Again, the ROI changes for every building, so it is important to have your energy professional crunch the numbers to see what the best option is.
Michael: In your experience, what is the best program for green building certification? (Ex. LEED, GreenStar, EnergyStar)
Mr. Miller: I have been impressed with the LEED building program; however, in general I believe that supply-side, market-driven solutions are the most robust mechanisms to steer climate change in the right direction. Geothermal Heat Pumps fall on the Energy Efficiency side of the energy equation, and because they do not generate renewable energy like solar or wind, we cannot take credit for the saved electricity, saved greenhouse gas generation, etc. There needs to be national standards for accounting for Energy Efficiency similar to the green tag program. It is more difficult to take account for a kilowatt saved then generated, but we think that there is a way to meter these savings where they will not hold back the commercialization of the technology.
Michael: Some states are certifying buildings using non-profit organizations and some are going with for-profit organizations. Which one would you recommend and why?
Mr. Miller: We recommend putting a price on carbon and letting the markets and industry take care of the rest. Subsidies have been very helpful up to this point, but if we were able to take credit for our green tags and sell them on a carbon market, this would be much more valuable then state driven certifications. This would allow us to bury a ground heat exchanger that will outlast the life of the house or building that sits on top of it, and take credit for all of those free kilowatts that we pull out of the dirt. When you add all of those up for 50-100 years, which is a very valuable micro utility.
GBL Geothermal is leading the way to improve the world for future generations by assisting businesses and consumers to achieve greater social and environmental responsibility.
Geothermal Expert Weighs In
I had the opportunity to interview Matt Miller. Mr. Miller is the Lead Design Engineer at GBL Geothermal, a Reno, NV based turn-key Geothermal Heat Pump provider. Matt is an IGSHPA certified designer and a LEED Accredited Professional. GBL Geothermal is a company that is leading the way in clean energy technology.
The interview will be divided into two separate posts. Please sign up for an email subscription to my blog if you would like to be notified when I post the follow-up. (This is only used to notify of future blog posts.)
Michael: Please describe the installation process for your geothermal system on a new home?
Mr. Miller: The installation process for a new home provides us with many different options and allows us to custom design a Geothermal Heat Pump (GHP) that will provide all of the heating, cooling, and hot water needs for the house or building with the lowest possible upfront cost and the most efficient operation. Our largest market right now for new construction is new, large custom homes. Homeowners are taking advantage of reduced construction costs due to the building slump and are still actively building. Our sales pitch to the architect, general contractor, and owner is simple: We can install a Geothermal system in your home at a very small upfront cost, and it will cost next to nothing to operate and maintain. The thing that makes these systems so cost effective for these types of houses is that the homeowner is able to take 30% off of the final cost of the Geothermal Heat Pump system, including the hydronic floors and ductwork. The hydronics in the floors and the ductwork are expensive items that are already going into the house, and subtracting 30% from these items usually pays for the additional engineering costs and burying the pipes in the yard. We often see payback periods that are under three years in these situations. We are doing an installation now that involves burying the pipes under 7 feet of dirt that had to be moved to make the foundation of the home. This means that we were able to bury them with very little additional expense and effort, and the owners get to take 30% off of the costs of moving the dirt for the foundation. As you can tell, we really push the limits of the 30% Federal Tax Credit to deliver as much savings as possible to the customer.
Michael: Existing home?
Mr. Miller: Existing homes are usually more challenging of an installation; however we have yet to come across a house that we could not retrofit. Homes that make the most sense for a retrofit are homes larger than 3,000 sq. ft. and on a lot approaching a half acre. Anything smaller than this we will need to take a closer look at to make sure it isn’t too difficult to install the pipes in the ground and the current bills justify a payback period that makes sense. If we find a home that is heating with propane, it is usually a no-brainer for them to switch over to geothermal because propane is so expensive and getting more so. There are a lot of homes in the south meadows area of Reno that are in need of a furnace change out, and we are finding that they are excited about the option to do something that is green, will keep them comfortable, and is going to last for a very long time.
Michael: Is there any difference for businesses?
Mr. Miller: Light commercial businesses are the toughest of the retrofit situations. Often times the only possibility to install the geothermal ground heat exchanger is to drill through the parking lot. This presents logistical difficulties for the business and is an expensive option. We have seen figures that show 70% of all commercial buildings that are going to be built by 2050 have already been built. We see this becoming a severely underserved market as companies run out of options to reduce their energy expenditures. GBL Geothermal and other companies are working hard to commercialize GHP technology for the light commercial market. For the larger commercial market, GHP technology is a great fit. Hospitals, schools, military bases, and government buildings are frequent GHP customers and easy sells because they are very interested in cutting operating costs. It is neat to see the technology working from the smallest homes to the largest buildings in the world.
GBL Geothermal is leading the way to improve the world for future generations by assisting businesses and consumers to achieve greater social and environmental responsibility.
Top 7 Requirements for “Real” Economic Recovery
This is the fourth in a series of posts that will note the key points from Directions 2010.
Dean Schultz, the President of the Federal Home Loan (FHL) Bank of San Francisco touched on a very important aspect with respect to the structure of our financial system, and that is: “[t]here is an implied guarantee that the government will back the investors.” He believes that in 1-3 years we will see legislation debate about the strength of the FHL system. FHL functions as a very important intermediary between capital markets and investors. The FHL bank is strong because it requires that the capital of participating banks must equal their assets. Mr. Schultz provided us with the top 7 requirements for “real” economic recovery.
Top 7 Requirements for “Real” Economic Recovery:
- A “reduction in the unemployment rate” by creating jobs, and encouraging small business owners to hire new employees. (Recently, there has been discussion of awarding incentives to small business owners that hire new employees. The crux of the problem is that they will not hire new employees unless their customers are spending money.)
- A “stabilization of housing prices.” (In reality, people will not feel wealthy again until they start to see their home values increase.)
- “We must see the foreclosure and default rates in residential and commercial property turn around.” (Most experts predict the commercial market will see an increase, not a decrease in this during 2010.)
- Lending institutions that can “meet the needs of the community”, without collapsing internally.
- “Strong capital position”
- “Sound underwriting standards”
- Finally, liquidity! He also notes that “funding from the FHL banks when necessary” is going to be an important component to “real” economic recovery.
I am optimistic about the opportunity for the economy to recover, and individuals like Mr. Schultz have an important role to play.
Executive Director of Regional Transportation Company Discusses Sustainability
This is the third of a series of posts that will note the key points from Directions 2010.
Mr. Lee Gibson is the Executive Director of the Regional Transportation Commission (RTC).
In his speech, he indicated that the RTC is trying to weave in sustainability concepts to their business model. Mr. Gibson’s definition of sustainability is, “making business decisions that are good for the economy.” This is an important aspect of sustainability. There are also the social and environmental components of corporate responsibility. I believe that corporate responsibility and sustainability go hand in hand. What we have found is that corporations that have a focus on environmental and social responsibility are better able to achieve economic sustainability.
Current RTC road projects include the widening of 395 from Moana to the I-80 interchange, and the construction of the Meadowood interchange.
Future projects include:
- The SE Connector
- The Pyramid Corridor/Connector
Long-term plans could include a street car for Virginia Street, and the development of a partnership with the City of Reno.
Directions 2010: Answers from the Leaders
This is the first of a series of posts that will note the key points from Directions 2010.
The keynote speaker was Mr. Stephen Moore, Senior economics writer for the Wall Street Journal.
I thoroughly enjoyed Mr. Moore’s presentation because he did not hold back when offering his opinion. Whether I agree or not, I appreciate someone who is willing to speak their mind.
The first comment that I believe is noteworthy: “What happened in Greece may happen in the U.S.” This was disturbing to hear, but I think a bit of realism is necessary in these tough economic times. Mr. Moore also stated, “The stimulus was a profound waste of money.” It is his prediction that inflation will exceed 2-3% annually in the years ahead because of the money we dumped into it. We may see 2, 3, or 4% GDP growth in 2010, but we lost 10-11% during the recession. Even with this growth, it will be difficult to regain the jobs necessary to stabilize the economy.
He pointed out that President Obama claims to have been handed the worst economy in 100 years, but President Reagan actually took over during a worse financial time. Mr. Moore believes that it is important to analyze history in hopes of finding solutions to current problems that our country faces. I agree with him, but it is also necessary to remember that the circumstances are not identical.
Mr. Moore is also very worried about Cap and Trade, which he believes will not reduce global temperature by any more than 0.1%. He jokingly referred to it as the “China and India full employment act” because it will just move jobs overseas.
Mr. Moore highlighted President Obama’s lack of understanding about who is the spine of the U.S. economy. He noted that President Obama wants to raise taxes on the rich (those individuals in the highest tax bracket), but that 2/3 of those are small business owners. Mr. Moore stated, “President Obama is putting up a wall between Washington and small business owners.” It is Stephen’s prediction we will have a double dip recession if taxes are raised. He believes we need to put in place a flat tax, to avoid double taxation on business and investment. His recommendation is that we adopt Keynesian supply-side new deal practices to recover.
Leading Architect weighs in on current issues in the green building industry
To further my understanding of what it is going to take to aid businesses in achieving greater social and environmental responsibility, I interviewed a well-known architect who is leading the way in the green building industry. He offered valuable insight about what needs to happen if our children are going to live in a world that is cleaner than ours. To respect his anonymity, I will refer to him as Mr. Green.
The bottom line is that we need a culture shift. Mr. Green reminded me of a nursery rhyme from childhood about three little pigs. The story relates to the building industry because the brick house required a larger up-front investment, but when faced with the wolf huffing and puffing to blow the house down; it stood strong! Inertia in the construction industry is huge, and it is difficult to challenge the status quo. Mr. Green stated, “Do you think bankers want to change? Realtors? Appraisers? Developers… No!”
It is important to remember that before we became dependent on cheap oil, buildings were built in a more sustainable way and efficiency was mandatory. Mr. Green believes that the minimum standards in the building code need to be set high because sadly, that is all most developers will live up to. We are at the beginning of a movement and we need to focus on reducing energy consumption.
The problem in the industry is that each discipline operates within their own silo. The architecture silo, the construction silo, the power silo, the maintenance silo, and the design silo. With each of these operating independently, there is no hope of achieving the big picture. Mr. Green feels that the answer to the problem is to integrate the silo’s. This will also allow for cross-discipline reality checks that maximize efficiencies in all aspects of the project.
What really needs to happen is that the concept needs to be understood on a higher level. Ego’s need to be checked at the door, and the status quo must be challenged! This is truly a grassroots movement that is initiated from the ground up.
Key Information for Permaculture and Organic Sustainable Living, A Must See!
The Problem!
Source: youtube username: belouettetube
The Solution!
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