My Visit to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City

     Yesterday, I visited the American Museum of Natural History while vacationing New York. This place is truly spectacular. It amazes me that people will wait in line for three hours to go atop the Empire State Building, yet never step foot in the AMNH. Even if you're not terribly enthusiastic about science, the AMNH is still a must see. However, if you do visit the AMNH, and you are a true science enthusiast, I recommend coming alone so you can peruse the exhibits at your own pace. I could have easily spent six hours there, and I still would have only scratched the surface.
     For you Sustainability gurus, there is a great exhibit put on by the Center for Biodiversity & Conservation. In additiona to providing compelling evidence of the impact that human civilization is having on the planet, this exhibit provides a number of useful statistics and simple steps people can take to reduce their ecological footprint. [See my "Sustainability Factoids" post for a complete list of stats and simple steps.]
     Of particluar value in this exhibit is the message, "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - and Rethink." Although this has been the EPA's tagline for a number of years now, it seems to me that many people focus heavily on recyling as the solution to our waste problem -- while investing considerably less time, energy, and money into resource reduction and reuse. I'm always a little skeptical when a company claims, "we're recycling X% more than we were a year ago." While this may be indicative of an overall increase in recyling capacity, it may also be indicative of increased consumption and waste!

REMEMBER: A company that is truly making progress towards sustainability may actually experience a DECREASE in the amount of material being recycled because it is reducing and reusing resources more effectively.

American Museum of Natural History
http://www.amnh.org/home/

Recyling e-Waste Responsibly

The Problem with e-Waste
Discarded computers, televisions, printers, fax machines and copiers are hazardous waste. When dumped into landfills or improperly recycled, they are dangerous to the environment and human health. Pollutants include: toxic chemicals, heavy metals and non-biodegradable materials, such as mercury, arsenic, cadmium, barium, silver, selenium, chromium, lead, brominated flame retardants, and numerous types of plastics.
If you do recycle your e-waste, be sure to find a reputable provider and ask where your items really end up. Many recycling companies simply extract the valuable materials (such as copper) and then dispose of the equipment in landfills, or even worse, in illegal waste dumps. Other times, electronic components are loaded into containers and shipped overseas to countries with little or no recycling regulations. In many areas, the improper handling of electronic waste in developing countries has caused a significant increase in birth defects and diseases such as cancer.

Responsible Recycling
Recycling of computer and television materials and components—when done properly and responsibly—provides a safe and cost-effective solution. Recycling TV and computer materials and components, and removing and treating the hazardous components achieves the following goals:
1) Conserves resources
2) Reduces environmental and public health threats
3) Protects worker safety
4) Reduces the cost of permanently storing and disposing of hazardous wastes in permitted hazardous waste facilities

Government Regulation
While a few U.S. states have enacted electronic recycling laws, the U.S. as a whole is grossly behind the EU....(more to come on this).

Environmental Design
What if electronic products were manufactured in such a way that they could be easily demanufactured and recycled? What if manufacturers were held responsible for their products over their entire life-cycle? Certainly the costs for collecting and disposing these products would be reflected in market prices. However, wouldn't it also provide an incentive for companies to create environmentally conscious products, while reducing the social, environmental, and economic costs associated with e-waste? And, over time, wouldn't the market then reward companies that are able to provide eco-friendly products and services in a cost effective manner?

Sustainability Factoids

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Axis Performance Advisors
The Business Guide to Sustainability

15% — The percentage of employees required to push an organization to its sustainability tipping point.

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EarthEasy.com

$45 — Amount saved replacing an 75 watt incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb.

90 — Number of average sized power plants that could be retired if everyone in the U.S. used energy efficient lighting.

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GreenBiz.com
Sustainability and the Bottom Line

16% — The average productivity gain companies experienced after moving into a green building, as measured by The Rocky Mountain Institute and USGBC.

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Terrapass.com

265 lbs — Amount of carbon dioxide emitted per person during a round trip from Lake Oswego to Bellevue. Includes flights and taxis between airport and Waggener Edstrom offices.

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ReTronics.org

315 million — Number of computers disposed in landfills in 2004.

5 lbs. — Average amount of toxic material per computer.

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EarthDay.net

24 acres — Average ecological footprint of each American. 4.5 acres — Number of biologically productive acres available per person worldwide.

The Benefits of a Sustainable Business

[We] are convinced that in a more globalized, interconnected and competitive world the way that environmental, social and corporate governance issues are managed is part of companies’ overall management quality needed to compete successfully. Companies that perform better with regard to these issues can increase shareholder value by, for example, properly managing risks, anticipating regulatory action, or accessing new markets, while at the same time contributing to the sustainable development of societies in which they operate. Moreover, these issues can have a strong impact on reputation and brands, an increasingly important part of company value.
-- Reported by Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank, Credit Suisse and 16 other multinational banks in cooperation the Investment Financial Corporation/World Bank as part of the U.N. Global Impact initiative (2004)

Grow Your Business
Companies adopting sustainable business practices have been able to create growth opportunities by:

• Appealing to customer values, building trust, and establishing a more socially and environmentally responsible brand image.
• Launching new products and services that meet the increased demand for socially and environmentally conscious alternatives.
• Improving product safety and quality, in turn leading to greater customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• Seeking out markets for material wastes and other by-products of the manufacturing cycle.
• Increasing partnership opportunities with research institutions, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and other stakeholders.
• Increasing access to capital sources and investment opportunities.
• Being recognized as a leader in the industry and a positive economic force in the community

Lower Cost & Increased Productivity
Through the development of more sustainable business models, companies have been able to produce goods and services using fewer resources and at a lower cost by:

• Leveraging alternative sources of energy such as solar and wind to reduce dependency on hydroelectric, coal-burning, and nuclear power sources.
• Improving product design and production processes to: reduce energy and material waste, reduce packaging and shipping cost, and encourage the recycling or reuse of materials in the creation of future products.
• Adopting “lean” techniques to eradicate costs that do not add value to a product or service. For example, the transportation and storage costs associated with holding large inventories.
• Using a Systems Thinking approach to manage suppliers and distributors. Systems Thinking has shown to increase efficiency throughout the entire value chain by decreasing waste, energy use, and material costs and by streamlining efforts with suppliers and vendors.
• Leveraging technology to reduce paper, energy, and water consumption.
• Implementing Total Cost Accounting measures that take into account the ongoing costs and cashflow impact of property, plant, and equipment over the life cycle of the asset.
• Improving working conditions through cleaner air and natural lighting, which have shown to increase worker productivity and reduce employee turnover.

Protect Your Business
Sustainable management practices can reduce the overall risk to your business in a number of ways. Some examples include:

• Greater protection against litigation stemming from social and environmental issues.
• Increased safety to customers, employees, and communities by eliminating or reducing the use of toxic substances.
• Prevention of regulatory issues through environmentally sound waste management practices.
• Improved relationships with government, environmental, and community agencies.
• Decreased risk of being targeted by media or consumer advocacy groups.

What is Sustainability?

     Sustainability is widely recognized as the state in which society can satisfy its current needs without inhibiting the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Adhering to this principle requires individuals and organizations to consider the impact of their actions on the community, environment, and economy. Every person must ask themselves, “Is my economic livelihood compromising the ability of future generations to satisfy their basic needs for clean air, water, and access to natural resources?”
     With greater access to information and scientific data, people today are becoming acutely aware of the impact we are having on our world. Through this awareness, consumers are seeking out socially and environmentally conscious products and services, creating a huge demand for “green” and “fair-trade” alternatives. Businesses are also being prosecuted in the court of public opinion—and in courts of law—for unsustainable environmental and labor practices. In response, companies are being forced to integrate social and environmental interests into their corporate strategy, not just as means of demonstrating good corporate citizenship, but as a means of survival.
     While this presents many challenges for companies today, it also provides an opportunity to gain significant market share from competitors who are slow to address these challenges. Research shows that companies who integrate sustainable practices into their business can create a competitive advantage by seizing new market opportunities, lowering operating and production costs, and reducing their overall risk. Ultimately, this not only increases a company’s economic value, but also the value it provides to the society and environment in which it operates.

A Foundation of Values

The Interface Model is a good depiction of how values are central to creating a sustainble business. http://www.interfacesustainability.com/model.html

My Career Vision

My career vision is to help further establish the field of “sustainability” by helping companies design and implement business models that produce economic, social, and environmental benefits.

Sustainability is widely recognized as the state in which society can satisfy its current needs without inhibiting the ability of future generations to meet their needs. In recent decades, it has become clear that many of the patterns of material production and consumption associated with the global economy violate this principle. As the public becomes increasingly aware of the ill-effects caused by the systematic depletion and pollution of our natural resources, companies are under greater environmental scrutiny. Companies are also experiencing greater social scrutiny as globalization continues to raise issues about fair-trade and the outsourcing of low-cost labor in developing countries.

Helping companies integrate social and environmental interests into their corporate strategy, not just as means of demonstrating good corporate citizenship but as a way of reducing costs and improving market share, is meaningful in that it brings my career aspirations in alignment with my core values. For me (and many others), working to develop sustainable business models is a way of acting upon a deep sense of urgency and accountability. At the same time, there is the recognition of the business opportunity presenting itself as consumers continue to seek out more socially and environmentally viable alternatives.