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According to the U.S. Department of the Interior, there are more than 4 million miles of highways and streets across the United States.  Solar Roadways is using those highway miles to its advantage by introducing the first prototype in the United States of a solar panel that can be installed beneath the surface of a road to collect and store solar energy.

In 2009, Scott and Julie Brusaw, the founders of Solar Roadways, received a grant from the Federal Highway Administration to build a prototype of a solar roadway by placing highly efficient solar panels underneath an ultra-durable covering that is strong enough for vehicles to drive upon.

Not only would the energy collected from these panels light LED lights along the road for night-time driving, they would also be able to melt snow and ice during the winter months, and supply power to homes and businesses connected to the roadway. 

Aside from the obvious safety and environmental benefits of the solar roadway, the economic benefits can have a huge positive impact on jobs and the economy.  On its website, Solar Roadways has estimated that building and installing solar panels on all the highways in the U.S. could result in 2.5 million full-time jobs for ten years.  On top of that, enough energy will be collected from the solar panels to pay for itself in about 20 years.

This technology is not exclusive to highways; it can also be used in driveways, parking lots, amusement parks, sidewalks, or anywhere where there is a paved surface.  The solar highway will provide clean energy from a secure, off-the-grid, energy source, and, According to GOOD, has the potential to generate more than three times the amount of energy currently used in the United States. 

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“Lots of attention has been paid to clean energy progress at the national and state levels, but real innovation and economic growth is happening in local communities across America thanks to local chambers of commerce,” said Diane Doucette, Executive Director of Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy. “From saving businesses millions of dollars through energy efficiency upgrades in Ohio to sparking clean energy demonstration sites in South Carolina and Texas, local chambers know that clean energy is a critical tool to help businesses increase competitiveness and improve their bottom lines.”

Based on surveys of hundreds of local chambers of commerce, CICE’s report highlights ten chambers in Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, Illinois, Texas, Utah, Tennessee, Michigan, Massachusetts, and California. By catalyzing clean energy projects in their own communities and convening stakeholders— including policymakers, regulators, entrepreneurs, investors, academics, and labor groups—around clean energy efforts, these chambers are spurring new business opportunities for local companies and giving their member businesses a voice in policy discussions around clean energy and energy efficiency.

“As this report shows, local chambers in Ohio and throughout the country understand that efficient and clean energy make smart business sense,” Nicole Stika, Senior Director of Energy Services at the Council of Smaller Enterprises, the small business partner of the local Cleveland chamber, the Greater Cleveland Partnership. “Even chambers in states known for oil and coal production are helping their members dramatically reduce their energy use and utility bills using simple energy efficiency upgrades.”

The report includes case studies from states long known for manufacturing, where local chambers are sparking new market opportunities for their member companies through clean energy initiatives. In Flint, Michigan, the local chamber is helping to increase demand for electric vehicles, supporting local manufacturers that produce EV engines. And in Asheville, North Carolina, the local chamber’s new network to coordinate shipping routes among manufacturers is helping companies realize significant fuel savings. 

“With a straightforward fuel efficiency project, we’re helping our Asheville manufacturers cut dead-head miles and save tens of thousands of gallons of fuel,” said Tim Lampkin, Director of Retention & Expansion Services for the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Development Coalition. “These savings and other innovative measures will ensure manufacturing in Western North Carolina remains a viable sector.” 

The ten local chambers profiled in depth in the new report include:

OHIO: Council of Smaller Enterprises, Greater Cleveland Partnership

With the largest and most comprehensive chamber-led energy efficiency program in the country, the Council of Smaller Enterprises—the small business partner of the local chamber, the Greater Cleveland Partnership—helped its member companies realize more than $13.4 million in energy efficiency savings in 2012 alone. COSE is now working to create its own energy efficiency loan program to further boost energy savings in the private sector.

NORTH CAROLINA: Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce

Recognizing that its local manufacturers were paying to transport empty shipping containers back to Asheville, the Asheville Area Chamber established the Western North Carolina Transportation Alliance, an innovative statewide network of companies to coordinate transportation and shipping routes. This network has already helped save businesses more than 44,000 gallons of fuel in 2011 alone.

SOUTH CAROLINA: North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce

In this coastal tourist town, the North Myrtle Beach Chamber championed a project to transform its community into a wind energy demonstration site. Thanks to the Chamber’s efforts, South Carolina installed its first grid-connected wind turbine in 2010. Now, small test turbines dot the beachfront, creating a future test bed for entrepreneurs and sharing data to help train local engineering students.

TEXAS: Greater Austin Chamber of Commerce

Within one of the largest oil and natural gas producing states in the nation, the Greater Austin Chamber has become a clean-tech recruiting powerhouse. Leveraging its close ties to the University of Texas at Austin and the city’s municipally owned utility, the Chamber recruited 20 clean-tech companies to date, and co-founded Pecan Street Inc., a cutting-edge demonstration site for smart-grid entrepreneurs.

MASSACHUSETTS: Merrimack Valley Chamber of Commerce

The Merrimack Valley Chamber partnered with Nexamp, a local clean-energy solutions provider, to help 46 companies in Northeast Massachusetts save more than $30 million collectively over the next 30 years through energy efficiency and on-site renewable energy generation. The Chamber’s Clean Energy Program helped spark the largest solar projects in both Haverhill and Lawrence, Massachusetts.

UTAH: Salt Lake Chamber

With Salt Lake City’s poor air quality hurting business attraction and retention, the Salt Lake Chamber worked with local companies to cut fuel use and boost their bottom lines. The Salt Lake Chamber’s Clean Air Champions program has already resulted in millions of dollars in savings for local companies, including UPS, which has saved more than 10 million gallons of fuel since 2004, and the mining company Rio Tinto, which saves an average of $1.65 million per year with its new no-idling policy for trucks.

ILLINOIS: Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce

For years, failures in Chicago’s outdated electric grid have been devastating to businesses, including big energy users like Groupon and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The Chicagoland Chamber led a broad coalition to advocate for smart grid legislation in Illinois, putting the state and its electric grid on the path to meet the growing energy needs of Chicago businesses.

TENNESEE: Bartlett Area Chamber of Commerce

Headed by a former Marine, the Bartlett Chamber’s Team Green Zone is on a mission to help member companies cut their energy use and save money. This innovative network brings in revenue for the chamber by performing energy benchmarks and assessments, developing efficiency action plans, and helping businesses implement upgrades. In only two years, Team Green Zone has already helped 43 companies benchmark their energy use and implement efficiency projects valued at $5.5 million.

MICHIGAN: Flint & Genesee Chamber of Commerce

Known for its advanced manufacturing, Flint, Michigan is home to a new chamber-led network that is driving economic development and the supply and demand for innovative energy solutions. The E3 innovation Network helps all stakeholders interested in energy savings—from fleet-holders with large energy demands to clean-tech innovators—network to find new business opportunities. To spur electric vehicle demand and support local manufacturers within EV supply chains, the Chamber also partnered with a statewide coalition to study Michigan’s EV infrastructure needs. Genesee County welcomed the nation’s first solar-powered charging station for the Chevy Volt in June 2011. 

CALIFORNIA: San Francisco Chamber of Commerce

With long travel times presenting a challenge for fast-moving businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area, the SF Chamber led business advocacy efforts for statewide high-speed rail, which passed through a California ballot measure in 2008. High-speed rail will allow commuters from the Central Valley and Sacramento to more easily access workplaces in San Francisco, and will boost economic activity from tourism as travel times decrease. The SF Chamber brought other local chambers on board, helped shape high-speed rail planning routes, and educated policymakers and the public on the economic benefits of high-speed rail. 

CICE’s report, Local Chambers as Change Agents, is available here: http://www.chambersforinnovation.com/changeagents/ 

About Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy: Chambers for Innovation and Clean Energy (CICE) is a national Clean Energy network and Information Hub for local chambers of commerce. Created and led by local chambers, CICE helps fellow chambers and their member companies successfully navigate and prosper in the clean energy space. CICE provides access to clean energy information, best practices, energy experts, incentives, and business opportunities. CICE’s Advisory Council includes Chamber CEOs from every region of the country. Visit CICE at www.chambersforinnovation.com.

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Major Players
Software

• Microsoft
• IBM
• Oracle
• SAP
• Ericsson
• Hewlett Packard

Internet Publishers

• Interactive Corp IAC
• Glam Media,
• Answers Network
• Daily Motion Network
• Federated Media Network
• AOL

Broadcasting

• Television
• NBC
• CBS
• ABC
• FOX

Radio

• Clear Channel Communications
• Cox Radio,
• Entercom Communications,
• Sirius XM

Telecommunication

• Verizon Wireless
• AT&T Mobility
• Sprint Nextel,
• T-Mobile USA

Internet service providers

• Comcast
• Time Warner Cable
• AT&T
• Cox
• Verizon

Movie Theaters

• AMC Entertainment Inc.
• Carmike Cinemas
• Cinemark Theatres
• Marcus Theatres

Video Game Publishers/Developers

• Sony
• Nintendo
• Electronic Arts,
• Ubisoft,
• Take Two
• Activision Blizzard

Major Issues
The U.S. Census Bureau classifies electronic information companies as any that engage in “(a) producing and distributing information and cultural products, (b) providing the means to transmit or distribute these products as well as data or communications, and (c) processing data.” This guide focuses on companies that are primarily concerned with electronic information.

Major sustainability issues of electronic information sector companies include:

1.     Energy
Many of the businesses and services in this sector require a great deal of energy. Much of the sustainability-focused work in this sector deals with increasing both energy efficiency and the reliance on sustainably-produced energy.

2.     Materials
Sector 51 does not include manufacturers of electronics; therefore issues concerning the use of sustainable manufacturing materials are not directly relevant. However, all businesses in this sector rely on hardware in one way or another. Telecommunication networks, software companies, and television networks always maintain physical infrastructures, which can be key sites of sustainability-oriented work. Similarly, though this sector does not deal with the manufacturing of electronic equipment, information companies can exert influence and pressure on businesses that manufacture electronics to employ more sustainable materials, and increase energy efficiency. Finally, all businesses maintain physical buildings. All companies are interested in employing more sustainable technologies within buildings to reduce utilities costs.

3.     Labor issues
There has recently been much attention given to labor issues within the electronic-information sector. Many jobs have been outsourced to other countries, wages and benefits have been reduced, and jobs are being automated and consolidated, leaving workers overworked and under trained. Therefore, improving the working conditions and compensation of workers represents a key area of sustainability-focused work in the information sector.

Key Requirements
Companies hoping to enter into the supply chains of larger businesses in the electronic information sector should consider their use and sourcing of energy. All businesses are looking for ways to reduce energy consumption and increase reliance on green-energy sources. Small businesses can offer larger information businesses ways to help increase the use of green energy. Similarly, by improving worker conditions and compensation, potential supply-chain partners can offer stories of successful labor relations.

Some large information companies publish supplier expectations that include sustainability requirements. Though this is less common in the electronic information sector, more companies are beginning to integrate clear sustainability criteria for entering into their supply chains.  For example, AT&T, which is one of the more sustainability-focused major telecommunication companies, publishes its own sustainability requirements for suppliers.

Additionally, many large information companies have undertaken a commitment to improving diversity in their supply chains, attempting to include more businesses run by women and minorities.

Key Certifications

• EPEAT
• Green Seal
• Ecologo
• Green Plus

Some large information companies have their own certifications or scorecards, like AT&T.

Getting Started
Complete a full sustainability audit of your company, including a life-cycle analysis of your supply chain to understand and document what your company is doing and how it could improve.

Choose and research specific information-sector businesses with which your business hopes to work. Identify key sustainability issues and areas.

Going Further
Work towards specific sustainability certifications (see above).  Create new promotional materials for your business, highlighting your company’s commitment to sustainability.  Write clear company-specific supply chain proposals, outlining ways in which your business can help green larger supply chains.

Advanced Steps
Investigate ways to expand your business to provide additional sustainability-focused services.  Work with labor representatives to improve the conditions and compensation of workers.

Best Practices
AT&T
AT&T has pursued a wide range of sustainability-focused policies and innovations. For example, the company has been increasing its reliance on green-energy sources; in 2011, it relied on green energy for 62 million kilowatt hours of its energy needs. Similarly, the company has been replacing old fleet vehicles with ones that run on compressed natural gas. AT&T has also pursued broad recycling programs for cell phones and other electronics.

AISO.net
AISO is a website hosting company. Running large servers requires a large amount of energy, AISO, unlike many other companies, relies almost entirely on energy that is renewably sourced. The company has also integrated a number of environmentally focused technologies into its corporate offices, including a green roof, low-energy cooling, and recycled water systems.

Google
Google has begun to use seawater-cooling systems in some of its data centers. Data centers require a huge amount of energy, much of which is used to keep the equipment cool; seawater-cooling systems offer an environmentally focused method of cooling. These systems draw cool seawater from far below the ocean’s surface. The cool water is pumped through the equipment and back into the ocean, which absorbs the heat. Seawater-cooling systems require far less energy than other systems, and rely on more sustainable materials.

LMI.net
LMI.net is a local Internet service provider in Berkeley California. By relying almost entirely on solar energy and incorporating sustainably-produced materials, LMI.net offers customers “green internet.” By being a sustainability-focused local business, LMI.net offers an alternate model of Internet service companies.

Key Resources

• Green Net is a non-profit internet service provider, that also offers some good information about green internet providers.
• ABI Research created an interesting report on cellphone company sustainability issues.
• EnergyStar wrote a report to Congress on data-center energy use/issues.
• CIO published a good article on some of the labor issues seen in the information sector
• This article from Communication Workers of America offers some information on one information company that has failed to integrate sustainable labor practices.

Key Words:
Green Internet (Internet service that is powered through green energy), Sustainable Telecommunication (Telecommunication services that are powered and supported by sustainable practices), Green Cellphone Providers, Information-business supply chains, Green broadcasting, Green Data.

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“In less than six months, Wilmington International Airport has saved as much as 8 percent in its energy costs by greening its operations…

The airport turned to a sustainability program called Green Plus, which is offered in partnership through the Wilmington Chamber of Commerce, and became the first area business to earn its Green Plus certification, officials said.

“The Green Plus program was a way to evaluate our initiatives,” Wilsey said. “They assigned us a person who provided a little bit of external motivation and expertise.”

Congratulations to the Wilmington International Airport on earning Green Plus Certification.

*Speaking of the film industry and green airports, check out our Environmental Help Desk for Business pieces on greening the film industry, and on Charlotte / Douglas International Airport’s vermiculture waste disposal initiative. 

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Everyday, we hear stories about companies that are greening their business practices, and the reasons for doing so are varied.  It’s easy enough to implement new strategies, and share your sustainability philosophy with employees, but what do you do to ensure your customers know about your sustainability efforts?

Join us Friday, May 24 for a roundtable discussion at Green Plus Certified Hughes Pittman & Gupton in Raleigh to
discuss how you can win (and maintain) new business by sharing your sustainability story.  HPG itself has earned hundreds of thousands of dollars in new business, just by marketing themselves as a sustainability-minded business.

The roundtable event will begin promptly at 8:30am in the 3rd floor conference room at HPG.  HPG is located at 1500 Sunday Drive in Raleigh, NC.

Please RSVP here.  The Roundtable is free, but seating is limited, so reserve your spot today!

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Over the past year, with the help of the Institute for Sustainable Development, we are proud to share that we have added a robust and detailed process for discovering and validating projects for the map. We began by identifying over 25 sustainability blogs and an additional 25 Google search terms to search routinely for interesting ideas and products. Using these sources, we assembled a large collection of potential projects for the map.

Once we had identified potential projects we ran them through a strict validation process. To be considered for the map, a project had to meet at least one of nine criteria – which included such markers as ‘technical efficiency,’ ‘creative partnership,’ and ‘unusual for industry.’ Most of the projects that made the final cut for the map demonstrated multiple characteristics of innovation, with some projects exhibiting five or more of the criteria.

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After we selected project for inclusion on the map, we divided them based on how they were making an impact. The four sub-groups we selected were:

• Leadership – projects that showcase the ways that the business community is changing its impact and relationship with the environment.
• Social Interaction – projects that help consumers, activists, and other stakeholders communicate and convene over shared goals.
• Products – projects that highlight products that solve environmental challenges in unique ways.
• Processes – projects that showcase businesses that are creatively changing how they make their products to lower environmental impact and boost the bottom line.

After the whole process was complete, we had a group of over 110 projects to display on the map. The projects demonstrated the versatility and creativity of the business sector. Represented on the map were projects from small companies like Chapel Hill Car Care Center and large companies like Coca-Cola. The map also showcases novel products such as the Edison2 Very Light Car and Nest’s next generation thermostat.

We encourage you to visit the map to discover the full spectrum of projects. We are proud of the map’s progress and of its usefulness in sharing the ways businesses are finding solutions to environmental challenges. If you know of any outstanding examples that should be included on the map, please let us know, and if there are ways we can improve the map we welcome your suggestions.”

By Claude Griffin, Social Investment Manager Environment, Shell Oil Company

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The industrial model of agriculture is in a global crisis. Resources for the production of food are compromised. Increasing yields through industrialized production is challenged. Agroecology in the urban (and rural) sector must triumph over conventional methods. The impacts of the industrial model are not sustainable. Urban Agroecology in practice and theory is sustainable with a positive impact on the socio-economic and environmental dynamic.The Urban farm is an eco system. Agroecology blends old and new technical advances with sustainable farming practices. In reality agriculture as practiced today, especially, is not truly sustainable. We disrupt the fabric of the land and the natural order of things to perform it. Urban agroecological approaches take into consideration the urban environment. Approaches to agroecology in the urban sector are similar yet distinctly different. NEEM takes a Frank Lloyd Wright approach that blends and integrates the farm into the ecological framework so it is not disruptive, but diverse, complimentary & productive with the least amount of environmental impact. As urban agroecology gains favor, the need for trained professionals and technicals will increase.

The fall of the iron curtain and the embargo created a “crisis induced scarcity of external inputs for agriculture”. Cuba returned to sustainable agriculture by default and embraced it. Cuba evolved over 20 years to the Agroecological approach, one that is self sustaining, ecologically sound and in harmony with nature. America is in its own “Special Period”. We have the opposite, or a “crisis induced abundance of external inputs”. If one community can sustain itself in an agroecological way, then so can the next. If Cuba with a land mass the size of pennsylvania can succeed argoecologically then so can States, the U. S. and other counties.

It is not the burden that is important, it is how you carry it. We have the burden to rise above what has been failed success and take to task promotion and practice internationally of Agroecological and sustainable concepts.

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If you have a Durham-based, independent food-oriented business or non-profit and would like to be involved in the Burt’s Bees Green Plus Durham Food System Consortium, fill out this short application and ISD staff will be in touch quickly to confirm your eligibility. ISD will be working with up to 20 Durham food organizations on improving the triple bottom line of their own operations and will convene periodic group conversations, networking, and educational opportunities.

More on Sweet Beet City Farm:

“Sweet Beet City Farm is an urban farm located in the heart of Downtown Durham. Sweet Beet occupies 1.3 acres on Mangum Street between Hunt and Broadway that has, until recently, stood vacant. This land has had many lives– there were originally four residences along this section of Mangum Street. In the early 1930′s, a service station was built at the corner of Broadway and Mangum. In the 1950′s one of the homes was torn down to make way for Ward’s Fruit and Produce and Ward’s Meat Market (Open Durham).”

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Chris Carmody enjoys hacking problems that require the collective effort of markets, higher ed, and philanthropy to solve. He is Executive Director of the Institute for Sustainable Development, based in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Region (Durham-Chapel Hill-Raleigh). You can catch him on Twitter @ChrisCarmody. 

The post ISD Welcomes Sweet Beet City Farm to the Burt’s Bees-Green Plus Durham Food Initiative appeared first on Green Plus.

SIC code: 31-33

Major Players

• BMW
• Mercedes Benz
• VW
• Intel
• Phillips Lighting
• CEMEX (2011)
• Nissan North America, Inc. (2011)
• ConocoPhillips (2011)

Major Issues Affecting the Industry

A major concern for manufacturers is how to increase production and efficiency while reducing carbon emissions. One way in which businesses have addressed this issue is by implementing lean and green manufacturing protocols. Lean manufacturing systems stream line operations by reducing labor, use of raw materials, and production cost. Green manufacturing seeks is a manner of production that seeks eliminate greenhouse gas and the use of non-renewable and toxic materials. It also includes reducing the amount of post-production waste from the manufacturing chain.

In addition to implementing lean and green methods, businesses may purchase carbon offsets to counteract their carbon emissions. A second concern for manufacturers is how to minimize the immediate and long-term effects of their operations on ecosystems (i.e. land, air, water, people). Green manufacturing methods that reduce the use of toxic chemicals are one way to address this issue.

Major Benefits

Lean manufacturing, which is based on a production method developed by Toyota Motor Company in the 1950s, emphasizes changing and improving processes in order to maximize profits. It was the precursor for green manufacturing, which involves similar processes and adds practices that include toxic chemical and waste reduction, using renewable energy and materials, and environmental (i.e. people, land, air, & water) stewardship. One way green manufacturing is beneficial to small and large companies is that it introduces businesses to an ever-growing clientele that is interested in reducing the impact on the earth.

Though there is the conception that greening one’s business is costly, a number of federal and state mandates, grants, loans, and other subsidies are available to assist companies in transitioning to more sustainable production. The Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, via its Better Buildings Neighborhood Program, is working with cities across the country to provide subsidies to business owners who desire to upgrade their buildings and reduce their carbon footprints. These upgrades result in long-term reduction in energy cost for proprietors and other benefits for the environment.

Key Requirements

Operational and disposal requirements for manufacturers are dependent upon the industry along with state and federal regulations. For instance, in 2003 California passed mandatory recycling criteria for manufacturers of electronics that contain cathode ray tubes and liquid crystal displays. However, this is not a nation-wide requirement.  Although, in 2008 the federal government passed the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), which placed more stringent regulations on all products manufactured for children.

Overall, there are a few procedural requirements that should be commonplace amongst all manufacturing entities. These include, but are not limited to:

• Written standard operating procedures
• Forms for recording keeping
• Product identification numbers
• Product labels

Each of these requirements are key to the safe and successful management of manufacturing companies.

Key Certifications

• International Organization for Standardization (ISO) – A few ISO certified companies are Domaille Engineering, Stimpson, Kimray, Inc., and Accumedix, Inc.
• Green Circle Certified – Some noteable organizations to earn this certification are the Pennsylvania Recycling Market Center, Deceuninck North America, and Ply Gem
• Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) – The largest manufacturers to earn LEED certification are General Motors, Intel, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, VW, Honda, and Endres Manufacturing
• Sustainable Materials Rating Technology (SMaRT) – The SMaRT certification system endorses companies like Knoll, Milliken & Company, Forbo Flooring, Eaton, Corporation, Phillips Lighting
• EPA Energy Star – Allergan, Inc. (2011), ConocoPhillips (2011), Nissan North America, Inc. (2011), CEMEX (2011)
• Forest Stewardship Council – Used by lumber companies like Babcock Lumber Company, Alpine Lumber, and Pine Cone Lumber Co., Inc.
• Sustainable Forestry Initiative – Used by the Montana-based Sustainable Forest Company

Getting Started

First, conduct research into sustainable industrial production for your particular sector. There is a wealth of independent, scholarly, and governmental resources available to introduce companies to and update them on sustainable manufacturing methods.

Going Further

Second, find a reputable certification organization to assist in transitioning your operations to lean and sustainable manufacturing practices. A certifier can help a business avoid the pitfalls of entering this new terrain as well as help locate markets for your sustainably produced and certified products.

Advanced Steps

Third, consider joining an sustainable manufacturing organization. These consortiums often host national events, help build camaraderie within the industry, and inform its members of policy developments and the latest innovations in the manufacturing sector.

Best Practices

BMW

For the seventh year in a row BMW has been named the Dow Jones Sustainability Index Leader.

Kingston Block & Masonry Supply LLC
As the 2012 winner of the Innovative Green Design Award, and a multi-level LEED certified business, Kingston Block & Masonry is the country’s leader in recycled concrete products.

Sustainable Lumber Company
The Montana-based, Sustainable Lumber Company crafts wood products from locally salvaged trees and Douglas Fir certified by the Sustainable Forest Initiative.

Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes Benz is the 2012 recipient of the Plus X Award, awarded to the most sustainable automobile companies for excellence in the categories of Innovation, Environment, High Quality, Design and Ease of Use.

Key Resources

Small Business Green House Gas Emission Calculator
This Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) resource provides tools to help businesses track their carbon footprint and develop company-wide greenhouse gas inventories.

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
The OECD has produced a free sustainable toolkit to assist international manufacturing companies seeking to stream line their operations.

National Council for Advanced Manufacturing
This membership-based, non-partisan, Washington-based think tank produces reports and host forums “to improve bottom line and sustainability” within the manufacturing sector.

The Story of Stuff
The Story of Stuff is an animated video that addresses today’s materials economy from the extraction of raw materials to the disposal of finished products.

Key Words:

• Toyota Production System (TPS) – The impetus for lean manufacturing, the TPS was created by Toyota Motors to reduce waste and manufacturing cost following World War II.
• Lean Manufacturing – A manner of production that seeks to maximize profits, usually through waste reduction, consolidating job tasks, and employee downsizing.
• Green / Sustainable Manufacturing – A manner of lean production that seeks to maximize profits while minimizing a manufacturer’s impact on the environment.
• Life Cycle Management (LCM) – A series of strategies used by businesses to manage a product as it goes through its life cycle (i.e. production, marketing, sells, disposal).
• Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) – A set of procedures which states the optimum ways to operate within manufacturing facilities.
• Standard Operating Procedure (SOPs) – Standardized protocols that outline how employees are to perform within the workplace.
• Environmental Management Systems (EMS) – Set of strategies that details ways to reduce a business’ impact on the environment, as well as, how business will react in the case of an environmental spill.
• Quality Control – A number of procedures used to test a product’s durability and effectiveness. 
• Material Consumption – Includes various aspect of production, including the extraction of raw materials and the purchase of completed products.
• Greenhouse Gas Emission – Gases that absorb and trap infrared radiation in the atmosphere.
• Carbon Offsets – A reduction in carbon emissions in one location (i.e. forest reserve) to counteract the production of emissions elsewhere (i.e. manufacturing plant). 
• Renewable Energy – Energy that comes from natural resources, non-finite, resources (i.e. sunlight, wind, water, etc.)

Sources

• Anderson, R., Egan, A., Chaloner-Larsson, G. “A WHO Guide to Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) Requirements”. World Health Organization, Geneva. 1997. Retrieved June 11, 2012 from World Health Organization. 
• BMW. “BMW Group Dow Jones Sustainability Index Leader for 7th Consecutive Year”. Retrieved from BMW. 
• California State Board of Equalization. Caifornia Electronic Waste Recycling Act (2003). Retrieved June 11, 2012 from California Board of Equalization.
• Daimler. “Mercedes-Benz Honored as the Most Sustainable as the World’s Most Sustainable Automobile Manufacturer”. Retrieved May 11, 2012 from Daimler website.
• U.S. Congress. 110th Congress. Energy Independence and Security Act (2007). Retrieved June 12, 2012 from U.S. Government Printing Office.
• Miller, G., Pawloski, J., Standridge, C. “A Case Study of Lean, Sustainable Manufacturing”. Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management. Vol. 3., Issue 1., May 2010. 11-32. Retrieved June 11, 2012 from Journal of Industrial Engineering and Management.
• Motwani, J. “A Business Process Change Framework for Examining Lean Manufacturing: A Case Study”. Industrial Management + Data Systems. Vol. 103. Issue 5/6. 2003. 339-346. Retrieved June 11, 2012 from University of Ottawa website.
• Nordin, N, et al. “A Framework for Managing Change in Lean Manufacturing Implementation”. 2nd International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Operations Management. 858-864. Retrieved June 11, 2012 from conference website. 
• Public Law 110-314. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (2008). Retrieved June 11, 2012 from Consumer Product Safety report. 

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