Windspire turbines. Image: Mariah Power

From Green Right Now Reports

Adobe Systems, Incorporated has completed installation of 20 Windspire wind turbines at its San Jose, Calif., headquarters.

“With the installation of the Windspires, we’re adding renewable energy to a long list of green measures Adobe has taken to lessen our environmental impact,” said Randall H. Knox, III, senior director, Global Workplace Solutions, Adobe. “We’ll continue to seek innovative green technology solutions to reduce our energy dependence and inspire others to go green.”

Urban Windspire installation. Image: Mariah Power

Each tower is 30 feet tall, 4 feet wide and weighs 650 pounds. The propeller-free, vertical-axis wind turbine is designed to harness wind power in urban, suburban and rural locations.

The new towers are located on Adobe’s sixth–floor patio, which doubles as a rooftop garden and recreational area above an office parking garage. Adobe’s three office towers create a wind tunnel effect from sustained winds off the Pacific Ocean.

Adobe’s green building efforts have earned the company the U.S. Green Building Council’s highest honors for green practices. Adobe is the first commercial office building to receive the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design LEED®-EB Platinum certification for its San Jose headquarters and is the world’s first commercial enterprise to achieve a total of four Platinum certifications under the LEED program.

Since 2001, Adobe estimates it has saved approximately $6.7 million as a result of its energy and sustainability efforts. Those initiatives include energy-efficient lighting, real-time water meters for landscaping and an intelligent control system to help monitor building efficiencies.

United Natural Foods, Inc. today announced plans to adopt hydrogen fuel cell technology to power the lift truck fleet at its Sarasota, Fla., distribution center. The company said it expects to employ 65 GenDrive fuel cell powered lift trucks by June. The company will add 29 new hydrogen fuel cell vehicles to its fleet, and retrofit 36 others.

As part of the Sarasota initiative to replace lead acid batteries and their associated charging equipment with hydrogen fuel cells, United Natural Foods said it has partnered with a number of companies to implement the roll-out, including Plug Power Inc., Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. and Abel Womack, Inc.

Hydrogen fuel cell produces energy by combining hydrogen and oxygen in an electrochemical reaction that yields electricity, heat and water. Hydrogen is non-toxic, non-poisonous, the lightest of all gases and the most abundant element in the universe. By converting its Sarasota lift truck fleet to hydrogen fuel cells, the company said it expects carbon emissions will be reduced by approximately 132 metric tons annually, an amount equivalent to the annual emissions of 35 automobiles.

“We consider environmental stewardship an essential component in every facet of our business. This hydrogen fuel cell project is further proof of UNFI’s leadership as an environmentally-conscious organization by advancing the use and development of alternative-fuel technologies,” Steve Spinner, UNFI’s president and chief executive officer, said in a statement.

The 352,000 square-foot Sarasota facility, which employs approximately 160 workers, serves as a regional distribution hub for customers in the Southeastern United States.

When Ric Richards recently acquired an aging McDonalds in Cary, N.C., he knew the place needed an overhaul.  The 25-year-old store was fraying at the edges.

LED lighting at Cary McDonalds

Richards decided to give these particular golden arches a green touch.

Once he’d decided that the building needed replacing, the decision to go eco-friendly was not difficult. Richards knew it made sense from a business standpoint – it would cut energy costs dramatically – and he figured it would resonate with the educated customers living in the Research Triangle region, especially those interested in lower-carbon living.

“I felt it was the right thing to do,’’ said the owner-operator whose green restaurant celebrated its grand opening this winter. “We all need to be more geared for sustainability as we move into the future. We need to build buildings or live at home using fewer resources.”

Creating the third green-credentialed restaurant in the nation proved just a little easier in the Raleigh-Durham area, because the leading LED manufacturer Cree Lighting is just down the road.

Cree representatives, Richards and architect Logan Luzadr of LMHT Architects collaborated to light the restaurant’s public spaces completely with LEDs, which use less than 20 percent of the energy consumed by comparable incandescent lighting and only about half the energy used by CFL lights.

Virtually all of the restaurant’s lights are LEDs, making the LEED (for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design ) Gold-rated building a showcase of state-of-the art lighting.

Not only are the LEDs more efficient than other types of lighting, they don’t contain any mercury, which has been a downside of CFLs.

“If you didn’t know the lighting in McDonald’s was LED, you probably wouldn’t notice, but that’s the point. The Cree LED lights in the Cary McDonald’s give off the same beautiful light you would expect from an incandescent but consume just a fraction of the energy,” said Cree executive Gary Trott. “This allows the store to layer in accent lighting for a more pleasing environment while still meeting LEED-certification standards.”

Lighting doesn’t just come from a socket, however, and Luzadr’s design assured that day times at the McD’s would be naturally lit. The building was constructed with 360-degrees of windows in a cupola above the eating area with 19 Solatubes – tunnels that carry sky light – spread across the restaurant.

“Aesthetically the restaurant looks terrific,” said Richards, who explained that lighting was a key focus of the rebuild because it does double duty, saving energy and improving the feel of the cafe.

The other aspect of green building that Richards wanted to be sure to get right was the heating and cooling system. His “green team” of Luzadr, operations manager Tony Myers, green site designer Brian Stoltz of Commercial Site Design in Raleigh and green advisor Skanska USA, came up with an enclosed Hydronic Water Boiler System (available in residential versions)  that cuts energy use, in part, by using humidity to keep the restaurant at an even temperature.

The technologically advanced system gives the restaurant a different tactile feel, Richards says.

“I own seven restaurants and I can tell the difference. I just built another one (with the) same style and design, very aesthetic…and it’s energy efficient, but it feels different.’’

Richards estimates his return on the green energy investments will be just five years. Figuring the ROI on the other green changes will not be an easy mathematical formula, but the improved aesthetics and environmentally sensitive changes are tangible but immeasurable rewards.

Among the other features in the LEED-certified builiding:

• All the seating and cabinets and other décor elements were glued together with lower VOC adhesives

• Table tops are made of wheatboard and sunflower seeds (recovered from food processing) or bamboo, a renewable source.

• Countertops are Vetrazzo, which uses recycled concrete and glass.

Speaking of concrete, the concrete from the demolition of the predecessor store was sent out for recycling. The concrete that was installed in the parking lot is recycled stock. While the green team was pondering the heat island effects of being encircled by concrete, an inevitable outcome of being a drive-through restaurant, they added areas for vegetation to curb runoff and mitigate heat effects.

One day someone on the team muttered that they should think about putting in a couple places for electric vehicles to plug-in. Heads snapped. Of course they should. So they did, partnering with NovaCharge in Florida to install two charging stations, which have already been used.

Inside, energy and water savings continue with low-flow faucets and toilets that use 1/10^th of a gallon to flush, a vast savings over even the going green standard of a 1.6 gallon flush.

Topping it all off are placards throughout the restaurant that explain the changes, as well as an electronic presentation of how the building was constructed.

Now, as for that McDonald’s food…it’s being prepared with EnergyStar appliances. But it bears acknowledging that, in all honesty, a big burger is not the poster food for the green movement.

However, a recent  sustainability report by the fast-food giant shows that McDonald’s is well aware of changing tastes, as well as pressures on the food supply. The report noted that 98 percent of the whitefish used in Filet-O-Fish sandwiches came from fisheries with “favorable sustainability ratings” and that healthy sides for Happy Meals are offered in the top McD markets. Those sides include fruit bags, cherry tomatoes, corn cups and “Apple Dippers.” And there are those salads and parfaits. So those who eschew burgers, can at least chew something else.

The report also said that 80 percent of the cooking oil used in McDonald’s in Europe is converted into biodiesel. The EU has a stronger biodiesel network than the U.S. But more and more U.S. restaurants are recycling their cooking oil, including the Cary McDonald’s.

Copyright © 2010 Green Right Now | Distributed by GRN Network

AT&T today announced it will switch to more eco-friendly packaging for its wireless device accessories and the company will require manufacturers of its mobile phones to reduce the environmental impact of future handsets.

The Dallas-based company said it estimates that the packaging improvements for device chargers, cases, batteries and data cables will help to avoid more than 200 tons of wasted plastic and paper in 2010.

AT&T will work with its suppliers of mobile phone accessories to use less plastic and paper in packaging. Batteries and data cables will come in recyclable paper boxes rather than plastic “clam shell”-style packaging . The packaging for protective phone cases and car chargers will change to slimmer packaging. The changes will eliminate more than 60 percent of the paper and more than 30 percent of the plastic previously used for accessory products, AT&T said.

In addition to containing less paper and plastic, the improved accessory packaging will be printed using non-petroleum-based inks.

“These improvements are sound business decisions, but more importantly, they significantly reduce the impact of this packaging on the environment,” Jeff Bradley, senior vice president of devices, said in a statement. “This is a small but meaningful next step that AT&T decided to take, and we are pleased to deliver new packaging alternatives that are recycled, can be recycled, and generate less waste.”

In 2009, AT&T introduced environmental requirements and goals for the manufacturing of wireless devices. Those requirements begin to take effect for new wireless phones this year and must be fully met by the end of 2011. These include:

• AT&T’s suppliers must reduce packaging, use non-petroleum based inks and use recycled materials for in-box documentation of new devices.
• Seventy-five percent of new devices will be at least 65 percent recyclable. By weight, most of the new phones AT&T sells will be made of materials that can be recycled when the phones are retired.
• A majority of new devices will comply with the GSMA Universal Charging Solution. This change will allow consumers to use a single, more energy-efficient charger with most new devices.
• All new devices must comply with the European Unions’ Restriction of Hazardous Substances mandate. This directive restricts the use of lead, mercury, and other hazardous materials used in electronic equipment.
• Suppliers will be required to assert that all devices delivered to AT&T have avoided virgin materials mined in conflict zones within the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

You can get information about how to recycle with AT&T at www.att.com/recycle.

NEW: Search the GREEN BUSINESS DIRECTORY for local eco-friendly businesses

Who sells more Energy Star appliances than anyone?

Well, we don’t know. Stores typically won’t reveal their sales figures, which they consider to be proprietary.

But if Jeopardy asks, you might answer: Lowe’s. The retail home improvement chain is being honored later this month for its longtime commitment to energy efficiency, particularly for its emphasis on selling ENERGY STAR appliances.

The Fortune 50 company will be honored with the EPA’s Energy Star  Sustained Excellence Award in Retail at a ceremony on March 18.

Retrofitting doesn’t always get the attention that new green building generates, with its “net zero” and passive solar designs.

Empire State Building (Photo: Empire State Building Co.)

But the impact of retrofitting can be great, and it comes with the bonus of preserving historic and treasured structures — like the Empire State Building.

The iconic New York high rise, built in the 1930s, has received an award for its 2009 retrofit, which is expected to save 38 percent of the building’s energy and $4.4 million annually.

The Sustainable Buildings Industry Council gave it the “Beyond Green High Performance Building Award”, which recognizes the energy efficiency and air quality improvements planned for the retrofit, designed by a collaboration of real estate company Jones Lang LaSalle, the Clinton Climate Initiative, energy efficiency experts Johnson Controls and the Rocky Mountain Institute.

In addition to the energy savings, the redo is projected to prevent 105,000 metric tons of carbon emissions over the next 15 years.

The collaborators hope that the Empire State Building will serve as an example of what can be accomplished with existing buildings because buildings are the single biggest energy users in any city or town.

Managers for the Empire State Building say the retrofit will save tenants money for electricity, a top tenant expense after payroll and rent, and also help them curtail turnover,  because of improved indoor comfort. Tenants will benefit from the energy-saving features of more thermal-protective windows, fresh air ventilation, a state-of-the-art cooling HVAC system.

The Rocky Mountain Institute, whose experts helped guide the retrofit, say the award comes at an opportune time, just as they are launching a RetroFit initiative.

See more on the project on this YouTube video:

Walmart announced a plan to reduce carbon emissions across its global supply chain today, saying it intends to shave 20 million metric tons off its greenhouse gas emissions   through 2015.

Walmart CEO Mike Duke annoucing carbon reduction goals

The reductions will come from Walmart’s own operations and  from “the life cycle of the products we sell,” said Walmart CEO Mike Duke, adding that the savings would be the equivalent of taking 3.8 million greenhouse gas-emitting cars off the road for a year.

“It’s a very sizable goal, as we often do here at Walmart,” he said.

Calculated another way, the reductions represent 150 percent of Walmart’s anticipated carbon growth over the next five years.

The reductions will be done as Walmart works with suppliers and will come from reduced energy spent on manufacturing and transportation; from products redesigned to consume less raw material or last longer; from the reduction of disposable products and the increased use of recycled goods, Duke said. “All of this is part of the life cycle of products.”

“We will be the leader in retailing because we will be the first to look at the supply chain on a global basis,” he told an audience of partner groups, reporters and suppliers during the webcast announcement from the company’s headquarters in Bentonville, Ark..

Duke explained that Walmart sees these carbon reductions as compatible with business growth.

“There are millions more customers around the world who really do want to save money and that Walmart could reach. We do plan and want to continue to build stores. We want to add square footage, that’s the reality of our business. Yet we know we need to get ready for a world in which energy will only be more expensive. And there will be a greater need to operate with less carbon in the supply chain,” Duke said.

He said he expects that the efficiencies found as suppliers reduce their carbon emissions will result in continued lower prices for customers. “Like everything we do around here at Walmart, this commitment ends up coming down to our customers, and helping our customers around the world save money and live better.”

More sustainable business practices also can help shield customers from high energy costs in their own lives, Duke said.

“That is why America needs comprehensive legislative policy that addresses energy, energy security, the country’s competitiveness and reducing pollution.”

Several environmentalists and advisors, including Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp, joined Duke and Walmart executives for the announcement.

EDF has set up at office in Bentonville, Ark., near Walmart headquarters.

The retailer also has worked with the Natural Resources Defense Council and World Wildlife Fund to develop its sustainability plan.

Tree Hugger and Planet Green co-sponsored the webcast. TreeHugger founder Graham Hill helped kick off the news conference by remote, with a video lesson on greenhouse gases, which he likened to a blanket that’s getting too thick and threatening to disrupt the climate humans are adapted to. He discussed ways products can be more earth-friendly, alluding to paper towels that can be ripped off in half sheets and proper sizing of food portions.

TreeHugger Editor-in-Chief Meaghan O’Neill talked with an invited panel about how business and sustainability can interact. A FoxHome Entertainment executive showed off a DVD package that has less plastic and Paul Kelly of Walmart-owned Asda in the UK talked about how more sustainable products can be low cost.

“You can decouple business growth from carbon growth,’’ said Asda exec Kelly.

Walmart, once widely derided as a merciless profit-seeker and crusher of small businesses, has in recent years taken a variety of steps, from using fuel-efficient trucks to buying more local food and daylighting its stores, to reduce its carbon footprint. Lately, it has been pushing its suppliers to operate more sustainably, and already gives points to products that come with less packaging and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Critics says that Walmart’s push is more about squeezing out costs than greenhouse gases. But others, including some leading environmentalists, vouch for Walmart’s sincerity and believe its scale gives it an incredible podium.

“Walmart is looking at the big picture,” said Krupp, by leveraging its vast vendor network to achieve change.

During a mock interview with a Walmart executive during the webcast, Krupp said Walmart is showing leadership by acting in advance of government mandates to reduce carbon emissions and also throwing out a challenge to consumer products companies around the world.

“What’s sensational is that you’re (Walmart) going to launch a process, a race, a treasure hunt among your suppliers to find ways to cut carbon pollution and cut their energy costs.”

For more information, see the Walmart Fact Sheet on how it intends to reduce carbon emissions.

Copyright © 2010 Green Right Now | Distributed by GRN Network

If you’ve eaten in a hospital, high school, college or company cafeteria in recent years, you may have been served by Sodexo, even if you didn’t know it. During the Vancouver Olympics, the ubiquitous French-based food service giant provided meals at the Athletes Village, too.

In the latter case, that involved more than flipping burgers and blending smoothies.

“They can’t use supplements, even multi-vitamins, because there are no guarantees they won’t contain banned substances, and muscle-building and recovery powders and protein powders might contain pro-hormones,” said Nanci Guest, director of sport nutrition for the Organizing Committee and supervising dietitian for the Athletes’ Village. “We’ll have ingredient lists for every food offered. Sodexo has done a lot of research and gathered information from other Olympics.”

Image: Sustainable Asset Management

Serving 2,500 athletes and officials 24 hours a day is a big undertaking, but Sodexo is in the news lately for another reason: The company’s sustainability efforts have earned recognition from Sustainable Asset Management for the third straight year. In the 2010 Sustainability Yearbook, Sodexo is awarded two distinctions: SAM Sector Leader 2010 and SAM Gold Class 2010.

The 2010 Sustainability Yearbook identifies companies that best combine economic and sustainability performance from among the world’s 2,500 largest corporations.

“Learning how to measure and report on a company’s sustainability efforts is an increasingly important business skill,” said Arlin Wasserman, Sodexo Vice President of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility.”We will challenge and enrich promising young business leaders with this professional experience, which will in turn help our clients and company improve sustainability performance.”

Sodexo, with 380,000 employees serving 50 million consumers around the world, was determined to be at the head of its industry category, “Hotels, Restaurants, Bars & Recreational Services” based on the following criteria specific to its business: Brand Management, Food Safety, Environmental Policy / Management System, Healthy Living, Local Impact of Business, Stakeholder Engagement and Standards for Suppliers.

In addition, Sodexo has been ranked 71st by Covalence on its list of the world’s most ethical companies, the first year that the Group has been included. Sodexo also recently has been listed for the fourth consecutive year as “Global Super Sector Leader” by the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI).

Copyright © 2010 Green Right Now | Distributed by GRN Network

Photo: cask.com

Still think of aluminum cans as the red-headed stepchild of the beer container industry? Bon Appetit magazine suggests that it may be time to take a second look.

According to the publication, nearly 75 breweries in the United States and Canada have switched their premium beers from glass to aluminum cans. Among reasons cited for the move: Delivering a fresher and better-tasting beer, the versatility of the can, and – yes! – a lower environmental impact.

The article (“The Beer Can Revolution”) includes the results of an in-house taste test with Matthew Lenning, Bon Appetit’s design director and avowed beer aficionado.

“I was completely preconditioned to think that canned beer equaled bad beer,” Lenning said. “Tasting is believing, however.”

As for the can’s advantages in terms of sustainability, the article had this to say:

“Cans are easier on the environment. They are nearly 50 percent lighter to ship than bottles, which greatly reduces their carbon footprint. Jamie Gordon at Cask Brewing Systems, the Canadian company that invented the craft canning system in 1999 and sold its first U.S. model to Oskar Blues several years later, says the number one reason brewers call him is environmental concerns.

“Creating a more eco-friendly product is what led (Garrett) Marrero (Maui Brewing Co.) to put his craft brews exclusively in cans, a decision that helped earn him a ‘Who’s Keeping Hawaii Green’ award in 2008.”

Marrero also talked about the relative ease with which aluminum can be re-used.

“Aluminum is infinitely recyclable, and recycled cans can be back on the shelf with new product within eight weeks,” he said. “To use bottles, we’d have to ship from thousands of miles away only to ship it back. The cans are locally produced and have a one-way journey. It’s better for the beer, better for the environment.”

Light Emitting Diode (LED) technology, already making inroads in traffic signals and Christmas lights, will get yet another application in New England: Green Mountain Power has submitted a plan to the Vermont Public Service Board to offer LEDs in streetlights throughout its Colchester, Vt., service area.

LED street light. Image: OSRAM

The more energy-efficient lights would replace worn-out mercury vapor lighting. Already, Colchester’s is the first electric utility in New England to offer an LED rate for outdoor lighting.

If the plan gains approval from regulators, customers will be able to request LEDs when installing new streetlights or replacing old ones. Mercury vapor lights will be phased out over time.

LEDs create light from the movement of electrons in a semiconductor material. They produce a comparable amount of light with a 66 percent savings in energy relative to their mercury vapor counterparts. An LED light also has a potential lifespan of more than 25 years, compared to 5-7 years for traditional street lamp bulbs.

The LED fixtures Green Mountain Power also will help reduce light pollution and glare. They direct 100 percent of the light below the fixture, with no light escaping above.

“Offering this new lighting technology to our customers furthers Green Mountain Power’s commitment to being an environmentally responsible company,” said Mary Powell, Green Mountain Power president and chief executive officer.

“By promoting energy efficient technology, we help customers to reduce the amount of energy they use and we also protect Vermont night sky.”

Copyright © 2010 Green Right Now | Distributed by GRN Network

Image: Forest Stewardship Council

From Green Right Now Reports

A South Carolina publisher has become the nation’s first to use 100 percent Forest Stewardship Council certified paper throughout its operation.

Arcadia Publishing, which produces thousands of local and regional histories, uses about 400 tons of paper each year. The company, known for its Images of America pictorial history books, has more than 6,000 titles in print and expects to add another 700 this year.

Those new issues, and reprints of older editions, will now carry the Forest Stewardship Council label, certifying that the paper comes from forests managed to meet the social, economic and ecological needs of present and future generations.

To achieve FSC certification, timber and paper are tracked through the processing chain, from forest to finished product. As such, all involved in that process must be FSC compliant for the end-line product to carry the FSC label.

The FSC certification system has wide support from environmental groups. The system is endorsed by Greenpeace, the National Wildlife Federation, The Nature Conservancy, Sierra Club, and World Wildlife Fund, among others.

By going 100 percent with FSC certified paper, Arcadia Publishing has surpassed industry standards as identified in The Book Industry Treatise on Responsible Paper Use by 500 percent, and almost two years ahead of the Treatise’s stated goals.

“Consistent with our commitment to help communities preserve history through local and regional history books, we have extended our efforts to improve the impact we have on our environment,” Arcadia Publishing CEO Richard Joseph said.

Copyright © 2010 Green Right Now | Distributed by GRN Network

TD Bank is going carbon neutral and building LEED-qualified banking centers

From Green Right Now Reports

TD Bank, which touts itself as America’s Most Convenient Bank, has decided to build its next branches to green building standards, the corporation announced today at its first green branch in Farmingdale, N.Y..

The bank, with more than 1,000 stores from Maine to Florida, will be opening another green store, a prototype for more to come, at 214-32 Jamaica Ave., Queens Village, N.Y., this spring.

TD Bank, with headquarters in Cherry Hill, N.J. and Portland, Maine, declared that its entire operation will now be carbon neutral, via its greener buildings, lowered energy consumption and purchases of renewable energy.

The bank expects to open another five to 10 new green stores in 2010, the majority of which will be submitted for LEED certification at the platinum level.

Those new branches will include features such as wood from sustainably managed forests, low VOC building materials, insulated glass to cut heat gain and sensors to control lighting.

The Queens prototype store, and subsequent stores, will have a solar canopy over the drive-through lanes that will generate electricity (hey customers be sure to cut the engine while waiting in line). The Queens location also will have secure bike parking, efficient plumbing and drought-tolerant landscaping.

In 2011, “the vast majority of new TD Bank stores constructed will be LEED certified” and all stores thereafter will be LEED qualified, the bank reported. TD Bank already opened LEED certified offices at 200 State Street in Boston, and it is buying enough wind power to run its entire network of 2,600 Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).

TD Bank’s new 3,800 square-feet stores based on the Queens prototype will reduce energy consumption by 50 percent compared with previous designs, the company estimated, with nearly 20 percent of the store’s energy being produced on-site through solar panels and those solar drive-through canopies.

Tapping the sun. Now that’s convenient.