September 12th, 2012

A growing number of major U.S. companies, led by the nation’s largest big-box retailers, are installing rooftop solar power systems to help cut energy costs and increase profits, a new report says. According to the report, released by the Solar Energ…

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August 25th, 2009

From Green Right Now Reports

There’s a nice symmetry to this green trend that’s taken root among financial institutions. Aware that their paper-spewing tendencies carry a high carbon price (not to mention their actual price), many banks and credit companies are planting trees for customers who agree to forgo paper statements.

The latest to announce such a tree-planting project is the Kinecta Federal Credit Union in Manhattan Beach, Calif. Kinecta will make a donation to plant a tree in the Brazilian Rain Forest for every customer who converts to electronic statements between now and Sept. 30.

“Our intention is not only to show our commitment to being a green organization, but also to motivate our members to consider the positive global impact even the smallest decision can have,” said Shannon Doiron, Director of Marketing & eCommerce in a news release. “Collectively, credit union members can make a tremendous difference simply by opting out of paper statements.”

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July 21st, 2009

Green Right Now Reports:

FedEx has added 92 hybrid-electric trucks to its fleet, all of which are converted standard delivery trucks.

The increase represents a jump of 50 percent in the company’s hybrid fleet, bringing it to a total of 264 hybrid-electric vehicles. FedEx estimates that its hybrid fleet has saved an estimated 1,521 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions since 2004. That’s equivalent to taking 279 cars off the road annually.

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June 30th, 2009

By Michele Chan Santos
Green Right Now

Green-minded visitors to northern Colorado should consider a tour of the New Belgium Brewing Company in Fort Collins. New Belgium, best known for its Fat Tire Amber Ale brand, is one of the most environmentally progressive breweries in the world. The brewery has used wind-powered electricity since 1999, and green-design methods have been incorporated throughout the company. I visited the headquarters on a recent trip and discovered that many aspects of company life are dedicated to sustainability.

New Belgium sponsors a charity bike-and-music event called “Tour de Fat” in eleven cities in the United States, including Austin, Chicago, Minneapolis and Portland, that encourages people to trade their car for a bike, at least for a day. At Tour de Fat events, beer is served in compostable cups, and performers take to a solar-powered stage. (A Tour de Fat schedule is online.)

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June 4th, 2009

FROM GREEN RIGHT NOW REPORTS:

A new survey by BBMG has found that 77 percent of consumers say they can make a “positive difference” by buying products from socially and environmentally responsible companies.

And nearly as many respondents (72 percent) say they have “avoided purchasing products from companies I disagree with.”

The results, according to BBMG, show that companies face significant risks and rewards based on their corporate behavior.

Company behavior drives person-to-person recommendations as well, with 55 percent of the consumers polled saying they often “encourage others to buy from companies that are socially and environmentally responsible.”

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May 21st, 2009

By Barbara Kessler
Green Right Now

You know your car is a gas hound. But what about the water it requires?

Keeping a car clean, whether you rinse it off in your driveway or get it scrubbed at a professional wash, uses buckets of agua, more than you might realize.

If you’re careful, washing your car at home might use 10 gallons of water, but probably more like 25 or 50. A car wash can use much more, in the range of 75 to 100 gallons.

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May 11th, 2009

By Shermakaye Bass
Green Right Now

Only a few years ago, you couldn’t give old wood away. Dilapidated barns and falling-down sheds were a nuisance to most people who owned them; they’d actually pay you to come haul the stuff off.

Boy, how things change. Daniel and Amy Balog find it ironic, and exciting, that reclaimed wood has become fashionable. The Tennessee-based furniture makers are riding that trend simply doing what they do best – reusing old things and creating cool, utilitarian designs.

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April 29th, 2009

Michael Caruso, co-owner of Amerisweep, LLC, metro Atlanta area

What I do:

Our company specializes in cleaning parking decks and surface lots using a pressure washing system that reclaims and reuses about 95 percent of the water. The ride-on pressure washer isn’t hooked up to a water source.

How it helps:

A typical pressure washer will use 2,500 to 5,000 gallons of water during a four-hour job and all that water will pour down the drains of the parking decks with dirt and oil.
The Cyclone System we use captures all of these pollutants, keeps them from going down the drains and saves a tremendous amount of precious water in the whole process. Cleaning one parking deck might take 40 hours, so, when you do the math, our company is using about 2,400 gallons while other companies might have to use as much as 40,000 gallons.

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