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This article is part of a series by students at Bard College’s MBA in Sustainability. Principles of Sustainable Management is a foundational class for all Bard MBA students. It delivers ecological and social literacy, the frameworks and tools used by sustainability professionals, the business case for more responsible treatment of people and planet, systems thinking and integrated bottom line accounting.

By Stephen P. Williams

While gauging my carbon footprint with an online calculator, I look down at my bluetick coonhound, Elvis, and wonder what his carbon pawprint is. Nearby, his buddy Alice, a black and tan coonhound, snores through it all.

Let’s see: They don’t drive; they’ve never flown on airplanes; their trash consists of the one or two plastic bags I use to pick up their poop every day. They each eat two cups daily of high-quality (a code word for “expensive") dog food.

I Google “carbon footprint of dogs” and am bombarded with a series of responses to a 7-year-old book that claims one pet dog has the same “ecological footprint” -- the amount of land needed to produce the energy consumed -- as a large SUV driven 10,000 miles a year. The book was written by two New Zealand professors named Robert and Brenda Vale, and it’s titled: "Time to Eat the Dog?"

I look down at Elvis and think: not tasty.

Turns out the book devotes only 28 of its 350 pages to pets. The main argument is that the meat consumed by dogs requires a large amount of land to produce. The rest charts all the other areas of our lives that contribute to our ecological footprints.  Clearly, the dog part is a marketing tool.  And I think it’s a bunch of BS.

Elvis' and Alice’s food has an average animal protein content of less than 25 percent -- depending on what flavor is in stock at my local pet store, that would be salmon, lamb, chicken or beef. But for argument’s sake, and to give the Kiwis a fighting chance, let’s assume my dogs are each eating two cups of raw meat a day, or about one pound each.  According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), it takes 13.5 kilograms (almost 30 pounds) of carbon to produce and transport one pound of beef. For each dog, that would total 2,168 tons per year. According to the EWG, a large SUV emits about 11,000 tons per year if driven 1,200 miles per month.

That figure does not include the footprint of manufacturing that SUV in the first place, which would make the figure skyrocket. And remember that my dog food calculations are based on a dog eating one pound a day of raw meat. No matter how much my dogs would like to keep a side of beef in the fridge, in truth, their dog food is made of grains, cereals and “tasty” meat byproducts -- meaning the parts of the animal, such as sinew, bones, eyeballs and skin -- that many people wouldn’t touch. So, in effect, my dogs are piggybacking on other people’s carbon footprints by eating the throwaway meat that’s discarded from the steaks and burgers.

So now Elvis can rest easy, and Alice can continue to snore. I will feed them again in the morning -- and not to myself. As they crunch away, I’ll bask in my superior status as a dog lover, knowing that cat litter often is made from strip-mined clay. No joke.

Image credit: Pixabay

Stephen P. Williams is a student in Bard College’s MBA in Sustainability program.

By Abby Jarvis

The relationship between small businesses (or companies of any size, for that matter) and nonprofit organizations is often mutually beneficial. Nonprofits ask for donations; companies respond by sponsoring nonprofits' important projects. Nonprofits need volunteer hours; companies have manpower and time they can offer.

Small businesses do not often have extremely developed corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, but that doesn't mean they can't or shouldn't lend a helping hand to nonprofits.

Take a look at the primary ways small businesses can help nonprofit organizations. And while you're at it, check out the role that businesses play when it comes to social change.

1. Host a volunteer day

If you want to give your employees a chance to bond as a team and effect some positive change at the same time, why not host a volunteer day?

You can choose a local nonprofit that does work your employees are connected to in some way. For instance, if you have an office full of dog-lovers, you might want to spend a day at a local animal shelter. If your workers are always recycling and separating their paper and plastic, connect with an environmental organization to clean up your local area.

Wherever you plan on volunteering, make sure that it's a fun and memorable time for your employees.

You might even be able to form a strong partnership with the nonprofit you volunteer with. That could potentially lead to more opportunities for your employees to help improve your community.

2. Start matching your employees' donations to nonprofits

Many larger corporations match their employees' donations to nonprofit organizations. However, smaller companies often don't have an established policy for matching gifts.

If your employees enjoy giving money to their favorite charities, why not give those funds a boost and match them?

You don't necessarily have to immediately start matching gifts at a 4:1 ratio; start slow and create a program that has room to grow.

You might find it useful to limit the types of nonprofits to which your employees can donate at first. Eventually, you can expand the program to include any and all organizations to which your employees give.

Additionally, you can use your matching-gift program as a way to demonstrate your corporate social responsibility to the community.

3. Create a nonprofit resource page

Many nonprofits have a "Ways to Give" page where they explain how supporters can give to their cause. They might list out a multitude of resources so donors and volunteers can get a better idea of how to support the organization.

Your small business can create a similar resource page to give your employees a list of ways to give to nonprofits such as:

• Online donation forms


• Fundraising events


• Volunteering opportunities


• Crowdfunding pages


• Text-to-give software


• Corporate giving programs


• And more!

Having a nonprofit resource page on your company's website or posted somewhere in the office can be a good way to inspire charitable fence-sitters who may need some encouragement.

4. Consider offering skills-based services to nonprofits

This point will likely differ depending on the type of company you run or work for, but it's worth considering as a way to give back to nonprofits.

If your employees have skills or services that they can lend to an organization, encourage them to do so! You can offer legal advice, account services or marketing consultation to small nonprofits that may be unable to pay for these types of services or hire outside help.

You could also teach classes to nonprofit professionals in an area that you're familiar with.

Offering skills-based services is essentially a form of volunteerism, but it makes use of the strengths that your employees already possess. The nonprofit benefits by receiving specialized services and time from people who are skilled at what they do.

5. Apply to become a nonprofit board member

If you or someone in your company has a real passion for philanthropy, you might consider applying to become a nonprofit board member.

Granted, being a nonprofit board member is an unpaid volunteer position that might require a lot of work, but it might be a good fit for an employee who wants to serve in a more committed, long-term position.

Many nonprofit board members may be major gift donors or people with extensive knowledge of the nonprofit world, but don't let that stop anyone in your small business from pursuing a seat on a board.

6. Lend your office space

Even if you're a super small company with limited resources, you can still help nonprofits out by lending them your office space.

You'll need to talk to the organization's leadership to work out the logistics and determine what expectations are for both parties.

You might be able to help a nonprofit with their next advocacy campaign by giving them extra room to train volunteers or make signs and flyers.

Or, if a nonprofit is expanding and has outgrown its own offices, you can offer your space until it finds somewhere new.

Whatever the circumstances, lending your company's office space is a good way to forge strong business/nonprofit relationships or strengthen the ones you already have. 

7. Encourage employees to attend nonprofit events

After a long day at the office, your employees might not find the idea of going to a nonprofit event the most thrilling end-of-day activity. However, attending events doesn't just result in more support for charitable organizations, but they are also great ways for your employees to have a shared experience outside of work.

Many of your employees might donate to nonprofits, but they might not have a very personal relationship with a charity.

Attending a nonprofit event, whether it's a fundraiser, rally, seminar or anything in between, can be an inexpensive way to show your support of an organization.

--

These seven ways small businesses can help nonprofits are by no means the only ones. You might find that something else works even better for your company. Tweak and adjust to find out what your employees enjoy that also gives maximum benefits to nonprofits.

What about your small business? What success have you had supporting nonprofits? What types of programs do your employees enjoy taking part in?

Graphics courtesy of the author

Abby Jarvis is a blogger, marketer, and communications coordinator for Qgiv, an online fundraising service provider. Qgiv offers industry-leading online giving and peer to peer fundraising tools for nonprofit, faith-based, and political organizations of all sizes. When she's not working at Qgiv, Abby can usually be found writing for local magazines, catching up on her favorite blogs, or binge-watching sci-fi shows on Netflix. 

Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, is scheduled to give the opening address at the GLOBE 2016 Leadership Summit to be held in Vancouver, from 2 March to 4 March. More than 2,000 thought leaders, policy makers, and financial, corporate and environment professionals and executives will meet to explore how to promote clean technologies, innovation, and sustainability into economic opportunities.

"The Prime Minister has stated that Canada will maximize the opportunities of the shift to a low-carbon economy," said Mike Gerbis, CEO of GLOBE series. "Business, NGO, and government leaders from around the world come to GLOBE to discuss how to maximize those opportunities and turn political commitments like those just made in Paris at COP 21 into solutions on the ground."

The GLOBE 2016 Leadership Summit and Innovation Exposition, held every two years in Vancouver, hosts business, policy, and civil society leaders working to address pressing global challenges with business and technology solutions.

GLOBE Series is a private company headquartered in Vancouver, Canada that works to shape global, regional, and industry agendas for a sustainable future.

To view the full conference program visit GLOBESeries.com, and for updates follow @GLOBE_Series and #GLOBE2016

Stephen Howard has been appointed as the Non-Executive Chairman of the National Schools Partnership, a social marketing agency responsible for the creation of learning programmes in partnership with brands and teachers.

National Schools Partnership specialises in achieving results for young people, teachers, families and clients through the power of inspirational education. The agency works in partnership with 69,000 teachers, in the U.K. and Ireland. Current programmes include Sky Academy; the British Gas ‘Generation Green’ programme; P&G ‘Always About You’; the Into Film Festival; and Lloyds Banking Group and BBC Children in Need’s ‘Champions of Change.’

CEO Mark Fawcett said: “I am very excited that Stephen will be joining us.  His great experience and his equal passion and belief in the positive impact business can make in the support of education and young people, will be invaluable.”

Howard is currently Chief Executive of Business in the Community, leading 800 member organisations in tackling a wide range of issues that are essential to creating a fairer society and a more sustainable future. He has senior management expertise acquired in the corporate sector, having held a number of different executive and non-executive roles including: Chief Executive of Cookson Group plc, and Chief Executive of Novar PLC.

Howard holds a non-executive directorship for In Kind Direct; membership of the Veolia Advisory Board; Director of Big Issue Social Investments Ltd; membership of the London Enterprise Panel and the Fair Education Alliance. He has also recently been appointed Chair of Power to Change, an independent charitable trust.

Speaking of his new position as Chairman, Howard said:“I am passionate about responsible business, and delighted by the opportunity to support National Schools Partnership in achieving bigger and better impact for clients, schools and the community through the unique power of education.” 

TriplePundit Founder and Publisher Nick Aster contributed to this article

You heard that right. The TriplePundit team is very excited to be hosting an upcoming Twitter chat with special guests Hugh Grant, CEO of Monsanto, Dr. Nick Goeser, director of soil health and sustainability for the NCGA’s Soil Health Partnership, and Pradip Das, principal researcher of experimental science for the Climate Corp., to discuss the future of agriculture.

Many of you are probably wondering why we'd choose to host this chat -- especially enthusiastically. Here's why: We believe everyone deserves a seat at the table when it comes to managing climate change. Actually, we NEED everyone at the table if we're going to solve global challenges and nourish 9 billion people in a warming world. And we don't believe in bogeymen.

The arguments against monocrops like corn and soy and against excessive pesticide use are very sound from a systems-thinking point of view. These crops can be problematic both nutritionally and environmentally. Further, the changes our global agricultural systems have seen in the last century have come so quickly that it's scary to sit on the sidelines and watch. Monsanto also rightly has its critics when it comes to its aggressive approach to intellectual property (IP) protection and taking farmers to court.

But the knee-jerk reaction to Monsanto as the root of all evil is not sound thinking. Monsanto is the environmental community's favorite bad guy, and referencing the ag giant is all-too-often a way to distract or deter an argument. The recent health crisis over the Zika virus and the speed with which a rumor that Monsanto was somehow involved is the perfect example of how Monsanto-as-strawman hurts the cause of sustainability. Simply put: Blaming Monsanto for the world's ills is a lazy way to win an argument.  The fact is that advanced technology, including genetic modification, may be helpful in both feeding a growing world and adapting to the effects of climate change. There are arguments to be had for and against this sentiment.

We need critical thinking to solve the worlds biggest problems, and we need everyone at the table. That includes the world's biggest agriculture giants. And you!

We invite you to join the conversation on Tuesday March 8 at 9 a.m. PST/12 p.m. EST at #Ag4thefuture. Please bring your most respectful and intelligent tweets, and you'll get a chance to engage with the CEO of Monsanto -- quite an opportunity if you think about it!

For more information, read on here.

Already active on Twitter? Tweet to spread the word about the #Ag4thefuture Twitter chat:

Join @MonsantoCo, @SoilPartners, @ClimateCorp, and @TriplePundit on 3/8/16 for a Twitter Chat on #Ag4thefuture! http://bit.ly/Ag4thefuture

Tweet us at @triplepundit, @nickaster and @jenboynton to let us know what you think, or leave responses below!

Image credit Pixabay

The king of Morocco officially launched the first phase of the world's largest concentrated solar power plant, the Noor Complex. When finished, the complex will provide 500 megawatts of clean, renewable energy to 1.1 million Moroccans, reduce the country’s use of foreign oil by about 2.5 million tons, and lower carbon emissions by 760,000 tons per year.

This could herald a new era of clean energy in this part of the world. The Sahara is a huge swath of sun nearly the size of the United States. If even just a tiny percentage of it were covered with solar panels, it could generate enough power for much of North Africa, especially if coupled with adequate (and increasingly affordable) battery storage to cover the few times a year the sun isn't shining.

“The Noor Solar Complex stands to serve as an example for Africa and the world about how to create effective pathways to greener and more inclusive economies through renewable energy,” said Yacine Fal, with the African Development Bank, one of the financiers of the project, in a press statement.

This plant will be massive when completed, taking up as much space as Morocco's capitol city, Rabat. It happens to be located in one of the poorest regions of the country, and there are hopes that it will provide jobs and economic development to a region in need of it, along with, of course, power. Around 650,000 homes already get power for three hours a day from the plant.

It was not an easy project – with financing coming from numerous international agencies, governments and private investors. The fact that it got done, and is now providing energy to hundreds of thousands, is powerful. This effect will be amplified because Morocco also happens to be the host of the COP22 climate talks later this year, where the details that were agreed upon in Paris last November will be ironed out. Having a symbol of solar ingenuity and political will across the Sahara will certainly be a powerful symbol to the potential of renewable energy to help us meet ambitious global climate goals. Morocco is, in fact, a global leader, ranked one of the top 10 nations taking action against climate change in the 2016 Climate Performance Index.

"What's encouraging is that in all these areas there is a deliberate choice and clear policies that have been spelled out by the government, and they are actually walking the talk in terms of putting the resources and in terms of implementation,” said Marie-Francoise Marie-Nelly, World Bank country director for the region, in a statement.

If North Africa expands its solar production, there are even hopes that it could ship energy to nearby Europe through an integrated grid. This could allow for solar to go to Spain when its most ample renewable source (wind) is low, and vice versa, building resilience and reducing the need for fossil-fuel baseload energy.

One thing is for certain, with the opening of this plant, the future of energy in the Mediterranean is bright. Morocco is showing us all the way forward.

Image credit: Pixabay

It is day three of my Chevy Volt test drive. I have yet to use a single gallon of gasoline. That is zero gasoline consumption while driving in San Diego’s urban stop-and-go traffic. That is zero gasoline consumption while having fun blasting up highway on-ramps. That is three days of driving the way I enjoy driving while generating zero tailpipe emissions.

This second article on my Chevy Volt test-drive experience explores what this car can mean to your pocketbook.

Is the Volt the best value in the auto industry?

The Volt is not an eco car. It is a luxury car with all the bells and whistles, including fun-to-drive performance. Yet, you can find dealers selling Volts for around $33,000. That is equal to the 2016 average retail sales price for new cars. There are also dealers promoting $269/month lease deals.

Then there are the Volt’s tax credits. As an economist, I wish we did not have tax credits and deductions for fossil-fuel power plants, oil extraction, renewable energy or electric cars. This type of tax policy distorts procurement decisions. But we do have tax incentives, and the tax credits for electric cars are very generous. The federal tax credit is $7,500 for an electric vehicle like the Volt. In California there is an additional $1,500 tax credit. If you live in California, you can buy a fully-loaded $40,000 Volt like the one I am test-driving for $30,000 after tax credits. That is probably $10,000 to $30,000 less than a comparable Mercedes, Lexus or BMW.

Many insurance companies offer a 5 percent discount to electric car owners.

Volt owners can ignore gasoline prices for the overwhelming number of driving days. Most of us drive less per day than the Volt's 56-mile electric range. Some Volt owners I follow on Facebook report going a month with zero gasoline consumption.

The cost to run a Volt on electricity is lower than filling up at the pump. Utilities are increasingly offering discounted rates for electric car charging. It is estimated that the cost to recharge electric cars through utility service is equivalent to 75 cents per gallon of gasoline. Finally, there is a growing trend where homeowners buy a solar system and they buy/lease an electric vehicle that they refuel for “free” from their home’s solar system.

The financial bottom line is that a Volt saves money. It eliminates worrying over gas prices. It is the best deal you can find for a luxury car in America.

How to buy a car

Test driving the Volt has challenged my thinking. It should challenge yours. We all need to rethink how we buy cars.

It is time we learn to embrace the new technology symbolized by the Chevy Volt. Would you still buy a Nokia phone or a Palm Pilot contact manager? They were great technologies at the time. But technology has moved past them.

That is our current situation with the cars we own. We love them. But they are now obsolete. Cars like the Volt must be our future if we are to solve the big problems that confront our economy and health. The Volt is American technology made in America. Think of the jobs and economic growth if we all drove a Volt or Volt-like car. Electric cars deliver zero tailpipe emissions. They are a solution to the urban air pollution that is now recognized as the fourth leading cause of death. You won’t let your kids smoke. Why let your kids breath fossil-fuel air pollution when you can choose to drive a stunning car like the Volt?

The great news is that this American-made technology is price-competitive even without tax incentives. Vehicles like the Volt are bargains with tax incentives. They cost less to operate. Most of all, they are fun to drive. Do something for yourself and America: Go test drive a Volt.

Enough seriousness

For all of the Volt’s serious benefits, the most compelling reason to drive one is that it's a fun car to drive. Tomorrow I am driving the Volt to San Clemente’s Pier where I will bask in the Southern California sun and eat fish tacos. Then the next day, I'll drive over the mountains and down into Palm Springs. Follow along through upcoming posts profiling the fun of driving a Volt in Southern California.

Image credit: Bill Roth

Editor's Note: An earlier version of this post stated that California offers a $2,500 tax credit for hybrid EVs. It was updated on Feb. 23 to the correct number. 

Jaguar Land Rover and Novelis developed an automotive product called RC5754 aluminum alloy that contains up to 75 percent recycled content. Both companies recently announced that RC5754 has been integrated into the production of passenger vehicles. The two companies developed it as part of Jaguar’s REALCAR (Recycled Aluminum Car) project. It was introduced initially in the new Jaguar XE but will soon be used in all new and legacy Jaguar models.

Jaguar describes the REALCAR project in its latest sustainability report as its “long-term and constantly evolving closed-loop materials model that makes use of a recycled aluminium alloy RC5754.” The project required big investments on the part of Novelis and Jaguar. Novelis invested $8.6 million in expansion of its U.K. Latchford Plant, and Jaguar invested over $8.6 million in its Press Shops for the material.

Jaguar has a goal of incorporating 75 percent recycled aluminum materials in its vehicles by 2020, and the use of RC5754 helps it accomplish that goal. The goal is part of Jaguar’s larger aim to use more sustainable materials in its vehicles. The company believes the way to accomplish that goal is through the creation of a circular economy. “We believe the circular economy is an important strategy – placing a value on waste materials so that they are reused in place of natural raw and non-renewable materials,” Jaguar stated in its sustainability report.

What exactly is a circular economy? McKinsey and Co. defines it as aiming to “eradicate waste — not just from manufacturing processes, as lean management aspires to do, but systematically, throughout the lifecycles and uses of products and their components.” Further, McKinsey states that “tight component and product cycles of use and reuse, aided by product design, help define the concept of a circular economy.”

A circular economy is “restorative and regenerative by design, and aims to keep products, components, and materials at their highest utility and value at all times,” the Ellen MacArthur Foundation adds. It is “a continuous positive development cycle that preserves and enhances natural capital, optimizes resource yields, and minimizes system risks by managing finite stocks and renewable flows.”

Closed-loop manufacturing is part of creating a circular economy, as Jaguar mentions in its sustainability report. A case study on the REALCAR project by the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership describes a closed-loop value chain as taking “a fundamentally non-linear approach." Implementation of it is “predicated on the notion of a circular economy, combining both forward and reverse supply chains, and where product waste is incorporated in the production of new versions of the products,” researchers said. In other words, it is a different way of manufacturing, one in which the entire lifecycle of a product and the components to manufacture it are considered. In this case, the lifecycle of a vehicle and its components are considered.

The benefits of closed-loop manufacturing can be seen by looking at the REALCAR project. The project “delivered wide-ranging benefits,” the case study states. One of those benefits is a “significant reduction” in the lifecycle impact of Jaguar’s vehicles as recycled aluminum needs up to 95 percent less energy during production than primary material does.

Less climate change impact is another benefit. The REALCAR project reduced the climate change potential of the 2013 Range Rover TDV6 model by 13.8 percent over a typical vehicle’s entire lifecycle. And it puts Jaguar closer to its goal to achieve a 30 percent reduction in key environmental impacts during a vehicle’s entire lifecycle by 2020. Novelis also benefits from the project: It helps the company make progress on its own goal to reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 13 percent.

The REALCAR project is an example of what applying the concepts of circular economy and closed-loop manufacturing can achieve. It also serves as an example to other car companies: If we want to reduce climate change impacts, these are concepts that need to be widely applied. The planet and its billions of inhabitants depend on it.

Image credit: Jaguar Land Rover

When the world's largest retailer teams up with one of the most outspoken non-governmental organizations, the ripple effect is felt everywhere.  That's what's happened during a decade of cooperation between Walmart and the Environmental Defense Fund.

EDF recently touted the progress made during the past 10 years of this unprecedented partnership.  The organization accustomed to scrutinizing big business practices decided to set up shop in Walmart's hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas, and connect from that dedicated office on a laundry list of environmental issues.  The NGO concentrated first on simply seeing things from Walmart's perspective.

We asked EDF's manager of corporate partnerships, Elizabeth Sturcken, what the biggest challenge was in taking on this retail giant and its carbon footprint. She answered:

"Ten years ago, when this partnership started, Environmental Defense Fund saw that Walmart was considering how to become more sustainable. Our job was to pile on the existing motivation by showing them the positive environmental impact they could have by using their scale to improve the way business was done.

"I think our biggest challenge back then was where to get started. There were so many opportunities to address, and Walmart, as a business, was moving so fast – we really just grabbed on and started learning the business. Only when we were able to identify Walmart’s biggest areas of environmental impact were we able to really start driving results at scale."

Learning that 90 percent of the potential for limiting carbon emissions was in Walmart's supply chain necessitated a look at how to achieve system-wide results with all those suppiers the company collaborated with on a regular basis, Sturcken explained. Its daunting $482 billion in annual sales gives Walmart the power to influence every other business in its vast supply chain as well as to motivate competitors. EDF was impressed that, in 2005, then Walmart CEO Lee Scott was calling for more sustainability in products sold, creating zero waste and eventually using all renewable energy.

Simply put, Walmart's trio of ambitious goals were:

• To be supplied by 100 percent renewable energy


• Create zero waste


• Sell products that sustain people and the environment

One specific, ambitious, Walmart goal was to eliminate 20 million metric tons (MMT) of greenhouse gas emissions by the end of 2015.  EDF reported the company not only met that goal, but exceeded it, by cutting out 28 MMT of pollution from its supply chain.

Walmart's senior director of global responsibility communications, Kevin Gardner, related: "Our journey in reaching these goals – in partnership with EDF – has enabled us to set realistic targets and milestones to track toward these goals -- and enhanced our ability to clearly quantify, track and report progress on a regular basis."

Gardner offered these ingredients for success that have helped Walmart achieve sustainability goals and that could be instrumental for other businesses looking to follow suit:

"Through this journey, our eyes were opened to a few key overarching sustainability trends that are essential for success":

• We can’t create a solution alone: "We quickly realized that driving meaningful change requires 360 collaboration and convening expert/NGO partners such as EDF for meaningful expertise along the way, suppliers to create the most efficient supply chain possible, and even competitors to create solutions to shared problems. To gain a true systems change, we must all work together to identify the root of major problems and drive new, collaborative action that spurs lasting change."


• Sustainability must make business sense: "Our work to reduce our environmental impact, like any other project, must also move the needle from a business bottom-line perspective in order for companies to engage in this work long-term. For efficiency, it involves capital decisions and staffing to execute, track and monitor projects. Walmart has been able to incorporate technologies and developments within our supply chain – from energy efficiency to reducing food waste – that have not only reduced our environmental impact, but also save us money as a company, which allows us to ensure the everyday low prices that our customers have come to expect."


• Consumers want to buy products they feel good about -- without having to pay more: "In embarking on our sustainability journey, we quickly came to realize that consumers want to feel good about the sustainability of the products they are buying – without having to pay more. Walmart is committed to reducing the environmental impact of the products we sell, at no extra cost to the customer. Through our work with EDF, we were able to form the Sustainability Consortium and to develop the Walmart Sustainability Index, ultimately leading to the launch of our online Sustainability Leaders shop – which points customers to our best-in-class sustainable products, at everyday low costs. The Index and the Sustainability Leaders shop have been instrumental in inspiring our suppliers to do right by the environment and enabling us to do right by our customers."

Furthermore in its report, EDF suggested these tips for others in the industry who want to reach sustainability goals:

• Be ambitious


• Measure to manage


• Persevere


• Engage


• Align on policy

Walmart influenced the agricultural community to achieve efficiencies in its use of fertilizer.  This is especially relevant to the production of corn and other leading commodity crops.  A Walmart-led initiative aims to reduce 7 MMT of greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture by the year 2020.

Walmart also spearheaded the Closed Loop Fund that encourages cities to bolster their recycling efforts, via zero-interest loans. It committed to more energy efficiencies in its factories in China.

A product as simple as a lightbulb has had a big impact because of the vast reach of a company like Walmart.  In 2007, the company promoted the sale of Compact Florescent (CFL) lightbulbs, helping its customers save energy at home.

Walmart has also made progress in modernizing the standards for safer ingredients in numerous consumer products, responding in part to coalition campaigns like Mind the Store that have urged retailers to scrutinize product safety. Walmart's Sustainable Chemistry Implementation Guide led the way for even more retailers to screen ingredients more closely in their supply chains.  Walmart is leading a trend toward full disclosure of product ingredients in its private-label products for Walmart and Sam's Club, while encouraging other brands to do the same.

The EDF partnership has always stressed that businesses must make sound and science-based, as well as business-based, decisions on tightening the supply chain.  Of its three main goals, Walmart has certainly led the way in selling sustainable products, while reporting a 82.4 percent reduction in waste in the United States.  It has the farthest to go to achieve 100 percent renewable energy, getting about a fourth of the way toward that goal by the end of 2014.

Said Walmart's Gardner: "We listened to our customers’ desire for more transparency into the products they are buying, and as a result, Walmart U.S. and Sam’s Club worked with EDF, other NGOs, suppliers, academics, government and industry stakeholders to develop our policy on sustainable chemistry for the consumable products that we sell. Our customers expect that the products they buy are safe, affordable and sustainable, and this is one way we’re delivering on those expectations."

You can see more here about the timeline of the EDF and Walmart partnership.

Image credit: Flickr/Mike Mozart

According to the Pew Research Center, approximately 1 percent of the estimated 322 million Americans practice Islam. That translates to about 3.3 million Muslim Americans in total, and slightly less than 2 million American adults. (That number could be off, as the U.S. Census does not ask questions about religion in its decennial population count.) Despite its relatively rapid growth the past decade, this demographic -- or market -- will still be small in 2050, when estimates suggest Muslims will comprise about 2 percent of the population.

Nevertheless, it is still a market. And Muslims can be found in high concentrations in all corners of America. Witness the cities with the five largest percentages of Muslims: Detroit; Washington, D.C.; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Philadelphia; and New York City.

So, despite all the disjointed political chatter, Muslims are part of American life and culture, and businesses have taken notice. So have some designers, who are conscious of the fact that Muslim Americans are hardly a monolithic group, from the Arab-American capitol of Dearborn, Michigan, to the Bosnian-Americans who live in and around St. Louis.

To that end, Hana Tajima, a Japanese-British fashion designer from the United Kingdom, has launched a so-called “Modest Wear Collection” with Japan-based fast-fashion retailer Uniqlo. The looks run across the map. Some of the stylish outerwear and tops are perfect for a night out in the trendy Gemmayzeh district of Beirut; the kebayas would be more comfortable for Muslim women from Southeast Asia. Tajima has also introduced a range of hijabs, which are commonplace across Northern Africa and the Levant. The collection also includes Malaysian-inspired baju kurungs and tunics, as well as blouses that Tajima says invoke modesty but would easily fit in within any women’s fashion collection. Tajima also designed a couple of hair accessories made from Uniqlo’s moisture-wicking material, which has long been part of the reason for the company’s enduring popularity in east Asia.

For now, Tajima’s collection is available online and at Uniqlo USA’s 5th Avenue flagship store in Manhattan. Uniqlo’s decision to carry such a line follows a slow but steady trend by leading fashion brands to design collections for Muslim women. Last year Tommy Hilfiger and Barcelona-based retailer Mango released Ramadan-inspired lines in the Middle East. H&M is not quite there yet, but generated buzz by featuring a 23-year-old Muslim woman from London in last fall’s ad campaign. Most Muslim Americans, however, still have to shop for their favorite designs online. Nevertheless, more clothing companies are realizing that there is opportunity worldwide: Forbes estimated that Muslims spent $266 billion on fashion in 2013.

The decision to promote Tajima’s collection is a bold one for Uniqlo, which has struggled recently with its U.S. stores. Warm weather and the consumers’ unfamiliarity with the Uniqlo brand contributed to its U.S. stores operating at a financial loss, but the company hopes a new strategy of focusing on major cities and expanded online stores can turn its American sales around. In addition to shops in Manhattan, Los Angeles and San Francisco, the company has also opened a new store in Chicago and two new locations in New York.

Image credit: Uniqlo USA