A message from Peter Bakker, President, World Business Council for Sustainable Development:

Let me start by wishing you a successful, inspiring and healthy 2013! It has been a year since I assumed the role of President at the WBCSD - a year that seems to have passed too quickly. I had the chance to meet many of you during my visits last year. I would like to thank those who participated in our Council Meeting in Seoul, South Korea, where we were honoured by the attendance of the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, the Prime Minister of South Korea, Kim Hwang Sik and other senior officials from the host nation.

I concluded the meeting more convinced than ever that business has a leading role to play in tackling the issues that will define the future of humanity and this planet. I felt very encouraged that many of you share that sense of responsibility and that your companies are actively engaged in shaping our work programs. 

However, there are major challenges that need to be tackled if we want to stay on course for a ‘world with 9 billion people living well, within the boundaries of the planet’. The world continues to face tough economic conditions which threaten to take over the global agenda. We cannot let that keep us from addressing the longer-term health of our companies, our societies and our planet. As I have said before, the days of raising awareness on sustainability are behind us. We need to take action and scale up quickly.

To define a focused path forward for all of us, Vision 2050 serves as a good starting point. In 2013 we will revise Vision 2050, update it, and prioritize the Must Haves based on scientific findings and social research. We will translate Vision 2050 into actionable and investable items for the medium term. Consequently, we are relaunching this project and you will receive a separate note inviting you to be part of the process. In order for Vision 2050 to be the guiding document for our collective work within the WBCSD - and ideally for all business - we must all participate in this project. Your input is essential as I envisage that the new Vision 2050 will also serve as a key membership criterion. Over the course of this year, you will see more communications from the team and from me personally as we shape this project together - all the way to its launch at the Council Meeting in Istanbul in November.

In the past year, I have also begun reshaping the WBCSD internally. The essence of our organisation remains as a global organisation of forward-thinking responsible businesses working together on creating sustainable solutions. New team members have joined and we are focusing on outcomes and actions. I am also striking an increasingly progressive tone in my messages to internal and external audiences. I urge all of you to engage actively in this dialogue, especially on the challenging issues. For example, we have launched the project on Reporting and Investing, despite the opinion of some that the subject would be too sensitive. The strong support we have received since the project was launched has proven otherwise.

Your continued support of our organisation is critical. We are aware that your agendas are very full, but the WBCSD is only relevant if you continue to devote your personal time and allow experts from your organisations to participate in our projects. Our commitment remains to provide the most professional support to the project work, making the most of your time and efforts.

With my best regards and the best wishes for 2013 from everyone in the WBCSD team,

Peter Bakker President, WBCSD

The US BCSD's work in scaling up solutions to Vision 2050 was recently featured in the December 2012 issue of Business World Magazine. The article goes into detail on both trends and actions happening in each of our four focus areas that "build bridges between companies, sectors and with the public to establish alignment on this path to sustainability." Click here to read the full article, and consider registering for our Winter Meeting to continue the conversation.

Happy Holidays from all of us at the US BCSD.

Wishing you and yours happiness this holiday season and prosperity in the New Year. Thank you for your continued support in 2012. We look forward to growing and developing our relationship in the coming year, in particular at our Winter Meeting in early February.

All the best,

Andy Mangan and the US BCSD team

Providing EHS and sustainability professionals the tools to understand what ecosystem services mean to their companies.

The US BCSD and WBCSD-US are offering customized training sessions around the US to provide EHS and sustainability professionals the tools and skills needed to manage ecosystem services. Business Ecosystems Training introduces cutting- edge applications and techniques to identify business opportunities related to ecosystem services and develop meaningful projects to achieve corporate sustainability objectives. This training can help answer:

• What are ecosystem services and how can US businesses actively explore the opportunities and manage the risks they present in operations and supply chain management?
• What are leading companies doing around ecosystem services and why?
• What are some tools that can help me, as an EHS or sustainability professional, most effectively manage ecosystem services?

At the completion of the training, participants will gain a unique knowledge of the range of applications available to understand company impacts and dependencies, and quantify the value of ecosystem services.

“With Business Ecosystem Training, companies like mine now have a suite of well-developed tools to carefully manage ecosystem risks and opportunities, minimize ecosystem impact, and future proof their business.” Kristian Paul, Scientist, Dupont

Participants will be able to clearly articulate the business case for incorporating ecosystem services into decision processes, improve reporting metrics with the Global Reporting Initiative, identify project opportunities to utilize ecosystem services to generate business value, and build capacity in their company and supply chain.

“What Business Ecosystem Training has given me is a language to communicate to colleagues outside of the sustainability arena in a simple way, showing that there are opportunities and risks with every business decision that is tied to potential impacts to ecosystems.” David Shen, Carbon Management Advisor, Chevron

If you're interested in our 2013 training offerings, please contact Kieran Sikdar at sikdar@usbcsd.org or 614.747.0661. And consider joining us for our Winter Meeting in Austin, TX this February to learn more.

Join us this February 6-7, 2013 for our Winter Meeting in Austin, Texas. Collaborate, share, and build strategies with US BCSD members and other sustainability experts to tackle sustainable development challenges impacting your business. Grapple with the complexities of scaling up solutions to Vision 2050 through collective learning and real, actionable regional projects in the US. Join together here to learn from one another and apply our collective expertise in groundbreaking new ways.

Click here to visit our meeting website, and register today.

On June 27-28, 2012, US BCSD and WBCSD members, government, academic, NGO, and other sustainability thought leaders gathered at Yale University’s Center for Business and the Environment to define directions to reach a sustainable world in which nine billion people can live well and within the planet’s resources by 2050. Meeting attendees worked on partnerships, synergies and projects that combined US BCSD regional implementation strategies with the WBCSD’s global business solutions, using the framework of the WBCSD’s Vision 2050 sustainability pathway. Attendees discussed examples of successful activities already under way to achieve Vision 2050 “must haves” and sought out ways to help articulate, acknowledge and scale those activities. They then joined forces in an innovation workshop aimed at seeking out and encouraging step changes towards the Vision 2050 in the US.

Organized under four Vision 2050 focus areas, below are updates from regional US BCSD projects, new developments from the WBCSD work program, and member case studies from around the US.

We'd love to feature your organization's good work in our next quarterly report - respond to a our survey questions here and let us know what you've been up to.

Ecosystems

US BCSD and WBCSD members participating in the Yale meeting identified three high priority action items, responding to Vision 2050 “must haves” calling for deeper local environmental understanding, using ecosystems and enterprises to help create value, and building commitment to true value pricing.

Engage with US BCSD members to design a Business Ecosystems Training (BET) workshop (using the WBCSD BET modules) to enable decision makers in your organization to identify business opportunities available through an understanding of ecosystem services.

The US BCSD and WBCSD, with key partners, are customizing the WBCSD BET training modules for the U.S. business audience. Several regional workshops are being planned throughout the US in 2013. The workshops will be delivered via interactive webinars and 1-day in-person intensive workshops. The goal of the BET workshop is to enable EHS and sustainability professionals to integrate ecosystems thinking into their company’s operations to manage ecosystem services opportunities and risk associated with their company operations and supply chains. This program builds on several WBCSD-led business training sessions held around the world in 2012. For more information please contact Kieran Sikdar at sikdar@usbcsd.org or Jessica McGlyn at mcglyn.us@wbcsd.org.

Utilize the US BCSD’s Eco-Green Brownfield process to capture economic value from ecosystem services for your company’s operations through biodiversity and ecological restoration projects.

In August 2012 the US BCSD and cement manufacturer Essroc began development of a pilot project within the Delaware River Watershed to restore ecosystem services related to water quality through stream restoration, reforestation and other ecological restoration techniques. The project will be conducted in collaboration with the Wildlife Habitat Council to achieve the Wildlife At Work and Corporate Lands for Learning certifications and increase the wildlife habitat and biodiversity of the site. The US BCSD will utilize ecosystem valuation techniques to capture the full value of the ecosystem goods and services provided through the project. A case study will be prepared in 2013 for replication at other US BCSD member company sites.

Contribute to the US BCSD & WBCSD’s case study library of successful projects with an emphasis on measurable results and innovative collaborative business solutions.

On September 8, 2012 the WBCSD introduced solutions from some of the largest companies in the world with the launch of Biodiversity and ecosystem services: scaling up business solutions. The report, featuring 25 case studies, sends a strong business message that companies are scaling up solutions to ecosystems challenges and demonstrating a positive response to achieving global biodiversity targets. Peter Bakker, WBCSD President, noted: “Business is a major player in helping to minimize negative impacts on our ecosystems and this new publication gives real examples from our member companies, showing how it can be done. While there is no doubt that the challenges associated with ecosystem degradation and biodiversity loss are huge and complex, our case studies collection shows that business is starting to tackle them. We need to now focus on scaling them up and implementing them at speed.”Click here to access the full report. WBCSD members also featured additional case studies at the World Congressional Congress, available at this link, and at the WCC WBCSD-IUCN Business and Ecosystems Think Tank which focused on scaling up business and public policy solutions.

Energy

US BCSD and WBCSD members participating at Yale identified two action items for Energy, responding to Vision 2050 must haves calling for demand-side efficiency, infrastructure investment, corporate leadership, new financing models, and water efficiency.

Take Action on Energy in Buildings with the WBCSD’s EEB 2.0 project.

The WBCSD Energy Efficiency in Buildings 2.0 project works with key decision-makers who are responsible for, or have influence over, substantial building portfolios in the public and private sectors. Over the course of up to 10 selected engagements, the project will develop a replicable process for bringing key decision-makers and relevant stakeholders together to identify practicable energy efficiency solutions in the portfolios they control, and leverage these solutions as examples for others.

The Take Action on Energy in Buildings flyer was produced to summarize EEB 2.0’s approach and objectives. The project begins with a “Phase 0” period during which the working group has been finalizing the project’s objectives and scope, the company mix and the partnerships. The companies involved in phase 0 so far are: AGC Asahi Glass, EDF, GDF SUEZ, Lafarge, Schneider Electric, SGS, Skanska, United Technologies (Project Chair) and Saint-Gobain. These companies have been working with key partner organizations that are critical in executing EEB 2.0’s objectives including the International Energy Agency (IEA), the World Green Building Council (WGBC) and its regional network, and the Urban Land Institute (ULI).

Promote understanding and growth of PACE and other innovative financing models through expert examination and distribution of program results.

In late 2011, US BCSD member and PACE financing provider Ygrene Energy Fund signed a contract with the City of Sacramento to provide no-risk administration of the city's first-ever Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) program for commercial building owners. Concurrently, in September 2012 the US BCSD began development on a By-Product Synergy project in the region, which will leverage PACE financing as a valuable solution to overcome capital barriers in implementing identified synergy opportunities. US BCSD and WBCSD members with facilities in the East Bay and Sacramento area are encouraged to contact us for more information.

Sustainable Consumption

Yale meeting participants identified four action items for Sustainable Consumption, responding to Vision 2050 must haves calling for collaboration, innovation, systems thinking, shift to value net models, and business leadership.

Engage with trade associations to gain commitments and better integration of sustainability goals into supplier relationships.

The WBCSD released a how-to guide to increase business competitiveness with sustainable value chains in early 2012 titled “Collaboration, innovation, transformation. Ideas and inspiration to accelerate sustainable growth – A value chain approach”. The guide was developed by the WBCSD’s Sustainable Value Chain Workstream, with leadership from Unilever and The Coca-Cola Company; and includes case studies from AkzoNobel, The Coca-Cola Company, Henkel, Philips, Procter & Gamble, SABIC, Solvay, Sompo Japan Insurance, TNT, Umicore and Unilever. Sustainable Consumption was a key focus of the WBCSD-US Annual Meeting, which emphasized the critical role that business must play in innovation, choice editing and choice influencing to increase sustainable consumption across the entire value chain. WBCSD members will be scoping out the next phase of this effort at their annual meeting in Seoul, Korea.

Help US BCSD members publicize and share successful programs.

The Journal of Industrial Ecology - a peer-reviewed, international bimonthly journal that examines the relationship between industry and the environment from the perspective of the growing field of industrial ecology - released a special issue focused on industrial symbiosis. The issue shows that more systematic empirical work is emerging on the various forms of symbiosis, and points to the need for industrial symbiosis to become more widespread. The JIE also compiled a selection of previously published articles on the topic to accompany this special issue, which can be found at http://jie.yale.edu/symbiosis.

The JIE is currently seeking articles for a special issue on Industrial Ecology as a Source of Competitive Advantage in Business by June 1, 2013. (Submission of abstracts for review and feedback prior to that date, while not required, is strongly encouraged.) The goal of the special issue is to explore how the concepts and tools of industrial ecology can and do serve as a source of competitive advantage for firms, groups of firms and industry sectors. The complete call for papers can be found at http://www.yale.edu/jie/CFPs/CFP_IE4comp_ad.html.

Capture the approach outlined by the innovation team to establish a national materials organization to be used internally with CEO-level leaders to seek their input.

The US BCSD is working to create a National By-Product Synergy Network to engage more companies and communities to achieve their sustainability objectives through collaboration. With appropriate policy and a multi-industry US Council for Resource Recovery chaired by senior company leadership, a critical mass of companies can create a resilient national network to implement synergy projects and disseminate BPS best practices that are scalable. The US BCSD will strategically engage industries from all parts of a supply chain from raw materials, intermediate and final products, retail and end of life to participate in the National BPS Network. The US Council for Resource Recovery will provide guidance, vision and strategy to create a thriving collaboration that meets the sustainability demands of U.S. businesses.

Determine what’s usable data and how much data is needed in order to gain more participation in material reuse markets.

The cornerstone of the By-Product Synergy collaborative process is confidentiality. The US BCSD has developed project agreements as a part of the BPS process with the appropriate level of confidentiality to maximize company protection and participation while sharing the necessary data to identify and implement synergy projects. The US BCSD Expeditor model has been developed to provide additional facilitation of synergy identification, barrier resolution and project implementation in order to maximize the economic and environmental benefits for participants who may not have all the resources or expertise to implement synergy projects.

Initial data collection has been optimized to collect the minimum data for the synergy identification process in order to minimize resources spent on data gathering. The improved cirrus™ interface facilitates this process through two phases of data input to give participants the appropriate level of data for the synergy process. The US BCSD continues to develop new methods to search and extract useful synergy information to facilitate the synergy implementation process.

Water

And last, updates on action items from the Yale water breakout group. Actions respond to Vision 2050 must haves for increased attention on water, increase in water efficiency, local and corporate leadership, integrated urban management, and infrastructure investment.

Extend the US BCSD Water Synergy Project to more locations, offering a platform for working beyond your fenceline with other watershed users to identify and address issues related to water quality, quantity, and resiliency.

The US BCSD’s Water Synergy Project demonstrates how a watershed project can be implemented in a region, in this case southern Louisiana. The project is off to a great start with participants from 24 organizations representing multiple industries working together under the US BCSD’s structured collaboration work process to address issues in five areas: Wetlands, Numeric Nutrient Criteria Issues, Switching Water Supplies, Water System Collaboration, and Alternative Levee Materials. The project held it’s second working meeting on August 8, 2012 at Marathon Petroleum’s Refinery in Garyville, LA. Participants discussed a number of topics, including the importance for Louisiana stakeholders to work together proactively to establish baseline nutrient contributions and work with Louisiana Dept. of Environmental Quality on establishing numeric nutrient criteria; coastal resiliency incentives for assimilated and constructed wetlands to handle storm water and process water; and potential areas in Louisiana for water supply collaboration.

Create a Water Technology R&D Clearinghouse for existing technologies to facilitate best practice sharing.

WBCSD’s work on “Scaling Up Industrial Water Reuse” is developing a website to provide clear definition of water reuse; synchronize information scattered in many places; and provide an inventory of case studies, best practices, solutions and resources. In 2013, this program will also create decision tools for water reuse and start implementing pilot projects across sector and geography to create a platform to scale-up water reuse.

Show leadership by collaborating across boundaries (NGO, public/private collaboration) to share risk and opportunities.

The WBCSD’s Water Stewardship pathway, led by PepsiCo, works to enhance members’ water stewardship practices by advocating for cost effective, credible and operational tools and accelerating watershed-level responses. They will be publishing a Corporate Watershed Engagement Brief in 4Q 2012 and are exploring opportunities to catalyze action through projects on the ground. Also, the WBCSD’s “Water, Energy, Food Nexus” program is using a multi-stakeholder process to understand linkages among water, energy, and food/fiber/feed at the global and geographic level and develop policy and technology options to address the identified challenges.

Veolia Water has been testing innovative models for cities, offering larger cities an attractive alternative to the traditional operations and maintenance model called Peer Performance Solutions. Peer Performance Solutions preserves a public workforce and public governance but infuses private-sector expertise, leveraging Veolia’s unique global strength to provide innovative, flexible and cost-effective solutions. The model is currently implemented in New York City and Winnipeg, Manitoba. In New York City, the Department of Environmental Protection expects to save more than $100 million annually in their operating budget for water and wastewater services. And in Winnipeg, Veolia is helping design long-term, wastewater treatment facilities capital solutions via a public workforce. For more information, visit http://www.veoliawaterna.com/media/newsletters/2012-july/innovation-helps-cities-meet-budget-goals/

Explore mechanisms to be sure water is part of any company innovation process, especially local issues.

On August 20, 2012, the WBCSD Water Stewardship pathway released Water for Business (W4Biz) Version 3. This upgrade to the e-report (first launched in 2009) covers 18 initiatives to support business in becoming responsible water stewards. Developed with IUCN and SustainAbility, this version includes key messages to tool developers and users, and a framework to connect tools to business needs, including research & development for new products. W4Biz helped structure a seminar at World Water Week, co-convened with WRI and WFN, calling for harmonization across initiatives. See the Water Management Tools section of the WBCSD website for more information.

Valuing water more effectively will facilitate integration of water into business innovation processes. In 4Q 2012, WBCSD’s “True Value of Water” program will be publishing “Water Valuation: Building the Business Case” and a complementary report on “ Valuing Water: an Introduction to Concepts and Techniques”, both of which are based on a collection of business valuation case studies.

We'd love to feature your organization's good work in our next quarterly report - respond to a our survey questions here and let us know what you've been up to.

America's WETLAND Foundation releases "Beyond Unintended Consequences," providing the Gulf region a strong, unified voice in calling for action. Urgent federal action, innovation and cooperation among Gulf Coast states is critically needed to fight off the constant storm that threatens the region's $2.4 trillion combined Gross Domestic Product and the nation's energy security.

The America's WETLAND Foundation (AWF) today released a new report, "Beyond Unintended Consequences: Adaptation for Gulf Coast Resiliency and Sustainability," that offers 30 recommendations for Gulf Coast sustainability based on research and testimony from a series of leadership forums held in 11 communities from Texas to Florida during a 14-month period in 2011 and 2012. AWF's "BLUE RIBBON RESILIENT COMMUNITIES: Envisioning the Future of America's Energy Coast" initiative brought together policymakers and stakeholders from environment, business, government, NGOs and other sectors to outline a roadmap for a more resilient coast.

"The observations, testimony, research, honest dialogue and desire to reach consensus on critical issues resulted in a remarkable report that represents the voice of the Gulf Coast," said AWF Chairman R. King Milling at a Washington, D.C. press conference, when the report was officially released. "Instead of looking at the big picture and implementing a vision for long-term sustainability, the nation for too long has reacted to natural and man-made disasters alike with piecemeal, short-term fixes. The cost to the taxpayer for this reactive thinking has been tens of billions of dollars over the past decade, with little or no effort to address the cause of the problem to be found in these expenditures."

The report's recommendations fall into five distinct categories:

1. Seek urgent federal action by resolving conflicting federal policies and practices. Contradictory rules, regulations and agency priorities impede coastal restoration by delaying projects and increasing costs. A more orderly, efficient process must be established to meet urgent needs.
2. Deploy multiple lines of offense by decreasing regional vulnerabilities through cooperative action. Short-term thinking has led to consequence planning defined by inadequate, piecemeal fixes - mainly in the wake of disasters. The focus must shift to a long-term vision for the future that emphasizes adaptation by using innovative, systemic approaches that incorporate non-structural and structural elements.
3. Allow innovation and enterprise to flourish by supporting strategies to facilitate regional stewardship. Bureaucratic barriers and a lack of smart incentives hinder the development of creative, efficient coastal restoration strategies. Unless policies and plans harness the power of new technologies, visionary research, market forces and local ingenuity, environmental degradation will continue to outpace restoration and protection efforts.
4. Revitalize regional strengths and pride by empowering communities to practice self-determination. Coastal degradation and mounting vulnerabilities threaten entire communities, cultures and a valued way of life. Local citizens must adapt to changing circumstances to preserve their cultural heritage and build the foundation for a stronger future.
5. Sustain action based on recommendations by communicating regional visions for resiliency. The degradation of the Gulf Coast will continue to accelerate without a robust, coordinated response that enlists all interested parties and every level of government.

"The input that led to this report came from a diverse set of voices that engaged in an intense process of debate, compromise and consensus building," said Louisiana Lt. Governor Jay Dardenne, chair of the Blue Ribbon initiative. "This report lays out not only our challenges, but for the first time what can be done to meet them and move forward to restore our critical coastal landscapes."

U.S. Senator David Vitter said, "Getting the transportation bill done, which led to the passage of the RESTORE Act, was a signal that the Congress was concerned about the future of America's Energy Coast. As you can tell from this report, the clock is ticking and we are short on time to restore the values of our coast."

U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu added, "In the 10 years since America's WETLAND Foundation was founded, we have made great progress in educating our colleagues about the importance of America's Energy Coast and improving coastal flood protection. But as Hurricane Isaac has reminded us, too many of our coastal communities remain vulnerable. The findings and recommendations in this report detail better ways to protect our communities and promote the connected goals of economic progress and environmental sustainability. I look forward to working with America's WETLAND Foundation, and the many other wonderful partners committed to coastal restoration and protection, to turn these recommendations into policy to help build a stronger, more sustainable energy coast."

The Gulf Coast produces 30 percent of the nation's domestic energy, one-third of the seafood consumed in the U.S. and is home to critical habitats and ecosystems. Data from a $4.2 million study commissioned by Entergy and AWF quantified the economic value of what is at stake. The livelihoods of 12 million people, natural resources that support $634 billion in annual GDP, and assets valued at more than $2 trillion are increasingly vulnerable to storm surge, flooding, wind damage and the effects of sea level rise. The study also identified $49 billion in investments over the next 20 years that could avert $137 billion in losses.

The BLUE RIBBON RESILIENT COMMUNITIES effort was led by Dardenne as chair, Texas State Chair and Texas Railroad Commissioner Buddy Garcia, Mississippi State Chair and Department of Marine Resources Executive Director William Walker and Alabama State Co-Chairs State Senator Vivian Davis Figures and State Representative Randy Davis.

AWF Managing Director Valsin A. Marmillion praised the leaders of the effort along with the dedication of everyone involved. "The most important impact of this initiative might be community empowerment. The Blue Ribbon forums have mobilized the energy, expertise and dedication of an entire region to protect its heritage and secure its future," he said.

Information on the initiative, as well as a copy of the report is available at www.futureofthegulfcoast.org.

Project participants and guests from Ascend Performance Materials, AES, Baker Hughes, Baylor College of Medicine, Cemex, Cherry Company, Houston Solid Waste Department, Dixie Chemical, Dow, InterGulf, Johnson Space Center, JX Nippon Chemical, The Meadows Group, and Pratt Industries met at the United Way Community Resource Center on July 26th for the second year 3 working meeting of the Greater Houston By-Product Synergy Project. Mike Long, Ohio BPS Project Manager, continued the solid waste management discussion from the last meeting with a review of cost and logistics issues around solid waste generation and recycling. A Solid Waste Milk Run program is being evaluated as a synergy initiative for Houston BPS project participants in addition to the other types of underutilized wastes and by-product synergies already under consideration.

Mike made the point that what the customer pays for waste generation and recycling is the most important consideration in evaluating costs, not just landfill tipping fees. Of the total costs for solid waste management, including collection, transport, processing, recycling, and disposal, approximately 50-70% is spent on the collection activity. Mike encouraged looking at each component of the solid waste management bill when considering other options. The idea of the Milk Run is to develop routes that reduce the collection and transportation costs by offering tailored solutions that are more efficient.

Mike's presentation was a lead in to the next steps in the Solid Waste Milk Run program we are evaluating for the Houston BPS project. In the coming weeks, we'll be mapping some typical Milk Run routes that will cover project participants, e.g., Ship Channel area, Energy Corridor, Texas Medical Center; and then model economic and financial benefits of potential scenarios for further discussion.

Facility News

City of Houston, Solid Waste Department (SWD) - Total Petrochemicals and Refining USA, Inc. has donated a polystyrene foam compactor and densifier to the City for use in the City Recycling Program. The material collected will be sold to market users who make products from recycled plastic. This increases the recycling options available in Houston and will reduce landfill space requirements while returning a revenue stream to the City.

Cemex - Cemex used 25% alternative fuels in its cement production in 2011, an achievement that allowed the company to avoid the use of nearly 2 million tons of coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 1.8 million tons.

Synergy Round Table

Project members described their current synergy activities and materials of interest. Many materials were identified to be common and possible for inclusion as part of a milk-run project. Several new synergy opportunities were identified and will be developed through follow up conversations and subsequent meetings.

cirrus

cirrus has been modified to simplify the process of accessing participant data. A global search feature, access to contact information by clicking on a material from the what’s new or search page and a public data page are the new features to allow members to access and share information.

The Houston BPS Project is all about collaboration. We believe that the more participants we have, the more collaboration takes place, and the more ideas develop that will shift the regional paradigm from managing wastes to smart resource use. For more information, and to join the project, visit houstonbps.org.

The Environmental Protection Agency has awarded the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) $100,000 to reduce hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. This area in the northern Gulf of Mexico is known as the ‘dead zone.’ The funds will be used to develop a statewide nutrient reduction strategy for Louisiana which adopts strategic elements identified in action plans of the Gulf of Mexico Alliance and the Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force. Hypoxia means low oxygen and is primarily a problem in coastal waters. The Gulf of Mexico dead zone is an area of hypoxic waters at the mouth of the Mississippi River. Its area varies in size, but can cover up to 6,000 to 7,000 square miles. The zone occurs between the inner and mid-continental shelf in the northern Gulf of Mexico, beginning at the Mississippi River delta and extending westward to the upper Texas coast. The dead zone is caused by nutrient enrichment from the Mississippi River, particularly nitrogen and phosphorous.

Because of the devastation of hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, the Louisiana Legislature restructured the state's Wetland Conservation and Restoration Authority to form the CPRA. The CPRA is the single state entity with authority to articulate a clear statement of priorities and to focus development and implementation efforts to achieve comprehensive coastal protection for Louisiana.

Additional Information on EPA grants is available at http://www.epa.gov/region6/gandf/index.htm, and more about activities in EPA Region 6 is available at http://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/region6.html

Making one company’s waste another company’s raw material has long been one of the most intriguing notions in industrial ecology. This strategy known as industrial symbiosis — by analogy to the manner in which some species in nature cooperate to mutual advantage — came to public attention in the early 1990s. An industrial district in Denmark with a dense web of resource sharing and by-product exchanges was discovered. Efforts to replicate the Danish example led to a search for other examples and strategies to create such industrial networks. Twenty years later, numerous examples have been documented and countries from China and Korea to the UK have embarked on programs to establish or facilitate industrial by-product exchange. A special issue of Yale’s Journal of Industrial Ecology highlights research that moves beyond case studies to couple empirical research with theory-building. To complement the special issue, a selection of previously published articles on industrial symbiosis has been compiled at http://jie.yale.edu/symbiosis.

The Journal of Industrial Ecology is a peer-reviewed, international bimonthly journal that examines the relationship between industry and the environment from the perspective of the growing field of industrial ecology. It is owned by Yale, headquartered at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, and published by Wiley-Blackwell.

And visit BPS-Hub.org to learn about the US BCSD's industrial ecology work.

What’s helping us achieve a sustainable world and how do we scale it, brought close to 100 US BCSD and WBCSD members, government, academic and NGO colleagues, and other sustainability thought leaders to Yale University's Center for Business and the Environment on June 27-28, 2012. The working agenda stressed collaboration first and foremost in defining directions to reach a sustainable world in which nine billion people can live well and within the planet’s resources by 2050. Meeting attendees worked on partnerships, synergies and productive work outcomes that combined US BCSD regional implementation strategies with the WBCSD’s global Vision 2050 sustainability pathway. Over two days, attendees discussed examples of successful activities already under way to achieve Vision 2050 “must haves” and sought out ways to help articulate, acknowledge and scale those activities. They then joined forces in an innovation workshop aimed at seeking out and encouraging step changes towards the Vision 2050 in the US. Interspersed in this engaging group discussion were presentations and panels from sustainability thought leaders focusing on new financing mechanisms, organizational design, new collaboration opportunities, and examples of groundbreaking innovations highlighted in the breakout group pages below.

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Hosted in Kroon Hall by the Center for Business and the Environment at Yale University.

Thanks to everyone who made it to Yale University for our joint US BCSD and WBCSD-US Spring Meeting 2012.  The meeting was a resounding success; and we're excited about the new innovations, connections, and momentum we'll be able to carry into our regional sustainability efforts going forward.  Look for a full meeting summary, video content, photos and stories to be posted shortly.

As part of our ongoing webinar series, the US BCSD and partner BrownFlynn are pleased to bring you this webinar on the topic of water, recorded on May 23rd. This webinar discusses the impacts of water consumption and conservation in various locations, and the associated risks and opportunities.

Featured panelists include:

• Karl Fennessey, Director of Sustainable Development, ConocoPhillips
• Mary Parke, Manager, Integrated Water Services, Layne Christensen
• Jon Radtke, Water Resource Sustainability Manager, Coca-Cola North America
• Moderated by: Susan Fernandes, Director of Operations, US BCSD

Listen to our expert panelists discuss their own company experiences with issues related to water, including specific programs and tools used to monitor and manage water impacts.  Slides from the webinar can be downloaded by clicking here.

In anticipation of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) in June, the WBCSD has published this brochure focusing on the progress made over the past two decades and the priorities in moving forward. In doing so, it highlights the global context, the role of business in that context, and provides snapshots of activities undertaken by both the WBCSD and the Regional Network across the world in response to prevailing challenges and opportunities. The first two sections describe the journey of WBCSD and its Regional Network since the first Rio Conference in 1992. They outline the transition from early efforts to raise awareness and develop the business case for sustainable development, to more recent efforts to promote action on the ground and engage in advocacy activities.

The third section lays out joint WBCSD and Regional Network efforts to accelerate change toward a sustainable future, in line with goals outlined in the Council’s Vision 2050 and the respective local adaptations. A number of these topics will carry over into our joint US BCSD and WBCSD-US Spring Meeting on June 27-28, 2012.

Click here to download the brochure.

The US BCSD and the WBCSD-US invite you to join us at Yale University in New Haven, CT on June 27th and 28th for our Spring Meeting 2012. This highly interactive meeting has been designed to catalyze collaboration to advance the WBCSD's Vision 2050, a framework to enable a sustainable world in which nine billion people can live well, and within the planet's resources by 2050.

The meeting agenda is designed around tackling four foundational elements of the WBCSD's Vision 2050 pathway: Sustainable Consumption, Energy, Water, and Ecosystem Services. Engage with your peers in interactive discussions to define pathways to accelerate scaling and implementation of proven solutions; and develop breakthrough, innovative approaches. And find out from experts how to address common barriers to operationalizing sustainability including: organizational design, financing, innovation and disruption, and collaboration.

For more information, and to register, visit spring-meeting.usbcsd.org.

US BCSD member BrownFlynn, the first U.S.-Certified Trainer for the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), recently released their latest whitepaper, “GRI Application Levels: Why Strive for an A?,” authored by lead trainer, Cora Lee Mooney, with additional data provided by CSRHub. The study defines and examines the underlying structure of the GRI Framework and the differences between the Application Levels. It also describes how the underlying structure of the GRI Framework requires companies to demonstrate greater sustainability management capabilities in order to achieve a higher Application Level. Using CSRHub scores, which aggregate and normalize CSR ratings information from more than 130 sources, this study suggests that companies reporting at an Application Level A or B receive higher sustainability ratings than other GRI reporters.  Please click here to download the full whitepaper.

In a new TEDx talk, our colleague at the WBCSD, Eva Zabey, tries to distill issues around valuing ecosystems, business and the economy into language we can all understand. Her personal take is that by integrating ecosystem values into our economy we can be on track to both work and guard our world. She starts by discussing how nature’s values and business are linked, and then goes on to give a quick overview of how it is actually possible to try and estimate economic values.

The US BCSD's national By-Product Synergy network and Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing model were highlighted by The Guardian for their role in spearheading the transition to low-energy, cost-saving, resource-efficient buildings and operations in well-planned, sustainable cities.

"Many cities in the US and Canada are already seizing opportunities and channelling traditional North American resourcefulness and creativity into re-making buildings and cities in the image of a society where everyone can live well within planetary boundaries. Here are a few examples of private and public innovators that are already spearheading such transitions:

The US Business Council for Sustainable Development - a regional partner of the WBCSD - has active by-product synergy projects in six municipalities across the country. By-product synergy is the matching of under-valued waste or by-product streams from one facility with potential users at another facility to create new revenues or savings with potential social and environmental benefits. These collaborative networks create new revenues, cost savings, energy conservation, reductions in the need for virgin-source materials, and reductions in waste and pollution, including climate-changing emissions.

To help finance viable material reuse as well as energy and renewable retrofit projects, the US Business Council for Sustainable Development has teamed up with Barclays Capital and Ygrene Energy Fund to offer innovative private sector financing arrangements. This effort allows companies to upgrade their facilities with more efficient equipment and processes, cities to stimulate economic development and job creation, and the financial partners to receive solid returns on secure investments – all with zero government funding. Repayment is secured by a tax lien on the property, amortised over the life of the improvements. Efficiency improvements lower energy bills and free up money to cover the tax payments."  (The Guardian)

For more information on By-Product Synergy and the PACE financing model, please visit bps-hub.org, our website dedicated to BPS and our growing network of projects.