Dr. Ron Lembke

WHAT MAKES SENSE TO DO?

WHAT IS “SUSTAINABILITY?”

The ability to keep doing something for the indefinite future

If it’s not profitable, it’s not sustainable

What allows a company to survive? Meeting customer demands Developing new products Keeping costs low

Dimensions of Environmental Sustainability: Carbon: energy burned by us, by our suppliers Water: water used Paper and corrugated used Solid waste generated

Costs and Revenues: Lower electricity, gas and water bills Lower garbage hauling costs Better public relations

How much do customers care? If it makes them feel closer, there’s likely monetary value?

How much is your competition doing? Watch out for GREENWASHING!!!! Trivial gestures: attention misdirection – ski passes, plastic

bags

DIFFERENT METRICS

The Carbon Footprint of a plastic bag is 1/1000 that of the food in it!

Packaging redesign 86% reduction in packaging weight 42% more food per cubic volume!

Lower transportation costs More food per truckload Less packagin weight per unit of food

PACKAGING REDUCTION

Food (g)

Packaging (g)

Package/Food Reduction

kg food/ liter Increase

Glass Jar 567 476 0.84 0.33Plastic Jar 453 58.3 0.13 84.70% 0.37 12%Plastic Box 978 114.6 0.12 86.00% 0.47 42%

US Green Building Council

Points systemStart with an

architect that specializes in LEED True believers who

really know how to find cost-effective methods

No guarantee of savings

LEED: LEADERSHIP IN ENERGY AND

ENVIRONMENTAL DESIGN

http://www.usgbc.org/ShowFile.aspx?DocumentID=3930

“‘Recycling is bullshit, in my opinion. What we should be doing is reducing’… reduce, reuse, recycle is meant to be taken in the order it’s presented in.” “Recycling is really your third and worst option.”

John Sagebiel, UNR Environmental Aff airs Manager, UNR Sagebrush, May 2012

Recycling RateMaterial Energy Saved National CaliforniaAluminum 96% 45% 99%Glass 21% 25% 84%Newsprint 45% 25%PET #1 (soda) 76% 31% 67%Polystyrene #6 88% <1% 10%

Data: Popular Mechanics , Ca lRecyc le .ca .gov

Aluminum is “congealed electricity” Newsprint demand for corrugated boxes by China Waste paper largest US export to China Much “downcycling,” but we’re learning, markets are developing

RECYCLING

Great Basin Brewing Company Compostable napkins, straws, silverware, boxes, etc. Slightly higher cost Vendors not even aware of their own products Project lead by UNR MBA graduate

Waste hauled by Castaway Trash Hauling Commercial composting Landfills emit methane, a bad GHG, and usually don’t

capture it Composting emits less methane 30-70% less

COMPOSTABLES

KILL-A-WATT

Look up impact of things

COMMERCIAL COMPOSTING

Carbon = Energy = Money

WHY WORRY ABOUT CARBON?

http://www.mckinsey.com/Client_Service/Electric_Power_and_Natural_Gas/Latest_thinking/Unlocking_energy_efficiency_in_the_US_economy

MCKINSEY STUDY

Look for energy usage What appliances use the most?

TOOLS FOR FINDING CARBON?

ELECTRICITY USAGE MONITORING

1kg of Tomatoes 0.4 kg organic loose tomatoes, grown locally in July 9.1 kg (20 lbs) average 50 kg (110 lbs) organic, “on the vine” cherry tomatoes,

grown in Ohio, in March

Wine Cal. vs. France French wine comes on a boat California wine comes on a truck

Flowers Dutch greenhouses Colombia – unheated greenhouses, but flown to Europe

YOU’VE GOT TO LOOK AT THE DETAILS

Ecological Intelligence: The Hidden Impacts of What We Buy, Daniel Goleman

Force of Nature: The Unlikely Story of Wal-Mart’s Green Revolution, Edward Humes

How Bad Are Bananas? The Carbon Impact of Almost Everything, Mike Berners-Lee

Hot Flat and Crowded: Why We Need a Green Revolution – And How it Can Renew America, Thomas L. Friedman

BOOKS TO CONSIDER