In Business, Creating Sustainable Enterprises & Communities

IN BUSINESS WORLD

In Business, July-August, 2004, Vol. 26, No. 4, p. 4

GREEN BUILDING FEATURES EMPHASIZED IN WATERFRONT PROJECT
Portland, Oregon's South Waterfront block 30 along the Willamette River is a joint venture between Williams and Dame Development, Inc. and the Gerding/Edlen Company, LLC. According to city and

project managers, the entire Redevelopment District “has high aspirations for sustainable design;” an ecocharrette was held this summer leading to major green building goals. Examples follow:
For storm water management, both the private and public sectors will utilize vegetated swales, ecoroofs and planters so water will be filtered in a natural way, buffering runoff surges into the river. Storm water will typically be held within the soil and eventually evaporate or recharge the ground water. A rainwater harvesting system will allow for storage for irrigation during summer dry spells.
The goal is to exceed 90 percent recycling of all construction waste materials. Materials generated during demolition will be recycled (i.e., woods and metals) or reused on site (i.e. concrete and asphalt). A high rating will be sought from the U.S. Green Building Council .
Master transportation plan for the district includes light rail, streetcars, aerial trams, water taxis and emphasis on pedestrian and bike access. Integration of the project with the Willamette River Greenway will provide an auto-free path for miles of urban riverfront development and recreation areas.
Material selection will reflect the following criteria: Produced locally; free of toxic materials; high recycled content; rapidly renewable.
Other features: Minimized use of potable water through low flow showerheads and faucets; dual flush toilets; drip irrigation for landscaped areas; reduced energy consumption to 30 percent below code; extensive system of sunshades; “renewable wheat straw cabinets, door cores and wool carpets. Website can be visited at: www.thesouthwaterfront.com.

SIX COLLEGES FORM THE “ECO-LEAGUE”
A consortium of six small environmentally-focused liberal arts colleges will share resources and students beginning this fall. The new Eco-League - stretching from Maine to Alaska - will provide students with a transfer of credits, costs and financial aid to any member school. Participating-colleges are Alaska Pacific University (Anchorage); Antioch (Yellow Springs, Ohio); Green Mountain (Poultney, Vermont); Northland (Ashland, Wisconsin); Prescott ( Prescott, Arizona); and College of the Atlantic (Bar Harbor, Maine).
Besides the opportunity to spend up to two semesters at any member college, there will be scientific collaborations, faculty exchanges, new opportunities to address complex problems. “There have been academic cooperative programs before, but The Eco-League is the first to focus on education for environmental sustainability,” says Steve Katona, president of the College of the Atlantic. “Our world needs it and the students want it. It was a natural from the very beginning.” For more information, visit.www.ecoleague.org.

WHEN IS A GOOD TIME TO LAUNCH A START-UP?
The number of self-employed older people has been steadily climbing - a sign that entrepreneuring beats out retiring. A recent study by the Rand Corp. for AARP (the 50-and-older membership group) showed that the percentage of 50-plus business owners is 16 percent compared to the 10 percent self-employment level of the overall work force. A poll last summer showed that many persons plan to keep working into their 70s or even after, and that 16 percent plan to start their own company. The Rand study also indicated that the proportion of self-employed workers rises with working age, peaking at 24 percent of working women at age 66 and 38 percent of working men at age 65.

SUSTAINABILITY CONFERENCE MOBILIZES ECOPRENEURS
A working conference in Seattle this September seeks to combine experts in growing environmentally -sound businesses with entrepreneurs and business leaders. According to Kris Nelson, business outreach coordinator for the Willamette (Oregon) Electric People's Utility District, conference organizers promise to help bridge the gap in “moving medium and small firms toward sustainable practices and strengthening local economies.” The Conference - Profitable Sustainability: The Future of Business - intends to reach leaders who want practical tools for improving the triple bottom line: financial performance, community benefit and environmental enhancement.
“The challenge and effect of sustainability is that it's systemic. You have to address the whole company at the same time,” said co-organizer Mary Rose of Seattle University. “It's a governance challenge. Our goal is to provide resources for all levels of responsibility,” she explains.
The Network for Business Innovation and Sustainability (NBIS), in partnership with the Future 500, a San Francisco-based nonprofit, have combined the efforts of the World Resource Institute and their Grey Pinstripes program. The conference format features learning centers that enable presenters to collaborate with others. Topics may include supply chain management, end-of life issues, purchasing, marketing, community involvement and profitability. Speakers will also address how to integrate green building into the bottom line.
One forum will address regional economies. It will include Michelle Long with the Business Alliance for Local Living Economies and Ken Larson with HP's corporate responsibility office. “Small and large companies have to work together
to strengthen local economies,” says Rose.
The conference will be held at Seattle's Westin Hotel September 26-29, 2004. It will include an exhibition of ecoentrepreneurs' products and services and showcase international companies demonstrating innovative approaches to sustainable practices. For more information, see www.nbis.org/conference or call 425-828-0982.

GREEN BUILDING MEDIA CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED IN NORTHWEST
Recently, the city of Seattle, Washington - in partnership with King County, the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance and U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) - launched a multimedia advertising campaign to encourage developers to “Think Green.” The goal is to demonstrate the business case for green buildings. “Green building is profitable” is the key message, with the tagline “Build Green, Everyone Profits.”
A variety of media will be used to raise awareness of commercial developers and prospective tenants and to create a market preference by building a brand for green buildings. The campaign was developed and cofounded by the Seattle Department of Planning & Development, King County, Better Bricks, and the U.S. Green Building Council.
The marketing campaign will run for six months and includes print advertising, direct mail, media relations, case studies, and a new website: www.buildgreennw.com. A green building tool kit, including the ads, case studies, and other communications materials, will be made available to USGBC chapters nationwide.
For more information, contact: Lynne Barker, Sustainable Building Specialist, LEED Accredited Professional, Seattle Department of Planning & Development, P.O. Box 34019, Seattle, WA 98124-4019. (206) 684-0806. Www.cityofseattle.net/dpd/sustainability.

TURNING SHREDDED CARPET INTO “LANDSCAPE STONES”
The Carpet America Recovery Effort (CARE) awarded Blue Ridge Recycling a $23,250 grant to help develop a landscaping-type stepping stone product from shredded postconsumer carpet using a compounder and compression molding technique. The compounder is a patented technology designed to batch feed a variety of recycled plastics to make new products. “The supply of postconsumer carpet needed to manufacture stepping stones at just one location could be between 3,000 and 4,000 tons/year. Multiply that by 10 or even 50 locations and the potential to divert carpet from landfills can be enormous,” says Robert Gleaves of Blue Ridge Recycling in Stallings, North Carolina.
According to Matt Ewadinger, manager of North Carolina's Recycling Business Assistance Center, Gleaves and his partner, Monty Thompson, got their start in carpet recycling in 1998 collecting materials from carpet retail stores in the Charlotte area. In early 2000, the partners were collecting more than 300 tons/month until a plant in Augusta, Georgia closed. As new markets develop, the partners predict increased production for their molding operation.

JULY “WINE AUCTION PICNIC” IS FIRST WASTE-FREE EVENT IN IDAHO
With help from the Environmental Resource Center (ERC), the Sun Valley, Idaho Center for the Arts planned a waste-free Wine Auction Picnic in July. Compostable table settings were purchased; paper plates and napkins - along with food scraps - were collected by Cedar Grove Composting near Seattle, Washington and processed at its site there. “I have always been intrigued to see if we could further help recycling in Blaine County,” said Steve Banchero, CEO of Cedar Grove and part-time Sun Valley resident. He also pointed out that the picnic “is an opportunity to explore feasibility of similar composting projects in Sun Valley.”
The ERC sparked the idea. “We recycle at all events during the summer,” says Vanessa Fry, ERC development director, “but plastic cups continuously generated an excessive amount of waste.” When ERC approached the staff of the Arts Center, they responded with enthusiasm. About 1,500 people attend the picnic, so the logistics were challenging.
The ERC and Center recycled glass, corks, water bottles and cardboard waste generated during the picnic. Clear Creek Disposal hauled the glass, plastic and cardboard to recycling facilities, while the Center plans to reuse the corks for art projects. Last year, reports the Idaho Mountain Express, ERC recycled 505 gallons of glass and 29 gallons of plastic from the picnic. Sums up the Express: “The ERC hopes the waste-free picnic will launch greater awareness and recycling efforts in the Valley,”
On July 28th, after the Wine Auction Picnic was held and all compostable feedstocks were safely transported to the Cedar Grove site, managers there reported that the materials were in the decomposition process and a full-fledged quality compost product “will be ready for use in 60 days.”

FOOD DONATION PROJECT IS CALLED “FORK IT OVER!”
“We launched our new food donation initiative called 'Fork It Over!' and hope that this new effort will really institutionalize donation of prepared foods before we launch our composting program,” emails Jennifer Erickson, Senior Planner with Portland Metro's Waste Reduction & Outreach Office. Metro is working with area businesses to make sure good food gets to people who need it. The web site - www.forkitover.org - provides detailed information for donors and lists of participating businesses for customer reference. Many food industry professionals are not aware that Good Samaritan laws protect them from liability in donating, or that food rescue agencies are available to pick up leftover food.
Waste audits show that about 360 million pounds of food go to a landfill each year from the Metro region; half of this food could have been directed instead to food banks, because there is an established system to collect and redistribute donated food. Food waste is the single largest category of MSW being disposed of in Oregon, amounting to 15.6 percent of the total.
Concerning composting developments, Metro has completed its preliminary review of proposals received . “Goal is to start the program January 1, 2005,” notes Erickson.

CHARTING THE WAY TO VIBRANT COMMUNITIES WITH GREEN MAPS
An illustrated multimedia anthology of Green Map projects is now online at www.greenatlas.org, showcasing innovative mapmaking that promotes ecological living and community sustainability worldwide. The Green Map Atlas features detailed map views, locally authored text and images documenting the origins, challenges, and local impacts sparked by diverse urban and rural Green Map projects. Published in English and Japanese by the Green Map System, the first volume of the Green Map Atlas kicks off a new series with profiles of ten exemplary projects from Asia and North America.
“Illustrating the best practices of Green Mapmaking and creative greening initiatives from around the globe, the Atlas aims to catalyze citizen-based sustainability projects in communities worldwide,” says Wendy E. Brawer, founding director of Green Map System. Projects included in Volume One are: Jakarta (Indonesia); New York City, Milwaukee WI and Robeson County, NC; Tokyo, Hiroshima, Kyoto and Hakodate (Japan); Pune (India); and Toronto.
The Green Map Atlas was created in Portable Document Format to reach a global audience in multiple ways, including on-screen, by email, as printed books and displays. Readers can freely download the Atlas and view, print and bind it for their personal use or sharing. In September 2004, a new CD-ROM will make professional quality Atlas books publishable on-demand, anywhere in the world. Call (212) 674-1631 for details.