Advancements in Sustainability, Green Speech
by Bill Conley
Sustainability. The term has been used so much over the past few years that sometimes the eyes of even the most avid believers glaze over when they hear the word. The issue has permeated society so much that it has threatened to overwhelm the audience. People are getting tired of hearing about problems to which few solutions are offered. If the term sustainability is in jeopardy of becoming a cliche, then a change in terminology may be useful, especially if they point to some sort-of resolution.
Corporate Environmental Strategy Building Environmental Business and Leadership Skills Through Dialogue
by John Milliman, John Grosskopf and Virginia Winter
EH&S professionals face the twin tasks of being technically proficient in complying with regulatory standards, while developing business acumen to “sell” environmental initiatives to senior management. Even with the heightened need to integrate EH&S functions into core business strategy, the EH&S function is still perceived as a cost-center by many in the organization. What follows is a description of how facilitated dialogues between EH&S professional in a variety of organizations is useful in developing key leadership and communication skills necessary to reach senior level management.
Evaluating Demand for Bicycle Facilities in Community-based Bicycle Planning 12-2176 91st Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board, January 2012
by Edna Cruz
ABSTRACT
This paper considers methods and data sources to support demand-based bicycle facility planning. Taking the perspective of community-based local planning efforts, the paper evaluates data sources for understanding journey-to-work bicycle trips. By using better methods and data sources, cities can implement bicycle facilities that most benefit the community. This paper uses Pomona, California as a case study, using data collection through the American Community Survey, the U.S. Census Local Employment Dynamics data set, South Coast Air Quality Management District’s employee commuting surveys, and field work. These data sources reveal significant variation in bicycle use across the census tract geographies, suggesting that facilities should be targeted to areas of greatest need and potential. Bicycle use is found to be higher in areas with household income less than $30,000 and higher shares of journey-to-work commutes of less than fifteen minutes.
Lessons in Leadership Operationalizing Sustainability Through an Integrated Management System
by John Milliman and John Grosskopf
Many organizations are struggling with how to effectively operationalize sustainability initiatives for competitive advantage, particulary in these challenging times. The issues is especially important given that organizations often must undergo significant change efforts to reap the benefits of sustainability programs.
Making Money by Doing Good, Sustainability’s Value Proposition at for Profit Companies
by Willaim Borges
Rather than examine environmental sustainability from a technical, academic, political or altruistic perspective, this article considers the idea from a business perspective. It is important to do so because much of the discussion around sustainability topics by technical professionals, academics, politicians and activists centers on what business should be doing to be more socially and environmentally responsible.
Two Cites, One Plan Anaheim and Austin Convenstion Centers Go Green
by Bill Conley and Laurie Gilmer
In two cities, half a continent away, the path of taking a convention center through the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) for Existing Buildings certification process was attempted at almost the same time for the same reason.
Facility professionals at the Anaheim Convention Center in California and the Austin Convention Center in Texas decided to improve their operations through sustainability.
