United Postal Service (UPS) Moving to Green

In past months, UPS has announced its effort to increase the fuel efficiency in its vehicle fleet.  But now they are saying that they are going to raise the average miles-per-gallon fuel efficiency by 20% by 2020.  This is a major step for the company in going green, because previously they were going to raise the average MPG by roughly 10%.  UPS has invested in almost 2000 alternative fuel vehicles already and along with that it also plans to improve its carbon output of its airplanes by 20% as well by 2020.  Laboratory tests have shown that this new hybrid technology will potentially reduce fuel use by 1000 gallons per year for package delivery vehicles.  EPA estimates that upfront costs for the hybrid components could be recouped in fewer than three years for a typical delivery vehicle.  The net savings over the vehicle’s lifespan could exceed $50,000, assuming current fuel prices.  UPS operates one of the largest delivery fleets in the world.  UPS alone has invested over $15 millions in its alternative fuel fleet.  Their alternative fuel fleet consists of 1500 hydrogen fuel cells, liquefied natural gas, compressed natural gas, electric and propane-powered trucks.  Their fleet has been expanded to Canada, Mexico, France, Germany, Brazil, and the United States.

S.C. Johnson Family Company

Over the years people have come to notice how the products of S.C. Johnson such as Windex have been made with environmentally unfriendly products and chemicals.  Saran Wrap has cut the amount of polyvinylidene chloride that it uses in its wrap by four million pounds.  Along with cutting the amount of chemicals S.C. Johnson uses, is the amount of coal-fired plants which are being replaced by natural gas and methane powered facilities 

Wall Street Going Green? Goldman Sachs Agrees!

Goldman Sachs which started to become a very unprofitable company, has regained some of its popularity.  The company recently invested $1.5 million in solar, ethanol, and wind power has paid off.  Texas Pacific and Kolhberg Kravis Roberts have both recently consulted Goldman Sachs about starting their own environmentally focused projects.  In the past couple weeks Goldman Sachs has launched a new environmentally based project which requires its 24,000 employees to promote eco-friendly practices and would encourage its own clients to use appropriate safeguards to help keep the environment safe.  Goldman Sachs also stated that it would conduct extensive environmental studies and the company will also increase its carbon trading activities.  Carbon trading activities allow companies to emit certain amounts of carbon dioxide and also sell the right if they emit less.

Toyota Driving Towards Green

Toyota which is recognized for releasing the Prius, which is the mass-market hybrid car that is now sold in over 40 countries, is changing their ways.  The Prius is now considered the most fuel efficient car in the United States as of 2009.  It gets a stunning 48 miles per gallon and is rated in the top five least carbon emitting cars in the UK.  Over the past two weeks 8300 NRDC activists sent emails and faxes to Toyota urging the company to support a senate bill that would set a 35 mile per gallon requirement by 2020.  Some people are still hesitant to believe that Toyota is going to live up to its image as the green automaker.  Toyota is now challenging GM as the world’s largest automaker and has aggressively promoted the Tundra pickup in the lucrative large truck segment.  Only time will tell whether Toyota will remain on top as the largest green automaker.

Tesla Motors, Eco Friendly without Loosing the Power

Tesla is a company which was founded by ex-google and Paypal executives.  This company is very innovative and is constantly pushing the limits of a electric powered car.  They are setting their sights on developing environmentally friendly cars while not sacrificing any speed or power.  They already have cars on their website which are 100% electric powered and go from 0 to 60 in 3.9 seconds.  Along with that they also get roughly 256 mpg from its electric charge.  The cost of driving this car is roughly two cents per mile.  The company just filed its papers to offer an IPO (Initial Public Offering), in which they will use the funds to develop different cars such as the Model S.  This company is the leading edge of electric cars and i can see this company going very far in the future.  

Wal-Mart Entering the Green Zone

When talking about companies that are going green, many people don’t believe Wal-Mart as being one of those companies.  They are probably the most hated name in the entire green movement.  Over the past five years Wal-Mart has put into place a number of initiatives in order to reduce there impact on the environment and thus become more green.  They have reduced their waste in packages and they have also increase the amount of renewable energy at many of their stores.  Wal-Mart has a long and ambitious long term plan to eventually power each and every one of its stores using 100% renewable energy resources.  In order to reduce the amount of packaging in Wal-Mart branded toys, they eliminated the need for approximately 215 shipping containers.  In recent months, the company has decided to reduce their carbon footprint and environmental impact.  The company has installed solar panels in twenty stores as well as more efficient lighting.  They are currently testing other technologies that have a reasonable payment to both the environment and the company itself.  Along with adding solar panels, Wal-Mart is also diversifying their renewable energy sources and recently added wind power to their portfolio in 2009.  Along with that Wal-Mart has also agreed to purchase a four year power plan with Duke Energy for 226 million kilowatt hours of wind energy.  

Starbucks Coffee entering into the green era

In recent years Starbucks has changed its perception and has become a more “green” corporation.  The companies decision to switch the sleeves of its cups to recycled paper saves roughly 78,000 trees per year since 2006.  Starbucks has also partnered up with many environmental organizations, from Conservation International to the Earthwatch Institute, in efforts to do right by the communities it operates in.  Another innovation Starbucks is trying to get customers to switch over to is the reusable travel mug.  This is helping the economy by not using as much paper and also cuts down on the price of buying coffee long term.  Since 1985 Starbucks has been giving discounts to customers who use reusable mugs to fill up coffee in instead of the traditional paper mugs.  Starbucks will also begin posting plaques in stores to explain green construction and decor elements to customers to educate and motivate them to make more environmentally responsible choices.  This is helping their company fulfill their long term goal of using 100% reusable and recyclable cups by 2015.  This year Starbucks is not only promoting switching over to reusable cups, but they are also replacing many of the incandescent bulbs which are in most of their store locations to more energy efficient bulbs.

IBM Going Green

In June of 2007 IBM stated that they were planning a project called “Project Big Green.” This project was aimed at combating the world’s data center energy crisis by allocating $1 billion to advance “green” technologies.  In an effort to mobilize the companies resources towards energy efficient IT is taking shape in the foothills of the Rock Mountains and this new data center will employ IBM’s state-of-the-art technology to erect a “Green” data center.  The new mega million dollar data center expansion will take place at their already existing Colorado facility.  Many different investors are forking up money in an effort to get the new project started and up and running.  A $700,000 incentive fund was established by the state of Colorado.  Along with that the Office of Economic Development and International Trade have awarded IBM with a $632,000 bonus to help get things started and they have agreed to work with IBM’s staff to institute a training program for the new data center.  This type of investment reinforces IBM’s commitment to dramatically decreasing the carbon output created by IT departments around the world and sets a positive example to its customers and competition a like.

Dupont Changing Their Ways

Another company that is striving to change its ways and go green is Dupont.  Dupont has appointed an ex-greenpeace head as an adviser to the board.  Dupont is also engaging in practices which will allow them to reduce their emissions of airborne carcinogens and greenhouse gases.  Many people have been debating the numbers which have recently come available to the public about how much greenhouse gas emissions they have been reducing.  In the 1990’s they did reduce their emissions by 63% which is very impressive.  Along with reducing the emissions they are also helping build buildings which are green and that cost less to operate and are easier to maintain.  They are the creation of shareholder and societal value also while decreasing their companies environmental footprint along the value chains in which they operate.  One of their new professional products offers new packaging which not only advances sustainability but also reduces potential exposure to pest control products and waste.  Their new professional grades products primarily serve customers in the business of maintaining lawns and golf courses. 

Going Green Era

Many companies throughout the United States are going along with the new green era to make the world more efficient.  You would probably not think that General Electric would be one of those companies, but they are up there in the list of major companies contributing to the going green era.  Since 2006 the company has sold over $12 billion of its Ecomagination products including their solar panels.  General Electrics chief executive officer Jeffrey Immelt said ecomagination intends to “develop tomorrow’s solutions such as solar energy, hybrid locomotives, fuel cells, lower-emission aircraft engines, lighter and stronger durable materials, efficient lighting, and water purification technology.”   This helps their company image drastically since many people were upset with the fact that General Electric has been polluting the Hudson river with polychlorinated biphenyls.  This is just the beginning of their new going green era which should help the company in the long run.  The company is anticipating an annual increase in revenue from ecomagination products to at least $20 billion in 2010 and tells its shareholders that “green is green,” referring to cash profits.