March 13, 2008

"We will not have served the water needs of Americans if we meet only the requirements of today's population. A prudent nation must look ahead and plan for tomorrow."

— Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973) 36th President of the United States,
Special Message to Congress, "To Renew a Nation"
8 March 1968

Summary:

1. Water to be the next commoditized resource
2. Building a Better Future
3. Affordable Solutions to Environmental Woes
4. A Political Education for Business
5. Carbon Confusion
6. Book Reviews
7. Job Opportunities
   

Water to be the next commoditized resources—article
The right to use water will soon follow in the footsteps of carbon emissions and become a commodity, like the right to pollute, that industry will have to pay for, executives have warned. "In the not too distant future, we will see a price on water just like there is now for carbon and carbon emissions," said Ditlev Engel, chief executive of Vestas Wind Systems. "It will have to be factored in as a cost." Mr. Engel is not alone in his prediction. Whether it is Arizona or Darfur, water rights have become an increasingly contentious issue - the United Nations has warned water will become the primary cause of conflict in Africa unless agreements are struck or a regulatory system is established.

Building a Better Future—article
Environmental design needs to address not only the product, but also its social and economic impact. With climate change high on the global agenda, manufacturers constantly need to build on reducing the environmental impact of their products by providing sustainable solutions to customers.

Affordable Solutions to Environmental Woes –report
"Solutions to the key environmental challenges are available, achievable and affordable, especially when compared to the expected economic growth and the costs and consequences of inaction", OECD Secretary General Angel Gurria said at the worldwide launch of the 2008 OECD Environmental Outlook in Oslo, hosted by Norway's Prime Minister, Jens Stoltenberg. The 2008 OECD Environmental Outlook is a pathbreaking report that marries economic and environmental projections for the next few decades and simulates specific policies to address the key challenges. It identifies four priority areas where urgent action is needed: climate change, biodiversity loss, water scarcity and the impact on human health of pollution and toxic chemicals.

A Political Education for Business: An interview with the head of the Council on Foreign Relations—interview
The passage from the 20th to the 21st century has brought new stakeholders into the international playing field, blurring the traditional lines among business, government, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs).Richard Haass, the president of the Council on Foreign Relations, says that businesses can learn from government as they compete in an increasingly complex global landscape. He argues that they can gain by taking a higher-profile, more vocal stance on public-policy issues.

Carbon Confusion—article
To help shoppers make green choices, companies are slapping carbon labels on products. But even if the public can interpret the information, will it help reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

Oh, You Shouldn’t Have: 10 Great Ideas for “stuff-free” holiday gifts – list
So you want to give ... nothing to your loved ones this holiday season? Or at least nothing that'll end up on a dusty shelf or in a landfill? Consider these stuff-free gift alternatives.

Job Opportunities

Safety & Environmental Services Specialist at PRAXAIR located in Ecorse, MI. Seeking professional to identify & correct potential safety/health issues, implement practices, perform inspections and ensure compliance with governmental plus company standards at multiple locations. Bachelor’s degree and 7-10 years of Safety & Environmental experience required. The following are preferred: Certified Safety Professional (CSP) Certification, OSHA Authorized Trainer for OSHA 10 hr and 30 safety courses for, General or Construction Industry, Transportation Experience. Contact: Kisha Bailey

Environmental Manager Packaging for Temple-Inland located in Austin, TX. The Environmental Manager is responsible for providing a full range of environmental management, guidance and assistance to assigned locations to ensure each assigned location meets its general environmental responsibilities; for developing, recommending, assisting and maintaining site specific programs and procedures whereby operations may meet expectations for regulatory compliance and Company Policy and to manage risk; and for understanding and guiding the incorporation of new environmental standards into the ongoing programs and activities at assigned locations. BS or equivalent degree in science or engineering. Advanced degree highly preferred. Minimum 5-7 years broad environmental expertise and regulatory knowledge. Prefer experience in the packaging industry with operations and process knowledge. Prefer experience negotiating with state agencies. Contacts: Temple-Inland

SHE Coordinator for Unilever located in Clinton, CT. Under direction of plant SHEQ Manager, the SHE coordinator manages and provides hands on support for multiple aspects of the plant's safety, health and environmental activities. Including but not limited to personnel safety, recordkeeping and reporting, PSM (process safety management), industrial hygiene and solid waste management. Assumes responsibility for the administration and implementation of key SHE programs to ensure the plants adherence to all applicable, federal, state, and local regulations. B.S. /B.A. in safety science, Chemical, Industrial, Mechanical engineering and/or other related technical discipline. 3-8 years manufacturing or other appropriate experience Specific Training Safety & Environmental Compliance Certification CSP, CIH, HAZMAT, OSHA. Contact: EHSCareers.com

Environmental, Health and Safety Manager for Berry Plastics located in Aurora, IL. Primary Function Involved in the design, development, coaching, training and development of environment, health and safety systems and programs for a 275 employee manufacturing facility. Serves as contact with federal, state and regulatory agencies. Strong leadership quality. Solid background in coaching and tracking program accomplishments. Requires 3 - 5 years of experience in the EH&S field or in a related area in a manufacturing environment. A bachelor's degree in the area of safety and/or engineering and with a CSP preferred. Contact: EHSCareers.com

Have a safe, healthy and environmental week!

Carol Singer Neuvelt

NAEM Executive Director

202-986-6616

Check out our website www.NAEM.org for up-to-date information about NAEM's Forum, EHS management workshops and training seminars!