March 27, 2008

"If we are going to carry on growing, and we will, because no country is going to forfeit its right to economic growth, we have to find a way of doing it sustainably. "

— Tony Blair, (1953-present), former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom

Summary:

1. Business of Green
2. Patagonia Raises The Bar for Corporate Responsibility
3. USPS Offers Free E-Waste Recycling
4. Addressing Consumer Concerns About Climate Change
5. China 's Sustainable Grown Options Are Increasing
6. As World Grows More Prosperous, Limits to Growth Revive Supply Concerns
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?

Book Reviews
Sustainable Industries reviewer Aaron Berg takes a look at managing change and measuring impact.

Job Opportunities

Assistant VP EHS for a leading international manufacturer/distributor located in New Jersey. Individual should be able to communicate very effectively and have the vision and passion to drive change within an existing safety organization which entails manufacturing and distribution operations. The company is very up to date with their programs such as VPP Star accreditation, but they want to achieve even higher levels / state-of-the-art Safety, Health and Environmental programs. Individual should have a BS degree, MBA preferred and have Certifications such as CSP, CIH, etc. Excellent interpersonal, influencing skills and a passion for driving change are critical. Require minimum 10 years of prior safety experience in a leadership role within a manufacturing environment and have a track record with demonstrated successes in creating new SHE programs. Travel is minimum. Contact: EHSCareers.com

Environmental Health & Safety Manager for Aerojet located in Sacramento, CA. We seek an experienced Environmental Health & Safety Manager for our Sacramento, CA headquarters. In this role, you will provide technical and administrative leadership for Environmental Health & Safety issues and staff. You will be responsible for safety, industrial hygiene, and environmental compliance programs, supervise 4 – 5 EH&S professionals and report to the Director EH&S. Bachelor's degree in an appropriate science and nine (9) years of directly related EH&S experience (or an equivalent combination of education and experience). Supervisory experience strongly desired. Registered Safety Engineer or Certified Safety Professional is desired. Contact: EHSCareers.com

Manager, Environmental Health and Safety for The Scotts Company located in Marysville/Columbus, OH. The position leads the EHSS efforts within the SLS business unit to ensure compliance, improve consistency, and increase overall program effectiveness. The purpose of the position is to implement and manage division-wide EHSS performance in order to reduce work-related injuries and liability related to losses impacting operations and profitability. This is a “hands-on” position that requires successful candidate to investigate, research, and collaboratively drive for positive actionable incident and financial impact outcomes. The position operates with limited supervision and no direct support staff for 70+ locations. Minimum of five years of EHS experience in the lawncare or other home service industry, with increasing responsibilities. Proven experience in leading change and implementing new ideas and concepts. Track record of driving results through fact-based analysis and business process implementation. Ability to travel approximately 35%. Contact: EHSCareers.com

Senior Environmental Engineer for Saint-Gobain located in Worcester, MA. Implement environmental activities for the entire Worcester facility. The Worcester facility includes 5 separate operating businesses , a research center and cogeneration power plant. Maintain and improve an Environmental Management System (Pending ISO 14001 Certification) through training , program development , managing written programs , auditing and reporting to senior management. Requires coordinating activities of individual businesses. Implement all aspects of environmental compliance for all waste streams , air emissions , and wastewater discharges. Candidate must have bachelor's degree in engineering or other technical field. Master's Degree is preferred. The candidate must have 5 year's experience in environmental engineering, including experience in preparing regulatory compliance reports. Knowledge of air pollution control technologies and regulations is a preferred. Contact: Saint-Gobain Careers Ref: AB4900

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!