David Suzuki vs. Walmart CEO: The 2010 Walmart Canada Green Business Summit Recap

A Walmart business summit, with keynote speech by Dr. David Suzuki. How could these two seemingly opposed global forces exist in the same confined space? This I had to see.

The sun was just rising as I wheeled up to Vancouver’s Pan Pacific Hotel, to find out what Walmart had up its sleeve when it invited 350 top retail execs and competitors for the Walmart Canada Green Business Summit.

The Mayor, the Premier, environmental alarm, sustainability case studies, live wireless polling, this show had it all. I even got to ask the Walmart CEO, face-to-face, about their business model and position on packaging take-back recycling.

This blog is going to run on a bit, but I wanted to keep all of the info in one document, so grab an organic java and get comfortable. David Suzuki vs. Walmart CEO: The 2010 Walmart Canada Green Business Summit Recap

NAFTA partners eye continental carbon scheme

From The Globe and Mail: “The United States has agreed to work with Canada and Mexico to develop a North American carbon market that would allow Canadian emitters to meet some portion of their targets through purchasing credits in the vast NAFTA marketplace. The agreement by leaders from the three countries could help keep down compliance costs for Canadian emitters, while expanding the market for renewable energy companies and others that create carbon credits with projects in Canada. “This is the first time the three North American leaders have been together and have started to flesh out the elements of a continental approach to this,” Environment Minister Jim Prentice said in a telephone interview.”

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President Barack Obama Seeks LEED Certification for Energy Wasting White House

From Green Energy News: “In a refreshing change of pace, the latest First Family is really putting “their money where their mouth is” in respects to establishing a more economically and environmentally sustainable country. While First Lady Michelle Obama is doing her part by planting an organic garden to supply healthy food and fertilizer, President Barack Obama is now seeking to attain LEED Certification for the colossal, energy-consuming White House.

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Supply Chain Sustainability Study from BPM & E2open

From CSR International: “A new report from BPM Forum and E2open covers the priorities, progress and pitfalls that supply chain and finance executives are facing in product development environments. The report also provides perspectives from more than 20 corporate and faculty leadership committee members, which includes best practices for implementing environmental sustainability into their supply chains.” Supply Chain Sustainability Study from BPM & E2open

Green or Green Washed? 7 Lessons in Green Supply Chain Management

From GSCC: “Ma Jun is one of China’s most prominent environmentalists. His book, China’s Water Crisis, has been compared to Rachel Carson’s Classic work, Silent Spring, which was instrumental in driving environmental change in the United States. “It’s not easy being green,” said Kermit the Frog of his amphibian existence. Talk to sourcing managers, auditing firms, and NGOs and you’ll hear it’s not so easy being truly green in supply chain management either.”

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Call to Adopt GHG Protocol as Global Emissions Standard

Amid continuing confusion over the scale, scope and timing of planned legislation governing carbon emissions, a leading force in the development of carbon optimisation software is warning that the entire issue could become meaningless unless all nations agree to a common emissions accounting standard.

Ewan French, co-developer of the world-beating CAST-CO2 carbon optimisation software and Chief Operating Officer of Barloworld Optimus, said this week that despite the global economic downturn, pressure on companies to reduce carbon emission remains on a sharp upwards curve – but that individual governments following their own targets and agendas will ultimately result in a dilution of the initiative unless all nations recognise and agree to adopt ‘like-for-like’ carbon calculation and accounting processes.

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Certified Sustainability Professional Certificate (CSP)

Our online sustainability training is a leading edge form of education that enables anyone around the world to learn about sustainability and “green” topics anytime – anywhere 24/7. People like you need information about sustainability to practice green living, remain current in the workplace, or meet the needs of your customers. Companies like yours need information about being sustainable to practice social responsibility, remain competitive, or meet the needs of global markets.

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Wal-Mart: Making Its Suppliers Go Green

From Business Week: “Jiangsu Redbud Dyeing Technology is a poster child for China’s effort to clean up manufacturing. The textile maker, based in Changshu City, Jiangsu Province, slashed electricity use by one-tenth, banished most toxic emissions from its dyeing operations, and garnered more than 150 patents for its environment-friendly jute-based materials. Behind the scenes, it has a demanding mentor: Wal-Mart Stores (WMT).”

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Nine Out of 10 Firms Ignoring Supply Chain Carbon Footprint

From businessgreen.com: “Just 10 per cent of companies are tracking the carbon footprint of their supply chains, according to a major new study from consultancy Accenture. The global survey of almost 250 supply chain executives found that while the majority of firms are now committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from their supply chains, only one in 10 has accurate data on the carbon footprint of different components of their supply chain.

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