Environmental Articles

We understand that it is important to keep up to date with environmental affairs, the articles provided are by URS, an independent environmental and engineering consultancy and have been designed in response to a growing problem: a lack of clear information on environmental issues and choices in the business arena.

The Green Advantage

A common perception exists that during times of economic downturn, environmental issues tend to be pushed to the bottom of the agenda, and price-conscious consumers increasingly refuse to pay a premium for environmentally preferable products or services. This may be true to some extent.  However, as margins tighten, companies are also looking for new ways of increasing efficiency.  Through innovation and forward thinking, these companies are discovering more practical measures that would help...

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A sustainability dilemma With the rise in commodity prices in 2007 there has been significant interest in the use of BioFuels. What are the benefits of biofuels? How does the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO) impact you? Do you know how the Government intends to use tax incentives to support the use of bio fuels? Where are the UK Government and the EU in adopting a mandatory assurance scheme? With international trade in these commodities is likely to expand in the future and with the biofuel debate based around a global issue is policy running ahead of science with potentially severe consequences in terms of sustainability? Read more >>

Biodiversity and business: what are the issues? Businesses like yours are under pressure to be more accountable for their environmental impact to ensure the continued support of financiers &stakeholders. There are risks associated with the loss of biodiversity including the financial costs incurred by the rising price of raw materials, damage to reputation and a challenge to operating licences. It is becoming more common to attach a monetary value to environmental impact. For example the offsetting carbon emissions. The same idea is also starting to be applied specifically to the conservation of endangered habitats and species – this is often referred to as “conservation banking”. Find out why these biodiversity investments are being treated such high importance by companies like Shell. Read more >>

Carbon Footprinting: Drivers, Approaches and Opportunities What is a Carbon Footprint? A carbon footprint can be defined as a measure of the impact that a person, organisation or product has on the environment in terms of the amount of greenhouse gases produced . It is now a commonly used term, which embraces a vast number of approaches and scopes. Read more >>

Carbon Offsetting Discover how you can enhance your company's credibility and reputation. Understand the risks involved in not taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint. Is it simply a way of easing a guilty conscience? How effective is carbon offsetting in reducing carbon emissions? There is confusion over the official carbon offsetting standards and how the system is regulated. Ensure you understand how buyers know whether they are really getting what they paid for. How are the Voluntary Carbon Standard, the Climate Group, the International Emissions Trading Association, the World Economic Forum and the Gold standard related. Which standards do greenpeace and WWF promote? Learn how the Kyoto protocol affects you, what is compulsory, and what is voluntary. Read more >>

Forest Certification Schemes Toilet seats, furniture, picture frames, kitchen utensils, paper, paint brushes….many common household and office items are often made from wood. Do we ever consider where this wood originates? Unfortunately illegal logging is still a practice that is carried out in many countries and results not only in environmental problems but also deprives governments of billions of dollars in revenue. Illegal logging undermines the rule of law, fosters corruption and distorts world markets. How can we prevent this? In the absence of international law banning the practice, we are left to rely on voluntary timber certification standards. How do we as the consumer know which standard to trust? Which timber certification schemes are considered credible and why? Read more >>

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• The Mori Survey

  

  There are continuing trends towards a greater requirement for clear information on the environmental issues facing people today. While there is a slowly growing acceptance and recognition of the issues, people are still left at a loss as to how to respond effectively. With this in mind many consumers are looking to business to provide assistance.

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• Myths Exploded

  

  Growing environmental awareness among consumers has created demand for goods with less environmental impact. In response, companies have begun to market a wealth of environmental products using eco-labels and environmental claims. Many of these claims are vague, misleading and meaningless...

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