http://www.myenvironmentalguide.com/rssArticles.xml Enlighten articles from Office Depot at www.myenvironmentalguide.com Copyright and acceptable usage information for this RSS feed may be found at: http://www.myenvironmentalguide.com en-gb BuildingBox RSS generator Thu, 14 May 2009 16:23:47 GMT Articles/[ID].aspx27 Articles/[ID].aspx27 Availability of “the oil of the 20th century” is essential for the economic growth of all types of business and interruptions in water supply can lead to unexpected costs throughout the supply chain. Business will inevitably bear the additional costs associated with: disruptions in water supply, more stringent and expensive government regulation, and the increased infrastructure required to source and treat water. How many litres of water does it take to: * to grow one cup of coffee, * produce a pair of jeans, * build a car or manufacture a single microchip? Find out in the linked article and what is being done to ensure a stable supply chain. Wed, 24 Sep 2008 09:24:00 GMT Articles Articles/[ID].aspx26 Articles/[ID].aspx26 The UK generates 100 million tonnes of waste each year. Enlighten is your environmental guide to the latest directives & incentives from the government to reduce waste. Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:49:00 GMT Articles Articles/[ID].aspx25 Articles/[ID].aspx25 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. Tue, 23 Sep 2008 16:35:00 GMT Articles Articles/[ID].aspx21 Articles/[ID].aspx21 The UK Government is using Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) to benchmark the energy efficiency of buildings. Enlighten is your environmental guide to Energy Performance Certificates. Thu, 12 Jun 2008 15:02:00 GMT Articles Articles/[ID].aspx20 Articles/[ID].aspx20 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? Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:58:00 GMT Articles Articles/[ID].aspx19 Articles/[ID].aspx19 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? Thu, 12 Jun 2008 14:23:00 GMT Articles Articles/[ID].aspx14 Articles/[ID].aspx14 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. Sun, 20 Jan 2008 18:43:00 GMT Articles Articles/[ID].aspx12 Articles/[ID].aspx12 Green labels cover issues from the choice of raw materials, energy and chemical use in manufacture; to ethical or social issues. Enlighten is your environmental guide to understanding green labels. Fri, 18 Jan 2008 15:23:00 GMT Articles Articles/[ID].aspx6 Articles/[ID].aspx6 The Government's 2005 Sustainable Development Strategy aims to make the UK a leader in sustainable procurement in the EU by 2009. This an important step in moving towards a more sustainable economy. Organisations that lag behind are at risk of impacts to both their reputation and their bottom line. Don't let your reputation and profitability suffer. Those companies that are leading in sustainable procurement and have demonstrated good procurement practices are driven mainly by cost efficiency and savings, ‘self-motivation, enlightened leadership or shareholder pressure. Discover how to drive sustainable procurement within your own organisation and how a risk-based approach can help you target quick wins. Learn about the matrix of key behavioural and operational change programmes developed by the UK Government’s business-led Sustainable Procurement Task Force against which sustainable purchasing progress can be measured. Fri, 18 Jan 2008 13:43:00 GMT Articles