Wednesday, June 30, 2010
A study of global water security risks from Maplecroft finds that countries in Sub-Saharan Africa have the least secure water sources.
Somalia tops the list, which includes Mauritania, Sudan, Niger and Egypt.
All countries above were rated as being at “extreme” risk.
Investors and managers involved in sustainability businesses do not operate in a vacuum, cut off from indicators in the broader economy, so when the Dow fell 268.22 points yesterday, due to a “a sharp decline in US consumer confidence add[ing] to investors’ worries about the global economy,” as the Wall Street Journal reported, everyone notices.
But, when looked at over the course of the year, while the consumer index did drop in June after rising for three months, it is not even at the year’s low. In fact, it about where it stood at the end of 2009, 53.9.
No real surprise.
“Until the pace of job growth picks up, consumer confidence is not likely to pick up,” said Lynn Franco, director of The Conference Board Consumer Research Center.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
The “2010 ImagePower Green Brands Survey,” from Cohn & Wolfe, Esty Environmental Partners, Landor and Penn Schoen Berland, reveals that when German consumers think of green, their minds turn to liquid.
Of the top ten greenest brands in Germany—the top four are bottled water.
Water companies Gerolsteiner, Volvic, Appollinaris and Vittel ranked numbers one through four respectively.
Pike Research estimates cumulative global spending on desalination plants will total $87.8 billion from 2010 to 2016.
Monday, June 28, 2010
A survey from GE Reports, conducted by StrategyOne, found 79% of US consumers are willing to change the way they use energy in the short-term—in order to create long-term benefits.
In fact, 88% of respondents said they would use a smart device such as a meter, thermostat or appliance if it would help to better manage their energy usage
Smart grid infrastructure allows power companies to better manage peak power usage and consequently reduce the demand for new power sources. Through smart meter and smart appliances, consumers will be able to choose to run appliances and use electricity at off-peak times for lower power rates.
The most popular reason consumers support the smart grid is to save money on electricity bills. More control over electricity bills ran a close second.
For more information on the rising success of the green building industry see Green Building Certifications Soar to New Heights.
Friday, June 25, 2010
Blame it on the poor pelicans, but a New York Times/CBS News poll that examined public reaction to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico found the vast majority of Americans think the US needs to fundamentally overhaul its energy policies.
Only 6% of respondents felt US energy policy was basically sound.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
“A New Era of Sustainability,” a report from the UN Global Compact and Accenture, found that CEOs around the globe are not only eager to undertake sustainability initiatives—93% of them believe sustainability is critical to the future of their business.
The single biggest factor driving corporate sustainability at the upper levels of management is the desire to build “brand, trust and reputation.”
Interestingly, the executives’ commitment is personal as well as professional—42% of CEOs say they are personally motivated to operate their organization more sustainably.
Los Angeles, California, just missed making the list with utility bills averaging $193.36 per month.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
The “Guest Opinion: Electric Vehicles Help Spark The Drive To Go Green” report from J.D. Power and Associates forecasts worldwide electric vehicle (EV) sales will rise 28% from 2009 to 2010.
Power analysts estimate sales of all EVs (including hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles) will total 940,000 in 2010.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
The “2010 ImagePower Green Brands Survey,” from Cohn & Wolfe, Esty Environmental Partners, Landor and Penn Schoen Berland, highlights the differences between developing and developed countries.
Consumers in developing countries are more eco-friendly in their attitudes—and more positive toward companies that sell green products.
Significant percentages of consumers in developed countries—such as Germany, the US, the UK and Australia—do not believe it is important to buy products or services from green companies.
Concern over the Gulf oil spill caused “Natural disaster response/relief” to rise 17 percentage points from May to June.
Monday, June 21, 2010
The economic recovery in the US is being led by the country’s most affluent consumers, according to L.E.K Consulting.
“America’s high-earning households are opening their wallets and spending at a significantly higher rate than the general population, stated an L.E.K. press release. “This marked shift in affluent consumer spending patterns has significant ramifications for retailers who have been facing stagnant sales.”
The good news for the green market is that affluent consumers are more interested in environmentally friendly products than the average American.
