"Our Climate Corps fellows bring to life the powerful business case for energy efficiency," said Gwen Ruta, vice president, corporate partnerships at EDF. "As the next generation of business leaders, they are demonstrating first-hand that cutting costs while cutting carbon is a win-win proposition."

Launched in 2008, EDF's Climate Corps trains business students to analyze energy efficiency opportunities at their host companies. The inaugural class of Climate Corps fellows identified projects that could save 120 million kWh per year of energy – to date, projects that account for 97% of that potential energy savings have either been completed or are in implementation at the 2008 host companies.

This year's cohort of fellows from top-tier universities including Duke, Stanford, Cornell and Yale spent their summer fellowships working at leading companies such as Cisco Systems, Dell, eBay Inc., EMC, Genzyme, HP, Sodexo and Sony Pictures Entertainment. With support from EDF, the fellows developed detailed energy efficiency investment and implementation plans for each host company.

"The Climate Corps program provided 10 months of value to eBay in 10 weeks," said Bence Oliver, senior manager, operational sustainability, eBay. "Our fellow Cindy Chen was crucial to eBay's effort to articulate its carbon emissions reduction target and chart a course to meet it."

The fellows found efficiency gains from improving lighting, computer equipment and heating and cooling systems. Some highlights include:

• Mark Braby spent the summer at Raytheon's Network Centric Systems division in Dallas, where he identified $3.4 million in operating cost savings, 2.6 million kWh of annual energy use reductions and 1,500 metric tons of avoided greenhouse gas emissions from virtualization and other energy efficiency projects.
• At Cisco, which also hosted a Climate Corps fellow in 2008, Sarah Shapiro concluded that small increases in the ambient temperature of the company's large data labs could save the company approximately $1.8 million and 18 million kWh of electricity annually, without harming laboratory equipment.
• Trish Kenlon found ways to reduce energy use in TXU Energy's two main office buildings by 10% and 30% respectively, which could save the company over $200,000 and 2.3 million kWh of electricity annually, while avoiding over 6,500 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions.
• At the IT services company SunGard, fellow Ryan Whisnant developed a plan to cut energy use in the company's headquarters by 25% through lighting retrofits and HVAC upgrades. If replicated across the company's 7 million square feet of office space worldwide, the plan could cut SunGard's energy bills by over $5 million annually.

"Our Climate Corps fellow provided excellent analysis of our sustainability programs that has allowed us to focus on energy efficiency enhancements that are both strategic and financially advantageous," said Jeff Hargleroad, executive vice president of corporate operations for Sony Pictures Entertainment.

To identify and select exceptional fellows, EDF partners with Net Impact, the preeminent network of students and professionals using the power of business to create a more socially and environmentally sustainable world.

"In addition to helping companies cut costs through energy efficiency, Climate Corps is creating a new generation of 'green' business leaders to spearhead corporate environmental innovation in the years to come," said Liz Maw, executive director, Net Impact. "The strong student interest in the program is a promising trend for the future of responsible business."

For more information on Climate Corps and details on how to host a fellow in 2010, visit www.edf.org/climatecorps.

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2009 Climate Corps program hosts include: Accenture, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD), Ahold USA, Biltmore Farms, Cisco Systems, Dell, eBay Inc., EMC Corporation, Genzyme, Grubb Properties, Houston Rockets/Toyota Center, HP, Inuit Inc., National Instruments, North Carolina Central University, Raytheon Company, salesforce.com, Savvis, Shorenstein Realty Services L.P., Sodexo, Sony Pictures Entertainment, SunGard and TXU Energy.

All trademarks, including company names, are the property of their respective owners.

"In our 2009 Innovations Review, EDF recognized a number of companies for specific environmental innovations that are good for the planet. Verizon was recognized for its power management software and its use of energy-efficient "thin client" computers.

"Verizon is currently listed as a sponsor of an upcoming rally against the American Clean Energy  and Security Act. By joining with oil companies and other special interests to undermine support for clean energy legislation, Verizon is undermining its own reputation for environmental innovation."

(New York – June 23, 2009) Corporate cafeterias, museums and restaurants across the country are about to take a bite out of foodservice costs by sparing the environment.

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Restaurant Associates (RA) today unveiled their Green Dining Best Practices – a comprehensive set of science-based recommendations for environmentally friendly foodservice. The practices have been tested by two RA clients – Random House and Hearst Corporation – early results will save over $85,000 each year at the two sites, cut 275 tons of carbon pollution and reduce landfill waste by 60 tons annually, among other environmental benefits.

In a National Restaurant Association survey of trends for 2009, environmentally friendly equipment and sustainable practices topped chefs' lists of hot trends and top cost-savers. The Green Dining Best Practices, available free of charge at www.edf.org/greendining, focus on aspects of the foodservice and restaurant industry with the biggest environmental impacts, including food purchasing (addressing specific products like meat, produce and seafood), facility operation (improvements in the use of energy, waste, and water), packaging, transportation of food, and the use of toxic cleaning chemicals. The best practices provide clear, objective, science-based advice for dining managers and chefs to make smart choices in their kitchens to improve environmental performance across the board.

"Consumers today know what they want: delicious food at affordable prices that's good for them and for the planet. This is a tall order, but it's one we can meet," said Ed Sirhal, president of Restaurant Associates. "Using these best practices as a guide, we unearthed opportunities for cost and environmental savings that were right there for the taking. We encourage companies throughout the foodservices industry to do the same."

Restaurant Associates has committed to rolling out the green dining best practices in all 110 of their facilities nationwide, and has engaged the Green Restaurant Association to audit and certify those efforts by 2011. The company has also committed to increasing the amount of sustainable seafood on its menus, offering clients "bottleless" water dispensers as an alternative to bottled water, reducing the carbon footprint of the meats and proteins they serve 20 percent by July 2010 and also reducing energy use in their facilities.

"Dining out – whether it's a workday lunch or a Saturday night out – has become an American institution. Chefs and food service managers have so many opportunities to help their clients stay healthy and lighten their load on the planet," said Gwen Ruta, vice president of Corporate Partnerships at EDF. "As foodservice companies recognize how easily they can cut costs and environmental impacts, we expect these best practices to spread throughout the industry."

EDF works with leading corporations to create environmental innovations that lead to sector-wide change. Its first corporate partnership ever was with McDonalds to reduce packaging waste in the 1990s. EDF has also worked with Compass Group to reduce the use of antibiotics in animal agriculture and to improve fish farming practices. EDF accepts no funding from these or any other corporate partners.

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(Washington DC – June 3, 2009)  Businesses across the country will gain insights and share ideas on innovative environmental strategies through regional meetings this summer. Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Ashoka will host a series of "unconferences" that bring together professionals engaged in making their companies and industries more efficient and sustainable, keeping them on the cutting-edge of innovation.  The meetings will take place in Washington, DC, Boston, Silicon Valley and Austin. 

Unlike traditional conferences, the EDF/Ashoka events will not include formal panels or speeches.  Also known as "learning labs," unconferences are organized in a participatory format in which all participants will have an opportunity to share, problem-solve, network, collaborate and learn, focused on the topics of greatest interest to them—from packaging and product innovation to supply chain sustainability to advances in operational efficiency and beyond.

"Innovation comes in all shapes and sizes, from employees at all levels within companies," said David Witzel, director of the EDF Innovation Exchange. "The goal of these events is to capture the powerful energy and innovation that we're seeing at the intersection of business and the environment, helping to drive industry-wide change." 

Sign up for the EDF/Ashoka events is available at the links below:
June 11 in Washington, DC:  http://greeninnovators-dc.eventbrite.com
June 22 in Boston, MA:  http://greeninnovators-bos.eventbrite.com
July 17 in Silicon Valley, CA:  http://greeninnovators-sv.eventbrite.com
September 10 in Austin, TX: http://greeninnovators-aus.eventbrite.com

Participants will share new ideas for saving and making money while helping the environment; learn practical lessons about what does and doesn't work in trying to make a company more sustainable; and develop new relationships with partners and colleagues in other businesses as well as non-profits, academics and government.

Designed to be accessible to all in these lean times, Green Innovation in Business unconferences offer registration fees that range from free to up to $75, depending on the location.

(San Francisco – June 2, 2009) Twenty-six business students will spend their summer break working with companies across the country to cut energy use, save money and enhance operational efficiency.

Environmental Defense Fund's (EDF) innovative 10-week Climate Corps program trains MBA students in energy-efficient strategies and embeds them with leading corporations to analyze the most effective ways to consume less energy. Saving energy means less carbon dioxide pollution, the leading cause of global warming.

Climate Corps "fellows" will spend their summer working at companies including Accenture, Cisco Systems, Dell, EMC Corporation, HP, Intuit Inc., National Instruments, salesforce.com and Sodexo, among many others. The MBA students selected this year come from top-tier schools such as Cornell University, Rice University, the University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University and Yale University. (A full list of 2009 Climate Corps companies and schools is available at edf.org/climatecorps.)

In 2008, Climate Corps fellows analyzed efficiencies in lighting, computer equipment and heating/cooling systems that could help host companies save $35 million in net operational costs over five years. Visit edf.org/climatecorps for the full results of last year's internships.

"Climate Corps fellows will help companies look at their day-to-day operations with a green lens, finding cost-effective ways to reduce their energy use," said Millie Chu Baird, EDF Climate Corps project manager. "Our host companies recognize that saving energy means saving money. The fellows bring a knowledgeable set of hands to turn opportunity into reality."

To prepare the fellows for their summer positions, EDF recently held a three-day training in San Francisco where experts instructed the 2009 fellows in everything from energy units and conversions to lighting technology to leasing structures and implications.

"Cisco has a high level of commitment to reducing the impact of its operations and products on the environment. Much of our success in this area is due to the valuable contributions and commitment of our employees. With a Climate Corps fellow, our second in as many years, we are looking forward to further enhancing our green program effort," said John Hailey from Cisco Systems. "Every step we take towards further eliminating inefficient energy practices is a step in the right direction."

To identify and select fellows for the program this year, EDF partnered with Net Impact, a preeminent network of MBA students and corporate leaders using the power of business to create a more socially and environmentally sustainable world. Currently in its second year, the EDF Climate Corps program has almost quadrupled in size, from seven interns working with seven companies in 2008 to 26 interns working with 23 companies this summer.

"The rapid growth of the Climate Corps program is a powerful testament to the value these fellows provide to their host companies," said Liz Maw, executive director, Net Impact. "At the same time, these interns gain superb experience in business operations, finance and environmental strategy that will help them develop into the next generation of business leaders."

Climate Corps fellows will begin their internships within the next two weeks and will remain on site with their host companies through mid-to-late August. This year's Climate Corps fellows will be sharing experiences and insights from their internships throughout the summer through the EDF Innovations Exchangeblog and also through Twitter. For more information on the program overall, visit edf.org/climatecorps.

Companies participating in the 2009 Climate Corps program include: Accenture, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD), Ahold USA, Biltmore Farms, Cisco Systems, Dell, eBay Inc., EMC Corporation, Genzyme, Grubb Properties, Houston Rockets/Toyota Center, HP, Inuit Inc., National Instruments, North Carolina Central University, Raytheon Company, salesforce.com, Savvis, Shorenstein Realty Services L.P., Sodexo, Sony Pictures Entertainment, SunGard and TXU Energy.

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All trademarks, including company names, are the property of their respective owners.

(New Orleans, LA – April 23, 2009) A new online calculator released today makes it easier than ever for fleet managers to measure their greenhouse gas emissions as a first step in creating "greener" vehicle fleets. Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and NAFA Fleet Management Association (NAFA) created the Fleet Greenhouse Gas Calculator that enables fleets to track their progress in reducing emissions over time.

The EDF-NAFA Fleet Greenhouse Gas Calculator will be unveiled tomorrow at an opening seminar at the NAFA 2009 Institute & Expo in New Orleans. The seminar, entitled "Carbon Footprint Calculation and Management," will cover data needs and options for quantifying fleet greenhouse gas emissions.

"Fleet managers today face immense pressures from all sides to cut costs – and reducing emissions is one way to do so," said Jason Mathers, Green Fleet project manager for EDF. "Our goal in launching this online calculator is to put fleet managers in the driver's seat when it comes to measurement, efficiency and cost savings."

Recognizing that it is difficult to capture the complete data required by more advanced calculation methods, the Fleet Greenhouse Gas Calculator is designed to minimize data entry needs for fleets while retaining accuracy.

"With environmental goals front and center for so many fleet managers today, they need help calculating and quantifying their successes when it comes to minimizing the carbon footprint of their operations" said Phil Russo, executive director of NAFA. "This new tool combines great data with ease of use and fills a big gap for fleet managers as a result. NAFA will also be using this tool to speak with legislators and regulators to help them understand the kinds of data fleet managers can collect and the impact fleet operations can have on mitigating emissions."

The Fleet Greenhouse Gas Calculator estimates total fleet greenhouse gas emissions from fuel consumption data. This data is directly used to calculate emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), which accounts for about 95% of greenhouse gas from vehicles. Emissions of nitrous oxide (N2O), methane (CH4), hydro fluorocarbons (HFCs) are estimated based on their prominence among greenhouse gas from transportation source as reported in the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2006. You can access the calculator by clicking here.

Vehicles are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for 28% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. In the U.S., fleets account for nearly nine million vehicles on the road. Combined, these vehicles emit millions of metric tons of greenhouse gases annually. Fleet operators, both private and public, are seeking ways to lessen their greenhouse gas footprint. The most effective fleet actions are directly tied to seeking greenhouse gas reductions.

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View this release with interactive elements

(LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. – April 21, 2009) Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) today highlighted environmental innovations that are helping companies cut costs, create business opportunities and carve out competitive advantage in a challenging economy. EDF unveiled Innovations Review 2009: Green Advances for a New Economy at the Fortune Brainstorm Green Conference, where executives from highlighted companies gathered to discuss how environmental innovations are benefiting their business.

"Environmental innovation is a powerful way to create business value," said Gwen Ruta, vice president of corporate partnerships at EDF. "These innovations tackle today's environmental and economic challenges head on – improving the planet and the bottom line at the same time. We hope that they serve as useful models, inspire further innovation and continue to redefine business as usual. "

Innovations Review 2009 showcases innovations from companies including Cisco Systems, Coca-Cola, Google and Wal-Mart. Other examples include:

• High-tech computer systems produced by Hydropoint and PureSense that monitor real-time weather and soil conditions to help companies reduce water used for crop irrigation and commercial landscaping by 15 to 40 percent.
• A financing plan developed by Midwest Energy that allows homeowners to lower their monthly bills through efficiency upgrades, while generating a new source of revenue for the company. This model has the potential to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 5%.
• A mortgage program developed by Zocalo Community Development in Colorado that is boosting sales by offering homebuyers lower interest rates if they elect to buy condominiums equipped with solar panels.
• Intel's annual employee bonus calculation now includes environmental metrics, tying compensation to the company's environmental results for all employees – from the mailroom up to the C-Suite.

One of the featured innovations is Bon Appétit Management Company's Low-Carbon Diet, now implemented in 400 corporate and university cafes around the country.

"Nearly half of all American meals – about 500 million per day – are produced in commercial kitchens," said Fedele Bauccio, founder and CEO of Bon Appétit Management Company. "With each plateful of food that comes out of our kitchens, we are creating a clear example of low-carbon eating."

The featured innovations were vetted by EDF and a distinguished panel of experts from the fields of environmental science, law and finance. The final selection includes 15 innovations from around the country. Each innovation was evaluated for environmental benefits, business benefits, replicability and innovativeness.

"Reducing our buildings' environmental impact is an important step in achieving our business and stewardship goals," said Kevin Hagen, REI's director of corporate social responsibility. "Through energy-efficient technology, the use of recycled and renewable materials and connecting our members to local outdoor recreational opportunities, we are better aligning our brick and mortar stores with our commitment to the outdoors."

Verizon has rolled out energy-saving solutions on employee desktops, reducing operating costs, emissions and energy.

"Verizon's power-management project is a simple but powerful example of how technology can help both the environment and the bottom line" said Kathryn C. Brown, Senior Vice President of Public Policy and Corporate Responsibility at Verizon. "We're also proud of the wide range of customer applications from teleworking to smart electrical grids, all of which utilize broadband technology to benefit the environment."

Innovations Review 2009 also highlights two innovations by EDF and its corporate partners: a Green Portfolio Project developed by EDF and private equity firm KKR, and Climate Corps, a program that embeds MBA fellows into corporations to help create energy efficiency investment plans.

The Review is part of EDF's broader effort to foster collaboration on corporate environmental innovation through its recently launched Innovation Exchange. Details on all the innovations, as well as multimedia clips, are available at http://innovation.edf.org.

Tag: IR2009 . Twitter: #IR2009 . Twitter Username: EDF_InnovEx

“These initial results provide a high note in this low economy,” said Gwen Ruta, vice president of corporate partnerships, EDF. “By generating cost savings through environmental innovation, these companies are improving their competitive position in today’s volatile marketplace.”

“One of KKR's core strengths is driving operational improvements that build business value,” said Dean Nelson, Head of KKR Capstone. “By focusing on improving environmental performance across our portfolio and providing a framework to help companies take environmental initiatives to scale, we're finding new ways to help the portfolio companies save money while simultaneously improving the environment.”

Ken Mehlman, Head of Global Public Affairs at KKR said: “Today’s announcements are good examples of how smart companies can cut costs and support the environment. Going forward we will continue to implement Green Portfolio Project tools to generate more cost savings and environmental benefits at other portfolio companies including Accellent, Biomet, Dollar General and HCA.”

KKR and EDF have been working together since May 2008 to develop and test a set of analytic tools and metrics to help companies improve in several key environmental performance areas, including greenhouse gas emissions, waste, water, forest resources and priority chemicals.

US Foodservice, PRIMEDIA and Sealy participated in the pilot phase of the project, using these tools to evaluate environmental impacts, identify areas for environmental and business improvement, establish baselines and metrics and develop goals and action plans for future improvement. The process helped managers to cost-effectively improve efficiency and reduce waste, while addressing the environmental impacts of their business.

Specific results to date include:

US Foodservice, one of the country’s premier foodservice distributors, implemented new driver policies, business processes and truck technologies to improve its operational efficiency and reduce emissions from its delivery fleet. During 2008, US Foodservice:

• Saved $8.2 million in fuel costs and avoided 22,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions (equivalent to more than 4,400 cars) by improving the efficiency of its fleet (gallons/ton of product moved) by more than 4% compared to a 2007 baseline.

This year, US Foodservice plans to further improve fleet productivity by scaling up successful initiatives, such as driver awareness programs, automatic idle shutoff, maximum speed controls and assessing and implementing new initiatives, including improved trailer cooling practices and other technology solutions.

PRIMEDIA, a leading provider of print, Internet and mobile solutions designed to enable consumers to find a place to live, increased online efforts and resized its publications to reduce its use of forest resources. During 2008, PRIMEDIA:

• Saved $2.9 million in material costs and reduced more than 3,000 tons of paper use (equivalent to over 40,000 trees) by improving efficiency (paper use/revenue) by 22% compared to a 2007 baseline.

This year, PRIMEDIA plans to reduce paper consumption an additional 20% by redesigning publications and pursuing additional online strategies and is exploring opportunities to expand publication recycling programs currently encouraged at all locations. Also in 2009, PRIMEDIA will focus on measuring and reducing its greenhouse gas emissions 10% by improving sales and delivery routing and continuing efforts to consolidate office and warehouse space.

Sealy Corporation, the largest bedding manufacturer in North America, recycled raw materials used for producing bedding and improved delivery fleet efficiency through improved driver policies and truck technologies to reduce waste and decrease greenhouse gas emissions. During 2008, Sealy:

• Saved $1.2 million in fuel costs and avoided more than 3,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions (equivalent to more than 600 cars) by improving the efficiency of its fleet (gallons/stop) by almost 9% compared to a 2007 baseline. In addition, Sealy saved more than $4 million in material costs and avoided 650 tons of solid waste (equivalent to the capacity of more than 46 garbage trucks) by reducing scrap per bed (pounds/unit) by 16% compared to a 2007 baseline.

This year, Sealy plans to roll out improved fleet routing software, install speed governors on its trucks, reduce idling time and incentivize drivers to improve fuel economy. The company will continue reducing solid waste by improving manufacturing processes and reducing packaging. In addition, Sealy will focus on improving the energy efficiency of its facilities.

In 2009, KKR and EDF will continue to work together to extend the program across KKR’s U.S. portfolio. Already, KKR has launched a Web site that provides sample tools, best practices and case studies for cost-effectively improving environmental performance to promote action among its portfolio companies.

To drive broader change across the private equity and other industries, the tools and best practices developed through the partnership will be available through the EDF Innovation Exchange in the fall of 2009 and KKR and EDF will continue to publicly share results.

In 2008, U.S. Foodservice reduced Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions from its fleet by more than 8 percent compared to 2007. More than half of the savings came from specific efforts to improve fleet efficiency (gallons/ton of product moved), which reduced fuel costs by $8.2 million and avoided 22,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions (equivalent to more than 4,400 cars).

U.S. Foodservice recently expanded efforts to reduce GHG emissions by commissioning a GHG inventory conducted by an independent consulting firm. The inventory measured emissions from the company’s direct energy usage of fuels and refrigerants, for example, and emissions from indirect sources such as in the production of purchased electricity.

The inventory showed that fuel and electrical consumption made up 93 percent of U.S. Foodservice’s 2008 GHG footprint. U.S. Foodservice has reduced inventoried CO2 emissions by 4.5 percent since 2007.

Progress and future plans

U.S. Foodservice is further reducing GHG emissions from its fleet by reducing idle times through driver awareness training and automatic idle shutoff. The company is also installing maximum speed controls on vehicles and investing in technology solutions for more efficient routing of delivery trucks.

U.S. Foodservice has also invested nearly $5 million since 2008 to reduce GHG emissions from its facilities by installing more efficient high-bay fluorescent lighting with motion sensors. The new lighting is expected to reduce energy consumption by 30 to 40 percent compared to 2007.

The company is also establishing GHG baselines for its distribution centers, measuring facility GHG emissions on an absolute and productivity basis (GHG emissions/ton of product sold), and setting annual goals to reduce GHG emissions from facilities by continuing to implement energy saving processes and lighting technologies.

Want to know more? Read how Sealy is reducing waste and how PRIMEDIA is reducing the use of forest resources.