Amazon's Environmental Record May Be As Bad As Its Work Culture

JOHN MACDOUGALL via Getty Images

Amazon’s quasi-dystopian workplace culture is far from its only moral failure in a corporate world that increasingly expects big companies to do the right thing.

Its environmental record is badly smudged. 

Unlike some of its biggest rivals, the e-commerce giant refuses to release information about energy consumption at its data centers. Only last November did it start using renewable energy to power some of these electricity-guzzling facilities. In addition, the company offers to recycle customers’ old devices, but the program is far from comprehensive.

“The biggest hurdle to Amazon becoming an environmental leader is that the company has refused to embrace some basic transparency,” David Pomerantz, a senior climate and energy campaigner at Greenpeace, told The Huffington Post by phone. “It’s very difficult for its customers for hold it accountable.”

Amazon’s cloud-computing service, which hosts some of the biggest sites on the web, earns about $6 billion annually. Earlier this year, major clients including Yahoo, Netflix and HuffPost demanded access to their electricity usage data, to no avail.

“Unfortunately we do not release this information to our customers,” Amazon told HuffPost in May, after an engineer for the site requested such statistics. 

An Amazon spokeswoman, reached for comment on Wednesday, pointed HuffPost to a website outlining the cloud-computing unit’s sustainability goals.

“It’s hard to know what is the right amount of disclosure for that kind of information,” Jonathan Koomey, a research fellow at Stanford University, said of the energy usage at data centers. “But I don’t think it’s a proprietary issue at all to say we’re using this percentage of renewable power.” 

Other tech giants, by contrast, have offered more transparent reports on their data centers’ energy consumption. Apple includes its facilities in its annual environmental responsibility report. Google maintains a page dedicated to the energy efficiency of its data centers. Facebook has posted video tours of one of its data centers, touting its energy efficiency since as far back as 2011.

To boot, those three companies have made substantial investments in green energy outside their data centers. Apple last February committed $848 million to a solar farm meant to power its new headquarters. Google has made numerous substantial investments in renewables. Facebook has set ambitious goals to use clean energy to power half its operations by 2018. 

Amazon’s shoddy record on recycling old electronics is put to shame when held up next to Best Buy, the struggling brick-and-mortar retailer whose lunch Amazon has grown plump eating. Despite its financial woes, Best Buy offers free recycling of customers’ electronic waste, including TVs and computers, at its own expense. 

On its website, Amazon says it recognizes “the importance of recycling electronic equipment at the end of its useful life.” Yet, as The Guardian’s Marc Gunther found, Amazon’s own take-back program is limited to its own products, such as the Kindle eReader or failed Fire phone, and it requires customers to mail the defunct device in. At least with Best Buy there is a physical location to which customers can drive.

To its credit, Amazon announced plans last November to power three data centers with renewable energy. Since then, the company has laid plans for two wind farms — in Indiana and North Carolina — and a solar farm in Virginia. 

“Amazon has historically been one of the major tech companies that has been the slowest to embrace sustainability in its business practices,” Pomerantz said. “Amazon really was an outlier until November last year.” 

Amazon’s recent green initiative hasn’t stopped it from opening other facilities that may use fossil fuels. The company faced fresh criticism after the cloud-computer division announced in June plans to open a data center in Columbus, Ohio, a city that relies heavily on coal. It’s unclear how Amazon plans to power that facility.

Such moves could prevent Amazon from shrinking its carbon footprint. If the company opens new locations as quickly as it converts others to renewable energy, its green commitments amount to little more than public relations plays.

“Amazon has started making some pretty significant progress,” Pomerantz said. “But it still lags behind some of its biggest peers and competitors in a big way.” 

Amazon"s Environmental Record May Be As Bad As Its Work Culture

With more work, solar is the future

When the Wright brothers began their experiments with flight, no one could have imagined that years later air travel would become thoroughly routine. To be successful, the brothers had to overcome numerous hurdles. When no manufacturer could supply them with an engine light and powerful enough to propel them into the air, they built their own. By doing so, they changed history.

Now, with the record-breaking Solar Impulse 2, history is being written once more. As The National reported yesterday, the aircraft completed the most difficult leg of its journey around the world on Friday when it successfully landed in Hawaii after crossing much of the Pacific. Swiss explorers Bertrand Piccard and André Borschberg, the driving forces behind the project, have effectively succeeded in creating the first plane capable of perpetual flight.

The flight was made possible after years of hard work, research and development. However, it’s also important to note that this is just the start of a much longer journey. More work needs to be undertaken to develop solar flights that are currently impractical due to the slow travel time, unpredictable weather and weight constraints of the aircraft.

The focus should now be on reducing the weight of solar-powered aircraft and improving speed in the air. Another area to improve is the power storage system. Batteries are not yet efficient enough to allow solar power to compete with fossil fuels. Their cost remains relatively high and they store limited amounts of energy.

But the good news is that research is already underway at Masdar Institute and, indeed, elsewhere to develop more advanced solar energy storage. While this research may not yet have yielded any new advances for solar aviation, the Institute’s focus on sustainable energy systems is likely to throw up new lines of development to pursue.

The history of flight tells us that there are always new technologies that can lead to the next “big thing”. Solar Impulse 2’s journey around the globe will end soon, but the journey towards universal fuel-less flights continues apace.

With more work, solar is the future

Michigan utilities work to comply with air pollution rule

Alisha Green, Associated Press

Updated 1:13 am, Sunday, June 28, 2015

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to release a decision this week about new mercury and toxic air emissions standards for power plants, but Michigan’s utility companies have already been working toward compliance.

The case against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is led by Michigan, which was joined by 20 other states.

The justices will take the bench again Monday to hand down more opinions. They should finish their work early in the week. In rare instances, the court will put off decisions and order a case to be argued again in the next term.

The main issue is whether the EPA was required to take costs into account when it first decided to regulate air pollutants from power plants or if health risks are the only consideration under the Clean Air Act.

The EPA estimates costs of around $9.6 billion for power plants to install and operate equipment to remove pollutants in accordance with the rule.

Attorney General Bill Schuette‘s spokeswoman Andrea Bitely said Schuette “pursued this case to the top because it was an obvious overreach by the federal government.”

“Michigan’s fragile economy cannot afford the job losses and skyrocketing electricity rates that would accompany the premature implementation of this new federal regulation,” she said.

But while the case has been making its way through the courts, the state’s utility companies have taken steps to comply with the rule. Michigan’s two largest utility companies, Consumers Energy and DTE Energy, declined to comment on the case itself. Representatives for each said they are working to ensure their compliance with the rule will not result in layoffs.

Linda Hilbert, executive director of environmental services for Consumers Energy, said the company has been working on compliance since the rule was finalized in February 2012. It took effect in April of this year.

“The last thing we want is to be out of compliance,” Hilbert said.

Unlike past rules under the Clean Air Act, where Consumers was able to meet requirements through cap and trade programs, the utility has been installing pollution control equipment on coal-fired units to meet specific limitations.

“It was very, very cost prohibitive,” Hilbert said.

That’s part of why Consumers will retire seven of its coal-fired units across the state in cases where it didn’t make sense economically to add the pollution control equipment, said Dan Bishop, director of media relations for the utility.

Bishop said the company is working to place workers from the retiring coal-fired units within the company where possible.

“As far as electricity prices, we’re committed to keeping cost increases below the rate of inflation, and are doing so,” he said.

DTE Energy also plans to retire at least two coal-fired units in the state due to old age and the implementation of the air pollution rule. All of the company’s plants will meet the standard by April 2016, said DTE senior media relations specialist Erica Donerson.

Donerson said DTE has pledged that no employees will be laid off as part of its transformation. Donerson added that DTE can’t predict the impact of all these changes on rates, but said, “To recover the generation lost due to plant retirements, DTE will utilize natural gas and renewable energy sources. Whenever we purchase or build new generation, those costs become part of the rate base.”

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Michigan utilities work to comply with air pollution rule

Australian Government continues to work with communities to resolve wind farm concerns

The Australian Government is committed to continuing to work with local communities and industry to resolve concerns about possible health impacts from wind farms.

The Government welcomes the report from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) looking into the evidence of impacts from exposure to wind farm noise.

The NHMRC Information Paper: Evidence on Wind Farms and Human Health found no consistent evidence that exposure to wind farm noise affects human physical or mental health but concluded further high quality research is warranted. It also found that there is some evidence that wind farm noise is associated with annoyance and parallel evidence suggests that prolonged annoyance due to noise may result in stress, which can have adverse effects on human health.

The report found that only 13 of 4,000 studies internationally have looked at the possible relationships between wind farm emissions and health outcomes. Only one of these 13 studies was conducted in Australia, showing a clear lack of research based around Australia’s unique environmental conditions.

The NHMRC also found this small number of studies to be of poor quality, including a failure by any studies to undertake monitoring of impacts on health within affected residents’ homes.

The Government supports the NHMRC’s decision to commission further high-quality research to fill current information gaps.

It’s essential for everyone involved – including both residents and the renewable energy sector – that credible evidence is gathered to ensure a considered position based on hard facts, not emotion and vested-interests can be established.

The Australian Government recognises that some members of the community are concerned about the development of wind farms.

Just as we promised prior to the election, we are listening to Australians worried about potential health effects caused by wind farms and we are working to resolve these concerns, including by independent analysis.

The Government will examine the report and will be reviewing the results of the targeted research to consider how noise from wind farms may affect human health, so that any approach to measuring noise can be targeted appropriately.

Media contacts: Minister Macfarlane’s office 02 6277 7070

Australian Government continues to work with communities to resolve wind farm concerns

New and renewable energy ministry takes cue from PM Narendra Modi, starts work on solar projects

NEW DELHI: Installing solar panels on the Pakistan border, using super-chilled LNG to build cold storage and warehousing facilities, and putting barcodes to stop illegal use of subsidised cooking gas — the Modi mantra is making its presence felt in the energy domain and forcing officials to sit up and think out of the box.

Officials say that during discussions about seemingly routine and uninspiring energy issues, Prime Minister Narendra Modi comes up with unusual ideas, which soon become tightly monitored instructions. The Cabinet Secretariat maintains a log of efforts made by departments responsible for implementing these ideas, sources said.

The PM’s vision is to harness cold temperatures at LNG terminals where gas in liquid form – at 160 degrees Celsius below freezing point – lands from cryogenic ships. At an LNG terminal, the super-cool liquid is gradually warmed up and gasified again in a process that can cool surrounding areas.

“There is reasonable potential of using this low temperature to generate liquid industrial gas such as nitrogen, oxygen and argon. Integrated cold-storages do exist adjacent to such terminals in China and Japan,” a source said.

The Prime Minister’s Office has shown keen interest in renewable energy, officials said. Modi recently advised the ministry of new and renewable energy to explore using barren land close to the country’s borders to generate solar energy. Solar projects need a lot of land, which is scarce and costly outside arid regions such as the Rajasthan desert and the uninhabited border regions, where electricity supply is a problem.

As per the PM’s direction, we’re soon going to put up two pilot projects of 5 MW each in Gujarat and Rajasthan on separate areas of 25 acres. Indo-Pak border is what we’ll begin with as a lot of land is barren and available in the Rann of Kutch,” a source at MNRE said.

The PM is keen on reducing the oil subsidy burden on both the exchequer and state oil firms. While the finance minister recently hinted at denying subsidised cooking gas to the rich and affluent, under the direction of the PM, oil companies are trying to recover every drop of LPG left in more than 15 crore cylinders after they are used.

Modi’s focus is also on reducing India’s petroleum import bill, which was over $155 billion last year, by raising domestic output with the use of new technology. As a result, state explorers Oil & Natural Gas Corporation and Oil India plan to revisit areas where success could not be achieved during earlier exploration campaigns. These areas include Upper Assam Belt, Naga Fold Thrust and the Himalayan region. Reviews using the latest Canadian technology have resulted in an oil and gas prospect in Jwalamukhi area of the Himalayan thrust fold belt, an industry source said.

Similar prospects were reported from Geleki, Cachar and Mizoram, the source said. Officials said the proposal to use the low temperature of LNG for refrigeration has enormous potential. India already has four operational terminals at Dahej, Hazira, Dhabol and Kochi, totaling over 22 million tonnes per annum capacity. Terminals are coming up in Gangavaram and Kakinada.

New and renewable energy ministry takes cue from PM Narendra Modi, starts work on solar projects

The Power of Positive Confrontation: The Skills You Need to Know to Handle Conflicts at Work, at Home and in Life

The Power of Positive Confrontation is for everyone who was never taught, or never realized, that between “bully” and “wimp” is a range of behavior that is positive, dignified, and effective for dealing with life’s bothersome situations. The skills it teaches will not only improve your ability to confront others, but will also help you to live a more conflict-free life. Filled with hundreds of often entertaining real-life examples drawn from Barbara Pachter’s many years of teaching assertiveness and business etiquette, The Power of Positive Confrontation is as perceptive about people and their behavior as it is clear-headed about the strategies you need to handle yourself confidently and effectively in all confrontational situations.

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The Power of Positive Confrontation: The Skills You Need to Know to Handle Conflicts at Work, at Home and in Life

Camfil Recognized For Its Work -- and Success -- in Belgium

RIVERDALE, N.J., July 9, 2014 /PRNewswire-iReach/ — Joining seven other prominent Swedish companies, Camfil — the world’s leading provider of clean air solutions — was recognized for its long-term presence and success in Belgium.  Ulrika Sundberg, Sweden’s ambassador to Belgium, presented the awards at a recent ceremony in Brussels.

Camfil, which in 2014 celebrated its 40th year of operations in Belgium, has been at the forefront of providing innovative, efficient clean air solutions to key industries in that nation, including the pharmaceutical, food processing, and energy sectors. It has specialized, too, in low-energy air filters for the ventilation systems of commercial and public buildings.

The award winners were selected by CIDIC (Cercle International Diplomatique et Consulaire), the Swedish Chamber of Commerce in Belgium and Luxembourg, and the Brussels Diplomatic Academy.  In addition to Camfil, the companies receiving the prize were Atlas Copco, Electrolux, Ericsson, IKEA, Medicover, Mölnlycke Health Care, and Volvo.

Belgium was one of the first countries in which Camfil established an international subsidiary — and one where the company has long been active in promoting energy efficiency and the health and economic benefits of improved indoor air quality.  Today Camfil participates in key initiatives including the Ecodesign Directive and the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), and regularly engages with EU policymakers, NGOs, and industry associations to foster the development of energy efficiency measures in the building sector.

Camfil Energy efficient air filters — which can mitigate climate change and dramatically reduce the health risks of indoor air pollution — have long been a priority, and a differentiator, for Camfil. Leveraging its half dozen global research centers, the company has developed next-generation air filters that not only do a better job removing harmful particles from the air, but require less energy, and less frequent replacement, than more traditionally designed products. Indeed, a typical Camfil customer can reduce its HVAC energy costs by 20 percent, its installation costs by 50 percent, and its disposal costs by 70 percent — all while boosting indoor air quality.

Camfil is honored to be recognized for its work in Belgium — work that will help bring the improved health and sustainability that is the true prize, and one that can be shared by all.

The world leader in air filtration systems, Camfil provides clean air solutions for hospitals, hotels, office buildings, educational institutions, and pharmaceutical and biotech companies.  We provide the tools to achieve sustainability, maintain high air quality, and reduce airborne infections — all while lowering total cost of ownership.  Camfil customers go green without ever sacrificing performance.  For more information, visit us online at http://airfilters.camfilfarr.us, or call us toll-free at 888.599.6620.

More information http://www.camfil.us/About-Camfil-Farr-US/Business-Areas-/

To Browse our catalog visit http://catalog.camfil.us/

Media Contact: Lynne Laake, Camfil, 888.599.6620, Lynne.Laake@camfil.com

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Camfil Recognized For Its Work -- and Success -- in Belgium

DIY Solar Projects: How to Put the Sun to Work in Your Home

Advances in solar technology have made many DIY-friendly products available to consumers, several of which will be hitting the market for the first time in 2011. These include solar water heaters, solar battery charging stations, solar powered lights, photovoltaic shingles that provide supplementary electricity, solar heat pumps, and solar panel kits that generate primary home electrical service. Among the step-by-step projects is a solar water heating system you can build and install yourself for under $1000; simple thermosyphon solar heat collectors for barns and outbuildings; or “heat grabbers” that you can fabricate for $50 in materials and position below a south-facing window to provide auxiliary winter heat.

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DIY Solar Projects: How to Put the Sun to Work in Your Home