20+ Innovations Showing the New Business as Usual
Companies find that environmental sustainability helps reduce costs and gain advantages.
David Kaneda helped design the first "net-zero energy" office in the U.S.
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Know an Innovation for 2009?
If you know of an innovation by your company or another, tell us.
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Press Coverage
- NPR Marketplace: Green businesses still save green
- USA Today: Companies discover going green pays off
- Reuters: Green tech innovations save cash and planet
- San Francisco Chronicle: Firms honored for green ingenuity
- GreenBiz.com: EDF highlights innovations big and small
Game Changers
Radical innovations that are a total departure from business as usual:
Net Zero-Energy Office
Is it possible to operate an office building on nothing but solar power?
The Closed Loop
Worn-out products are remade as new, without degrading material.
Solar-Powered Web Hosting
A California startup has opened the first fully solar-powered data center.
Shopping Bags Get Sacked
Grocery stores swap disposable bags for reuseable.
Auto Insurance by the Mile
New policies encourage consumers to drive only when truly necessary.
Take Action Now
Innovations that are quick to implement and/or have a short payback:
Let Mother Nature Help
Passive systems can help regulate interior lighting and temperature.
Modify Truck Engines
Cut maintenance costs and emissions by tinkering with truck engines.
Use More Recycled Materials
Product packaging can include more post-consumer recycled materials than previously thought possible.
Promote Telecommuting
Travel to the office is nearly one-fourth of corporate carbon emissions.