INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
A new global challenge aims to find and scale new technologies capable of reducing a ship’s gross carbon dioxide emissions by ten percent. Businesses and entrepreneurs with a product in need of commercial assessment, testing, investment and scaling are invited to apply to participate in the “CO2 Challenge,” launched by Cargill in partnership with DNV GL and Rainmaking.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and Globalia have announced the first worldwide competition for tourism startups. The UNWTO Tourism Startup Competition is accepting applications from entrepreneurs across 164 countries whose companies aim to transform tourism, whether their focus is on the future of travel, tourism experience, environmental impact or community development.
ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE -
After opening in 1913, Michigan Central Station quickly became where dreamers in search of new jobs and new opportunities first set foot in Detroit. Once the last train pulled out of the station 30 years ago, however, it became a place where hope left. The station became a symbol of Detroit’s hard times, a monument to the city’s struggles. As the new owner of the building, Ford is making a big bet on the future.
PRESS RELEASE -
UPS today announced plans to build an additional five compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling stations and add more than 700 new CNG vehicles including 400 semi-tractors and 330 terminal trucks. This $130 million dollar investment in CNG capacity for 2018 builds on previous UPS investments of $100 million dollars in 2016 and $90 million dollars in 2017. UPS will have invested more than $1 billion in alternative fuel and advanced technology vehicles and fueling stations from 2008 through 2018.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
This week at Sustainable Brands’ flagship event, SB’18 Vancouver, over 2,000 attendees are sharing and exploring the many ways organizations are helping to “redesign the good life.” One aspect of the good life is cross-sector collaboration, such as brand-city-organization partnerships to build resilient communities, technologies and systems that focus on social inclusion.
COLLABORATION & CO-CREATION -
In early May, we announced an expansion of the Lyft Relief Rides Program to do more than respond to natural disasters and other crises. With individuals across our service area in need every day, we saw an opportunity to have a greater impact and advance our mission of improving people’s lives with the world’s best transportation.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
Striving to be the world’s greenest city by 2020, Vancouver has adopted several ambitious action plans and goals. The Vancouver Economic Commission (VEC) set to work in 2010 to define what a “green job” was at the city level in order to meet the City’s economic goals to double the number of green jobs and the number of businesses engaged in greening their operations within a decade. Since then, VEC has been building relationships with investors, helping local cleantech firms increase their exports, and using city infrastructure projects to lead by example.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
The future of transport is shaping up electric — by 2040, more than half of all new car sales and a third of global fleet will be electrified, according to research from Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Its latest forecast shows sales of electric vehicles (EVs) increasing from 1.1 million worldwide in 2017 to 11 million in 2025, then surging to 30 million in 2030 as they become cheaper to produce than internal combustion engine cars.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
As we get ready to select our semi-finalists for the 2018 Sustainable Brands Innovation Open, we wanted to check in with last year’s semi-finalists to learn about the impacts they continue to have on the business world. Here, we catch up with Immotor.
PRESS RELEASE -
UPS (NYSE:UPS) today announced that it is working with UK-based technology firm ARRIVAL to develop a state-of-the-art pilot fleet of 35 electric delivery vehicles (EVs) to be trialed in London and Paris. These zero tailpipe emission, lightweight composite vehicles have a battery range of more than 150 miles (240 kilometers), which is significantly higher than other EVs currently in service. The vehicles will also come equipped with Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) that help to improve safety and reduce driver fatigue. These features, combined with a highly advanced vehicle display provide the driver with an intelligent and connected vehicle.
CIRCULAR ECONOMY -
This week, global brewer AB InBev announced two major initiatives helping it advance toward its 2025 Sustainability Goals in different parts of the world.
PRESS RELEASE -
Dr. Milos Milenkovic | MIT A hyper-connected network of logistics clusters could play a key role in achieving the European Union’s goal of creating a sustainable, more efficient freight transportation system.An EU-backed research initiative called Clusters 2.0 is laying the groundwork for such a network by developing ways to link freight hubs via the physical internet.
PRESS RELEASE -
Photo:
Two cars recharging at Tesla stations
Photo courtesy of Tesla, Inc.
All throughout Earth Month and every day at Target, we’re working toward ambitious goals to help keep the planet healthy.
Today, we’re taking another step forward, accelerating our electric vehicle program with the help of industry experts Tesla, ChargePoint and Electrify America. Together, we’ll expand our current program, available now at 18 sites in five states, to more than 600 parking spaces at over 100 sites across more than 20 states with charging stations over the next two years.
ORGANIZATIONAL GOVERNANCE -
In school, we both read Paul Hawken’s The Ecology of Commerce, and it profoundly influenced the impact we want to have in life. His book demonstrates how industry and the environment do not have to be at odds, and if we work to find the right solutions, the two can (and must) work together. We’re grateful and lucky to have Paul as Lyft’s environmental advisor.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
For the second year, Fast Company is celebrating businesses, policies, and nonprofits that are poised help shift society to a more sustainable and more equitable future with its World Changing Ideas Awards. From melted down guns to nitrogen-producing microbes, there’s quite a bit of variety among 2018’s twelve winners.
PRESS RELEASE -
EVgo, the nation's largest network of public electric vehicle (EV) DC Fast charging stations, today announced an agreement with Maven, General Motors' car sharing brand, to construct a dedicated DC fast charging network available to Maven Gig Chevrolet Bolt EV drivers. This agreement builds upon the success of EVgo and Maven's current pilot programs powering Bolt drivers in seven major US cities.
"EVgo is committed to working with fleet EV owners and operators to make charging quick and easy," said Cathy Zoi, EVgo CEO. "Maven Gig EV Bolt on-demand drivers will have access to a dedicated EVgo fast charging network so they can fully charge in the time it takes to eat lunch."
PRESS RELEASE -
Passenger electric cars get all the press, especially when someone launches one into space. But something important is going on in the world of commercial vehicles as well.
Last year Tesla announced it would produce an electric long-haul big rig. PepsiCo, Walmart and UPS promptly committed to buying a few hundred.
More recently, UPS made an important announcement about its plans to roll out 50 new midsize electric delivery trucks in Atlanta, Dallas and Los Angeles.
The headline is that, for the first time, the electric trucks are expected to cost the company no more than regular diesel vehicles. Up-front price is no longer a barrier.
But there’s a second part of the story that’s not being touted enough.
INNOVATION & TECHNOLOGY -
In Henry Ford’s day, there was no term for environmentalist. But he had a goal of zero waste to landfill, just as we do today, based on his belief that nothing should be wasted.
Those values still hold true at Ford.
Currently, conversation is underway on setting the near-term standards for fuel economy. It is a critical one for all of us who care about the environment and our customers, and we all need to work together to ensure there is a win on both fronts.
CONSUMER BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
2018 has already seen a number of environmentally conscious trends — such as a switch to electric vehicles and plant-based diets — make the headlines.
PRESS RELEASE -
In Henry Ford’s day, there was no term for environmentalist. But he had a goal of zero waste to landfill, just as we do today, based on his belief that nothing should be wasted.
Those values still hold true at Ford.
Currently, conversation is underway on setting the near-term standards for fuel economy. It is a critical one for all of us who care about the environment and our customers, and we all need to work together to ensure there is a win on both fronts.
Today, our planet faces increasing challenges, the implications of which are profound: greater congestion in cities, the rise of human population, climate change and all its implications. The cost of believing it is not real is just too high.