Stories from RP Siegel
Corporate Responsibility
Chiquita Sued For Deceptive Sustainability Claims
One aspect of our world that has undisputedly changed is the increased transparency and availability of information. This makes it […]
September 10, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Obama to Seek 'Politically Binding' Climate Agreement
How much room is there to maneuver between a rock and a hard place? That’s a question President Barack Obama […]
September 2, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Health Care Savings Will More Than Cover the Cost of Reducing Emissions
People, primarily skeptics, often want to know what is the business case for taking action on climate change. Typically, all […]
September 1, 2014
Energy
Climate Denial Smokescreen Now Extends to South Asian Food Challenges
The Heritage Foundation-backed National Center for Policy Analysis pumps out a steady stream of misinformation about climate change, continuously reinforcing […]
August 29, 2014
Finance
Nobel Economists Gather to Discuss Direction of World Economy
A captain steers his ship using a compass. If the compass has become magnetized and no longer points north, the […]
August 27, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Could a Carbon Tax Cut Down on Corporate Inversions?
Marc Hafstead of the nonpartisan think tank Resources for the Future, along with Lawrence Goulder of Stanford University, have come […]
August 22, 2014
Voices for Change
Connecting the Dots: Honey Export Loss Leads Mexico to Dump Monsanto’s GM Soy
With another school year about to start, it’s a good time to reflect on the basic sciences: physics, chemistry and […]
August 20, 2014
Finance
PR Firms Take a Stand on Climate Change
Public relations (PR) is a powerful but unseen force in our society. Companies hire PR firms to make them look […]
August 14, 2014
Finance
Why Energy Efficiency is About to Come Roaring Back
We write a lot of stories these days about the remarkable growth of solar and wind power and how they […]
August 12, 2014
Finance
S&P Acknowledges Role of Income Inequality in Downturn
There has been a well-documented trend over the past 50 years to tweak the rules of the economic game to […]
August 8, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Coal Companies Accused of Shortchanging Taxpayers on Export Royalties
It may come as a surprise to learn that much of the coal that is mined in this country is […]
August 7, 2014
Voices for Change
Toledo Loses Drinking Water to Algal Bloom From Farm Runoff
A friend and I happened to be traveling through the far reaches of Western New York this weekend, and the […]
August 5, 2014
Energy
Survey Finds That U.S. Leads the World in Climate Denial
This may confirm suspicions that many of us have already had. Besides leading the world in consumer debt and military […]
August 5, 2014
Sponsored
Setting The Standard
Poor Air Quality May Be Slowing Your Employees Down
Read more in this series Last month, we discussed the implications of indoor air quality (IAQ). We asked why you should […]
July 30, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Report: States Fighting EPA Carbon Rules Will Actually Benefit From Them
People rarely use the expression “ignorance is bliss” when referring to themselves. To do so would be to suggest that […]
July 30, 2014
Technology
Elon Musk Lays Out Future Plans for Tesla
Elon Musk continues to defy the conventional wisdom of the armchair pundits, who claim that widespread adoption of electric cars […]
July 22, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
New Carbon Capture Plant Will Use Coal Exhaust to Get Oil From the Ground
Will we ever be able to get all of our energy from renewable sources? There is certainly enough supply available. […]
July 18, 2014
Energy
Clean Tech Leadership Index Ranks States and Cities
As we push towards a radical overhaul of the world economy, with the goal of establishing a sustainable human presence […]
July 16, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Governor Christie Pulls New Jersey Out of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
So this is what American politics have come to in 2014. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie appears on NBC’s Meet the […]
July 16, 2014
Technology
How Cities and Businesses Are Working Together to Address Climate Change
This is a little ironic; no, it’s more than a little ironic. Congress won’t act on climate change for fear […]
July 14, 2014
Sponsored
Understanding Sustainable Forestry
Water and Energy Conservation Opportunities in the Paper Industry
Read more in this series As we study the key systems upon which our human population depends, it quickly becomes […]
July 9, 2014
Technology
Airline Industry Shaves Weight to Save Money
We don’t often associate airplanes with low-hanging fruit. I mean, it might just be the worst metaphor one could imagine. […]
July 3, 2014
Finance
Former Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Weighs In on the Need for a Climate Tax
I don’t know if it was the cold winter or what, but we suddenly seem to be seeing mass defections […]
June 24, 2014
Energy
How Food Waste Recovery Fills Pockets Instead of Landfills
Human beings are very clever — clever enough to remake much of the world in the image of what lies […]
June 20, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Former Shell Chairman Criticizes Industry Inaction on Climate
James Smith, as the former chair of Shell U.K. and current chair of the consultancy Carbon Trust, is a man […]
June 18, 2014
Sponsored
Sustainable Seafood
The Difference Between Market-Driven and Sustainable Seafood
Because of the state of the fishing industry today, small fishermen find themselves squeezed between massive international fleets and heavily […]
June 17, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Heinz and Ford to Team Up on Rolling Green Tomatoes
You could say that, at least until now, cars and tomatoes have basically nothing in common. Tomatoes go from green […]
June 13, 2014
Finance
Siemens Report Lays Out Opportunities for Cities to Leverage Technology and Build Infrastructure Value
Ed note: This article is part of a short series on financing smart city infrastructure, sponsored by Siemens. Please join […]
June 6, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Procter & Gamble Doubles Down on Sustainability
There are some big changes afoot at consumer products giant Procter & Gamble (P&G), though with little in the way of […]
June 5, 2014
Sponsored
Sustainable Seafood
Greenpeace Reviews Major Food Retailers for Sustainable Seafood Purchasing
While the dedicated startups that spearhead the sustainable seafood movement through things like community supported fisheries (CSFs) and green aquaculture are exciting, these fish will […]
June 4, 2014
Sponsored
Setting The Standard
IAQ: How Do You Stack Up When It Comes to Indoor Air Quality?
Read more in this series When most people think of sustainability, they think of things like renewable power, energy and […]
June 4, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
GM’s 2013 Sustainability Report: Connecting to What’s Important
General Motors has been having a fairly tough time of it lately, with a record-setting number of recalls this year, […]
May 28, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Tom Steyer vs. the Koch Brothers: Let the Games Begin
In one corner, weighing in at just over $100 billion, we have the heavy-weight Koch Brothers, with roots in the […]
May 26, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Solazyme Produces Algae-Based Lubricant for Cleaner Drilling and Fracking
When it comes to fracking, I am a NIMBY. I would prefer that it not be done anywhere near where I […]
May 21, 2014
Technology
Southwest’s New Initiative Expands the Airline From Place-Taking to Placemaking
As our society goes through numerous transitions, many companies find themselves challenged to re-examine their core values and their core […]
May 16, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Coca-Cola Drops Controversial Ingredient in Response to Teen’s Petition
Chances are you have never heard of brominated vegetable oil (BVO), or at least not until recently. I know I […]
May 13, 2014
Sponsored
Sustainable Seafood
Village Fishmonger is Spreading the Word at Sustainable Seafood Week NYC
As part of our series on sustainable seafood, we’re doing profiles on a couple of startups in the community supported […]
May 9, 2014
Technology
In Peru, Billboard Puts Out Message While Taking In Pollution
It’s often been said that actions speak louder than words. But perhaps words and actions can be combined in a […]
May 7, 2014
Sponsored
Sustainable Seafood
Dock to Dish: A Community Supported Fishery
I recently spoke with Sean Barrett, founder of Long Island, N.Y.-based Dock to Dish, about how the fledgling community supported fisheries movement got started. Modeled […]
April 30, 2014
Technology
Shell's Eco-Marathon Inspires a New Generation of Green Innovation
As I stood on the lawn outside of the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston, I knew I […]
April 28, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Georgetown University Offers $5 Million Community Energy-Efficiency Prize
In the wake of increasingly grim news on the climate front, and a deadlocked Congress unable to overcome resistance and take […]
April 24, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
3p Interview: Recyclebank Goes Retail With OneTwine
In today’s highly connected world, never has the value of a good reputation been higher. Indeed, many companies have cited […]
April 23, 2014
Technology
3p Interview: A Conversation With an Electric Road Warrior
Norman Hajjar is a man with a penchant for travel, adventure and a strong sense of curiosity. Years ago, when […]
April 22, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
General Mills Issues Its 2014 Global Responsibility Report
General Mills just issued its 2014 Global Responsibility Report. I received an advanced review copy and spoke with Chief Sustainability […]
April 18, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Why Did Indiana Kill Its Successful Energy Efficiency Bill?
There was some strange news out of Indiana recently. A piece of legislation designed to dismantle the state’s energy efficiency […]
April 10, 2014
Sponsored
Sustainably Attired
Is 'Made in the USA' Always the Most Sustainable Choice?
This is a question many of us have wondered about. Seeing how the local movement is so closely associated with […]
April 9, 2014
What Makes a Civilization Collapse?
Last week, we talked about the latest report from the U.N. IPCC describing the impacts that have already been seen […]
April 8, 2014
Energy
Latest IPCC Report Shows Climate Impacts and Risks Worse Than Expected
Last week, Working Group II, the sub-committee of the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that is responsible for […]
April 3, 2014
Energy
Undeterred By Facts, Climate Deniers Will Carry the Torch to Las Vegas
Why, you might ask, when the verdict is in, the scientists overwhelmingly agree, and the evidence is incontrovertible, are they […]
March 28, 2014
Technology
Nest 'Protect' Raises the Bar on Smoke Alarms
Last month, Google paid $3.2 billion to acquire Nest Labs, Inc., the maker of upscale home gadgets with high-tech interfaces, most […]
March 27, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Interview: Monique Oxender Walks Us Through Keurig's New Sustainability Report
Green Mountain Coffee has been a very busy place lately. For starters, the company announced a major deal with Coca-Cola […]
March 25, 2014
Sponsored
Sustainably Attired
Levi Strauss Brings Water Recycling to the Apparel Industry
The environmental impact of the clothing industry is large and varied. The most significant factors depend highly on the energy, […]
March 19, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
GM Opens LEED Gold Plant in Brazil
General Motors announced the opening last week of its latest LEED Gold engine factory in Joinville, Brazil — the first […]
March 18, 2014
Energy
Is There a Sustainable Big Mac in Your Future?
Giant corporations such as McDonald’s and Walmart cast a long shadow across the planet with the enormous amount of resources that […]
March 12, 2014
Technology
ConEd's Energy Storage Program Will Allow Renewables to Offset Nuclear
Nuclear power has long been controversial in this country, due to concerns about safety. Those concerns were exacerbated after the […]
March 7, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Apple CEO Tim Cook Tells Climate Deniers to Take a Hike
Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO and successor to Steve Jobs, is generally known as a man who, unlike his predecessor, has […]
March 3, 2014
Energy
Wall Street Eyes American Farmland as Its Next Target
We have seen the level of income and wealth disparity in this country reach unprecedented levels. The reasons for this […]
February 27, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Novo Nordisk Adds Environmental P&L to Their Sustainable Toolset
It’s an old management truism that says you can’t manage what you can’t measure. Certainly if companies hope to manage […]
February 25, 2014
Energy
Bloomberg's 'Vibrant Oceans' Initiative Invests in the Future of Sustainable Fisheries
Last month we wrote about former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s work with Henry Paulson under the Risky Business […]
February 21, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Coca-Cola and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Challenge SodaStream
In a move that some might find surprising, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (GMCR) and The Coca-Cola Co. announced a major strategic […]
February 18, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Electric Vehicle Performance Found to Slide in Winter
We’ve all heard the saying that oil and water don’t mix, but now it turns out that oil-free cars, namely […]
February 12, 2014
Energy
Clean Cookstove Opportunity Remains Unfulfilled
When I spoke with Cisco Systems last week about their latest strategic partnership on smart cities, with AGT international, I […]
February 11, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Interview: Cisco and AGT Launch Strategic Partnership on Smart Cities
Cisco Systems, makers of networking gear, software and solutions, has recognized, as a company, that it is in a great […]
February 7, 2014
Technology
Smart Energy Storage Becomes the New Power Source
Fossil fuels have long held an advantage over renewables in that they provide a combined energy source and storage medium […]
February 6, 2014
Technology
DOE Helps Sprint Put Fuel Cells on Cell Towers
What do you get when you cross a fuel cell with a cell tower? Would that be a fuel tower? […]
January 29, 2014
Energy
Resourcefulness Survey Shows Disconnect Between Utilities and Customers
Itron Incorporated, a global company that provides metering equipment, software and solutions to the electric power, natural gas and water […]
January 28, 2014
Energy
Some Basic Truths About Energy Subsidies
It’s not unusual to hear people, usually change-resistant defenders of the status quo, putting down renewables as being not economically […]
January 27, 2014
Finance
Bloomberg, Paulson Form Group to Assess Climate Risk to Economy
This is another story about a group of business leaders who have gotten together to try to do something about […]
January 20, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
Newlight Makes Plastic Out of Thin Air (Not Oil)
Imagine if you were given one wish to do anything you could about climate change, what would you do? Resetting […]
January 7, 2014
Corporate Responsibility
What is Wall Street’s Frat Boy Culture Doing to Our Planet?
There has been a longstanding urban legend about Wall Street being a good ole boys’ club, sexist and exclusive with […]
December 31, 2013
Technology
The Emerging Sustainable City Opportunity
Ed Note: This post is RP Siegel’s entry into Masdar’s 2014 blogging contest for a shot at a trip to […]
December 24, 2013
Technology
Can Plastic Houses Be Green?
This sustainability business can get really complicated sometimes. Although we always like to press for more than “less bad,” in […]
December 19, 2013
Technology
Tesla and SolarCity Partner to Provide Energy Storage for Commercial Buildings
It looks like Elon Musk and his friends at Solar City are at it again. First, there was the Tesla […]
December 16, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Indian Government Commits to CSR with Companies Act
I just returned from India last week. Between the unbreathable air in Delhi, due to the multiplicity of smokestacks and […]
December 16, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Cisco CSR Report: Creating Global Value Through Connections
This week, Cisco Systems released their 9th Annual Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Report. The comprehensive 160-page report is divided into […]
November 27, 2013
Technology
Elon Musk’s Latest Innovation: Bonds Backed by Rooftop Solar Power
We all know that Elon Musk is one of the world’s great innovators. The South African-born developer of PayPal, and […]
November 25, 2013
Energy
AP Attack on Corn Ethanol: Not the Whole Story
I was disappointed to see the AP story last week, by Dina Capiello and Matt Apuzzo, an incomplete and shallow […]
November 18, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Microsoft Signs Twenty Year Wind Power Agreement in Texas
Last year, Microsoft committed to become carbon neutral. The mechanism for achieving this is an internal carbon fee charged to each […]
November 8, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Obama Issues New Executive Order on Climate Change
The timing is significant. Just a few days after the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, President Obama issued an Executive […]
November 4, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Mexican Court Suspends All Planting of GM Corn
As the battle over genetically modified foods continues to rage across the planet, significant victories are being scored on both […]
October 28, 2013
Finance
'On the Money' Describes Structural Changes Coming to Our Economy
Just about everything in our world is changing: the climate, the way we live, the way we make a living. […]
October 21, 2013
Energy
Landfill-Derived Natural Gas Now Available For Your Car
This definitely sounds like one of those good news-bad news stories. That’s pretty much the way it is with anything […]
October 9, 2013
Energy
Interview: IKEA Unveils New Sustainability Strategy
Mike Ward, President of IKEA USA gave the keynote address at the 6th Annual Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) Conference […]
October 7, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
PhoneBloks Aims to Eliminate the Annual Upgrade
We’ve written quite a bit about e-waste here over the years. It is a growing problem that is oddly emblematic […]
September 30, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
Anti-Gay Group Ends Boycott Against Home Depot, Claiming Victory Where None Exists
It’s not easy to save face when you’ve come out swinging, very publicly, with everything you’ve got, only to find […]
September 16, 2013
Elon Musk Takes Tesla Model S on Cross Country Road Trip
I think we all know that the sooner we can get the market saturated with electric vehicles, the better off […]
September 13, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
California Moves Forward on Energy Storage
The California Public Utilities Commission issued a proposed decision this week that will guide power companies towards an increased utilization […]
September 6, 2013
Voices for Change
Can Technology Make Green, Sustainable Cities?
What is at the heart of a sustainable city? If you look at this ranking, which considers Vancouver, San Francisco, […]
September 2, 2013
Corporate Responsibility
How Steel Can Make Greener Cars
Last year, when the Obama administration passed the new corporate fuel economy standards, requiring cars and light trucks to average […]
August 23, 2013
Sponsored
The Business Of Biking
How Biking Improves Employee Productivity
The business case for bicycling sounds obvious to sustainability enthusiasts. However, making it stick requires a generous leap of faith […]
August 20, 2013